Snowshoe Route #6

Dogs No Dogs

Features Views · Wildlife

The knoll seen from the chalet and many parts of the trails is the destination on this route. Skis would be useless here! From the summit it's fun to locate other ski and snowshoe trails and find the chalet as a dot in the distance.

From the old log cabin, take Snowshoe Trail E1 briefly to Brook Trail. Cross over to C3 and continue across Rabbit Run. C3 runs roughly parallel to Rabbit Run, then crosses it again to join Snowshoe Trail D1. The trail is well forested with just one hill. D1 is an abandoned section of ski trail. It's wide and easy to follow. Branch off onto D3 which runs along the base of the knoll. The trail is a bit narrow as it skirts the boulders strewn around. The incline is steady and gradually becomes steeper as D3 merges into D6.

Stop frequently and look around. The view through the birch trees is amazing. D6 is steep but is nothing compared to the climb yet to come on E3. The summit was previously burnt and can be wind swept, but the views are spectacular. In areas without substantial trees look for flagging tape along the way as all traces of a tracked trail are often obliterated by the wind.

Enjoy descending the knoll but before E3 crosses Chaulk's Connector ski trail, watch for a sign indicating a shortcut back to D6. The shortcut trail is quite narrow but is not difficult. Follow D6 down, across Games Trail and onto D1 briefly before turning onto C5. Follow C5 across Dogberry Lane and branch onto C6, a pleasant trail through a birch grove. C6 ends at Games Trail. Cut across and find E1 which leads all the way back to the old log cabin.

Start in a spruce forest but if you could see below the snow, ground cover would range from sphagnum moss, lichen, Labrador tea, feather moss or ferns. Along the route, there are mature birch groves and areas still regenerating from a forest fire in the 1980s. You may startle a spruce ptarmigan in the wooded areas or white willow ptarmigan on the high wind swept slopes. They wait until the very last minute to move which in turn will startle you!