The Gut

Thanks to the last Ice Age, Ontario is strewn with countless waterfalls, chutes, and cascades. "The Gut" channels the Crowe River into a narrow gorge as the water thunders down thirty feet. The walls of the gorge on the far side are highly unusual and interesting from a geological perspective: the sedimentary layers, instead of being horizontal, as we'd expect, are tilted nearly 90 degrees! Was it some ancient cataclysm or the slow churning of the earth that caused this strange phenomenon? We had a helluva time finding this place, as it's the gem of what's been called a "secret park" off the beaten path, for sure. With me navigating, we made a wrong turn three times before finding The Gut Trail, a narrow dirt road filled with potholes. After this treacherous drive, we found the small parking lot at the end. Upon getting out, we were immediately beset by swarms of mosquitoes. We headed into the woods down the path and over some wooden stairs until we found the picturesque cedar rail fence beside the Gut. On a natural rock platform, we set up the tripods, cameras, and Lee filters, still antagonized by hundreds of mosquitoes. After the shoot of the chute, we had some trouble finding the path back up the hill to the car. But we feel the adventure--nearly a misadventure--was worth it.