The Valley from Old Baldy

Literally hundreds of people flock to the short section of the Bruce Trail leading in to the cliffs of Old Baldy, or Kimberly Rock, over the Thanksgiving weekend. But not many come later in the season, when the bright colours of the valley are mostly gone, and only the golden aspen brighten the landscape. We walked the trail on the last Saturday of October, and got a very different view of the valley.


This photo is a view south from the highest lookout, with the Beaver Valley Ski Club in the middle of the distant west slope. Only one obvious hayfield remains being harvested in the bottom of the valley, while most slopes are reverting to forest rapidly, after former farms sell to rural non-farm residents.


And this photo looks north, the long west slope toward Epping in dark shadow. The farm below the cliffs is one of many that is no longer, and the fields are coming up in weeds as nature starts its natural succession back to forest.

In 50 years, I wonder how many of these views will be left.