This event is a 12+km hike through the Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary following unmarked quad trails and the Waskahegan Trail through the northeast corner of the sanctuary. It's similar to the first hike two years ago, but a bit shorter and with a different starting point.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
I expect the hike to take approximately 6-8 hours at an estimated pace of 2 km/h (plus or minus a lot), allowing lots of stops for birdwatching (cough) or whatever. This should be 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 drive to the north trailhead, and leave one or more vehicles there.
- We drive to the east trailhead, 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 have lunch and sign the event logbook beside the abandoned firetower (at posted coordinates), which is at roughly the halfway point of the hike.
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We ramble along trails and through open meadows.
- We make a little detour to the fireplace and maybe cook up some hot dogs.
- We arrive, tired but happy, at the north trailhead and give each other high fives.
- We retrieve the cars from the east trailhead, and all go home.
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. 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.