What we’re about
Welcome to the Toronto Hiking Asylum. This is a group for people who love hiking at an invigorating pace and who believe in supporting the associations that maintain the trail systems in Ontario. We organize carpool hikes at intermediate and advanced levels on the Bruce Trail, Ganaraska Wilderness Section, McCrae Lake, and other trails. We're also about snowshoeing, backpacking, trekking overseas, and other outdoor activities.
As a community of hikers, it's important to us to offer an enriching and safe experience for all of our members. Should any member have an issue with another member that they can't deal with themselves, please do not hesitate to bring it to the attention of the Organizer.
Please note that our hikes tend to go at a quicker pace with fewer breaks than is typical of other hiking groups, our members are drawn to us because they like to pick up the pace and prefer longer distances and hillier terrain. If you prefer slower hikes or have difficulty on hills, this is definitely not the hiking group for you. Also note that we're primarily a group that carpools from Toronto subway stations, so we're unlikely to add members that are unable or unwilling to carpool from these stations. You may wish to consider other outdoor groups such as the Toronto Bruce Trail Association, the Toronto Outdoor Club, the High Park Hiking Club, and Hiking Network.
Generally, our model is that drivers and passengers meet at a predetermined carpool location in Toronto, usually Shephard West or Kipling station, and commute from there to the event. Unlike some other meetup groups, passengers are not required to make their own arrangements with drivers, rather, the event host takes responsibility for ensuring that there is the right balance between the number of passengers and the number of drivers willing to take passengers. Occasionally, "meet at event" can be accommodated.
We ask everyone that RSVP's to our events to monitor their RSVP, and to remove their name from the wait list promptly if they're not able to go after all. Failure to do so may mean that somebody that wants to go is left on the wait list, or that we have cars with too few passengers to cover our drivers cost. If we think that some members are leaving their names on the wait list after they've made other plans, we're less likely to add them to further events. If members no-show at the carpool and make no effort to contact the organizers to let them know, they may be removed from the group without further notice.
The Toronto Hiking Asylum supports the volunteer associations that maintain the various trails systems in Ontario, particularly the Bruce Trail Association. Fees collected on our events go, first, to cover the group's annual meetup fees, and, second, any excess is donated to the Bruce Trail Association. Members who already have a current paid membership in the Bruce Trail Club are exempt from our fees, that's our way of encouraging members to support this association.