Let’s run through the reasons why people might have skipped the hike at Mont St Bruno on Sunday morning.
Rain — It was supposed to rain. But the forecast was revised overnight and the system left the area before 8 am.
Traffic — As I had advised, there were no road closures affecting the routes to the Champlain Bridge. Traffic was light, with no delays at all.
Wind — The winds were strong. But as every experienced hiker knows, the winds are much diminished in the forest. It was very comfortable.
Mud — Some suggested the days of heavy rain would make the trails muddy. Not so at Parc du Mont St Bruno. The trails are well-constructed and were mud-free.
Party — Several members were at the Club Cycliste Beaconsfield (CCB) year-end party the night before and may have stayed up past their bedtime.
It was definitely colder and more blustery on Sunday morning than in recent weeks, so that alone may have dissuaded many people. (But hey, it *is* autumn, after all.) Nevertheless, a very exclusive subset of BTNSC members turned out at Mont St Bruno. (And every one in the group had been at the CCB party.) It was cloudy and 4 C at the 10 am start. Extra layers were donned and the small BTNSC contingent set out.
It is difficult to overstate how really lovely the walking conditions were. The wide, smooth trails were covered with a radiant blanket of gold and yellow leaves. The howling winds from outside the park were reduced by the trees to a gentle, swirling breeze. Given the small size of the group, it was decided to take a more peripatetic route to explore some parts of the park we don’t usually see. One highlight was Le Vieux Moulin, which houses a very charming and inviting salon du thé. The group also found a trail along the edge of Lac Seigneurial on the way to Lac des Bouleaux. At the floating dock on the latter lake, another much larger walking group was encountered.
It was 6 C at the finish, and the sun was coming out. The stats: 11.1 km in 2 hr 10 min.
This was third time in four weeks that the Sunday morning weather forecast made it look doubtful for hiking. And for the third time, the forecast was wrong and the conditions turned out to be excellent. Perseverance pays!
This was third time in four weeks that the Sunday morning weather forecast made it look doubtful for hiking. And for the third time, the forecast was wrong and the conditions turned out to be excellent. Perseverance pays!