Peninsula End to End – Wiarton to Tobermory – 10 days- May 4-13, 2023

Please note there are no refunds or transfers. If you register for this hike and change your mind, please cancel your name from the registered list as there will be others on the waitlist. 

It is very important to read all the details for this hike prior to registering.

Overview

This is a special series of 10  hikes to complete the Peninsula section of the Bruce Trail.  There will be a new accomplishment badge, included in the registration fee featuring the Turkey Vulture  – which has been designed by Joe Borges and will hopefully be made available on our last day. In addition to hiking the main trail, we will be collecting bird songs via the Merlin app (you do not need a cell phone) to go toward the Peninsula Birder Badge as well as the Fern Badge and Orchid Badge as we see/hear them. A few landlocked Side Trails (like McKay's Harbour, High Dump, part of Devil's Monument, Sydney Bay Bluff Lookout) will also be included for those who wish to log trails for the Side Trails badge. If you choose, many other side trails can be done after we finish each day's hike. This is an option for participants.

For this E2E in 10, we will be following the main trail northbound eventually finishing in Tobermory. Please note that you are signing up for the entire series of 10 hikes as a Group Hike. The Peninsula in 10 series is geared to experienced long distance hikers with the expectation of a 3  to 5.0 km/ hr. pace maintained over a 15km plus day.  The section is approximately 165km so daily distances will be based on available parking. No dropout points have been established and therefore hikers who must drop out, will be responsible for their own transportation back to their vehicle. Please note that transportation back to your vehicle is very limited in this section.  Please be honest about your hiking abilities. We will hike at a steady pace but there will be plenty of time to take pictures and to enjoy the flora and fauna of this beautiful but challenging section.

Again, this particular set of 10 hikes is intended to be Moderate/Brisk.  Please be honest about your degree of physical fitness prior to registration. It is a group hike so it is important you are able to keep pace with the person in front of you.

This ETE in 10 and the one scheduled in June cannot be combined to complete one ETE but you can register to complete them both if you would like two ETE's.

Attire and Daily Hikes. 

Hikers will be expected to be wearing proper hiking boots and layered clothing with the expectation of cool and possible wet weather.  Sufficient food and water for a full day of hiking is required as well as hiking poles (if you use them), and wet weather gear is strongly recommended. Bug spray is also suggested. Clothing adjustments, bio-breaks are as needed. Please let the sweep person know and they will wait for you. A morning break around 10am and a 10-15 minute on-trail lunch break will be scheduled. An afternoon break will be based on our expected finish time. Depending on weather conditions, these times may vary.

Fee

The fee goes towards supporting the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club, which in turn supports the mission of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, which is: “Preserving a ribbon of wilderness, for everyone, forever.”  

For the time being, registration for the Peninsula E2E-in-Ten will be limited to members of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.  Hikers may be a member of any section.

Car Shuttles and Missing Hikes

A maximum of 3 (of the 10) hikes can be self-completed as a result of scheduling challenges, but it is intended that this badge be earned while hiking as part of a group led by a certified hike leader. Car shuttles are shared amongst the hikers. If you intend to arrive at the meeting locations with more than yourself in your vehicle, please let the hike leader know in advance. Car pooling to our meeting spot with 2 people in the car is generally ok but we would like to minimize and equalize the driving/shuttling as much as possible so it is fair for all participants. If you know you will miss more than 3 of the hikes, it's likely best to sign up for another end to end, however, whatever hikes are completed on this series may go toward completion of an independent ETE for the regular Peninsula ETE flowerpot badge. If you are able to complete the hikes you know you will miss ahead of time, all the better.

Transportation

This series will be through-hikes and will require car shuttling. You must be willing to drive and/or to be a passenger. Some parking locations require paid parking, and hikes that enter Bruce Peninsula National Park.  The fee for this E2E-in-10 does not include any parking/entry fees for hikers. These costs, where applicable, will be shared amongst all participants unless you have a parking or park pass.

Leave No Trace

Please remember, like all hikes, this is a Leave No Trace hike. Pack out whatever you pack in. Do not toss anything onto or into any sections of the trail. We will also try to leave the trail better than we found it so we will be collecting collectable garbage we might see along the way. Daily volunteers to collect trail trash will be supplied with a bag. Dogs will not be welcome on this hike.

Accommodations

It is strongly recommended you make reservations for accommodations as soon as you register for the hike. Accommodations can be made anywhere in the Peninsula but I recommend staying in Lion's Head which is about mid-way of the section. There is a motel, a campground, a hostel, and several B&B's. Moving from accommodation to accommodation, while in the Peninsula, is doable but generally not recommended as it is a bit of a hassle. If you require suggestions on where to stay or if you would like a roommate, I can share your email with any other registered participants who are also looking for shared accommodations. Please let me know.

Daily

We meet for each hike by at least 7:45am each day. A schedule for meeting and start locations will be sent to each participant in April. We will hike northerly each day. The schedule is subject to change.

This hike is limited to 12 participants including the hike leader.