Over the last few years, cachers have been exploring the various corners of Ministik, building up knowledge of trails and recording bits and pieces onto maps - such as this piece which I posted to a cache page last year:
I saw a trail going off to ... somewhere ... but didn't have time to explore it that day. It tickled my imagination.
Since that time, cachers have indeed gone down that trail, leaving cookie crumbs for others to follow.
Guess where we're going?
I expect the hike to take about 6-7 hours at an estimated pace of 2½ km/h (plus or minus a lot), including stops. How many stops? Oh, at least two dozen well over thirty, for birdwatching (cough), checking out moose tracks (cough), or whatever. Emphasis on the whatever.
Late April is the ideal time of year, being after the snow melts (we can hope), but too early for mosquitoes.
The plan:
- Optional. We meet at Hwy 21 Restaurant at 8:00am for a trucker's breakfast. We leave spare vehicles here (plenty of room), and depart by 9:15am.
- We all meet at the trailhead at 9:30am, count heads, do a quick pep talk, and start walking!
- To avoid losing people, we stay together on the trail (eg, within sight), except by arrangement otherwise. This means that if you're in front of the pack and don't see the designated leader when you turn around, stop and wait. (If you're waiting a long time, you screwed up.)
- We take the first of two major breaks and sign the event logbook at the event's posted coordinates, which are at a trail junction at roughly the north end of the loop. People will have the choice to do an "I'll be right back" or take a longer break.
- We take a second major break - call it lunch - at another trail junction at roughly the east end of the loop.
- We arrive, tired but happy, back at the trailhead and give each other high fives.
The preparation:
This is a wilderness hike, and there's no easy exit from the middle portion. Cell reception is dubious.
Be prepared for any weather. This means bringing waterproof clothes even if the forecast is sunny and warm - forecasts can change - and sturdy footwear, preferably waterproof. (We'll be on some uneven terrain, including a beaver dam.) Bring plenty of water to drink - especially if you expect to be huffing and puffing - and something for lunch.
Those are the bare essentials; I trust you already have some hiking experience and know what you'll need to ensure you have an enjoyable and safe day. I'm happy to answer questions, and there's a discussion about the event here.
PS, I don't know why these attributes aren't available for events 
, but in any case, I'm not expecting they'll apply to this one. If we see a swamp, we'll detour instead.
