Ice Walls and Water Falls

I'm the type of person that the best way to get outside is to simply make up my mind and go.  Today was one of those days where I made up my mind.   I'm glad I did too.

My smile says it all.

Lately I had been going over some maps and aerial imagery and had a location for wandering in mind.  I will resist the urge to tell you here as I feel sometimes our penchant for social media damages the wilderness and solitude I often seek.  Secondly, I want to encourage you to get out and find your own places and get to know your own wilderness.  I hope that in your search that you wander to these great places.

This was the first if many ice formations.

I started the day along a dirt road with a river running nearby.  The weather forecast was promising with seasonally warm temperatures.  As I worked my way down the river I quickly realized I didn't need so many layers.  I paused briefly at the mouth of a tributary, to take off my sweater and grab a drink.  From here I would be heading up hill into a ravine in search of ice walls and waterfalls.  I had been here the previous summer so I was not certain what I would be getting into.  My youthful anticipation was pushing my not so youthful body up the steep hill quicker than I should.  Again I stopped for a drink and scolded myself and promised to slow down my pace.

I had visited this fall earlier this summer.

I reached the waterfalls after about 40 minutes of hiking.  I took sometime at the bottom to appreciate the scene and snap some photos.  With this goal reached my anticipation  was now replaced with curiousity and some intrepidation.  From this point I would be bushwhacking across ground I hadn't been on before.

The forest was calm and the trees here were mixed with hemlock, pine, old birch, beech, and maple.  Mosses grew thick on the rock walls and trees.  This place has not been touched by to many people.  This was my kind of place I thought.  As I left the falls though and searched for a way up and around them, I stumbled upon an old wood trail.  Shoot.  I took solace in knowing it hadn't been used for quite some time.   It was still my kind of place.

This section of stream had an ice wall over 70m long.

I made it up and over the known falls and quickly found a long side slope ice wall.  It was a spiritual place and I decided that it would make for a great lunch spot.  I quickly hung my hammock (in a manner that would let me view the ice wall and waterfall), started a fire, and prepped my tea pot and grilled cheese sandwich.  Don't judge me, I love grilled cheese when I'm out in the woods.  I set up my grill to put my pot and pan on and in no time the smell of steeped tea was wafting through the air.  Honestly, I could have simply stayed there the rest of the day.  My curiousity beckoned though and I quickly packed up and headed on.

Looks like a great lunch to me.

Now I was going to cross over the ridge and into another small stream.  The climb up the last bit of the hill was steep but not near as steep as the drop down into the next valley.  Somewhere in between I managed to lose my brand new North Face gloves...DANG.  Oh well.  There was no way I was going back for them.

This next valley had two tributaries I would explore but first I had to navigate down the steep terrain before I could walk up stream to where I anticipated the falls and walls would be.  After some slipping and sliding I made it to the valley bottom.  I looked back up at the slope and took a couple of photos but they did no justice to the terrain.

The stream would break off in two directions a short distance up and it was here where the lines on my topo map were tight and it was here that I wanted to go.  I took a drink of water and then dropped my gear before heading up the icy ravine.  To get out I would have to go back by here.  In no more than 200m the valley narrowed and I could feel a chill from the ice walls as they got closer.  The first trib was a cirque and was an impressive spot.  My smile could near touch eaxh side of the valley as I climbed as high as I dared.

I was all warm smiles in this cold cirque. 

The second trib had less ice as it was more south facing and a longer straight rock wall and less of a cirque.  It had a long cascading waterfall.  The water dropping off the top kept the rock exposed and the dark green moss was a beautiful contrast to the bluish white ice.  I felt small in this place yet it was only a small fragment of this wonderful Province.

The dark water line was a cool contrast.

As I returned to my pack I turned and looked back up the ravine one last time.  It is always a bitter feeling when I leave places like this.  I still had a long hike back to my vehicle but once I moved down stream a kilometer or so, Google maps showed a cut line I could follow back towards the road.  Good thing because I was starting to get short in daylight.  

I hope you get outside soon and push into new areas off the beaten path.

