Five Fabulous Days at Arrowhead

After last year's visit to Arrowhead Provincial Park we decided that we had to go back. We thought it would be nice to stay in the park so we booked one of the park cabins. The cabins are pretty incredible. They come equipped with beds for 5 people, a dinning table and five chairs, a propane fireplace, mini-fridge, microwave, kettle, coffee maker and BBQ. Most of the cabins seemed to be less than 100 metres from the vault toilets. We stayed in the pod of cabins closest to the comfort station. The walk to the comfort station was less than 250 metres. In the comfort station there was a dishwashing room where we could do our dishes and get water. Talk about luxury camping!

Cabin at Night

Upon our arrival we checked in and proceeded to the parking lot for the cabins. There were toboggans at the trail head leading to the cabins. We loaded up a couple of toboggans and walked the less than 100 metres to the cabin, unloaded and did a couple more trips. We unpacked and setup our home away from home for the next four and a half days. The kids just loved the cabin. To them, this was the most luxurious place ever. 

Cabin Interior

Kitchen

We played a few games then heated some chicken fingers on the BBQ. We got the kids ready for bed and then I strapped on the skis to do some exploring. The weather was just perfect. It was a little below 0ºC and there were huge snow flakes falling from the sky. It was a beautiful winter's evening. I skied the East River Loop (Winter Map) and came upon Stubb's Falls. I figured this would make a great destination for us at some point during our stay. I headed back but rather than turning off to go back to the cabins I kept going. I passed the Big Bend Lookout and went as far as the connector to the Roe trail. Based on my short ski there would be lots for us to explore together with more day light.

The following morning we had a bit of a slow start. The youngest member of the family had been up sick much of the night. She seemed to be feeling fine during the day so we decided to do some exploring. We all skied to the Big Bend Lookout. The weather was great. It was sunny and quite warm.

En Route 

Riding in Style

Big Bend

Looking West 

Time for a Snack

After skiing we went back to the cabin and had some lunch. Everyone wanted to try out some tubing but the hill was not open. So a couple of us decided to give the skating trail a try. It was Friday afternoon so the crowd wasn't huge but it was certainly starting to build. The trail is 1.3 km in length with a couple of gentle ups and downs. It winds it's way through the beautiful forest. I couldn't imagine a cooler place to skate.

Great Skating Practice

Taking a Break

After skating our son wanted to do some skiing so he and I skied to the Bunny Loop. We had a great ski. It's great to see the kids wanting to be outside being active. We returned to the cabin and started the fire so that we could start cooking our dinner. While we were cooking the snow started coming down in huge flakes. It didn't seem like it was going to stop. It didn't take long for the items on the picnic table to be buried in snow.

 That evening I skied the Arrowhead Lake Loop and Beaver Meadow Trail. The fresh snow continued piling up making for an absolutely incredible outing.  

We had a slow morning at the cabin the next day. Our youngest daughter was still not feeling 100% so she decided to have a nap. Our older daughter wanted to play outside in the snow and our son wanted to ski. The snow was falling again and it was a great day to be outside. Since we hadn't had a chance to visit Stubb's Falls our son and I headed in that direction. The park looked amazing. The trees were just covered in snow. It was Saturday so there were all kinds of people out on the trails. It was a great site. We reached Stubb's Falls and took off our skis and made our way to the bridge.

Stubb's Falls or Bust

We Made It

Going Down

The Falls

The Bridge

The view was great and the water was loud. At some point we'll have to bring the rest of the family. We made our way back to the cabin and found the girls outside playing. We played for a bit and then headed inside. We had a relaxing afternoon and evening then got the kids ready for bed. I then skied the Lumby and Lumby North Loops as well as Roe. I think I preferred the North Loop a little more, perhaps because of the streams and the hills.

Th next morning I skied the Homesteader trail. The trail was challenging due to the climbs, but coming back down was exhilarating. The trail was so picturesque. I was the first skier of the day on the trail and I had beaten the groomer. The fresh snow from the night before made for great conditions.

Climbing Up Homesteader

As a result of the fresh snow the tubing hill was open. I rushed back to the cabin to grab the rest of the family. We headed to the hill and all had a chance to go for a ride. The ride was very fast and quite long. We made our way back up the hill and waited in line. As we neared the beginning of the line the park staff had to shut down the hill since it was too icy and too fast. The kids were a little disappointed but were excited to have had a chance to try it out. 

