STIkS
Full Member
Posts: 243
|
Post by STIkS on Nov 16, 2009 15:21:10 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by spaff on Nov 16, 2009 15:41:11 GMT -5
I haven't run those trails, but would highly recommend making a pair of screwshoes instead of Yaktraks. skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm Also, a shameless plug for Dion Running Snowshoes. I am importing and distributing them in Canada. www.healthandadventure.com/114711.html Dion Running Snowshoes are extremely lightweight and allow for a much more natural running stride compared to most other running snowshoes. Also, components are sold separately, so you can modify the snowshoe depending on the conditions (ie. longer crampon for deeper snow). Feel free to let me know if you have any questions on snowshoe running or racing.  |
|
|
|
Post by ahutch on Nov 16, 2009 17:07:32 GMT -5
The Belt Line section of the trail is usually runnable for a little while after snow arrives, because the snow gets packed down by walkers. Eventually, though, it turns into slick ice that is completely unrunnable in regular running shoes, and often stays that way for several months. (Though whenever fresh snow arrives, you get a few days of decent traction.)
Mount Pleasant cemetery (in the middle section of your map) is plowed throughout the winter, usually within a few hours of any snowfall. The outer perimeter of the cemetery is a bit over 6 km, and there are also lots of inner roads. Great place to run, and especially to work out throughout the winter.
The ravines south of the cemetery get pretty sketchy. The gate from the cemetery to the western one (Vale of Avoca) is locked in the winter, so that route is blocked. The eastern one (Moore Park) is sometimes okay, but gets pretty icy.
|
|
|
|
Post by MattMc on Nov 16, 2009 17:08:15 GMT -5
Unless there has been a recent massive snowfall nearly all of the trails in TO get enough pedestrian traffic to be run-able for easy runs in regular trainers. I have put hundreds if not thousands of miles on the belt line, cedarvale and moore park in the dead of winter and can only recall a handful of times when they were impassable due to snow (unless you are soft like Hutch).
Mt. Pleasant cemetary has excellent snow clearing and the roads in there are usually in good shape.
The Don River trail South of Eglinton is a different story-- it is not plowed and does not get much ped. traffic so it is usually pretty rough.
Matt
|
|
|
|
Post by Linc on Nov 16, 2009 17:33:59 GMT -5
Hey Matt,
If you run that loop, including the beltline(out and back), what is the total distance?? about 10 miles?
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
Post by thinskinned on Nov 16, 2009 19:12:17 GMT -5
I was getting depressed due to all the heavy recent rainfall & cool temperatures we're having here on the westcoast....until I read this thread.
Now I feel much better, thanks.
|
|
|
|
Post by twofeet on Nov 16, 2009 20:30:09 GMT -5
Unless there has been a recent massive snowfall nearly all of the trails in TO get enough pedestrian traffic to be run-able for easy runs in regular trainers. I have put hundreds if not thousands of miles on the belt line, cedarvale and moore park in the dead of winter and can only recall a handful of times when they were impassable due to snow (unless you are soft like Hutch). Mt. Pleasant cemetary has excellent snow clearing and the roads in there are usually in good shape. The Don River trail South of Eglinton is a different story-- it is not plowed and does not get much ped. traffic so it is usually pretty rough. Matt So, to sum up, ahutch is a winter wimp? |
|
|
|
Post by ahutch on Nov 16, 2009 22:41:57 GMT -5
Nah, McInnes is just looking back through rose-coloured glasses since he now lives in a place that's covered in snow for 10 months each year. Even with his patented Pigpen shuffle, there's no way to stay upright and keep running once certain sections of the Belt Line (e.g. west of Avenue Road) turn into a sheet of ice.
|
|
|
|
Post by slamer on Nov 17, 2009 6:06:37 GMT -5
I was getting depressed due to all the heavy recent rainfall & cool temperatures we're having here on the westcoast....until I read this thread. Now I feel much better, thanks. hate to bust your bubble but the last few days has hovered around 10 degrees. And we've barely had any rain in the last couple of months (nevermind snowing). As for snow and ice, it depends heavily on the season. Some winters it doesn't snow frequently and so the trails are very runnable. Usually it's the winters where it either snows a lot of there are a lot of sudden drop in temperature that makes those trail a bit hard to run. Having said that Matt is probably a lot better snow runner than most (or at least he doesn't seem to care). |
|
|
|
Post by emantsal on Nov 17, 2009 17:29:23 GMT -5
I don't run on the belt line that often, but when I have in the winter, the conditions have usually been reasonable due to all the other people who walk and run on it. Sometimes you get a weird icy layer on it if the snow melts and then freezes again, but that's probably more common in late winter or early spring, which is when I remember having an atrocious, jagged run there.
|
|
|
|
Post by MattMc on Nov 17, 2009 19:53:52 GMT -5
Linc-- which loop? I used to do a loop from my place downtown (Bay and Gerrard) up through U of T, Churchill, Cedarvale, Belt Line, Cemetary and Moore Park that was just about 13 miles but I don't really measure loops or anything.
|
|
|
|
Post by Linc on Nov 18, 2009 14:01:02 GMT -5
Sorry, the loop in the picture of the first link. The red route, beltline - cemetary - ravines - beltline...
The map says its about 5.5km from the entrance at Eglinton West subway to the south side of the cemetery @ Moore Ave. Just wondering how accurate it is and what the total for the loop would be if you/someone had run it...no big deal really.
|
|
