Winter's End

This will likely be my final report for the winter of snowshoeing. I hope to snowshoe in the Gatineau after returning from the Mediterranean. By that time, snow on the Rideau Trail will be long gone.

Race Reports
Again this year, I finished a distant third in the Synergy Adventure Training Mad Trapper Snowshoe Race series. I missed out on $380 worth of snowshoes.

In the snowshoe-orienteering race sponsored by the Ramblers orienteering club, I remain undefeated after three winters. However, I do not expect to win next winter.

Shortly after I left the orienteering site to join M on her long-slow distance workout, tragedy struck the race event. The year-in-year-out winner of the ski-orienteering event died at the finish line.

11 Mar 2006: Rideau Trail kilometres 114.0-125.8

For the last Saturday of Rideau Trail snowshoes, I had to drive some distance in search of snow. Understatement: the snow cover was thin in places.



I parked the car on Narrows Lock Road about a mile north of Narrows Lock. I headed west towards and then along North Shore Road before entering the Foley Mountain Conservation Area. A north-bound trumpeter swan flew across my path.

I followed the blue flashes around the Spy Rock ramp. I did not wish to impose my noise pollution on the more meditative hikers.

From the top and sides of Foley Mountain, there is lots of scenery to take in.


After 2h30, I arrived at the western entrance to the Foley Mountain Conservation Area on Perth Road. I took off my snowshoes which I planned to carry back to the car and noticed that one of the rivets was now missing from the right shoe of my Atlas Dual-Trac snowshoes. I already knew it was time to replace those well worn shoes. I was not the only hiker to lose a shoe. If you are missing a Yaktrax for your left foot (found just east of the North Shore Road), send me a comment.


On this site in 1971, the Rideau Trail was officially opened.

By the time I got back to the car, the outing had taken 4h32.

12 Mar 2006: Rideau Trail kilometres 76.1-81.5

On Sunday, I should have been racing at the OOC adventure snowshoe race. However, I had been unable to find a partner for the mandatory team format. So back to the trail I headed. I parked the car at Upper Rock Lake, Storrington township, and followed the blue trail, carrying M's snowshoes 600 yards to the Rideau Trail. Thank you M (for lending me your pair of McKinley snowshoes, the fourth pair of snowshoes to carry me on the Rideau Trail).

At the Rideau Trail junction, I headed north and east, passing many sites along the way.

I turned back at the familiar Wagon Loop trail signs that I had visited from the east back in February of last year. Snow cover was very thin and I had no choice but to carry snowshoes back to the parking lot.


Less than a kilometre west of the Wagon Loop, an underground stream emerges from limestone caves.

Conditions were warm both Saturday and Sunday (3h18) and I hiked with bare arms. Sunday's outing was a good rehearsal for my eight-hour workout 14 days later.

Rideau Trail snowshoe mission in review
12 Mar 2006: 76.1-81.5 Upper Rock Lake - Wagon Loop
11 Mar 2006: 114.0-125.8 Narrows Lock Road - Perth Road
15 Jan 2006: 113.0-114.0 Perth Road - Mountain Road
08 Jan 2006: 32.0-41.7 Sydenham - Gould Lake Conservation Area
07 Jan 2006: 191.5-195.1 Hillcrest Cemetery - Poonamalie Road
27 Dec 2005: 261.0-262.7 Richmond Lagoon
24 Dec 2005: 200.1-207.3 & 208.8-210.0 Wood Road, Matheson Drive & Smiths Falls
11 Dec 2005: 87.1-95.7 Chaffeys Locks - Massassauga Road

12 Mar 2005: 280.9-281.9 Robertson Rd
19 Feb 2005: 81.5-87.1 Chaffeys Locks - Wagon Loop
05 Feb 2005: 256.8-258.3 Richmond
date? 283.1-284.1 Corkstown Rd w/ my love
16 Jan 2005: 265.0-262.7 & 208.9-207.3, from Twin Elm rugby park then drove to cover side of Rosedale Rd S
10 Jan 2005: 290.6-291.8 former CPR Carleton Place subdivision
08 Jan 2005: 279.7-280.9 Stoney Swamp w/ my love

21 Mar 2004: 225.7-230.1 Dwyer Hill Rd to Flood Rd
07 Mar 2004: 66.6-67.4 Maple Leaf Rd & CNR Smiths Falls sub, too many dogs & too little snow
06 Mar 2004: 132.8-140.7 Murphy's Pt Prov Pk to Big Rideau North Shore Rd, too wet to continue to Cooper Dr
04 Mar 2004: 9.4-14.0 14.2-14.4 15.3-16.3 Kingston Twp avoiding open water in fields
29 Feb 2004: 163.1-164.9 166.7-168.9 191.5-190.9 Ferrier Rd & Wild Life Rd to Scotch Line then to Poonamalie Rd but too many dogs
28 Feb 2004: 172.0-176.3 Tay River
25 Feb 2004: 186.8-190.9 from Port Elmsley
22 Feb 2004: 183.9-179.9 Tay Canal
13 Feb 2004: 297.8-301.1 Ottawa River
11 Feb 2004: 274.4-277.2 Lime Kiln trail
10 Feb 2004: 297.8-295.5 Ottawa River
08 Feb 2004: 140.7-144.9 Murphy's Pt
07 Feb 2004: 158.4-153.0 car stuck in snow off Narrows Lock Rd
01 Feb 2004: 163.1-158.4 from Ferrier Rd
22 Jan 2004: 267.5-265.0 old Richmond Rd @ night
15 Jan 2004: 257.4-261.0 Richmond village
12 Jan 2004: 293.6-295.5 ex CPR Carleton Place sub
11 Jan 2004: 292.7-293.6 Britannia
10 Jan 2004: 210.0-213.8 Long Bush
09 Jan 2004: 213.8-218.0 McConnell Rd
08 Jan 2004: 230.0-234.7 mile trek to trail off Flood Rd, lots of rocks
07 Jan 2004: 234.7-238.0 Marlborough Forest by head lamp, too many branches
04 Jan 2004: 218.0-221.9 Gilroy Rd
03 Jan 2004: 221.9-225.7 Dwyer Hill Rd
02 Jan 2004: 284.1-288.1
21 Dec 2003: 291.4-292.7 Britannia
20 Dec 2003: 251.2-256.8 245.1-248.0 Franktown Rd, lost glove back thru Ottawa St swamp then drove to Kettles Rd
06 Dec 2003: 238.0-245.1 Ruffed Grouse Trail
05 Dec 2003: 267.5-272.3
30 Nov 2003: 304.0-304.3 trail head Richmond Landing
29 Nov 2003: 256.8-257.4 251.2-248.0 244.7-244.3 Jock Trail & Munster Rd, very little snow cover

15 Jan 2003: 301.1-303.2 Remic Rapids

kilometres completed = 185.9 61%
9.4-14.0 14.2-14.4 15.3-16.3 32.0-41.7 66.6-67.4 76.1-95.7 113.0-125.8 132.8-144.9 153.0-164.9 166.7-168.9 172.0-176.3 179.9-183.9 186.8-195.1 200.1-261.0 262.7-272.3 274.4-277.2 279.7-281.9 283.1-288.1 290.6-303.2 304.0-304.3