2018/01/06 – Humber Tributaries I

Following two tributaries of the Humber River today, in -17°C weather. My first target: Humber Creek. The Humber River is frozen, but not completely, and flows fast beneath the surface. Don’t try to walk on it, ever.

Humber Creek is certainly frozen, maybe with a trickle of water flowing underneath.

This is unfortunate: there’s a fairly established trail, but no bridge crossing. Lucky I was able to hop across the frozen rocks.

I haven’t made it that far, and already have to detour. Turns out the lots for some houses extend into the ravine, and they want to take nature for themselves. One guy even has a basketball court. Unbelievable.

Further up and past the park named for the former mayor’s dad. Brings you to Royal York.

Under yet another major road, and then a good formal trail. Two significant bridges to make some connections.

The creek crosses Islington, and a nice staircase and bridge that don’t appear to be city material. A large culvert contains things south of Dixon.

West of Wincott Drive, Humber Creek continues, before getting lost north of Dixon Park.

Onto the next target, Silver Creek. It seems lost up here, I presume it starts around this namesake recreation park. I did find a surface ditch west of Islington, draining into a sewer inlet.

Pretty interrupted so far. The surface creek pops out from under some houses north of Eglinton, and then goes into a private golf course south of Eglinton.

Down Royal York, and Silver Creek flows out of the golf course into an overgrown ravine. Goes under the road through a culvert, and onto more private property.

I finally rejoin Silver Creek at James Gardens, the only true publicly accessible reach. But it’s not long before you reach the confluence with the Humber River. That ends today’s walk.