April 2017

Rugged Trail – Parry Sound – Rugged but Gorgeous

By |2017-04-04T19:51:21-04:00April 4th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, creek, creeks, frozen waterfalls, georgian bay, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, ice, icefalls, inspiration, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, parry sound, rivers, solo trip, tourism, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, waterways, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At this time of year, I have been heading out on day trips on the weekends so that I can spend more time at home at the computer.  Yes, it sucks a bit, and YES I am dying to go camping... but sometimes you have to take what you can get.  With an upcoming presentation at the KW Canoe Symposium that I am thrilled about, gear reviews due for the brand I ambassador for, Ultimate [...]

March 2017

Copeland Forest- Slippery & Wet

By |2017-03-28T19:26:01-04:00March 28th, 2017|Categories: #forest, Canada, copeland forest, creek, creeks, Exploring, Fun, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, inspiration, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, River, rivers, scenery, scenic, sightseeing, ski trail, skiing, snowshoe trails, solo trip, Uncategorized, walking, walks, water, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This winter I spent a few hours exploring the Scout  Valley Loop Trail .   After I put the post up, one of my blog followers, Ray, sent me a message advising me I should check out Copeland Forest  sometime when I had a free day.  Well, last Sunday, that free day came,  so off I went to explore Copeland Forest. It was a lovely winter/almost spring day. The temperature at Copeland forest when I [...]

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 [...]

January 2017

Scout Valley Loop Trail – Gorgeous Snowshoeing

By |2017-01-24T20:00:04-05:00January 24th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, animals, Canada, cold, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, creek, creeks, day trip, Exploring, frozen waterfalls, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, inspiration, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, outdoor products, Outdoors, shoe, sleep, solo trip, sunrise, Uncategorized, walking, walks, water, winter, winter Wonderland|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I woke up Saturday morning around 6am with nothing planned for the day.  I was just going to relax, catch up on blog posts and maybe watch a few movies.  Unfortunately, my brain was not in agreement of any of those things. It was supposed to be really cold out, about -30 with the windchill but sunny and I just had to get outside anyways! Since my last trip at the end of December, testing [...]

Limberlost – Snowshoeing in an Enchanted Forest with Lovely Ladies

By |2017-01-17T16:44:23-05:00January 17th, 2017|Categories: #snow, #snowing, #snowshoe, #snowshoeing, Adventure, algonquin highlands, bridge, cold, creek, creeks, day trip, Exploring, frozen waterfalls, Fun, girls, hike, Hiking, hiking trails, Huntsville, Muskoka, muskoka trails, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, shoe, Solitaire, Trails, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, waterways, winter, winter Wonderland, women|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have heard of Limberlost but only vaguely and had never been there.  A new friend from Port Carling asked me if I'd like to go snowshoeing there and I was totally up for it!   I had just camped for a few days at Mew Lake in the Tipi and headed straight to Limberlost Forest and Nature Reserve from Algonquin Park. The roads were a bit crazy and snow covered but we were going [...]

December 2016

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, [...]

Whiskey Rapids in Fall- My Favourite Trail in Algonquin

By |2016-11-22T18:41:14-05:00November 22nd, 2016|Categories: Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada, Climb, Climbing, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, Fun, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, Provincial Park, Rapids, River, sightseeing, solo trip, stairs, Trails, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, waterways, Whiskey Rapids|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a gorgeous November day and I spent most of it paddling off of East Beach.  It wasn't dark yet though and I still had some time to get in a hiking trail before night fell. Might as well visit my favorite trail in the park, Whiskey Rapids. The trail is only 2.1 km's and just the right size for the time I had before it would start getting dark. I am not sure [...]

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

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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