[at-l] Labor Day Hiking in Canada - Trip Report - Long

[jball65@home.com (Jason Ball)]

Hey everyone,
I know it's not AT related but up here in Manitoba, Labor day long =
weekend was perfect for hiking on the Mantario trail which lies on the =
border of Manitoba and Ontario. It's a 63km trail that has a southern =
and northern terminus. It has some steep ups and down and you end up =
hiking on rock for the most part so it makes for a very challenging =
hike. I arrived at the trail head and watched a set of Grandparents take =
their Grandkids out on a self guided hike as I got my final bottle of =
water. It took me back to when my Grandfather used to take me for walks =
around the old farm in the bush.The weather was awesome. Kinda cool and =
a nice breeze. This could only help make it a great hike. I had planned =
to hike in 10km to Caribou Lake west side and spend the night and then =
meet up with some friends and hike to the other side of the lake for the =
second night and then hike out. Well like all of my hikes this changed. =
I walked alone for 4 hours and never saw a soul until I reached camp. As =
I crested the hill and started to head down to the lake, approx. 30 feet =
in front of me was a black bear. He (maybe she), was chewing on =
something by the waters edge. I was too stunned to do anything but the =
bear must have thought I was going to come and get it's food cause it =
snarled at me and then charged. It ran about 10 feet and then stopped =
and kinda huffed and snorted. By that time, I wasn't so sure that =
skipping that last bathroom break was such a good idea. I started to =
bang my poles against the ground and stamping my feet. The bear kinda =
jumped at me and I kinda jumped back which scared the bear even more =
causing it to turn tail and grab what it was eating and go bounding off =
into the bush. I don't think a word escaped my mouth through out the =
whole ordeal. Being a hiker, I shrugged my shoulders and went down to =
see what he had been eating. I set up camp and gathered some firewood as =
I wanted a small fire for the evening to warm up with after my evening =
swim and to dissuade any bears that may want to get even with me. I had =
Raman (which tasted great with Alfredo sauce) for supper and then had my =
evening swim which I know helped stave off any aches and pains I may =
have gotten from the short hike in. Just before dusk, a couple (Kelly =
and Kerry)  showed up and we sat and had a great conversation which =
lasted for a few hours. The moon came out (looked almost full) and a =
lone loon sang for us.=20
    The next day we all packed up and started hiking back.The squirrels =
were out and I saw a rabbit sitting there watching us hike past. The =
birds were awake singing way too loud. We stopped to adjust packs at the =
old airfield tower and we met up with four more hikers who were =
thru-hiking the trail in 3 days. Dan, Debbie, Jason and Hiker Sue. This =
was really cool cause I got to met Hiker Sue in person. We had been =
emailing each other for awhile. She wants to hike the AT and from the =
short time I've talked to her, I think she'll do really good. Such =
focus. We all headed off to the other side of the lake (5.1km) which =
took us through some really spooky looking forest with a lot of moss =
hanging from the trees. I think Hiker Sue called it enchanted . We =
stopped for lunch, I got in about 15 minutes behind everyone because I =
climbed a steep hill and thought that they may have not come that way =
yet and went back down and found that they had gone on so I had to climb =
the hill again. Hiker Sue asked me to continue on with them to the next =
camp site (6.5km) but I didn't want to do 18.5km back to the car cause I =
thought I might not be able to go that far all in one day so I headed =
back to the airfield tower. Although it was nice to hike with people, I =
was happy to be on the trail alone again. I saw a deer, an owl and met =
up with another couple hikers and when I got to the old airfield, I ran =
into some more hikers  with their dog who I have seen out there before. =
I enjoyed a nice break with them and continued on. I decided to hike =
back to the West side of Caribou Lake with another group of people (Bob, =
Kyle, Sherry and Sandra) who I met up with as I was almost halfway back =
to the southern trailhead. We got to camp and I was invited to share in =
their communal meal which consisted of baked potatoes, small but thick, =
tender steaks and some homemade wine. Dessert was Jell-O pudding cups. =
Bob's pack weighed a good 65lbs (3 day trip) and Kyle's was not far off. =
Sore, sore shoulders for them but the best eats for everyone. We stayed =
up way too late sitting in the dark talking, sipping wine and listening =
to the loons.=20
    I hiked back out the next morning enjoying the warm sun and strong =
breeze and ran into 3 more groups of people heading to the lake and =
thru, stopping to talk with each one. When I got back to the car I =
realized that I liked hiking with other people (I had always ended up =
hiking alone) and I enjoyed having a nice time in camp but that I wanted =
to hike further than 10km a day. I added up my mileage and as it turns =
out, I did about 20km the 2nd day. I thought that was next to impossible =
for me before that weekend. I found that if I could do that, I could =
have thru hiked the whole trail in 3 days. I will be back with a =
vengeance next year.
    Gawd I love hiking.
Thanks for letting me babble for awhile,
Jakealoo


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