Wolfmaan’s barefoot Bruce Trail Expedition 2009 – Week 5

WEEK 5 Trip Report
Bruce Trail Expedition 2009

Week 5 on the Bruce Trail spanned from Monday, June 29th to Friday, July 3rd, 2009

It was a rainy week starting on Monday shortly before the the Terra Cotta rest area. The skies opened and dumped rain all over Wolfmaan and Luka. After a short 10km hike to the Terra Cotta ORA through swampy areas covered with beautiful cedar trees and then the terrain changed into forest and meadows. “At least my pre-cooked hamburgers were moist when I ate them” Wolfmaan laughed.

The next morning brought a slight hold in the rain – at least long enough to pack up a soggy tent and equipment and hit the trails again to go through more low-lying swampy areas covered in old growth cedars and then through craggy rock sections.

Tuesday brought Wolfmaan and Luka over the stiles and into the history books and Wolfmaan is the first person to hike the Toronto section of the Bruce Trail barefoot. This makes 3 trail clubs (Niagara, Iroquois, and Toronto) and over 255km of the Bruce Trail without shoes!

Surprisingly there had been traces of other barefoot hikers on the trail! For over 4km on the muddy trails of the Toronto section of the Bruce Trail, several sets of bare footprints could be seen heading southbound on the trail.

Road walking is common along the Bruce Trail, and several kilometres of road lay ahead on day two heading towards Forks of the Credit conservation area.

On Canada Day, 2009 The terrain just outside Forks Of The Credit conservation area was very beautiful and included large pine and cedar trees covering the craggy rocks with layer upon layer of pine needles. The large, smooth rocks and pine needles are a delight to bare feet. As a previous truck driver Wolfmaan can say that he has driven Canada coast-to-coast and everywhere in between. “There is no way you can appreciate the spectacular beauty of Canada other than on [bare]foot.” The best way to enjoy Canada’s birthday is to spend it hiking along her spectacular Bruce Trail.

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park was a beautiful area of rolling hills and meadows dotted with ruins of an old settlement in the area. The biggest obstacle in Forks Of The Credit Provincial park was the massive 164 step staircase near some of the old dams and waterways that go through the beautiful area.

The week concluded with almost 30km of roadwalking from Forks of the Credit provincial Park to Glen Haffey Conservation area just outside of Mono Mills, Ontario.

When asked “Why barefoot?” Wolfmaan replies “We are all born barefoot and our bodies are designed to stay that way. I got tired of people whining how unsafe and dangerous hiking barefoot is, and decided to prove everyone it can be done.”

Going barefoot the entire 850km of the Bruce Trail teaches one to slow down, relax, and enjoy the surroundings. As the ultimate in Leave-No-Trace techniques, barefoot hiking ensures that all trails travelled receive almost no impact from the hiker, minimal disturbance to wildlife on the trail as barefoot hikers are quiet and watch where they step more, as well as connects one to the land they travel on in ways that cannot be easily described.

More details, photos, and information can be found at https://www.wolfmaan.com