Season Opener

11 Dec 2005: Rideau Trail kilometres 87.1-95.7 (kilometre 0 is in Kingston)

My mission to snowshoe the entire Rideau Trail continues. Because the typical outing is an out-and-back journey from the parked car, the actual mission will cover the entire length twice (2 x 304.3k).

Sunday's outing began with a 2h drive past Chaffeys Locks to Indian Lake Rd and its crossing of the Cataraqui Trail / Trans-Canada Trail / former CNR Smiths Falls subdivision. From the parked car, I snowshoed nearly a mile to the RT trail head and journeyed north. I turned back at Bedford Mills, Massassauga Rd & Perth Rd.

The plan was to be back to the car by sunset but I turned back early to wrap ankle blisters. 4.7k (x 2) was on Massassauga Rd which I hiked back, carrying snowshoes, until back in wilderness. My feet appreciated the change.

I covered over 20k in total in 4h40 (4h14 on my feet). The weather could have been a few degrees colder, freezing the puddles and reducing my sweat. I saw no evidence of snowmobiles until back at the car.

Following entries will review the mission to date.