Getting the Lead Out

Winter is a tough time to stay motivated.  Changing conditions and weather often give you an excuse to simply sit on the couch and watch the World Junior or eat the remaining M&Ms or take an extended nap.  As our community mourns the loss of a person who never sat on the couch I couldn't sit and do nothing today.  Ellen your smile and energy will be missed across the region and beyond.

This MSRWhisperlite has been a long trusted piece of equipment for my brother and I.

My brother and I took to the rugged hills around Waterford.  It is an area we know fairly well but today we were heading into a piece of it we hadn't yet wandered.  The high hills separating the upper reaches of Trout Creek from Parlee Brook conveniently have a road, Long Settlement Road, running across them and we would use this as our end point.  The slopes were going to be steep and rugged. We were up for the challenge.

We parked along the Walker Settlement Road and headed north down a stream we hiked before.  In no time we were at a small waterfall which we took time to appreciate. Literally seconds later we came to a tributary which we followed up stream.  This would be the unfamiliar area for us and we'd quickly discover that it was going to be tough and steeper than anticipated.  A number of cross drainages made our progress even more difficult but they made the scenery spectacular.

As we struggled up the snowy slopes we discussed the new season of "Alone" and whether or not we could complete such an adventure.  We also talked about past hikes and how a slight change in direction can make them seem completely different or how the season's can drastically alter the challenges you face.  The snow and ice we were experiencing today altered our perception of the area we were currently in and made it entirely different from when we were there a few summers ago.

We made lunch perched on a small bench along the stream.  A steep, rocky, slope, was at our back and we sat for a bit in silence as we waited for our water to boil.  We made some soup and some tea and gave my dog Bambi ample samples of the crackers which she seemed to prefer over her own food.  I didn't really want to leave our idylic setting and push up the slope but my curiousity and drive to finish what I started pushed me up the slope.

After our lunch the forest cover changed from mature softwoods to hardwoods and the snow changed with it.  From the hard, shallow, and sometimes icy snow pack it became deeper and much more difficult to push through.  We slightly regretted leaving our snowshoes in the truck but we managed to find our way through it.  To make it more challenging the slope became steeper but again we put on our happy face and slugged through it.

My brother and I enjoying lunch along a small unnamed stream.

We reached the top of the small stream and now set our sights on a nearby pond which flowed the opposite way into Parlee Brook.  Our path was now more downhill but we had to navigate through a spruce thicket, around the pond and then a wetland before we found the Long Settlement Road.  Once we got to the road, which is a snowmobile trail this time of year, we hiked back to the Walker Settlement Road and to the truck.  We spent roughly 4hours wandering through the woods and came out feeling refreshed and recharged.  The hike was a little over 8km, including the road walk.  Hikes like this give me a sense of calm and serenity that improve my social mood and attitude.  It is this reason why my wife encourages me to wander on my own every now and then.




From Whalen's Wanderings have a Happy New Year.  May 2017 bring you lots of opportunity to wander and find your inner peace.

Here is to the wind always being at your back, rest in peace Ellen.

Tracks from various animals were present near this rock escarpment.

This steep slide would be a great place to explore in the summer.  The slide was likely more than 40m long.

Bambi was leading the way as we returned to Walker Settlement Road.

Skipping Stones

Stacking and skipping stones is one of my favorite past times.  It can easily be shared with my kids.

This blog entry was originally published in the August 28th edition of the Kings County Record.  I have now had more than 100 columns published there and owe them a debt of thanks for continuing to print my material.  I hope they continue to do so and I hope you will consider supporting the KCR when you can.  I want to send a special thanks to David Kelly who is moving from the KCR to accept another position within the newspaper industry in southern NB.  David was always available and more than flexible with my columns.  Thanks Dave.

I have referred to this topic many times in past articles and it speaks very highly to my affinity for water.  One of my favorite past times is skipping stones and I have had this since I was a young kid.  We have so many great areas to take part in this hobby that I often get a chance to practice.  Not only do I skip the stones I sometimes take fun out of balancing them. 

