CLUB: FOLLOW THE LINE
CO 4X4’S SPRING RUN THROUGH ONTARIO’S MADOC REGION
WITH THE FRIGID SNOWS OF WINTER FINALLY MELTED AND THE TRAILS BEGINNING TO DRY OUT, the CO 4x4 club decided to take advantage of a sunny weekend to get out on the trails and shake off the off-roading cobwebs. Four vehicles and nine people attended the run, including Val and Cyril in a Toyota Tacoma, John and Janet in a Toyota 4runner, Mo, Chandra and Olivier in a Jeep JK and Al and I in the Jeep CJ.
Meeting at the Tim Horton’s north of Madoc, Ontario, we drove northeast to the village of Cooper, then turned east on Lingham Lake Rd. Conditions were somewhat dry and dusty on the graded gravel road, however the terrain in the area is mostly rocky with bogs and wooded areas.
The road to Lingham Lake ends where it meets up with a power line access road. This is the start to the Lingham Lake trail. We stopped to air down and check our gear over.
The trail to Lingham Lake is usually a wet and boggy affair at the best of times. In April, with snow melt and spring rains, the water levels would be high. The idea of getting stuck in cold water and mud did not thrill us and to reinforce the notion, some locals advised that taking this trail might not be the best idea. However, the point of the day was to try the various hill climbs and rock challenges along the power line road. So, we chose to leave an attempt on the Lingham Trail for another day.
Here are just a few highlights of a great day spent in the backcountry.