T.S. Giilck
You know that old saying about when in Rome do as the Romans do? The same thing applies when you’re in snow country.
At least that’s the philosophy of the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club. In recent years the club has been offering special ‘badges’ for various activities, including snowshoeing the local trails. Think of the concept as something like the merit badges in the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides program and you’ve got the idea.
The latest outing took place last week, and attracted quite a turnout.
“We were lucky enough that the thaw was over and we had lots of powdery snow to trek through,” said Glenda Collings, who organizes the trips. “Nineteen intrepid participants (some from as far away as the Toronto area) took part. The trail took us along the height of the west side of the Beaver Valley, with great views and we had fun identifying animal tracks in the snow.”
“These outings were initiated to encourage folks to get out and enjoy the trails in the winter months,” she explained. “The badge is a fun incentive.”
The club is offering four outings to acquire the badge this season. Two have already taken place on January 14 and 19. Two more are set for February 11 and 26.
“All take place on Bruce Trail,” Collings said. “Two are daytime, and two are evening moonlight snowshoeing outings.”
“The moonlight dates are planned to take advantage of a full moon,” she said. “The first moonlight snowshoe had a clear sky and wonderful view of the stars; a huge orange moon rose just at the end of the hike.”
“I’m looking forward to another clear night for our next outing on February 11. Anyone can check out the details on our website www.beavervalleybrucetrail.org.”
