Christmas Causeway

Snow is extremely deep, about 15 inches.  No sign of snowmobiles on the lake, probably due to the slush that bogs down the machines.

Winter coming

Ice forming

About 6 inches of snow on parts of the road.  Other parts only a few inches.  But presently snowing.  No vehicles beyond the top of maple hill.

Road clearing

Young Logging has brushed back a large section

of both sides of the road south of the sandy area, improving visibility and drainage.

Community Heritage Book 2016

                                  COMMUNITY HERITAGE BOOK 2016

        Last year, 2015, the Schoolhouse Museum produced a book based on our Heritage Day and Open House weekend.  We attempted to get pictures of all our visitors and activities.  The book is located in the library.  Ask to see it.

       This year, we are expanding the book.  We would like to get a snapshot of an extended area around Highland Grove, which would include an area from Wilberforce to Cardiff.  Most of the photos and activities will be taken during August and September 2016.  The book will be sent out at the end of September.  Our focus will show people a 100 years from now the community, property, business, families, volunteer groups, activities, etc.

    Our museum staff is asking for people to forward photos via email to johnjamieson11@hotmail.com or joburr50@hotmail.com.  The photos will be placed in an Imac book.  One book will be made for our museum, but others will be made on request.

    This book is wide open!  WE need people to participate.

    Don’t forget our Heritage Day, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2016.  Food and Music.

Clobbered with rain

Saturday, Aug. 13, rain all nite, all day and now at 3 pm it is absolutely pouring.  Sheets of rain coming down the hills.  The road will be checked for downed trees.  Call if you need help getting in or out.

Interesting association

Diamond Lake Association, with approximately 100 members held their annual meeting today at the recreation centre in Highland Grove.  They have quite different issues than ELCA.

Since they are on municipality assumed roads, they do no have to collect fees for road maintenance, and have a $10 fee per year.  Their roads are snowplowed!  They do not carry insurance or belong to FOCA.

There is concern about Chinese paper lanterns.  These 'fire' items are emitted into the air and represent a major fire hazard.  Unfortunately, they fall under federal jurisdiction and are not under municipal legislation control.

But, their main issue is garbage collection.  The municipality has been unable to get a collector of garbage, mostly due to the lack of profit for the collector.

Many members belong to stewardship organizations and are very active.

The meeting was well run and 3 members of the municipal council attended and tried to answer questions from the quite vocal property owners.

A paramedic attended and explained the jurisdictional responsibilities between Hasting and Haliburton Counties and various methods of servicing isolated areas.

Lost Leg Hill

Elevated hill, covered rock

Most of a load of A gravel has raised the top of 'lost leg hill'.  Width also increased on both sides.  A compactor has compressed the gravel.  Another load is required to widen the road, and firm up the sides.

The pointed

rock on the west side does not seem to be a diversion problem.

A gravel

One load of A gravel off to the side at 'lost leg hill'.  To be used to repair washouts on hill.

New road help

The sandy area of the new road was hit hard by the rain, but only on the east side, not really affecting traffic.  Small diversion channels have been created to get the water off the side of the road and into the ditch.  But the ditch has been silting up and may need some repairs in the future.

Besides tight curves, the major problem at the 'lost leg hill' is the next item that has to be addressed.  Since the bed rock comes up on both the east and west side near or at the top of the road, it creates a funnel forcing vehicles towards the middle.

The east side of the 'lost leg hill' has been brushed and slightly flattened.  It will be extended slightly, maybe 1 or 2 feet to the east.  This will allow northern traffic to keep to the right as it goes to the top of the hill.

The top of the hill will slowly be built up over a number of years until the nasty bedrock pointer on the western side becomes covered.  It forces south bound traffic into the centre of the road.

Gravel

Three loads of 2" minus gravel applied on the east-west route between the 2 limestone covered culverts.  Still more to be applied.

Bigger culvert

The culvert as the division of Highlands East and Dysart et al has been improved.  This should prevent washouts if the beavers can't plug them.

