Talk about getting the outing off to a good start. Unbeknownst to us, Mont St Bruno was having an Open House / Portes Ouvertes for this one day. It was designed to get people looking forward to the upcoming ski season with used ski sales, equipment demos, discounted ski passes, barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers. But what we really liked was the free admission to the park!
The 20 of us posed for the obligatory group photo and set out shortly after 10 am. It was 1 C under a mostly cloudy sky. We usually do this hike in a counter-clockwise direction. But this time we reversed it and started by going to Lac des Bouleaux, the northernmost of the three main lakes in the park. We then took an irregular route south and then west to get us walking along the eastern edge of Lac Seigneurial, the largest of the lakes. We paused to watch a nearby deer. A couple of our sharper-eyed hikers, spotted an owl. The route took us past some interesting homes that were built before the park was established and have been allowed to remain. This includes the house of Guy Laliberté, the founder of the Cirque du Soleil.
We then followed a trail that we don’t usually take. It gave us a view of Lac du Moulin, the southernmost lake, and then across the Pont des 3 Arches, a scenic old stone-crafted bridge. We then stopped in to take a look at the Salon de thé in Le Vieux Moulin, a carefully preserved stone structure. At this point, five of our group bid us adieu as they paused to partake of the fine selection of hot beverages and baked goods. The rest of us walked the remaining 2 km back to the chalet. The stats: 10.3 km covered in 2h 22m.
It was a great group, with lots of conversation while we walked. So much so, that I felt the need to stop the group on occasion and bring their attention to scenery! It was also nice to see some new members join us on a hike for the first time and enjoy their experience.
All in all, a truly splendid way to spend a grayish November morning!