Hiking Mount Nemo

John and I did a post Christmas hike up to Mount Nemo from the Walkers Line access point, in Burlington.  The trail wasn't too bad with enough snow to cover the ground and was a bit icy in spots.  The hike has incredible views, steep cliffs and deep crevices in most cases an extremely short distance from the marked trail.  We ventured occasionally but seldomly off the beaten path.  With the snow and leaf cover, we could have easily fallen into hidden opening in the ground.  At one point on the path, we saw a bench, which was in a bit of an odd location as faced a row of bushes (maybe cedars?) and had a limited view.  

 

We wondered who this lady was who died so young and was memoralized on the trail.  My first thought was that she passed away from an illness and this was an area that she loved to hike but unfortunately was wrong.  

  Spring a lady from North York was out hiking with friends on the afternoon of Sunday September 8, 2013.  The group veered off the trail and ended up on an unmarked trail on private property.  Spring was sitting on the edge of the cliff attempted to take a picture of the escarpment.  She lost her balance and fell 24 metres below.(1)  A police officer and doctor were hiking at the time and were the first people to reach Spring.  They performed CPR until paramedics arrived to take over but unfortunately, Spring succumbed to her injuries.(2)

(1)https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2013/09/10/woman-who-died-at-mt-nemo-was-hiking-unmarked-trail.html

(2)https://www.toronto.com/news/toronto-hiker-posing-for-photo-prior-to-fatal-fall-from-mount-nemo-cliff/article_75b33df8-63b1-5578-b7f6-e92d310e9244.html

Robert Halton

John and I visited the Hamilton Cemetery before Remembrance Day and walked through the section with the stones of our fallen soldiers.  This one caught my eye for two reasons, Robert's young age and his last name, being the same as the county I grew up in.   

  Robert Halton attested on January 28th of the same year when he was 17 years 9 months old and was living at 43 Beechwood Avenue at the time with his father Alfred Edward.  He was born 10 March 1898 in Bolton England, was 5'6" and had brown eyes and auburn curly hair.(1) 

I did a quick search and quickly found his death record. Robert died on 19 May 1916 in Hamilton after 10 hours of haemorrhaging due to an accidental shooting.  He was a forge mechanic.(2)  His service record states that he accidentally shot himself (3) Geez, definitely not what I was expecting. I'll have to work my way over to the Burlington Public Library and see if I can get more details from the Hamilton Spectator.

RIP Robert, you were too young to die so senselessly.

(1)https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B3966-S049

(2)Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 227

(3) Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Canada; Soldiers of the First World War (1914-1918)