Wow!

End of Clarke

A load of 2" minus gravel applied to the end of Clarke Rd.

Pile of rocks

End of Guest Trail

2" crusher run should solve the problem of runoff on this previously sandy slope at the end of Guest Trail.  It will take some traffic to thoroughly pack it down.  Always a problem area.

Boom

Ready to Blast

The municipality has removed much of the overburden exposing the major rock to be removed.  The blasted rock will be used to raise the road further to the north, decreasing the slope.

Langfords Rock

The nasty rock and twisty, blind 'S' turn near Langfords farm is being cleared of overburden with heavy equipment.  It appears that the municipality is going to blast out that rock which will allow for safer travel and also assist in drainage during storms.

Limestone Crusher Run

A tandem of 5/8" limestone crush

deposited on JK woodlot.   If you have a pothole on the road you want to fill, please feel free to take some.  Another load will be deposited at the past location of gravel.

Portrait info

John Tatham,

johntatham99@gmail.com

705-448-3012

Missing dock

An ELCA cottager has just reported a missing dock, approximately 8 x 24 feet and filled with 16 floats.  Chains are still attached to trees on the shore.  It may have drifted to the southern end of the lake.  OR, someone may have a newly acquired dock.

Please let us know if you see a large floating dock, or a cottager who suddenly has a newly acquired dock.

Ontario Hydro

Hydro One has been in today and inspecting the line for trees that threaten power transmission.

The last 'cleaning' of the hydro right-away was 2008.

Road update

End of Clarke Rd

Plants up

Culvert Repaired

The washed-out culvert at the bottom of mill hill has been partially filled.

The roads in Highlands East are in 1/2 load restrictions and large trucks are not allowed  on the roads.

Road is quickly drying up, but several 'mud holes' are waiting to swallow up small vehicles.

Road is muddy

Lake's open

Large sections of the ice has disappeared.   Entire lake should be open in another day.

Mud

Road condition

Endless winter

Mill hill still passable.

East Bay community seems to be a year round community.  Nothing seems to stop vehicles during the winter.  At least this winter.

Washouts

Washouts

Both culverts south of mill hill washed out but now repaired by municipality.

Culvert at bottom of mill hill washed out.  Logs placed in washout allows ATV to slowly pass.

April 1

Melting proceeding well, nice and slow.  No signs of washouts.

Melting has started

Cottage road is snow covered from Tusk Trail to island.  From mill hill to Tusk it is mostly ice, but a few patches of exposed gravel.

Maple sap started running last Sunday  Honey bees have stirred and need to have some sugar water to get them energized for spring flower harvesting.

No signs of bears, or deer, but many moose in the area this winter.      

Deep snow

Well, if you like snowmobiling, this is your weekend.  About 1 foot of fresh snow on 1/2 of pure ice.

Tree down

If travelling to the island, past Guest Road, take a chainsaw unless you can squeeze past the snowmobile trail.  This corner is becoming irritating for removing fallen trees.

Flat ice

Skating is fair.  Some rough areas.

Snowmobiler drowns in Wilberforce

      Late Friday nite, Jan. 29, a snowmobile went through the ice on Dark Lake in Wilberforce and one member on the machine did not survive.  The body was retrieved today, Saturday.

      Three other snowmobiles survived.

       The ice on Elephant Lake has seen lots of snowmobile traffic, with ice about 10 inches thick, but the narrows, known as the 'riffles', at the outlet of the lake, is being avoided.

Fishing soon

Well, the temperature dropped about 10 deg C in a little over an hour last nite, but the winds increased.  Thus, the lake is a bit bumpy for skating.  Very little snow on the lake so it should freeze up enough for snow machines later this week.

Lake

No snowmobiles on the lake Jan. 4, 2016.  The unfrozen lake received a large amount of snow, about 12 inches, resulting in a thick layer of slush and slowing down freezing.  Limited amount of snowmobile traffic on the road since there is no accessing the lake.