Recently I had the chance to spend a rare evening with just my daughter and I took full advantage and shared my love of skipping stones with her.  We started the warm August night sharing an ice cream cone and after our ice cream we drove to a parking lot that put us next to a gravel bar along Trout Creek. 

Now when skipping stones the location is important.  The first thing you need is a great, cobble beach with lots of flat stones.  Trout Creek, Grand Lake, and the Bay of Fundy Beaches are some of my favorite places to skip rocks.  The next thing to look for is a place where the water is flat and smooth.  Skipping rocks on wavy or fast flowing water is a challenge and requires good timing and aim just to get the first skip in.  Flat or wavy, it doesn't matter, skipping rocks is a great way to kill time and get some exercise.

On flat water, with a light to modestly weighted, flat stone, and a modest throwing arm, you can get more than 20 consecutive skips.   Our location on Trout Creek offered a long stretch of flat, slow running, water where I could throw rocks upstream.  The upstream approach helps get more skips and I was easily getting 15-20 jumps from the good stones. 

The cool ripple effects are cool to watch but for my daughter she simply liked the splash the rocks made.  She struggled to throw the rocks let alone skip them but we were having fun simply being on the water.  I decided to change it up and showed her a target close by and we tossed stones at it and she was excited when her rock made the water and more so when she finally hit the nearby target.

After my arm tired out we searched for "cool" stones.  My idea of cool was a bit more sophisticated than my daughters but the joy she took out of finding different colored and shaped stones was entertaining.  She put a couple of pounds of stones in her pocket to add to what she called her "Snows collection."  Me, I pretended to put them in pocket only to take them out later when she wasn't watching.

After I got tired of walking we sat on the gravelly bar and as we chatted I built her some rock towers to know over.  Building a tower out of rocks is not as simple as it might seem.  You need to consider how the rock is shaped and how it might sit on the rocks you already have in place.  A rough surface rock is easier to balance than a smooth surface as it doesn't slide around as easy. 

The only down side of this evening was that darkness came way too quickly.  As we left the gravel bar we picked up a number of pieces of trash on the way out.  It was a great night ending with our good deed for the day.

FFP 2012: The Beaches

Looking over the Fundy Coast from Martin Head shows how many beaches could exist here.

This is my last look at my spring 2012 hike across the Fundy Footpath with 3 generations of the Whalen clan who I introduced in the first hike entry - The Hikers.  It was a great trip and one that will be remembered for many years.  The parks, the tidal flats, and the waterfalls, are all notable on a global scale.  For me though, the best thing about the Fundy Footpath is it's beaches.

The beaches are full of a variety of tidal life.

When most people think about beaches they think about warm glistening water and long ribbons of white sand but, typical of the FFP, in this wilderness the beaches are even rugged.  The tides are the highest in world and so the beach changes dramatically every six hours.  With the constant flow of the Bay of Fundy the water never gets that warm and even during a hot day in July it takes thick skin to be able to swim.  If you could stand the water temperature, in order to get to the water you typically have to navigate over large boulders to get there.

Just about every time the FFP crosses a river it comes to the mouth of the Bay to do so.  Each time, the hiker is rewarded with the sound of crashing waves on rocky beaches.  Wolfe Brook and Telegraph Brook each have a steeply sloped, boulder covered beach, where wave watching is an awesome experience, especially on windy days.  At high tide along these beaches you are hemmed in close to the shore and it is hard to find a spot where ocean spray can't find you, but during low tide, you can explore the rock faces and smooth boulders.  Regardless of where the tide is on its cycle, both of these small, unconventional beaches offer something to see and explore.  If your into collecting stones, skipping stones, or as one acquaintance of mine does, balancing them, these beaches (as most FFP beaches) are a stone lovers dream.  If you like scrambling and playing on boulders these beaches are great during low tide as you can find crevices, caves, are passages that are fun to play around.  I like all of this stuff but what I truly love is finding that low lying boulder that has the right slant and smoothness that I can comfortably lean back into it and use it as a chair to watch the waves crash in.

Wolfe Brook has lots of rock and boulders to explore.

