February 2017

1st Cold Camping Trip! – Solo Backcountry on St. Nora Lake

By |2017-02-14T15:16:15-05:00February 14th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, algonquin highlands, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, camping, campsite, Canada, cold, cold camp, cold camping, Exploring, falls, frozen waterfalls, gloves, hike, Hiking, hiking trails, ice, icefalls, inspiration, learning, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, Outdoors, Parks, portage, portaging, pull in, sledding, solo trip, summer tent, tent, tentcamping, texting gloves, toboggan, Uncategorized, walking, water, waterfalls, waterways, winter, winter camping, yolo|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

 It was Thanksgiving weekend, 2001 and I did a backcountry trip backpacking in to Bucholtz Lake on the Eastern Pines Backpacking Trail in Algonquin Park. I had a -5 sleeping bag and I remember I was laying there wearing all the clothes I had brought in,  including my jacket, in my sleeping bag and I was frozen solid.  All I wanted to do was be warm but there was no way I was walking  out [...]

1st Winter Backcountry Trip … With the Revised Tipi!

By |2023-03-27T11:59:58-04:00February 7th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear vault, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, cooking, DIY, Exploring, food, Fun, glamping, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, homemade, hot tent, Mew Lake, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, Outdoors, Parks, Privy, teepee, tent, tipi, toboggan, tracks, Trails, Uncategorized, winter, winter camping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has taken me over a year to get to this point, but I finally made it and I am proud!  I completed my first winter backcountry trip with the tipi and it was a great adventure!   I learned so many things and experienced a bunch of firsts, some thanks to my new friend Ashley from Young Outdoors. Ashley and I met through social media quite some time ago and after many months of [...]

January 2017

Tipi Test at Mew – Last Trip of 2016

By |2021-01-10T09:10:44-05:00January 10th, 2017|Categories: Algonquin, algonquin highlands, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, day trip, DIY, Exploring, glamping, gloves, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, homemade, ice, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, Parks, Provincial Park, renovation, revised, revision, skating, sleep, sleeping, sleeping bag, sleeping matt, sleeping pad, solo trip, tarps, teepee, tent, tentcamping, texting gloves, tipi, tracks, Trails, Uncategorized, walking, walks, winter, winter Wonderland, winterglamping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year I had the great privilege of being invited to Mew Lake for New Years Eve Camping.  It was one of the best New Years Eve's I've ever had! I met some extraordinary people who I've spent time with over the past year and enjoyed camping in the snow more than I thought I would. This year, I was incredibly honored to be invited to my friend Stevie's wedding, happening on New Years Eve [...]

Revising the Tipi and a Sled for Winter Backcountry Camping!

By |2017-01-03T07:25:58-05:00January 3rd, 2017|Categories: #sled, Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, camping tips, Canada, DIY, Exploring, gear, glamping, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, homemade, hot tent, inspiration, learning, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, pulk, renovation, revised, revision, sledding, tarps, teepee, tent, tentcamping, tipi, toboggan, Uncategorized, walking, walks, winter, winter camping tips, winter Wonderland, winterglamping, winterinthewild|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the summer, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about Winter Camping. I know it might seem off but I am always looking ahead to what I want to do next and making sure I have sufficiently planned all of that out so it is not just a possibility but a reality! As many of you that have followed my winter adventures know, last year, I built my very own tipi from scratch [...]

December 2016

The Sounds of Silence – Exploring Silent Lake

By |2016-12-20T20:28:08-05:00December 20th, 2016|Categories: algonquin highlands, alone, animals, beach, bonnies pond, Campers, camping, campsite, convienience, cooking, Exploring, falls, frozen waterfalls, glamping, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, hot tent, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Parks, Provincial Park, silent lake, solo trip, sunrise, texting gloves, Uncategorized, walking, walks, waterfalls, wind, winter, winterglamping, yurt|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It's hard to believe that only 9 months ago, I had my first visit to Silent Lake!  It was a wonderful experience and I was hoping for more of the same this trip.   I had planned on going for just one night when I discovered yurt #5, the same one I stayed in, in March, was open, but there is a two night minimum for booking yurts, so I took it for two. I [...]

Paddling on Big East Lake – Living Life With No Regrets

By |2016-12-13T18:56:59-05:00December 13th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, camping, campsite, Canada, Exploring, gloves, ice, Ice trail, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, moosehunting, Muskoka, Ontario, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, solo trip, sunrise, sunset, tangii, tent, tentcamping, texting gloves, Uncategorized, Up north, water, waterways, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is a time of year when one must be really careful going out on the water.  I often receive comments of concern, people calling me brave,  and others blatantly stating I am unsafe, careless and should not be doing what I'm doing.   What if you fall out of your kayak?  You will freeze instantly!!! I have been kayaking for over 15 years of my life.  In that time, I have never, not once, [...]

November 2016

Fall turns to Winter at Mew Lake, +10 to -10, AWESOME!

By |2016-11-29T06:33:16-05:00November 29th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, camping, Canada, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, glamping, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, hot tent, leaves, Mew Lake, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, Parks, Provincial Park, Ragged Falls, Ragged Falls Provincial Park, summer tent, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Trails, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, winter, winterglamping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has been far too long since I camped and I was dying to go!!!  A few events, some sickness, a visit from mom, and some bad weather had kept me from doing what I love most and this weekend was turning out to be the same. I wanted to cry! Originally, the weekend plan was to do a canoe trip on Rain Lake at Access #4 on the west side of Algonquin Park.  But, [...]

Torrance Barrens Trails – Fall Fabulousness !!!

By |2016-11-01T16:36:09-04:00November 1st, 2016|Categories: #bridges, bridge, camping, campsite, Canada, carcamping, cold, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, Fun, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, inspiration, leaves, Muskoka, muskoka trails, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, Parks, pie, pizza, torrance, Trails, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since moving to Muskoka, I had been hearing about this place called Torrance Barrens Trails and Dark Sky Reserve. I knew it was a great place to go for night viewing of stars, meteor showers, etc, but had no idea that there were hiking trails there as well. My dear friend Nicole came to visit me in Port Carling. I was so happy she was here with me and we decided to go for a [...]

October 2016

Kawartha Highlands – Paddling Secret …. shhhh

By |2025-04-23T12:19:13-04:00October 25th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, day trip, Exploring, kawartha, kawartha highlands, kawarthat, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, Long Lake, Loucks Lake, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, Provincial Park, River, Secret Lake, solo trip, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of spending some time with my favorite friends in the Kawarthas at their property.  I met Karen online through posts following the journey of the Woods Explorers and we had both applied for the dream job the advertised.  We hit it off and always said we would get together and last year, we finally did just that.  I was invited back again this year, and so happy [...]

Turkey Day at McCrae! -Cooking in my new Dutch Oven!

By |2016-10-18T18:43:59-04:00October 18th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear Barrel, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, cooking, creek, creeks, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, food, Food storage, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, homemade, learning, leaves, Lookout, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sunrise, sunset, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Trails, Uncategorized, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since meeting my friend Jason last year, he has been going on about this place called McCrae Lake.  I had never been there and according to him, it was a gorgeous place to spend a weekend camping, fishing and enjoying nature.  The Thanksgiving long weekend was approaching and as I hadn't had any plans yet, I decided it would be a good weekend to check the place out.  It was also the perfect weekend to [...]

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