Crothers Woods
Sure, it feels like -17° C (1° F) outside, but that’s no reason for me to end a weekend ritual that has brought me joy during the pandemic! I learned today that eyelashes aren’t the only thing that can ice up in freezing weather...apparently, eyelashes and head hair can too! And now, you know too. :)
Today I drove to Crothers Woods. If you drive by the Loblaws on Redway Road, there’s a little road at the back of it that leads down to a water treatment plant, and you can park there.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’d been at Crothers a couple weekends before - that time I’d followed the now defunct railroad line up from the east edge of Brickworks and wandered around, following the winding Lower Don River. This area is unique in that it has lots of smaller trails and paths where it’s easy to ask yourself “wait is that a trail?” especially in the snow. This also seems to be THE SPOT for mountain bikers.
This scene from that first hike in late January made me giggle. A family chilling on the sidelines while men on skates polish their own little ice rink to perfection.
This time, I was immediately greeted with this helpful map:
A few reactions to this map:
1) Was question mark really the ideal symbol marker for actual sites? Like, a star or an “i” for info booth wouldn’t have done it?
2) Police dog training facility?! Ok, remind me not to do any graffiti on that side of the tracks. (I’m remembering 1983′s Style Wars, where we see some of the drastically violent tactics the NYPD used to try and stop graffiti and street artists in the city. If you haven’t seen it, check it out - it’s a great look at 80s NYC and it’s free on YouTube.
3) For some reason I find it really funny that they include Loblaws in the map. Guess it’s not going anywhere anytime soon?
Safety:
Note that the trails here are narrow and uneven (in part, due to bike tire marks on particularly wet days). There were several times I slipped so this may be a good one for cramp-ons or hiking poles. I own neither of these devices, but I think that’s what they’re for, yeah?
Mountain bikers frequent the area, so I recommend being extra careful as you come around corners, especially on the more narrow and high up trails.
I appreciated the expanse of it. With few on-trail markings, you’ve never quite sure where you’re going to end up. I definitely plan on returning - especially when it’s warmer outside. Below are more pictures from my visit, including a sweet view of downtown Toronto (including the CN Tower).
Strava Pic:












