High Falls and A.Y. Jackson

Near the end of my viist to Sudbury, Ontario I took to the road to visit with some of the adventure attractions away from the city. In tourist lingo they are called “Day Trips”. I wanted to visit some of them,  just because. I was more curious than anything and hoping, maybe, to get a good picture out of it. Plus, they were along the same loop route I was taking to get to the more anticipated attractions like High Falls (aka Onaping Falls or A.Y. Jackson Lookout). I tell you, some maps had one name and other maps had the other names. At first I did not know what was going on. Is there three attractions in the same spot? Confusing. Make up your mind.

During the day I planned to finish off my research visiting High Falls, Anderson Farm and the Kelly Lake Trails. Anderson Farm was closed. Huh. The Kelly Lake Trails were nice, easy going hiking along a shoreline lake trail. Great for birdwatching. The shoreline was marsh-like which is a breeding ground for- yup – you guested it, mosquitoes. They were not hungry on this morning. The “Off” helped. But I must of been hungry cause I swallowed a few mosquitoes. I guest that goes with the territory in my line of profession.

The highlight of my day was High Falls for many reasons – some good, some disturbing.  Half the fun getting to the falls was the hiking trail. It is a deceiving trail. First the hiking trail to the first lookout is flat, wide, level and very easy going. I am thinking this is going to be a breeze. So I took a moment to enjoy the falls from afar (main EH BLOG photo). As I sat there people were coming back from the falls. I looked and saw they were all huffing and buffing away. So the Sherlock Holmes in me concluded the trail is going to get tougher. Just how I like it!

It did get tougher. The trail continues on a long down slope to a second lookout. OK, ytour thinking, so what. Ahhh.. what goes down must come back up. That same hill will be a treat coming back. Then just after the lookout the trail follows down a rock slide complete with big boulders and painted trail markings on the rocks. Again, the “what goes down must come up” policy is in place. Coming back is going to be a good work out. This is always a good thing. Who likes easy anyway.

From the bottom of the rock cliff, the trail meanders through forest and over flat rock boulders. On my approach to the falls I missed the turn so I ended up on the back end of the falls and had to enter from the rear. Not a problem except the route I took was up a big hill. I had just put myself through some uneccesary pain. Once at the falls there is a bridge with great views looking up the river and down the river  at a serious of casdcading rapids. The falls it self is small. The highlight is the combination of it all – the white water rapids, the bridge, the watewrfall and the swimming holes along the river. It was a picturisque setting. Hence, the reason A.Y. Jackson painted the falls.

The disturbing part of my adventure was on the way back. No it was not the long hill or the rock slide. They were fun. What caught my eye was a guy (must of been late 40s) jumping from rock to rock in the heart of the biggest rapids  – and these were wet, slippery boulders. I sat and watched. So did his wife and daughter (what a goo role model I thought.. NOT!).

The last jump was the biggest. As this guy jumped and landed he teetered and tottered, back and forth and I was sure he was going in. I was ready to drop my pack and race down to the end of the rapids and jump in to see if this guy was OK. I am sure he would of not made it, those rocks would of taken a beating on his head. Luckily, he steadied himself and knelt down low to the boulder. But.. I had enough, I did not want to stick around to see if he made it back from his perch in the middle of the white water. He was an accident waiting to happen. But I bet you he thought he was the coolest thing since slice bread. Some peoples kids eh.