Cooler temperatures bring the start of the salmon run up the Humber. It's been pretty warm late in the season so the fish might not have started yet but even if we don't see salmon jumping this will be a nice easy hike through some of the less known parts of High Park and up the Humber river. It looks like we've got a big group coming so it'll be a great opportunity to meet new members and old friends!

We'll all meet close to the top of High Park. We've got a route that takes us through the Black Oak Savannah with some cool natural and man made features along the way. At the bottom of the park, we'll walk a little way along the lakeshore before crossing the Humber Bay Bridge and turning up the Humber trail. As we get into the Humber we'll have some nice views of the river and hopefully seem some fish.

The plan is to end up at the weir by Old Mill where the Salmon attempt to jump up and get further up stream. Recent hot weather means that it might be too early to see any salmon so worst case scenario is that we see some frustrated fishermen and women and have a nice lunch together. At the top, we'll find a good spot to eat before drifting off towards the TTC that's close by to get home.

Note that there's no parking in High Park at the weekends so you're strongly advised to take transit or a city bike to get there!

10:00 - Meet at this bench about 50 meters into High Park from the Bloor Street West, High Park Avenue Entrance. There should be a large group of friendly looking faces there!

10:00 - Start walk towards Old Mill

12:30 - Anticipated arrival and lunch time

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• Sun protection
• Decent footwear
• Water and food

• Bring a packed lunch to have at the end

• We'll pass some poison ivy at points but this is otherwise a very safe adventure. If you're very sensitive to poison ivy you might want to wear long pants.

We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. You can use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas.

The Humber has a particularly long and varied indigenous history, groups who maintain connections to the land include:

1. The Anishinaabe: This includes the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Algonquin peoples. They have lived in the region for centuries and continue to have a presence in the area.
2. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy: This includes the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations. They have historical connections to the land around Toronto.
3. The Huron-Wendat: They were once the primary inhabitants of the Toronto area before being displaced by European colonization and other Indigenous groups. The Huron-Wendat nation now resides in Wendake, Quebec, but maintains a historical connection to Toronto.
4. The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation: This is a Mississauga Ojibwe First Nation located near Brantford, Ontario. They have treaty rights and historical connections to the land that is now the city of Toronto.
5. The Métis: The Métis people, who are of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry, also have connections to the region.