Snowshoeing on the Bayview Escarpment

A decade ago now when I was just getting involved with the local Bruce Trail Club, I joined a group going for a snowshoe hike up on the Bayview Escarpment.  It's onw of my more memorable winter hikes, because the scenery was so spectacular.

We started up an old road allowance that took us up onto the top of the escarpment.  That was a challenging walk!

Then we came out on top, where the trail was flat and the walking relatively easy.  In short order I realized we were actually on the Bruce Trail, a new section of it that had just been opened.

Eventually the trail grew closer to the cliff edge and we got a tremendous view looking northeast.  This is the back corner of the army base, locally still known as the tank range, and beyond it, easier to see in the second photo, is Georgian Bay itself.

Our hike leader knew a secret though, and abruptly led us through a nearly 360° turn to head down a break in the cliff fact, and back out onto the field below.  I've never forgotten that shortcut to end our hike, a great snowshoe walk.

The snow really needs to be 4-6" deep to make snowshoes worthwhile, but it's even better if it's a foot deep.  My first effort at snowshoeing came over 50 years ago, on a weekend in Algonquin Park, where we used the big beavertail snowshoes in powder snow that was four feet deep!  Then you know they are really useful!