Of mills and mushrooms

Vacation finally came, and not a moment too soon. We were pretty exhausted by the time it came around, and we did next to nothing for the first two days. We slept late, read a lot, and maybe took a walk. Then we got a little energy back, and did a little yard work, and went for a bike ride.

I like vacation this time of year. The heat waves are over, and despite the higher risk of rain than in August, it is generally very pleasant to be outside. Most places you visit are also less busy as kids are back in school.

So far we have been trying to get a big dose of "vitamin G" this vacation. That's my expression for relaxing in nature, with G for green. We know summer is on its last legs. So aside from puttering in the yard, so far we have been to Gatineau Park a number of times to hike some of the trails.

Wilsons Carbide Mill

The first hike took us to the abandoned Wilson Carbide mill in the Meech Lake area of the park. It was an overcast day, perfect for a brisk walk with some changes in terrain and elevation. It was also the first time I've had to put on jeans as well as a hoodie due to the cooler temperature. So off we went with granola bars and water bottles in the backpack, and drove to the O'Brien Beech parking area in the park. From the trail's parking area, it is a good half hour brisk hike to the mill ruins. The path is relatively narrow, and on two occasions at the start of the trail, we had to step off the path to let park employees in vehicles pass. Later we were in an area vehicles can't reach. The woods are dense, and on a few occasions when it began to rain, you would hear it on the leaves overhead, but you would not get wet.

 Everywhere there were signs that it is the end of the season. We encountered no other hikers the whole day. Trees were still green, but much of the green looked tired, and  some leaves were falling around us. The first yellow was visible here and there. On the ground, fallen trees were being "recycled" by mushrooms.

Mushrooms on a fallen tree trunk.......

and these spectacular beauties.

After a wile we came to the place where Meech Lake connects with Little Meech Lake. A dam of sorts is used to regulate the water levels in both lakes, and the photographer walked out onto part of the causeway to take some shots of the running water.

Yes, half the feet are off the wall and unsupported. How does he do this?

After this brief stop we continued on the path. As we got closer to the place were the ruined mill stands we began to hear some water running. The photographer had been here in early July, and we'd had a lot of rain in May and June, and so he remarked that the water volume was now significantly less, and somewhat less spectacular. First we climbed onto the control dam next to the mill. Its structure is solid, but its surface has been worn significantly by time and seasons.

Control dam for the mill

 The area is very overgrown. It was not really possible to take pictures of the mill and the dam in the same frame. We hiked down the slope to the ruined building. Only the concrete shell of the building still stands. It must have had two floors when it was in use, but the I-beams supporting the floor have been cut away. A large round intake shows where the water came into the (now missing) turbine, and similarly there is a round hole in the floor, close off with mesh and almost hidden beneath debris,  where the water must have exited. All the windows' glass is long gone, and the frames are now under nature's assault. 

Detail of a decaying window frame.

In contrast to the rest of the trail, we did find some litter here. People seem to come here to party. There were some beer cans, and a bottle, as well as glass fragments from other beer bottles. Next to the mill is this contraption with its two "exits", obviously made to separate "something from something somehow".

No idea how this was used, and no, that's not my beer!

There is one information board at the mill, but it does not tell you anything about the carbide production, only about the owner, and the time it was in use.We hung around the mill for a while, and climbed all over the various surfaces around it and inside it.  The building seems to be sweating out some kind of calcium compound from its walls, still after so many years of standing idle.

A little mushroom, with a big ruined mill behind it. 

We hiked our way back to the parking lot, got back in the car and drove out of the park. On the last stretch of road out of the park, a deer stood by the side of the road, giving us a direct look. Of course we were not quite quick enough with the camera. But it did not seem scared at all. It continued to graze a few feet from the road while we got out and took this picture.

Spot the white tail!

Lauriault Trail

The next hike was the Lauriault trail, two days later. A 5 km hike with a waterfall and passing close by Kingsmere via a small detour. Kingsmere is the former estate of William Lyon McKenzie King, who was prime minister of Canada for a total of 22 years between 1921 and 1948. He left the estate to the crown, and all but one building are now open to the public. In his garden he built fake ruins, so it looks as if a church once stood there. There is also a tearoom, which I understand is rather expensive.

