The difficulty of a hike is determined by the speed, distance, elevation gain and terrain. Please read the template to determine if the hike is right for you. More descriptors are included in the Guiding Notes below the template.
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HIKE TITLE
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Waterfalls Series - Ball’s Falls
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DATE
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Thursday, April 02, 2026
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HIKE LEADER
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Ion Bertume / Rosemarie Abrecht
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LEADER EMAIL AND CELL PHONE NUMBER
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ib8250753@gmail.com 437-484-4884 r.abrecht@hotmail.com 905-916-0703
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MEETING TIME @ START TIME
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Meet at 9:15 a.m. for a 9:30 a.m. start
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MEETING PLACE OR PARKING LOCATION
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Parking on the short laneway next to 5th Avenue, near the intersection of Victoria and 5th Avenue, Vineland. Lincoln County, Niagara
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MEETING MAP (link)
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Parking on 5th Avenue
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ENTRANCE FEES
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DISTANCE
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Approx. 7 km
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DURATION OF HIKE
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Approx. 2+ hrs.
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SPEED Leisurely / Moderate / Fast
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Moderate: 3-4 km/hr.
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ELEVATION GAIN Low / Moderate / High
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Low: mostly flat – a few hills
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TERRAIN Easy / Moderate / Challenging
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Easy: usually good footing. Short roadside sections. Forested trails
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TYPE OF HIKE:
Loop, There & Back, Combination
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There & Back type hike
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Point of interests, Notes, Specifics to this particular hike
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Greater Hamilton is noted as “The City of Waterfalls”, boasting over 100 waterfalls, plunging over the Nagara Escarpment. The Waterfalls Hike Series introduces hikers to the most popular of these stunning features. Ball’s Falls in Niagara, features two cascading waterfalls, the Lower and Upper Falls, which powered a sawmill and a grist mill, during the 19th century.
From parking lot walk along the laneway to follow Bruce Trail across the fields and into the woods into Ball’s Falls Conservation Area. Lower Ball’s Falls scenic lookout. Heritage site - buildings exploration. Follow Cataract Trail to Upper Ball’s Falls scenic lookout.
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REGISTRATION is required. Opens 2 weeks prior to the hike
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A Must. Up to 12 hikers may register. Leaders appreciate early registration but you can register at the last minute. Please join the Waiting List if the hike is full.
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CANCELLATION
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• If your plans change, please self-cancel as soon as possible so that other HOC members may take your spot.
• The club may cancel due to bad weather that may impact the safety of participants or due to low attendance.
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WHAT TO BRING
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• Wear supportive hiking boots with good tread.
• Hiking poles will be helpful.
• Dress in layers according to weather, wear/bring waterproof rainwear
• Sun & bug protection as appropriate
• Bring lots of snacks and enough water for the duration of the hike.
• Icers are mandatory in winter conditions
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GUIDING NOTES:
HIKE PACE - Pace refers to the speed of walking. Rest stops are not figured in to the overall pace, however they are figured in to the duration of the hike. These paces represent an average and may vary depending on the terrain, weather, group size, etc.
Leisurely: 3 km/hour or less.
Moderate: 3-4 km/hour
Fast: 4-5 km/hour.
TERRAIN – This refers to the footing on the trail itself and is influenced by the presence of rocks, roots, step-ups and step-downs, as well as the width of the trail. Please note variations can be expected with wet or icy conditions.
Easy: wide trails, may be paved or hard packed, mostly good footing, i.e. rail trails, waterfront trails
Moderate: some tricky footing, i.e. Bruce Trail, Dundas Valley, Conservation Areas, RBG trails
Challenging: significant areas of tricky footing (some parts of the Bruce Trail, some trails in Short Hills, up and down the escarpment).
ELEVATION: This refers to the accumulated elevation gained over the course of the hike.
Low: route is mostly flat but may include some gentle ups and downs
Moderate: route has hills, a few may be steep and/or long, but also some flat areas
Challenging: route has lots of hills, some of which are steep and long and few areas that are flat
Attention Non-Members: If you are thinking about becoming a member, The Halton Outdoor Club invites you to take part in up to two club activities as a Non-Member. After that, please join our club so we can welcome you as a member. Registration is required for all events, and you will have to agree to the waiver of participation when registering.
Attention Past Members: You are not entitled to two trial activities. Please renew your membership to take advantage of all that the Club has to offer.
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