March 2018

Hardy Lake Hike – Signs of Spring

By |2018-03-20T18:42:29-04:00March 20th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, creek, creeks, enthusiasm, Exploring, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, ice, inspiration, Muskoka, muskoka trails, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, scenery, scenic, solo trip, Up north, walking, walks, water, winter, winter Wonderland|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I woke up to a gorgeous winter day and decided I would take advantage. I was so tired of sitting at home and waiting for my concussion to be over with, so off I went! I packed my backpack, some water, a few snacks and headed over to Hardy Lake Provincial Park which is about a 20 minute drive from where I live. Hardy Lake is a lovely provincial park with a few different trail [...]

February 2018

My 1st Backcountry Canoe Trip – Algonquin 2002 – Canoe Symposium Presentation Part 2 of 2

By |2021-02-14T08:09:58-05:00February 20th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear Barrel, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, canoeing, disoriented, enthusiasm, Exploring, hiking trails, inspiration, kw canoe symposium, Mew Lake, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, Provincial Park, Up north, water, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Part 2 of 2 To see Part 1, Click Here: Part one left us lost on the Track and Tower Trail new Mew Lake Campground!  See what happens next!!! After about an hour of walking, in the humid hot sun, we put the canoe down and all our bags and sat at the side of the trail totally exhausted and really really upset. We were yelling at each other and it was definitely not a [...]

January 2018

New Years at Mew Lake in Algonquin Park – 2017/2018

By |2018-01-16T18:30:55-05:00January 16th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, carcamping, cold, cooking, enthusiasm, Exploring, hike, Hiking, hiking trails, homemade, hot tent, Mew Lake, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, outdoor products, Outdoors, Parks, Provincial Park, scenery, scenic, teepee, tent, tentcamping, tipi, Up north, walks, water, waterfalls, winter, winter camping, winter Wonderland|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While saying goodbye to 2017 and welcoming the new year, it was only proper that I mark the occasion by camping. I spent the last day of 2017 and the first day of 2018 in a chilly winter wonderland in Algonquin Park, with some of the awesome people I've met through a shared passion, a love and respect of the outdoors, that brings us all together. I arrived at Mew Lake early Saturday morning. It [...]

Hot Tent Backcountry Trial Run – How to Stake a Hot Tent When Camping on Rock

By |2018-01-02T17:19:19-05:00January 2nd, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, Canada, Climbing, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, crownland camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, falls, frozen waterfalls, georgian bay, go home lake, hike, Hiking, hot tent, ice, Muskoka, muskoka trails, Nature, Ontario, Outdoor Adventure Show, Outdoors, scenic, sledding, snowshoe trails, snowshoeing, tent, tentcamping, tipi, toboggan, water, winter, winter camping, winter camping tips, winterglamping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few weeks before the hot tent was done, I 'd made plans to take it out into the backcountry with my friend Sue, from Sue's Outdoor Crew.  She had spent the weekend before making a sled so she could carry her gear on it and some of the items needed for our weekend.  The day before our trip, we had some issues locating a good spot to camp as it's very difficult to find [...]

November 2017

Go Home Lake – Time to say goodbye to another paddling season

By |2017-11-22T10:55:19-05:00November 22nd, 2017|Categories: #lake, Adventure, alone, animals, birding, birds, Canada, creek, creeks, day trip, Exploring, go home lake, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, lakes, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sightseeing, Uncategorized, water, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I woke up on a Sunday to a beautiful day with a great forecast and for the first time in a long time, I had nothing to do! I thought about what to do and settled on a nice relaxing paddle in my kayak. The weekend before this one, I was at  Ontario Sea Kayak Center to take my Instructor Course and I needed a stress free fun paddle today. I thought about all the [...]

October 2017

Mike Ranta – Hanging out in Killarney with a Modern Day Voyageur!

By |2017-10-11T09:30:22-04:00October 11th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, canoeing, enthusiasm, Exploring, inspiration, killarney, legend, Mike Ranta, Nature, Ontario, Outdoor Adventure Show, Outdoors, paddling, solo trip, Spitzii, water, waterways, winter camping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I first met Mike Ranta at the 2017 Toronto outdoor show I didn't really know that much about him. All I knew was that I had just heard him present and I had never heard someone speak so passionately about something.   Mike Ranta speaks from his heart and he is so passionate about what he does that it gave me chills.   I was inspired instantly. This year him and his amazing canine Spitzii [...]

June 2017

Women on Water Paddling Festival – It’s called WOW for a reason!

By |2020-05-18T14:02:11-04:00June 20th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, camp, Campers, Canada, canoe, canoeing, cottage, cottaging, education, enthusiasm, Fun, georgian bay, glamping, inspiration, instructors, kayak, Kayaking, learning, learning centre, level 1, level 1 instructor, meditation, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, ontario sea kayak centre, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, Presentation, scenic, sunrise, sunset, sup, tangii, teach, teaching, training, Uncategorized, water, waterways, wild women expeditions, women, womens event, yoga|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Before taking my Level 1 Sea Kayak Instructor Course with Ontario Sea Kayak Centre, my coach Dympna had asked me to attend the Women on Water Paddling Festival.  I had no idea what this festival was all about and had not heard of it until she'd mentioned it. I did a bit of research and it looked like a really cool weekend that had been created by Wild Women Expeditions and Ontario Sea Kayak Center, [...]

May 2017

Bentshoe Lake – 1st kayak camping trip of 2017

By |2017-05-02T16:07:22-04:00May 2nd, 2017|Categories: #drysuit, #kokatat, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, Exploring, gear, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, owl, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, scenic, tangii, tent, tentcamping, water, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had plans to head over and visit my kayaking coach for some training in preparation of my Level  1 Sea Kayak Instructor Course, but as sometimes plans do, they were moved to another day during the week.  This put me at 8am on a Saturday morning, kayak on car all ready to go, and no plans for the weekend. Guess I could start my kayak camping season after all?  You didn't have to twist [...]

April 2017

McCrae Lake – Kayaking in Kokatat

By |2017-04-25T16:33:35-04:00April 25th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, day trip, Exploring, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, Muskoka, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, scenic, tangii, Uncategorized, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a gorgeous Easter weekend with warm temperatures and beautiful sunshine, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Sunday I managed to get out with a few friends in Niagara for a hike in Niagara, but by Monday, with my return to Muskoka, it was back to below zero and not so lovely or springlike.  I had decided to stay in, relax, get caught up on things until the Fedex truck pulled up with my brand new [...]

Mizzy Lake Trail – Mushy, Melting & Magical

By |2017-04-18T20:57:33-04:00April 18th, 2017|Categories: #frozen, #snow, Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, alone, animals, Canada, creek, creeks, day trip, Exploring, grouse, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, ice, Mizzy, Mizzy Lake, Mizzy Lake Trail, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, Parks, River, rivers, ruffed grouse, rushing water, solo trip, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, waterways, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sunday, April 2nd, 2017, was forecast as a beautiful spring day with high temperatures in Algonquin Park of 9 degrees.  I had been cooped up for a few weekends working on my Canoe Symposium presentation and I needed to get outside! So I got up at 7am, got myself ready, jumped in the car, and headed to Algonquin Park! When I arrived at the trailhead... it was snowing.  Not very warm at all, about -1 [...]

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