November: An all boys hike with K2 at Hilton Falls, Ontario on a cold day

Like every “good” thing, the season of beautiful fall colours had come to an end yielding to the wet, much colder and grey of November. However, my son, two nephews, and I decided to visit Hilton Falls Conservation Area in the Halton Region of Ontario in the company of K2, our great white Kuvasz.

With leaves gone from the branches and forming a grey carpet on the forest floor, we could see how the trees and geographical features look. While we enjoyed the barrenness of the surroundings, K2 was only too happy to enjoy our company, other hikers on the trail and their pooches.

K2, being taken care of by Umair, my nephew, at this point, was excited to see other visitors in the conservation area.

As a family, we love long-distance hiking, and generally, our Kuvasz boy loved it even more. What we have discovered is that with K2 along, we are not exploring for the sake of exploration alone. He has made us connect with nature at a micro level. This hike was no different.

Generally, the more rebellious the contrast, the more likeable it gets.

We admired the contrast provided by fresh snow over the wooden logs and green moss over the rocks.

We hiked through a forest. Roots of trees were running all along the surface of the ground. It meant that the soil was thin and that the rock was running close to the surface. Rocky surfaces in late fall and early spring present treacherous situation for hiking. They are normally wet and slippery. You have to tread carefully. A slip can easily cause severe injury.

Those were Sedimentary rocks that formed on the surface of the earth, either in water or on land. They are called secondary rocks, because they often result from the accumulation of small pieces broken off from pre-existing rocks. The two other major rock types are called Igneous rock and Metamorphic rock.

Finally, we reached the Hilton Falls. This curtain falls in the peak season, drops 18 meters, in the Niagara Escarpment.

Waterfalls are a characteristic of a terrain, primarily ‘U’ shaped valleys, carved out by glaciers. Indeed the Niagara Escarpment, with so many waterfalls, formed by what is today known as the Michigan Sea about 450 million years ago, was covered by a gigantic glacier about 2 million years ago. As the glacier started receding towards the north after the Glacial Maximum about 12000 – 14000 years ago, it scraped its path leaving behind many geological features evidencing its retreat.

being mindful (mental health)

I used to hike with K2 and did a lot of nature photography on the go to tend to my mental health. I did not hike for the purpose of walking at a brisk pace for physical health reasons alone. I hiked to observe nature – landscapes, flora, fauna, and even heavenly bodies. Therefore, company of K2 came in handy as he kept sniffing the grounds letting me concentrate on my passion.

I noticed that being in nature reduced anger, fear, and stress and increased pleasant feelings. I felt better emotionally and physically.

Being on the trails for longer duration also made me to meet people of diverse backgrounds, who indirectly strengthened my belief that most people are good and they want the world to be a better place for all.

last words

Until our next blog, cheers! Be outdoorsy, embrace diversity, and support causes for the conservation of nature!