Marble Rock

Thurs. 9 June:  Marble Rock

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

It’s a responsible job being a hike leader.

One of several duties is to pre-walk the route a few days before the official hike, to check the trail condition and to identify any issues.  Today was such a trip. 

This being a joint hike between the Central and Kingston clubs, the leaders from each club were there, together with a couple of us who wouldn’t be able to make the Saturday hike.

Could there ever be TOO many lookouts on a hike?  We had a good choice today. Which was the most impressive view?  As some philistine friend once said to me: “It’s like cathedrals – once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen the lot”.

The Marble Rock trail consists of two fairly rugged loops totalling about eleven and a half kilometres.  We felt privileged to have its creator on our trip today.  It is a beautiful trail, with several outcrops giving views out across the forested countryside north of the St. Lawrence River.  To the east we could see the outline of Blue Mountain, beside Charleston Lake.  To the south, the hazy outline of distant hills across the international border.  At our feet were valleys and swamps and lakes.

Enough words – enjoy the pictures.

A magnificent RTA "blue trail"

Frst of many lookouts - the leaning rock

A green paradise

Pause for  thought

Admiring a huge downed tree

Hidden foundations of a gigantic barn

Another lookout 

And another

Blue Mountain in the distance

This lake was named No-name Lake!

Checking the signs

Caterpillar on a lichen-covered rock

Last  of the Summer Wine?

This required a scramble...

...but well worth the small effort

Beaver dam and lake below

Trail creators, hike leaders, other important people

A final lookout..

...  or not?