Saturday, May 30, 2015

Frontenac Hiking Trip Reflection

This was an amazing trip! From April 29th to May 1st,2015, my class went to Frontenac Park for a hiking trip. While we were there, we hiked several kilometers a day, cooked our own meals, and had a blast. The first night, the class was split to go to two campsites: Campsite 9 and Campsite 12. The second day, we hiked to campsite 4 and Campsite 5.


I have been on several hiking trips in the past (with Scouts). Although, this trip was a different different experience. On this trip, I realized/learned how much closer people can get while being in the wilderness for three days. I now know many of my classmates much more than before we went on this trip, and I’m happy I got to know them better! We also had three great teachers on the trip with us: Mr.Brouwer, Mrs.Trumpower, and Mr. MacFadyen (and his dog, Dakota :) ).  I enjoyed interacting with my teachers and classmates, and cooking meals with my three good friends. Amy,Olivia, Makita and I had so much fun cooking and hiking together, and also sharing a tent together. I also really enjoyed the weather! It was sunny the whole trip, and pretty hot for most of it too! It didn’t rain at all, so we weren’t stuck with wet clothes,packs,or tents. I also really enjoyed the food that my group made.We tested out new recipes and also ate some delicious, original ones too. We also brought a lot of good snacks (trail mix, granola bars,plantain chips, dried mangoes, etc.) for the trail and for when we arrived to the camp sites. These snacks boosted our energy and helped us keep going. I also enjoyed the campsites, and every beautiful scenery that each campsite had. The Lookout that we went to for lunch on the second day was one of the best parts of the trip. The scenery of the water and trees was absolutely stunning and everyone was just having a great time when were eating lunch up there on the rocks. I enjoyed the fact that this trip was very relaxed most of the time! One of the greatest feelings of this trip was when we arrived to the campsite and we realized that we were done hiking for the day. The wide grins that everyone had on their face each time this happened was memorable. My group stayed at Campsite 12 the first night, and Campsite 4 the second night. Both campsites were beautiful and had amazing sceneries. We had a lot of fun at both campsites!


I was surprised that I wasn’t uncomfortable while hiking with my pack, as I usually have hip/shoulder pains while I hike with the pack that I brought on the trip.I felt fine most of the time! Although, I did have some aching joints after the day-long hikes.  I didn’t like how the tent kept on falling off of my pack when it was my day to carry it. I also didn’t enjoy hanging up the “bear bag” the first night, as we spent a long time finding a good tree and also had a lot of trouble with it. The second night, we found a good tree without a problem and spent very little time hanging up the bear bag!The hikes were difficult at times, as there were different types of terrain, and the long distance. Our class was able to get through it! During the hikes, our class talked,laughed, and shared stories to distract ourselves from the toughness of the trail. Both campsites that my group went to were amazing. Although, I would have to say that I enjoyed Campsite 4 the most. This is because although Campsite 12 was amazing and I loved it, there were not a lot a lot of people and it was fairly quiet. It was also a small campsite and did not have a very good lake area to swim in. I really liked Campsite 4 (the second night) because it was bigger, there were a lot of people, and us and the other groups who stayed there talked with each other and we bonded a lot! It was also by a great area of the lake and was great to swim in! Although, it was a bit chilly. I went swimming both days, and the water was freezing! ;)


The pots, etc., were hard to fit into our bags, but we eventually were able to squeeze them in! I would bring less and smaller pots next time. I would also like to divide the tent parts (so every group member has something) instead of one person carrying the tent for the whole day. This is because the tent was quite heavy, and kept on having to be adjusted on our packs while we were on the trail. For the second evening, my group made spaghetti. We did not bring spaghetti sauce (we were worried it would be too heavy or leak if we put into a Ziploc bag), and instead brought red pepper and Parmesan cheese for toppings. Next time, if a group that I am wants to make this meal, I would not be afraid to bring spaghetti sauce in a container or Ziploc bag.

I would DEFINITELY do this trip again! This trip experience and the memories I made on this trip will stay with me forever, and I would without a doubt experience this type of trip again. The bonding of our class and teachers, the meals, and the beautiful surrounding nature at the provincial park were the key things that made this trip awesome.


By Aislinn Defries

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