Trail Talk: Hiking Local Trails in Subzero Conditions

On the Sugar Bush Trail on Jan. 10.

The recent cold spell reminded me of hiking in the subzero conditions.  My first experience of a Canadian winter was when I landed in Labrador City on January 1, 1968.  My first purchase was a Canadian Parka.

The temperatures sometimes went down to -40oC. One week the temperature never got above 0oF (-18oC).  It was not too long before I adapted to the cold.   

At school in England, we were forced to wear a cap which I hated, so when skiing in Labrador I did not wear a hat, just earmuffs, until I was finally convinced that a toque helped keep the whole body warm, not just the head.  I still found that, after about one hour of downhill skiing in very cold weather, it was time to warm up in the chalet.

There was quite a cold snap on January 15 with temperature down to -14oC.  Five of us braved the cold and started out on the Maitland Trail on the east side of Sharpes Creek Line.

When we reached the wooded section, we decided to keep in the woods where we were out of the wind, as the trail down to the top of snowdrift hill is very exposed to the northerly wind.

I often think about climbers on Mount Everest who face bitter cold and strong winds, so obviously the trick to staying warm is what clothing etc. you wear.

Some older people have heart problems or other conditions, resulting in medical recommendations to avoid going out for long periods in cold weather.

In my old age I needed hearing aids and have lost one of them while taking off or adjusting a toque. This means that I am reluctant to wear a toque when wearing hearing aids and instead make do with a hat with flaps.

To keep my body warm I have thermal underwear, but I rarely wear thermal underwear now as I don’t like the feel of them, so instead I wear over trousers and sweaters.  I have a pair of quilted warm up over trousers that skiers use before making their downhill run.  These are excellent, but I did not need them in Huron County.

Keeping my hands warm has been an increasing challenge as I age.  I noticed when working on the ski hill in Atikokan I could only last about an hour, while another worker could stay out for two hours. My solution was to get hand warmers.  I found that the ones you shake to activate when stored too long often did not work, and ones that you boil to reactivate were fine, except I forgot about them and the water boiled dry.

This resulted in finding rechargeable hand warmers that I slip into my gloves or mitts, but they only lasted 30 to 40 minutes. Now I am trying out heated mittens with a rechargeable battery that is reported to last several hours.

I have found my hands get colder than most other hikers, who I see taking their gloves off when my hands are still cold.

I found my feet got cold only when skiing as my boots did not allow for thick socks.  Now I only hike or snowshoe.

Therefore, consider braving the cold and going out for a walk or hike in nature, which is known to have numerous benefits.

COMING EVENTS:

Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25 at 1:30 p.m. - Ski the trails at the Maitland Cemetery. NOTE THE CHANGE OF VENUE. This area near Goderich has lovely trails that wind through reforested areas. Carpooling is suggested for this event. If the snow conditions are not good for skiing, we will hike. For more information, please contact Con Melady at 519 - 524-8730 to pre-register and for details about location and carpooling. This is a Level 2, moderate pace, 1.5 hours hike or ski.

Saturday, January 31 at 11 a.m. - Mindfulness Walk. Meet at the Millennium Trail in Goderich, Nelson Street East entrance. Designed for those who want the benefits of meditation but prefer to move.  For more information and to confirm your attendance, please contact Tanya at redroofrecovery@gmail.com or text 519-616-3636.

These walks are at 11 a.m. on the last Saturday of every month.

Friday, February 6 from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. - Candlelight Walk in the Maitland Woods. The Maitland Trail Association organizes this annual event as part of the Town of Goderich’s Winterfest, and it is always a magical adventure. A one and one-half kilometer portion of the trail in the Maitland Woods will be transformed by the flickering beauty of candlelight. Participants can set out from the trail entrance at the east end of the Columbus Centre parking lot (Parson’s Court) anytime between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Trail closes at 9 p.m.

Tuesday Trompers meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to hike for about an hour. If you wish to be on this email list, send an email to mta@maitlandtrail.ca

Midweek hikers meet at 9 a.m. and hike for 1.5 to 2 hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com

LIFE hikers meet every Friday for a hike of about 1.5 hours, with a choice of pace, striders moving a little faster than the strollers.  The hikes now start at 9 a.m. and can be joined through One Care.