The beach at Martin Head is one of the most iconic locations on the FFP.  It is a long beach that resembles the more typical image of a beach, especially at high tide.  The long isthmus that forms the "Head" is very gravelly with well rounded and weathered rocks.  The Quiddy River delta is a mud sliders paradise and is full of thick, slippery, mud.  For those who like to build sand castles, there is lots of sand too.  There is no poor time of year to explore this beach but on long weekends through the summer it can be busy with off-road vehicles who like to use the beach as a camping area.  Why wouldn't they?  It's a beautiful spot to watch the tides and soak up the sun.  With the history of this place exposed at a number of locations it is easy to get lost here.  Your mind drifts over not just the scenes in front of you but also through those you can imagine from years gone by.

Martin Head  can be viewed from a variety of angles, none of which are bad.

A beach similar to Martin Head would be Long Beach.  As it's name implies this is a long beach.  Small airplanes have been known to land here.  There is history here as well, although not as obvious as Martin Head, it can be seen if you know where to look.  At high tide this beach is a long ribbon along the shore where in places it is impassable while at low tide there is an unimaginably wide beach over 2km in length.  The highlights here change after every storm as new drift wood floats in and old rocks are covered over.  It is worth exploring over and over again.

Seeley Beach seems to enhance everything, including fog banks.  How cool is that?

The last beach is probably my favorite.  I try to camp here whenever I can and I have never had a bad night.  Even when the weather is poor, it is like the old saying a bad day at Seeley Beach is better than a great day at work.  On a rainy day the sun seems to glisten off the millions of rocks and make it sparkle like the jewel it is.  The topography of  the beach extends it out into the Bay more than other beaches so you can look north up the Bay over all the ground you have or will hike over if you're hiking the FFP.  If you place your tent right and conditions are perfect, you can watch the best sunrise in the morning while you can count the Nova Scotia lighthouses in the evenings.  I watched lighting one minute here, double rainbows, and storms move up the Bay.  

As I finish this entry up I think about other aspects of the FFP and I've decided that I'll add an entry of photos with captions at a later date.  I hope that these entries have peaked your curiosity and you'll get out there and experience some of the locations I have wrote about on your own.  Happy trails.

FFP 2012: The Waterfalls

Mike crosses the top of one of the falls located east of Seeley Beach.

This is the fourth in a series of blogs on my recent trip across the Fundy Footpath.  The first entry was about the hikers.  The second entry was about the Parks and I held back nothing on my dislike of the way the Fundy Trail Parkway is being developed.  The previous entry was about how much I enjoy the mud flats along this undervalued coastal trail.  I have been attempting to describe the iconic features of this jewel studded, 50km hike, and the next icon I want to showcase are the numerous waterfalls.  I am likely to leave a couple out but there are so many that I couldn't possibly include them all.  To be included here I evaluated on a personal level whether the waterfalls would be considered iconic or not by others.  Certain locations speak to people more than others so if I leave a waterfall out, I encourage you to still try to get out there and witness it and see what it has to say to you.

A small set of falls inside FNP is worth checking out.

Our hike would take us east to west and the first waterfall we would encounter is found a bit off the beaten path inside Fundy National Park.  Since it is in the Park you need to tread lightly to get there.  To be honest the only reason I know it is there is because on a previous hike I needed to take a pee break and wandered into the woods below where people were filling water bottles.  On that previous hike, I didn't go down to the falls but I could hear them, and this time they were still beaconing me.  These falls likely vary in size depending on the amount of rain or snow melt that is feeding them.  On this hike they were a modest falls where the water had sculpted the dark conglomerate rock into two steps before scurrying off towards the Bay of Fundy through a steep, forested, gully, green with mosses and ferns.  What makes these falls iconic to me is the fact that very few people know they are there and they are unnamed (as far as I can tell.)  To me this makes them more valuable and thus iconic.

