January 2019

Adding a Vent to the Hot Tent & Revising the Corner Loops

By |2022-03-31T10:16:31-04:00January 1st, 2019|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, DIY, hot tent, Ontario, Outdoors, renovation, renovations, revised, vent, winter, winter camping, winter camping tips|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In November of last year I built my very own backcountry winter hot tent.  I had previously built a hot tent tipi, but as I learned on a backcountry trip with my friend Ashley, the tipi would be far too difficult to take into the backcountry solo.  As that was my intention at that time, I needed a tent that was lighter, smaller and feasible to take where I wanted to take it.  So, I [...]

December 2018

Winter Backcountry Camping with Shirley – Testing out my new BCC Sled!

By |2018-12-20T13:14:05-05:00December 25th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, crownland camping, Exploring, Hiking, hot tent, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, pulk, pull in, sledding, tent, winter, winter camping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I met Shirley a few years ago in the go home like parking lot. I was there to do an interview with Shawn James from my self-reliance and she was on her way out of a trip.  We chatted on social media throughout the years and have met a few times winter camping at Mew Lake. A few months ago we decided we should do a winter camping trip, so we planned one for this [...]

Camper Christina Cooks – Making Chicken Stew

By |2018-12-18T19:26:31-05:00December 18th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry camping, camper christina cooks, camping, camping food, Canada, canoe camping, cooking, food, Ontario, Outdoors|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

With winter camping well under way, I needed to prepare a delicious hearty meal to bring with me on my winter trips.  I have never made chicken stew before, but I put together the ingredients that I had, that I liked and thought would be tasty and it turned out amazingly well.   Now, one of my favourite meals!   Hope you enjoy this weeks post, a new addition to the Camper Christina Cooks Series, [...]

Mew Lake Winter Camping with The Outdoor Kind – 113018-120218

By |2018-12-11T18:34:21-05:00December 11th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, camping, campsite, Canada, carcamping, cold camp, cold camping, Exploring, hike, Hiking, hiking trails, hot tent, Mew Lake, Ontario, ontario parks, Outdoors, scenery, scenic, snowshoe trails, snowshoeing, waterfalls, winter, winter camping|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been chatting with an awesome guy online since November 2017, John Van Barriger from The Outdoor Kind.  We connected through social media due to mutual friends and similar interests and I have always thought what John does is really cool! After chatting for a year, I finally got to meet John at the Ontario Winter Camping Symposium.  He drove all the way from Wisconsin to attend the show and meet a bunch of [...]

Hot & Cold Camping in Killarney w James, Dympna & Molly

By |2018-12-04T21:22:22-05:00December 4th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, cold camp, cold camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, Hiking, hot tent, killarney, Killarney Provincial Park, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, ontario sea kayak centre, Outdoors, pulk, pull in, winter, winter camping, winter Wonderland|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the years, I have done quite a few trips to Killarney, but I have not once stayed in the George Lake Campground. This weekend that would change. I headed out around 7am on Saturday, November 17th with my hot tent in my vehicle.  I expected to arrive at the campground around 9:15-9:30 and would be meeting my kayak instructors Jame and Dympna from Ontario Sea Kayak Centre there. I was pretty excited as I [...]

November 2018

First Canoe Cold Camp – Haliburton Highlands Water Trails

By |2018-11-20T16:01:34-05:00November 20th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, Canada, canoeing, cold camp, cold camping, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, solo, solo trip, winter, winter camping, yolo|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year at this time, I didn't have the loaner canoe any longer from Backcountry Custom Canoes so I wasn't able to do a canoe trip in the snow.  I did head out in the kayak, right up until December 1st weekend,  but only had ice on the water to deal with, no snow, so this would be a first for me. I had planned to do a few more canoe trips this season before [...]

Hot Tent Stand – How to Erect a Hot Tent Without Staking it Into the Ground

By |2018-11-13T17:06:58-05:00November 13th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, DIY, education, homemade, hot tent, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, tent, winter, winter camping, winter camping tips|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year I built my second hot tent.  This one specifically to take into the backcountry. The first, the tipi was made to do so as well but after a trip with my friend Ashley from Young Outdoors, I realized that was never going to happen, well, not solo at least. The tipi and stove weighed in at just over 100lbs without any gear!  Split between 2 people it was okay, but solo, was something [...]

May 2018

Humphrey Nature Trails – A Beautiful Place to Hike

By |2018-05-31T09:49:46-04:00May 8th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, Exploring, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, humphrey, ice, Nature, nature trails, Ontario, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, scenery, scenic, seguin, Trails, Up north, walking, walks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The other day, while visiting with my friend Sam for dinner, she told me about some trails nearby.  The trails are called the Humphrey Nature Trails and they were literally around the corner from where we had dinner at Whatta Pizza.  I was very glad she showed me where the actual trail head was, because it was hidden behind the fire station.  I decided I would come back and explore the trails on the following [...]

Making Maple Candy – Eventually

By |2018-05-31T09:50:52-04:00May 1st, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Canada, cooking, DIY, edibles, education, Exploring, homemade, ice, inspiration, learning, maple, maple sap, maple syrup, maple trees, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, recipes, teach, teaching, Uncategorized, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I finally finished making my maple syrup I was incredibly proud. I was also really happy, that it was over.  It was a very very long process as far as the boiling went and I know that was due to my inadequate heat source but it didn't make it any less long. I was about to close the book/blog/video on the whole maple syrup series, until a friend, Terry Thomas commented on my facebook [...]

April 2018

Making Maple Syrup for Dummies – From Sap to Syrup – Part 2

By |2018-05-31T09:56:02-04:00April 24th, 2018|Categories: Canada, DIY, edibles, education, enthusiasm, Exploring, food, homemade, inspiration, maple, maple sap, maple syrup, maple trees, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, teach, teaching, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This post is Part 2 of Making Maple Syrup, to see Part 1, click here.   After 13 days of collecting sap, I was ready to try and turn it into maple syrup.  Please see Part 1 for the collecting maple sap blog post. I had a few buckets that were still frozen solid or had a big chunk of ice in them, so I got out the big pot, filtered the sap that was in [...]

Go to Top