PDF of Blue Print Articles - Our newsletter - Blue Mountains Bruce ...

THE BLUE PRINTS u m m e r / F a l l 2 0 1 3T h e B l u e M o u n t a i n s B r u c e T r a i l C l u b N e w s l e t t e rBlue Mountains Bruce Trail Clubwww.bmbtc.orgP.O. Box 91Collingwood, Ont.L9Y 3Z4

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013CLUB EXECUTIVE 2013CONTENTS Summer/Fall 2013PresidentIan Petrieibpetrie@rogers.com 705-293-4444Past PresidentPeter McDonaldmcd106@hotmail.com 705-444-8294Vice PresidentHerman Ohrthermanohrt@sympatico.ca 705-446-1440BTC RepresentativeMarietta Servicemservice@cogeco.ca 905-527-2519TreasurerTerry Searstjinblue@rogers.com 705-444-9859SecretarySharon Emersonsharon.emerson@sympatico.ca 705-444-0750Trail MaintenanceLinda Finleylindamfinley@gmail.com 519-378-7558Land Owner Relations Denman Lawrensond.lawrenson@rogers.com Jansje Lawrensonj.lawrenson@rogers.com 705-445-0014Land Stewards Director Dave Knoxknoxd5083@rogers.com 705-445-5933Membership Secretary Dave Coledavidsnotes@rogers.com 416-222-72261) Presidents Message2) Hikers Tales:A True Mountain ExperienceBy Jansje Lawrenson3) BMBTC Landowner Appreciation NightArticle by Linda Finley4) Christmas Pot Luck5) Memories of Last Winter8) Hike Schedule9) Hikes at a GlanceHiking DirectorTom Wilsontandrwilson@rogers.com 705-446-1877Social CoordinatorRosemary Petrierpetrie293@gmail.com 705-293-4444Communications &Volunteer Coordinator Cathy Searscsearsinblue@rogers.com 705-444-9859WebmasterHart Fischerhfischer@gmail.com 705-445-6876Newsletter EditorMurray MacRitchiemdmacritchie@hotmail.com 705-446-2971Publicitydpmorton9@gmail.comDirectors at Largerichardedwards@xplornet.netDave Morton705-444-0228Dick Edwards705-445-5849April 7 - May 22, 2013!"#$%"&'$()!"*+,'+-$.,/012345/61716389:0!

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013Presidents Message By Ian PetrieWinter has gone for another year and as I write snow shoes are being fixed up for storage and hiking boots are being preparedfor another season. Tom Wilson has done his usual competent job of organizing hikes for the coming season and theschedule is in this magazine. All levels of expertise are included. Please be sure to read the preamble on hiking safely priorto the schedule. Remember that the hike leader has the obligation to refuse to allow people to join a hike if she or he feelsthat their health or safety could be compromised for any reason.A successful season of fall and winter snowshoeing and hiking is over. Much of it was recorded to digital photos by HartFischer and his snappy new camera. Visit our website for amazing and smiling faces of those having the time of their life.Thank you Hart.In Feb this year we hosted an evening where our guests were the landowners, who so generously allowed us to use pathsthrough their land as a very vital part of the Bruce Trail. This was also a great opportunity for the trail captains and landstewards to become acquainted with the land owners and share ideas etc. It was a great success to our eyes. Thanks toRosemary Petrie and her band of volunteers, Linda Finlay her helpers. Thanks to the Lawrenson’s for their astonishingcontribution, the highlight of which was a DVD with beautiful photos and words describing our section and club, truly aprofessional job that must have taken hours.Coming on the 27th of April is the Welcome AGM. BTC Kick Members off will be at 3 P.M. at the Cornerstone Church, Batteaux Road Silent Auction in Nottawa.This will be followed by a Pot Luck meal. We hope to see many members.Plans are underway to organize the End to End weekend on Saturday the 25th of May and Sunday the 26th. Traditionallythere will be hamburgers, salads, tea, coffee or soft drinks. A steal at only $10 bucks!We will hosting a Pig Roast on the 14th of September to raise funds for our club. We have experts lined up to BBQ the pig,music and other things yet to be announced. It will be held at the Nordic Highlands facility. Tickets will be limited to thefirst 120 lucky buyers so watch out for them as they will go fast!Well, that’s enough from me...Here’s to a great season of hiking and fellowship.Great Eats!!

