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

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 [...]

March 2017

Hardwood Hills Ski Bike – Snowshoeing & Cross Country Skiing

By |2017-03-14T20:50:15-04:00March 14th, 2017|Categories: #snowshoe, #snowshoeing, Adventure, Canada, chalet, cold, creek, creeks, Cross country skiing, day trip, Exploring, girls, hardwood hills, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, inspiration, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, outdoors jen, scenery, scenic, ski resort, ski trail, skiing, snowshoe trails, Trails, Uncategorized, walking, walks, winter, winter Wonderland, women|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year, I had driven to Arrowhead for a day to do some adventuring with my friend Cathy. It was a great day and while I was there I got to snowshoe, skate and cross country ski. I had never cross country skied and was grateful that Cathy was there with me as she'd done it before. We only skied for a few hours, if that, but I thought it was a fun winter activity [...]

February 2017

Arrowhead Birches Celebrate Galentines

By |2017-02-21T16:16:25-05:00February 21st, 2017|Categories: Adventure, arrowhead, Canada, Cross country skiing, day trip, Exploring, Fun, girls, Hiking, hiking trails, Huntsville, ice, ice skates, ice skating, Ice trail, inspiration, learning, Lookout, Niagara, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, Parks, Provincial Park, scenery, scenic, sightseeing, skating, skating trail, skating trails, ski trail, skiing, sledding, Trails, Uncategorized, Up north, winter, winter Wonderland|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Ever since my visit to Arrowhead last year  I have been dying to go back again.  When I was in Niagara for Christmas, I had a visit with my friend Andrea, who had been trying to come see me in Muskoka since I'd moved,  but hadn't made it yet.  We devised a plan and this Saturday, was the day we were going to visit Arrowhead with one of our other awesome friends Kim. As Valentines day [...]

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

My post this week is at My Self Reliance! WOOHOO!!!!!

By |2017-01-31T19:07:13-05:00January 31st, 2017|Categories: #interview, DIY, homemade, hot tent, my self reliance, Ontario, outdoor products, photography, Presentation, renovation, revised, revision, shawn james, tipi, Uncategorized, video, winter, winter camping tips, winterglamping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Happy Tuesday Everyone! I hope your day is going great ! This week my blog post is being featured on My Self Reliance, by Shawn James!!! WOOOHOO!!!!! Shawn contacted me to ask if he could do an interview on me as part of a series he is doing on Winter Camping, and of course, I happily agreed! I set up the tipi for him to see how it all goes together and Shawn made an amazing [...]

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

Brydon’s Bay Trail – Mom visits Port Carling!

By |2016-12-06T22:19:37-05:00December 6th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, Canada, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, Muskoka, Nature, Niagara, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, Parks, tourists, Uncategorized, walkling, walks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since I moved to Port Carling in May, my mom has not been to visit.  She doesn't have a vehicle and getting a bus or train here isn't really the best option.  As it takes me about 3 hours to get to her and 3 hours to get back, going to pick her up, and drop her off has not been an option either, so it's been tough. We haven't been able to do much [...]

November 2016

Tim River – Looking for mooses!!

By |2016-11-08T16:47:45-05:00November 8th, 2016|Categories: #bloggers, Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, blog, Canada, cold, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, kayak, Kayaking, kyra on the go, moose, moosehunting, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Parks, portage, portaging, River, rivers, tim, timriver, true north, Uncategorized, Up north, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been trying to get to the Tim River for a few months now, but time and other plans just wouldn't allow it.  Well, to be completely honest, I attempted to go to the Tim the Sunday before, but after driving an hour to get there, I realized I had left my money at home, so I had to drive back home as I wouldn't have had enough gas to return all the way [...]

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