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.
| HIKE TITLE |
Hiking the Short and Sassy North Shore Loop |
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DATE
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Saturday, June 13, 2026
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HIKE LEADER(S)
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Sharon Davis Payton
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LEADER EMAIL AND CELL NUMBER
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Spayton1988@gmail.com
905-920-2765
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MEETING TIME and START TIME
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Meet at 9:15am for a 9:30am start
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MEETING/ PARKING LOCATION
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Royal Botanical Gardens Arboretum, 16 Old Guelph Road, Hamilton, ON
Royal Botanical Gardens - Arboretum - Google Maps
Park near the kiosk and Interpretative Center in the circular parking lot.
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MEETING MAP (link)
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Royal Botanical Gardens - Arboretum - Google Maps |
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ENTRANCE FEES
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Payment required for parking @ $5.00/hr. Free if RBG member
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DISTANCE
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6-7km
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DURATION OF HIKE
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2+/- hours
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SPEED
Leisurely: 3 km/hour or less
Moderate: 3-4 km/hour
Fast: 4-5 km/hour
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Moderate: 3-4 km /hour
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ELEVATION GAIN
Low: mostly flat - a few hills
Moderate: some ups and downs
High: lots of hills, steep and/or long
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Low: mostly flat with a few hills. Elevation gain is less than 100 meters
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TERRAIN
Easy: wide trail, usually good footing
Moderate: some areas of tricky footing
Challenging: rugged trail with tricky footing
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Moderate: some rough footing but wide trails for the most part. Some hills
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TYPE OF HIKE:
i.e. Loop, There & Back or Combination
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Two loops
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GENERAL ROUTE DESCRIPTION
Points of Interest and Special Notes
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Views of Cootes Paradise, nice trails, wildflowers, marshlands, grasslands, boardwalks through the RBG. The Anishinaabe Waadiziwin Sanctuary opened in 2015 to acknowledge the importance of the Indigenous peoples to this area
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Other Specifics to Your Hike
i.e. social to follow hike
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REGISTRATION is required and opens 2 weeks prior to the hike.
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Up to 15 hikers may register.
Leaders appreciate early registration, but you can register at the last minute. Please join the waitlist 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.
• Bring snacks and enough water for the duration of the hike.
- Sun and bug protection as required
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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.