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013A True Mountain ExperienceArticle by Jansje LawrensonIt was with great anticipation that Denman and I set offto hike the Selkirk’s after it had been so highlyrecommended to us. The only time we had visited theRockies was the year before we immigrated to Canadain 1981. We were in Banff for just two days in earlyAugust 1981 when we experienced rain, mist and yes,even snow as we ventured towards Jasper. We nevercaught a glimpse of the tops of this beautiful mountainrange during the short time we were there.WELCOME TO THE 2012 BTC AGMThe Selkirk Mountains extend approximately 320 km.They are distinct from, and geologically older than theRocky Mountains. Together with the neighboringMonashee and Purcell Mountains, and sometimesincluding the Cariboo Mountains to the northwest, theSelkirks are part of a larger grouping known as theColumbia Mountains. In our limited knowledge ofgeography, we thought they were all just the RockyMountains and had not heard of the other ranges untilvisiting the area.We overnighted in Revelstoke where we were picked upearly in the morning and taken by van to a helicopterpick-up point about 20 minutes away. It was a thrilling10 minute helicopter ride over the tops of a smallsection of the range to the Durrand Glacier Chaletwhich accommodates just over 20 guests. The chaletlooks over the Durrand Glacier, one of the largestglaciers in the area of the Rockies and ColumbiaMountains. The chalet itself is at 6800 ft. elevationresulting in spectacular panoramic views. RuediBeglinger, a certified mountain guide, his wife and twodaughters run the lodge which offers incredible powderskiing, mountaineering and hiking. The two girls arenot only accomplished hiking guides, but are alsoexcellent mountaineers and skiers.

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013By 10:00 am, that morning we had made ourselves a packed lunch from a wonderful spread of breads, fillings and fruit andheaded off on our first hike with a group of about 16 hikers. For some of them it was their 7 th visit over a span of 12-14years. That was testimony enough! Although it just about a 10 km hike the first day, and considered a moderate/intermediatehike, it would most definitely fall under the “more experienced” classification by our club due to the elevations, narrowfootings in places and remaining snow patches. We ended the hike exhilarated by what we had experienced and relaxed onthe chalet deck facing the setting sun and overlooking a never ending view of unfolding mountains.The hikes are all mainly guided hikes though one has the option to go it alone. I’m not sure that we would have the courageto do that. You can choose to stay for 3, 4 or 7 days. As we booked late, we could only get 3 days and quite honestly, I’mnot sure we could have managed a 4 th day of hiking judging by the state of our sore muscles at the end of the 3 rd day ofhiking which ended with a total climb of more than 2,000 feet. We discovered it wasn’t the uphill as much as the downhillthat taxed the thigh muscles.The trouble was that with the chalet sitting at 6800 feet, all hikes started by going down before climbing up, but every foot ofelevation was worth it. The vistas all around us were breathtaking. Each hike had amazing variations leading past beautifulclear blue lakes, across large remaining areas of snow, (which we had to traverse - quite tricky), and to stunning vista pointsthat were hard to take in as they were so vast. But what surprised us the most were the beautiful meadows of many differentspecies of wild flowers. We had timed it perfectly as they were at their peak. We were completely alone amongst thisvastness except for the mountain goats that seem to party every night on the deck while we were sleeping and would keeppace with us while climbing the steeper elevations.There is a vast selection of hikes ranging from easy to difficult. Ruedi and his wife Nicoline are constantly working oncreating more and they work hard on maintaining the hiking paths. It is a trip we would love to repeat. Look upwww.selkirkmountainexperience.com if you are interested.

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013BMBTC Landowner Appreciation EventAn Abbreviated AccountPrepared by Linda FinleyMaybe it was because of the pending fullmoon, or as a result of consuming tasty snacksand refreshments, but I was witness to positiveenergy and good vibes in the CollingwoodLeisure Time Centre during the après ski hoursof January 26 th .It was an impressive sight! Round tables setwith colorful maps; a melee of peoplemeeting and greeting each other – some oldfriends, some new acquaintances; adynamically flowing slide presentationfeaturing the beauty found along the entirestretch of the Blue Mountains Club section.

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013A crowd of over 60 people joined in the celebrations. Theevent was conceived to honor our Landowners and toexpress our appreciation for their generosity in allowingthe Bruce Trail to run through their property. Eachlandowner was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation byIan Petrie, our Club President. Moreover, landownerswere able to meet face to face with the dedicatedmaintenance team for their respective trails (be it TrailCaptains and/or Land Stewards) and a relationshipreinforced.Also attending the event was Antoin Diamond (Directorof Land Securement, BTC) and Frank Schoenhoeffer(President, Sydenham BTC). We thank them for theirparticipation and sharing their wealth of landownerexperienceCongratulations to the team of volunteers that helpedmake this event spring to life – from concept to reality.Your individual contributions were greatly valued.Special acknowledgement goes to Denman and JansjeLawrenson, Landowner Relations Directors, who furthermotivated and steered the team to reach the finish line.

The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013Blue Mountains Bruce Trail ClubFirst AnnualPig RoastCome out and join us for a great evening of Fun, Food andMusicSeptember 14th from 4:30 to 9:00At Nordic HighlandsTickets are $20.00All funds raised to support the Bruce Trail!!!

!The Blue Print Summer/Fall 2013