The President’s 8th Annual Wilderness Hike
Join President Bill Lahey on this year’s President’s Wilderness Hike on Saturday, October 5, 2024 in Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area. This is a uniquely urban wilderness area which borders Bayer’s Lake Business Park and is largely surrounded by suburban development.
The hike will be guided by Dr. Chris Miller of the Nova Scotia branch of the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, a leading environmental organization in Nova Scotia. Chris is both a wilderness conservation expert and a leading advocate for wilderness conservation. Throughout the hike, he will be educating us about this particular wilderness area and its importance but also wilderness conservation more generally – a category of environmental stewardship in which Nova Scotia is a national leader. Find out more by following Chris on X @NSwilderness.
After the hike, all are welcome to join us for hot chocolate and cookies at 3 p.m. in the Lodge.
Traveling to the hike
Note: Prince Hall will open at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast on Oct. 5 so students can eat breakfast before the trip.
Hikers can either make their own way to the trailhead or catch a ride on the charter bus that will depart from the Quad at 9:10 a.m. sharp. The first fifty-five (55) confirmed registrants travelling on the charter bus to the hike will receive seats. Following that, registrants will be added to a waitlist, and contacted if a seat is available.
We will depart from the trailhead at 9:45 a.m. and return to it at approximately 2:30 p.m. Those taking the charter bus should be back at King’s between 3 and 3:15 p.m. After we return to King’s, all are invited to enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies in the President’s Lodge.
We will gain access to the trail at the end of Colins Road in the Blue Mountain area (see embedded map below). We will return to the same point at 2:30 p.m. On a Saturday morning, this is about a 15-20 minute drive from King’s. The trailhead can also be accessed by Halifax Transit.
What to bring
Hikers are encouraged to bring water and lunch to enjoy at the mid-point of the hike, which will be at Fox Lake. Sturdy and, ideally, waterproof shoes, as opposed to sandals or running shoes, are recommended; the trail is very walkable but it is a wilderness trail. If there is any prospect of rain, a good jacket for rain is also recommended. Fall in Nova Scotia is unpredictable – chilly and then warming in the afternoons – dressing in layers is recommended.
Registration*
Please register for the hike by 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 25.
*You must register to join the group even if you’re not taking the bus.
Waiver
Once registered, we will email a waiver to you (if you are 19 and older) or your parent/guardian (if you are 18 and younger) with instructions on how to complete the document.
Waivers must be completed by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 in order to participate in the hike. Waivers are required for all hike participants.
Rain Date
If the weather is not suitable for the hike, we will postpone to Sunday, November 2. We will notify participants via email.
Map
