The Elgin Trail runs 41 km from Port Stanley on Lake Erie to Southdel Bourne, following Kettle Creek and Dodds Creek, along some country roads for several kilometres, and then goes over the 401 and crosses a forest near the Green Lane landfill site. The trail is well marked with white blazes, but is not well-used, so it is overgrown at times.
This new series highlights the best hikes around the world, trails that we would someday like to hike on and enjoy. There are an assortment of caches along the Elgin trail commemorating these other trails.
Located in southeastern Cuba, Pico Turquino is within the Sierra Maestra mountain range, the birthplace of Cuba's revolution. The 10-km "sendero" or trail to this, the highest peak in Cuba, is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Although the elevation of Pico Turquino is only 1974 m, it’s a tough climb due to numerous ascents and descents. The approach from the north climbs from roughly 1000 m to 1974 m but the trail’s ups and downs easily triple the altitude gained. On the first day of the climb, one can spend one night at a mountain refuge which is a very basic bunkhouse. The next day one rises by 5:00 AM to reach the summit some 3 or 4 hours later. Once at the summit, an alternative to returning the same way is to continue south for a 10 km, 1974 m descent all the way to the Caribbean Sea coast. This is a knee jolter and much more enjoyable if you train and are prepared. No technical gear or skill is needed. Seasonal rains can also make the trail muddy and slippery, adding to the difficulty. The hike passes through a tropical forest and the views from the top are tropical and beautiful, but not spectacular. The draw here is to know that you’ve climbed Cuba’s highest peak and seen a part of the world that few others see.
Opa Norshley helped me with the hides and the listing. Hope you like these.
The cache is in a tree just off the trail. The stamp in the cache is not a trading item. Please leave it for the next cacher.