After leaving the park you cross a number of steep valleys and small ravines.  No doubt every one of them has a small waterfall or chute and I struggle not to clamber up each little water course in an effort to maintain the loose schedule that we have set.  Unfortunately, we all need to return to a hectic life based on needs and wants after the weekend.  The next set of falls though removes all thoughts of that life.  Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum Falls is a large set of falls and can cause even the most negative among us to smile and raise his voice an octave higher as we share our thoughts on this great wilderness we are so privileged to take in and enjoy.  The modest pool at the bottom of these falls are irresistible and you have to wade in and have your picture taken.  Once done there your curiosity will compel you to climb to the top and explore further.

Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum Falls is a short hike off the main Fundy Footpath but well worth the hike.  There is nearby camping that makes this an iconic location on the Footpath.

The falls at the mouth of Telegraph Brook have eroded down over time but are still impressive.

The next stop on the waterfall tour is slightly less voluminous but no less impressive.  Maybe what is so iconic about these falls is the fact that they sit right at the mouth of the brook.  It is imaginable that in recent geologic times that the falls used to fall directly into the Bay of Fundy.  Now the plunge pool is separated from the Bay by a boulder and cobble berm.  Telegraph Brook has a small campsite right next to the pool at the bottom of these falls and with a tent pitched there it is the iconic image of the Fundy Footpath.  The small Telegraph Brook contains a number of falls and chutes above this final falls but to explore this Brook is difficult as it is a very narrow and treachourous ravine.

The unnamed falls along the true right bank of Wolfe Brook.

For me one of the cool things about waterfalls is the fact that they may not always be flowing.  When you find these running it's like hitting the jackpot.  As we continued east on the FFP we were blessed to see water flowing over the high rock face that greeted us as we crossed Wolfe Brook.  On past hikes I have seen this fall completely dry while on others I have seen it with much more water.  Maybe the interesting aspect of this waterfall is as you continue the hike, you make a challenging climb to the top of the small unnamed stream that provides it with its fuel of force.  The green mosses, lichen, and ferns indicate the boggy area where a small spring bursts from the ground during wet times to feed the waterfall.

As icons go there are few along the Fundy Coast Wilderness area that compare to Walton Glen Canyon and the associated falls.  Although they are not on the FFP, they are worth taking the time to see.  Approximately a 2 hour hike from the Dustin Brook campsite these impressive falls are made all the more impressive because of the wilderness you need to traverse to get there.  The Eye of the Needle and Walton Glen Canyon are narrow slots with large rock faces all around.  A hiker spends more time looking up instead of down which in this location can be dangerous.

The Walton Glen Falls as photographed during a 2009 trip.

There are many more falls but these are some of the best.  Below are some pics of other falls along the hike.  Note the shadows on some of the photos and how they change the mood of each of the locations.

Praise for an Undervalued Natural Gem

This edition of Wandering was published in the Kings County Record recently.  It has a slight political tone and that was intentional.  Historically Parson's Brook has been beaten by man and yet it continues to provide a beneficial ecological function to the two municipalities it runs through.  One of these has taken steps to protect it while the other community continues to pursue and allow activities that impact this nice brook.  This could be a brook near you so ask yourself, how can you protect yourself and that aquatic system.

 Nature is a magnificent thing.  It is full of inspiration on multiple scales.  From watching a small butterfly flutter over a rushing river, to a massive and impressive rock face your eyes can hardly take in.  The ear pounding crash of thunder or the deafening silence of a tranquil sunset each inspire even the most disheartened soul.  With that being said, many people undervalue many parts of our natural world.

            Parson's Brook, which flows along the same valley as the Newline Road, is likely one of the most under valued natural assets we have in Kings County.  It flows approximately 8k from its source near the junction of the Newline Road and Church Avenue.  It crosses the Newline three times before taking a turn to the northwest.  From here it flows over the flat agricultural lands that make up the southern portion of Sussex Corner before entering into the old rifle range and the Town of Sussex.  It takes a final turn north, crosses under Main Street, before entering Trout Creek.

            It hasn't always flowed that way though.  Many years ago it was altered to make room for a horse track near where the Sussex Corner Elementary School now sits.  Shortly after this change was made, the lower part of the Brook started drying up during the summer months.  The water instead chooses a path through the deep, coarse gravel deposits as its route to Trout Creek.  This fact has led many people to perceive Parson's Brook as simply a ditch and many treat it as such. 

