Walk on the Wild Side - Winter Hiking in the GTA Rattray Marsh & Lakeview Golf Course

This past year we've made a lot of exceptions. We're being more adaptable because it makes our lives easier in otherwise challenging times. We previously had a 10 degree hiking rule, and then this fall we lowered it to five degrees. This winter we've lowered it to minus five, and it may dip lower since we purchased so much sweet winter gear.

Over the Christmas holidays my good friend E introduced me to this wonderful Ontario hiking group on Facebook where people share photos and tips for winter hiking in their favourite locations. The group has proposed a challenge where people aim to enjoy five winter hikes in the month of January. 

I just started a new virtual challenge (hiking, biking, rowing, walking and running) the length of the Appalachian Trail in 50 weeks or less (spanning 3167.6km) some mild winter weather hiking with the family seemed like a great opportunity to log some KMs. 

Since we're in a grey area lock down in Ontario, we made sure we stayed within the Greater Toronto area, and brought masks to wear when social distancing was not possible.

Our first hike was a 2KM loop on Saturday at Lakeview Golf Course in Mississauga.  

You can hike or bring snowshoes when there is enough snow. Washrooms are open and parking is free.

I suggest bringing boots with good grips, spikes or crampons. We had one fall during our journey where Molly thought a section of pavement was dry when it was black ice.

Our second hike was on Sunday afternoon, along the lakefront trail at Jack Darling Memorial Park and into Rattray Marsh Conservation Area.

The sky looked like something out of the background of a glacier sourced water bottle today and was gorgeous.

Like usual the kids and Chris wanted to hike along the beaches and use their billy goat legs to climb the rocks overlooking the water

From parts of the walk we were able to see the CN Tower and Toronto skyline.

The Rattray Marsh Trail portion of our hike was the busiest and since it's so narrow we masked up for this complete section of our hike. 

For whatever reason, our dog Ted who normally HATES water decided that January was the perfect time to enjoy the water of Lake Ontario.

By the end of the hike we were warm, tired and had logged between 5 and 6kms. Highly recommend. I am so happy that I've found this Ontario hiking group and that we got to enjoy bright blue skies in January, a time of year I normally associate with grey. Only three more January hikes to go!

Got a great, well maintained hike for us to try in the GTA? Please share!

Happy Wanderer - Hiking along the Lakeshore Palace Pier

Chris, the minions and I had such a blast on our Lakeshore hike a few weeks ago at Colonel Sam Smith Park that another section of Toronto's Lakeshore and waterfront became the focus of our Mother's Day walk/hike this past weekend.  Despite sporadic rain, some pretty mighty gusts of wind, and no actual playgrounds along our stroll, the minions, mom and dad managed to remain entertained and active for over an hour.  We started our hike at Palace Pier and then walked west to the Humber Butterfly Habitat, explored some of the foot bridges and then headed back.

The only complaints we received were when the thunder started up and we had to rush back to the car. All together through the various trails, diversions and time spent climbing on rocks along the lake I'd guesstimate that this was about a two to three km adventure, that was more of a meander than an actual vigorous hike.

For anyone hoping to spot butterflies in the Butterfly habitat, they aren't here yet, it's suggested that you visit between early June and early September.

A rare photo of just me and the minions, complete with Toronto skyline in the background

A swan along the lakeshore trail

Admiring a snail living in the Butterfly Habitat.  

Visiting the ducks

Birdhouse that sits atop the Butterfly Habitat

A stormy sky looms as Molly walks along the bridge

Johnny the swan

As always, the highlight of the walk was climbing up onto the rocks and admiring the lake.  A close second was trying to skip stones.  The more time we get outside, and into nature, the more exposure the kids have to calculated and positive risk taking, which is so important.

I'm happy that on this outing the minions learned a valuable lesson about wild animals: they're unpredictable and you shouldn't get too close.