It was quite a bit warmer that day, and shorts and t-shirts were needed. At first we hiked along the edge of an escarpment with boulders more than 6 feet in diameter perched on the cliff edge of the trail, and spectacular view of the valley beyond. Then the path veered into the woods, in an area where it is likely pretty wet in spring, because at various points boardwalk and small bridges have been installed. The ground underneath was dry, however.

After a while we did see a little stream, and began to think we were perhaps coming closer to the waterfall. Of course as soon as there are rocks, people make stone sculptures, no matter how small.

Small stream, pretty green.

We continued on, and on this trail we passed many other hikers. Eventually we came to a fork in the trail with a sign directing us to the waterfall 600 m away. Unfortunately once we arrived at the bench facing the waterfall, it was not there. There were a few drop trickling down, indicating where the fall might run, but it appeared to have the day off. (Perhaps we should return in May.) Once back at the fork, we noticed the other side of the sign. Clearly we were not the only ones recently disappointed by this.

Le sentier sans chute - harder to edit.......

The trail had constant changes in elevation, but it was wide, and seemed to be very popular. We decided against detouring through Kingsmere, as we have been there before, and it is nicer when the leaves are all in colour. 

Once back in the car and on our way out of the park, we stopped in at the parking area for the very first (Hickory) trail, to see if it would be interesting. (no, 0.5 Km only) As we were pulling out of that parking area and onto the road, a black bear lumbered out of the woods on the other side of the road, and stared straight at us through the windshield. Again the camera was on the backseat, and while the photographer dug behind him, a second bear appeared behind the first one.  At that moment a bicyclist came along the road in the opposite direction, and scared the bears into going back into the woods. So no picture, not even through the windshield.  Bummer!

Black bears are supposed to be shy, and unlike grizzlies rarely attack hikers. They are easy to scare off with loud sounds and by staying in groups. Nevertheless, it looked at us as if to say "what are you doing in my park, human?"

Pink Lake

The next day we had apparently still not had enough, and headed back into the park to Pink lake. The lake is green, due to algae, but land nearby was once owned by the Pink family, and therefore it has this confusing name. Pink lake is special, because it lies in a valley, and the wind does not mix the water. The lower layers are therefore home to some microbes that use sulpher for photosynthesis instead of oxygen. Sediment is supposed to contain a record of the last 10,000 years of plant and fish life because nothing decomposes. Of course to get at that without mixing the water is impossible.

Pink lake, supposedly green, yet a pretty blue in this shot.

This is a popular trail too, and stairs and boardwalks are installed in certain sections. About a third of the way you find three old shafts for mica mines that once operated here. The trail there glitters as if there is broken glass on it, but in fact this is mica, and thin flakes can be picked up easily. They look like shards of thin hard plastic.

We looked down the old mine shafts as best as we could, some impressive fences have been installed. The glitter in the earth is easily located, but it was much harder to photograph.

Glitter of mica in the earth.
 

Three other shafts are supposed to exist nearby, but they are either off the path or filled back in so no accidents happen. A little bit further the trail came close to the water's edge again, and the angle of the sun allowed us to see how clear and yet how green it is. 

A little piece of unspoiled nature.

Next we came to the halfway point where we saw a big area of water lilies. There are often bullfrogs there, but they were completely quiet this time.  A pity, you would not think such a small creature could make so much noise. Every few minutes we saw chipmunks close by the path, but never close enough, and never long enough to get a shot.

We had arrived early and were the first on this trail, but now it started to get busy, with many people going in opposite direction. We picked up the pace and finished the second half in less time. When we came to the parking area, the lot which was empty when we arrived, was completely full, and cars were (illegally) parked along the road.

We drove up to check out the trail at the Champlain lookout for next time, and on the way down we had yet another undocumented animal moment. A doe crossed the road lazily in front of us from right to left, and then moments later her fawn came out of the woods and followed her. The fawn was kind of gangly, and the back was all spotted. It stopped at the other side of the road and stared straight at us,big ears sticking out to the side. (These animals gossip together, obviously.) Before we could take a shot, a bicyclist came in the opposite direction, and the fawn was gone in a flash.

What will see see next time?