            To me this unheralded Brook is a testimony to nature's resilience against many of the scars man thrusts upon it.  Parson's Brook had its entire course changed and when it starts to settle into its new course, someone decides to dredge it, or alter it once again.  Parson's Brook keeps searching for its natural course though and every spring, and sometimes in the fall, it flows fast and furious through the man made channel, trying to cut a channel that will allow it to function as it naturally should.

            The fish in Parson's Brook are as resilient as the Brook itself.  With elevated stream temperatures, pollution, and passage barriers it is surprising that any fish live in this stream at all but anyone who has walked the Brook above any of its crossings on the Newline Road can attest that fish, including brook trout, are there.  On one occasion I was incredibly surprised when I entered the Brook at a deep pool and it was so full of fish that they couldn't scatter without a number of them solidly running into me.

            Recently I took sometime to observe some of the smaller components of Parson's Brook.  I come to realize that it deserves more respect than what many give it.  If we leave it alone and give it its space it would eventually function as it should.  With a healthy, vegetated, stream bank or riparian zone it could effectively mitigate the impacts of flooding.  The naturally functioning riparian area would also prevent pollution and litter from entering the stream while also serving as migration corridors for deer, fox, birds, and other wildlife.  This natural corridor could also provide the active community with a new hiking or biking trail that would be ideal for people of all skill sets as it is relatively flat.

            As I watched two young boys play along a small tributary, oblivious to the trash that sits nearby, I can't help but think that we need to begin to look at Parson's Brook in a different light.  We need to understand its value to the natural world and our own man made world.  If you want to understand Parson's Brook and see how it has been impacted I recommend you take a walk along its route.  Start at the crossing at the junction of Newline Road and Needle Street and walk downstream along the left bank.

Near Perfect Sunday II

A perfect spot for a Sunday lunch.  I don't know if it can get better than this.

"Note: This is a version of a column that I had published in the July 5th edition of the Kings County Record.  It is part 2 of 2 part series on a hike my brother and I completed across the Parlee Brook and Upper Trout Creek watershed.  It was a great day and I hope you enjoy the read.

You'll have to wait for my next column to hear about it though."  That is the way I ended my last column where my brother and I were hiking across the Parlee Brook watershed.  We had walked from Friar's Nose across a open rock ridge and just explored a great waterfall on an unnamed tributary to Parlee Brook.  We took some photos and video of this waterfall and now I can tell you about the rest of our near perfect Sunday.

There are 5 sets of falls through this short reach of Parlee Brook, each with a deep cold pool

We continued down the tributary until we met Parlee Brook and headed upstream to have lunch at the large waterfalls I knew were there.  The cold, deep pools, at the bottom of the falls were crystal clear and looked like an impressionist's painting.  We enjoyed our lunch and thought briefly about taking a swim but knew the water was much to cold and the air not near warm enough.

One of about 20 grave markers in the old cemetary, this grave held a two year old girl who died in 1883..

After our lunch we made our way down Parlee Brook to the Donaldson Road crossing.  We struggled up a small tributary with some interesting geology that if it was a larger stream would lend itself to a great water slide.  We came out to the Walker Settlement Road and paid our respects at the old cemetery there.  It was humbling to read the grave markers and see how young some of those who died were and how long ago it was.  We wondered what the area would have looked like back in the late 1800s. 

These falls are scenic no matter the time of year you venture in to see them.

We were now heading into the Upper Trout Creek watershed and were going to follow yet another tributary down to the Creek.  I have walked this tributary twice before in the winter and I was looking forward to seeing it under spring conditions.  A short distance down the stream we encounter another waterfall that cascades down more than 25ft in two stages.  The topography and geology are rugged and steep on both sides and we are continually drawn down stream to see what is around the next turn.

Sometimes when you venture down an unknown stream, you have no choice but to get your feet wet.

Suddenly the already steep terrain narrowed in and the only way to continue down the stream was to get your feet wet.  We pushed a bit further until suddenly we looked over yet another waterfall.  We had to back track to a point we could scramble up and around the steep valley and then we could resist sliding back into the ravine to view the falls from the bottom.  The narrow ravine held a deep pool that is well hidden like natural jewel and I was again feeling blessed on this nearly perfect Sunday.

