Hike to Healey and Herridge

The day's original plan was to make our annual trek up Luskville Falls to the fire tower but in the end one of the gang couldn't make it so we decided to hold off. Our back-up plan was to hike the snowshoe trail down the road from P16 to the Healey and Herridge shelters. I met up with Kenmore around 9:30 at the parking lot and not long after we were joined by Dave.



There was a little snow and ice on the trails and even the odd flooded beaver dam but for the most part the hike was smooth going.


Around back at Healey we found a live trap (made by Havahart) meant to catch pesky critters and ship them off to new locations. The thing here was, whoever set this trap originally obviously forgot all about it as the door was sprung and the critter inside was loooong dead. In fact it appears that other hungry beasts managed to devour most of this guy through the holes in the cage. Talk about picking at your food. Yum.


After a snack and a beverage at Healey we hiked (more like wandered as it's less than 1 km away) over to Herridge Shelter. Here we enjoyed the last of the day's sunshine while we ate the rest of our lunch. The birds and squirrels were busy (and noisy) at the nearby bird feeder. I suppose they need to eat too, right?



A great start to the 2009 hiking season.

Birthday ski in the GAT

Gatineau Park: P16 to Healey Cabin (10 km)
P16 Pine Rd: N45 34.345 W75 53.134
Healey: N45 34.318 W75 56.019

Today was my birthday and what better way to celebrate one's birthday than with friends, family, and the great outdoors. My father (aka Opa), Sara, Emma, and I hit arrived at P16 around 9:45 and we didn't make it far down the trail before being joined by Ken and Mike. Together we all skied into Healey Cabin under what proved to be perfect temperatures and ski conditions.


Special guest, Opa.

Today was even more exciting due to the fact that we were all testing out our new waxless skis. Sara, Emma, Opa, and me all purchased new waxless x-c skis within the last week. Other than the odd hum when zooming down the hills, these new boards are simply awesome. No fuss, no mess.



Break time.
This will make it my second GAT birthday ski in a row. Cheers to me and everybody that joined me on my first ski of the 2008-09 season.




Now get out the pen and mark this day down on your calendar for next year folks.

Skiing Trail 36 to Healey Cabin

Gatineau Park: P11 O'Brien to Healey Cabin (20 km)
P11 O'Brien: N45 31.619 W75 51.855
Healey: N45 34.318 W75 56.019

Today was a mental health day. The plan was to relax and unwind from the day to day stress by spending the day skiing in Gatineau Park. It certainly worked.



I left P11 O'Brien and headed up and down, up and down Trail 36 towards Trail 50 and Healey cabin. After the fresh 28 cms of snow yesterday and a fresh grooming, the trail was simply superb.



While stopping to take a photo of Meech Lake a trio of skiing retirees passed me. Hellos were exchanged (a prerequisite in the x-c ski world) and I quickly fell in behind them thinking that I might use them to set me a leisurely pace.

Well I was soon sucking wind and working hard to find my rhythm while these lads chatted away like they were out strolling through the neighborhood park. Hats off boys. I hope to be in as good a shape when I hit my golden years.



After arriving to a full house at Healey cabin I sat down and cracked open my hard earned pint of Grolsch and tossed my turkey and cheese sandwich on the woodstove to be toasted. Then just when I started to think that life couldn't get any better I looked over at the other table to see three young girls and their parents dipping various fruit in a chocolate fondue. Now that's sweet! (pun intended) Not sure what my fellow ski buddies Mike and Kenmore would think if I pulled one of these out of my pack though.



After lunch I thought I'd scramble out the door and down the trail to get a jump on my trio of retirees but they soon passed me again. Not a problem, after all solitude is part of the reason I came out here in the first place.

Rumor has it that Saturday is going to bring us another 30 cms of snow. I say keep it coming, I'm not quite finished skiing for this season.

Ski to Healey Cabin

Gatineau Park: P16 to Healey Cabin (10 km)
P16 Pine Rd: N45 34.345 W75 53.134
Healey: N45 34.318 W75 56.019

Friday was another PD day for the kids and it was my turn to take the day off and entertain them. I decided on another x-c ski in Gatineau Park (surprised?). This time we left from P16 on Pine Rd and headed up up up to the newly renovated Healey Cabin near Herridge.



The ski from P16 is a good 1.5 km climb but the good part is knowing that you'll get to ride this section for free on the ski down to the car.


Today's ski inspiration... or should I say m&m-spiration.



The next photo for those of you that want to read a little more on the history of the Healeys and their cabin.



Finally here is an old photo of the cabin before the restoration that I took back in 2005 when we were out here skiing and geocaching.