As a kid, I remember winters being so much fun. Snow forts in the huge piles of snow at the edge of the road. Heading to the local golf course to hit some great tobogganing hills with hopes of not getting caught. We even got out cross country skiing from time to time as a family.
But as an adult, I have to say I never fully embraced winter for most of my 20s, 30s and the early part of my 40s.
Sure, I’d get out downhill skiing a handful of times, and perhaps build a snowman here and there when the kids were younger, but I definitely didn’t embrace the 3 months of winter that living in Canada offers.
So in February of 2018, I decided to go to Algonquin Provincial Park to go camping, solo. And yes, it was my first-time winter camping.
Wednesday 2/21: “I should go camping this weekend”
I have camped in Algonquin Park on numerous occasions as a kid. My dad would take us canoeing most summers, and I learned a lot about the park, what to pack for a canoe trip and many camping basics. So it was my go-to location when hopping onto the Ontario Parks Reservation site to book something for my spontaneous getaway. I quickly reserved 2 sites on the Highland Backpacking Trail. I was equal parts excited and secretly scared to death.
Thursday, 2/22: “Let’s get ready to go?”
So to back up for a moment, previous to February 2018, I hadn’t embraced winter in decades. I wasn’t hiking multiple times a week, especially in the winter. I have always loved nature, and the outdoors, but it’s freakin’ February and I am planning to spend approximately 48 hours outdoors… 48 consecutive hours!
So I pulled out all my summer camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, lights, maps, hatchet, knives, rope, etc. I realized quickly that I no longer had a canoe to carry most of the gear through the park, and that I was going to have to get selective with what I was going to carry. Oh, and I needed some food! Light food. 🙂
In hindsight, I would give myself a D+ on what I packed up and took with me, but I was so excited I didn’t care. Besides, I viewed this trip as a learning experience.
Friday, 2/23: “Roadtrip!!!”
I’ve always liked driving. Heading out to a known (or unknown even) destination, listening to some crazy playlist, and soaking up the views with a loose agenda in mind. That was how Friday morning began. Head to Algonquin and let’s have fun.
NOTE: I’d highly recommend looking at the weather before any trip, perhaps not a month in advance, but definitely know what you are getting into the week leading up. That said, I learned more in the next 6 hours than I ever could have realized.
As I approached Algonquin Park, I have always enjoyed stopping in to Algonquin Outfitters. It’s a bit of a ritual since I was young. Mind you, we were picking up canoes and other gear we rented, but it still felt right to stop in. As I parked the car and got out, I realized my day was going to be a bit different than I expected it to be.
Ice. Everywhere. It had rained most of the drive up, and the ground had been covered with hard-packed snow, which turned to a sheet of ice. I got out of the car and started walking toward the main entrance. It was perhaps only 20 feet away, but it took me at least 3 minutes to get there, as I kept sliding back down the hill.
And today I found out about…
traction devices.
THANK YOU ALGONQUIN OUTFITTERS
To be continued… 🥾🍻
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