This narrow ravine held a cascading ribbon of white water that likely has been cutting away at the conglomerate rock for centuries.

So why was the day only nearly perfect and not perfect?  Well, once we finished up the hike just before sun down we drove into where my brother and parked his truck only to realize, for some reason his electronic lock wasn't working and we had to break into the truck.  This was just the right amount of humor and humility we needed after such a great day.

The last stretch to home was through some scenic farm fields that overlooked the Chamber Settlement area in the upper Trout Creek watershed.

Are you looking for a near perfect way to spend a couple of evenings?  There is a Beginner's Fly Fishing workshop being hosted by the Kennebecasis Watershed on July 13^th and 14^th.  For more information, check out the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee on Facebook, or call 433-4394.

A Near Perfect Sunday Part I

NOTE:  This is a column I wrote for the Kings County Record which appeared in the June 21st edition.  My brother and I had an amazing afternoon hike across some well forested, deeply carved hills.  It was a very rewarding day that left us in awe of the great  Trout Creek valley in which we get to live.  Every time I explore a new wilderness in this area I find something beautiful and scenic and if you live in this area, I strongly encourage you to get out there and explore, no matter how old or young you are.
 
Sometimes all the planning in the world just doesn't prepare you for your day.  You can pull all your maps together and plan a great route.  You can pack all the gear you need and the food to see you through.  You get the right team together and organize drives and meeting times but still it all falls apart.  Every now and then though it exceeds all your expectations and a near perfect day results. 

The view from Friar's Nose looking across the Parlee Brook Valley.

  Two Sundays ago my brother and I had planned a day hike across the Parlee Brook watershed, a distance of 11.6km.  We planned to bush whack along ridges and down small streams from Friar's Nose to Hawkes' Bridge on the Trout Creek.  It had been sometime since my brother and I had been out together on a hike and neither of us had followed the route we laid out before so we were both excited and edgy about what the day would hold.

Even small wonders were amplified on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

It was sunny with a light breeze as we reached Friar's Nose and we took a moment to enjoy this familiar, yet inspiring location.  The Nose is one of those places you have to see to fully appreciate.  From the open rock face we started a steep descent over the south east face of the Nose.  We followed a dry stream bed until suddenly it was a babbling stream.  Shortly it entered into Purtill Spring Brook which we only descended for a short distance before climbing a steep ridge.  Using my GPS we navigated towards what we hoped would be another rock face.

At the top of this unnamed ridge there were 5 raptors floating on thermals.

The climb up this ridge was steep and required some scrambling on all fours just to stay upright.  The hard work paid off as we managed to find our way to a high rock ledge which looked southward over a forested valley as a number of raptors flew below us.  We sat for a time and took in this new vista, scanned the area with our binoculars and snapped a few pictures.  We would have stayed longer but the black flies were pushing us off the ledge.

A small shelf acted like a walkway that led directly behind the falls.

The next leg of the hike took us from the Purtill Brook drainage and into the main stem Parlee Brook drainage area.  We planned on accessing Parlee Brook via a small tributary that flowed off the east side of the Donaldson Road.  On the map there appeared to be nothing special about the stream but we were in for a great surprise.  As we worked our way down the stream the valley became steeply incised and we scrambled over some small chutes.  Suddenly we looked down over a 20-30' drop off and we had to work our way out of the ravine and around the drop off.  As we did this we noticed that a rock shelf led back towards the bottom of the drop and we were able to walk directly behind the waterfall.  It was a great discovery for the both of us and a spot we will be sure to bring others who will appreciate it in the future. 

I had to get my brother to snap this shot of me beside the small falls

We lingered at the newly found waterfall for a while and quietly enjoyed each others company and the natural beauty God put in front of us.  Maybe the best part of the moment was that the day was only half over and we couldn't wait to see what else He had in store for us on this near perfect Sunday.  You'll have to wait for my next column to hear about it though.