During a hike earlier this spring, we came across a swan who happily swam close to Chris and Jack while they watched from a nearby rock. This positive experience prompted Jack to want to get very close to the swan we spotted on this walk.  As we neared a rather large swan, it was very apparent that he wanted nothing to do with us, and quite aggressively hissed at us. This gave a good startle to the kids, and also mildly entertained them as the swan proceeded to suspiciously follow alongside us as we cautiously walked over the bridge.  This swan has made such an impact with Jack that he's named him Johnny, has composed a song about him, and has taken to hissing at Chris and I whenever he's annoyed at us. Overall a huge success!  Go nature!

To read about our hike in Colonel Sam Smith park (Lakeshore West/Etobicoke) click here

To learn about exploring the boardwalk path and dinosaur playground at Lakeshore's Marilyn Bell park click here.

Have suggestions for excellent, but family friendly, walks or hikes?  Leave a comment or send me a note to multiplemomstrosity@gmail.com

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(un)Happy Wanderer - Hiking at Crothers Woods

Autumn is just days away and Chris and I continue our annual mission, to get the minions "hiking ready" so they can gradually gear up for some of the longer hikes that we used to enjoy pre-children. We decided that we were going to abandon the safety net (hiking carriers) for this first journey and rely on the kids to use their own leg power to get them through the beginner trail at Crothers Woods, along the Don Valley.

Unfortunately due to poor signage for trail heads and construction along the borders of the trail we had to park quite a distance away from the trail.  This hike is accessible by TTC and can be reached using the 56 or 88 Leaside bus.  I am proud to say that Molly and Jack fared very well, probably better than mom and dad did.

 The beginner trail is a loop that that is relatively flat, with some hills and fine gravel.  It is a great trail for children and dog walkers and sections may be workable for wheelchair access (but check with Parks and Recreation to be sure).  This path felt more like a visit to the park than a full fledged nature hike.

 The kids enjoyed a pretty view along the river and even got to see some ducks from the bridge.  (Jack decided that it was imperative that he wore a dollar store lei on this hike)

 Molly and Jack enjoying a snack on one of the rocks along the trail.  

There were a lot of pretty flowers out along our hike, like these. Molly and Jack really wanted to pick some flowers, but we kept reminding them that when we hike we take only pictures and leave only footprints.  We ran into a handful of dog walkers who had been picking flowers themselves.  Thankfully the minions were so distracted by the puppies that they didn't seem to notice, although I would have been okay with either child telling people that it's not cool to pick flowers in a public park or on a trail.

Then our journey went south.  As we neared the end of our hike Chris suggested that I walk a bit further, over the bridge towards the parking lot with the kids while he ran to the other exit to bring the car around for us so Molly and Jack wouldn't have to walk on a busy road again.  I agreed.  Chris took off with the backpack with our water, food and both cell phones and said he'd see us in about 10 minutes.  Sadly, there was no parking lot beyond the brown bridge.  Molly and Jack and I wondered around the park for over an hour looking for a parking lot that didn't exist and then eventually Chris.  Every 15 minutes or so I'd commandeer a random stranger's cell phones to try to get a hold of Chris, unsuccessfully.  After Molly asked me if I was crying (I was crying, tears of frustration over what idiots Chris and I both are) and aptly pointed out that mom and dad shouldn't take short cuts, because it's foolish (that's how you run into the big bad wolf or get lost) I was finally able to get in contact with Chris who got us to wait for him on that same infamous brown bridge.  Once we were reunited we walked back to the car together.  We were exhausted and ready to leave only to discover that Chris had lost his cell phone in the park while he was running to meet us at the bridge.  The kids and I waited at the car while Chris ran into the park, again.  He didn't find the phone.  We returned home sweaty, discouraged and disgruntled and tried calling the phone every half hour or so, all evening long with no luck.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending.  A kind soul found the cell phone, called me yesterday and returned it to Chris.

We have implemented two new hiking rules to the hiking motto, leave only footprints, take only photos.  Leave as a group and take your cell phone with you at all times (fully charged) and take-off.

To read about a more successful hiking adventure at High Park click here.

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