We had noticed that there was an opportunity to try skijoring (being pulled by a dog while on your skis) in the afternoon. It happens quite regularly at the park and we were lucky enough to have a chance to check it out. We watched how it worked and even had a chance to try it. It was pretty cool.

Skijoring

We skied back to the cabin and upon our arrival our older daughter decided that she wanted to go skating again. We couldn't convince everyone to go so I hung back at the cabin with the other kids while my wife (and daughter) went skating. While at the cabin we played some games and eventually our son asked if we could ski. Our youngest daughter who was still under the weather didn't want to leave so I told our son he could ski alone if he wanted to. He strapped on his skis and made his way around the cabins and he skied to the skating rink. He was happy to have some independence. I got our pasta dinner sorted out and waited for everyone to return. It was a very busy day and everyone was very tired.

There was one trail that I still hadn't skied so I headed for Hardwood Hill. It was a great ski. There was a lot of climbing to the top of the hill and the descent was great. It's too bad the trail is so short, but it would be any easy one to do two laps of if you had the time.

On our final day we packed up all of our belongings, loaded up the sleds and headed for the van. Although we were all packed we weren't quite ready to leave yet. We made our way to the Birches parking lot and I skied with the older kids while Sarah snowshoed with our youngest, who seemed to be feeling much better.

Final Ski

Checking out the Squirrel in the Bird Feeder

We made our way to the Mayflower Warmup Hut (with heated washrooms) and had some lunch. While the kids finished up I grabbed my skis and skied Hardwood Hill again. It was right next to the warmup hut and it seemed to be calling my name. I had a great ski and the kids were just finishing some snacks when I returned. The next step was to get everyone ready for the ride home.

What an incredible trip. There was so much to do. We brought lots of games and things to keep us busy but we hardly needed any of it. We didn't even really get to snowshoe! Staying in the park was such a great idea. We didn't need to drive anywhere. It was very easy for some of us to do one thing, while others did something else and having that home base within the park made it seem like the park was our backyard. We could come and go as we pleased. If you haven't tried winter 'camping' I'd highly recommend giving the roofed accommodations a try.

First Ski of the Year: Kawartha Nordic

We were excited by the first bit of snow that arrived on Tuesday. Somehow the snow just makes the kids (and kids at heart) want to get outside more. The kids were really happy to be able to play in the white stuff. The good news is that we had some snow. They bad news was that there was just barely enough to cover the grass and it was capped by a thin layer of freezing rain. It was great for playing in around the house, but clearly there wouldn't be any cross-country skiing close to home.

After the snow I saw the following tweets:

Our #xcski trail grooming operations in #GatineauPark are underway! #Ottawa #Gatineau https://t.co/8bradNZxQ9 pic.twitter.com/EpEnDdPjsF

— Gatineau Park (@NCC_GatPark) December 29, 2015

We will have 8km of groomed, but not track set, cross country ski trails open tomorrow 9-5!! Let the ski season begin! #xcski

— Arrowhead Prov Park (@ArroPark) December 29, 2015

How desperate was I to ski? Would I be able to convince the family to drive for three hours so we could ski? Can you tell I was desperate? I decided to sit on it for a day and to my surprise the next day I came across this tweet.

Trails open today at 10am 8km open no track set https://t.co/sttCLO9BuV

— Kawartha Nordic (@KawarthaNordic) December 30, 2015

What a treat! There was skiing a little over an hour away. We made plans for a day trip to Kawartha Nordic on New Year's day. The kids were excited for a last minute adventure.

As it turns out the weather was great. The temperature was -3˚C but it felt like -6˚C in the wind. Once we got into the woods we didn't notice the wind at all. We were also pleasantly surprised to see that there were only about half a dozen cars in the parking lot when we got there.

Upon our arrival we made our way into the WOODfine Cabin to get setup.

WOODfine Cabin

The cabin has two floor with a wood stove on each floor. When we arrived the fires were going but they likely hadn't been going for too long as it was still quite cool inside.

Lower Floor WOODfine Cabin

Upper Floor WOODfine Cabin

We used the brand new flush toilets (in the new heated building). It's so much easier getting kids to use the toilet when they know that they aren't going to freeze to the seat.

Heated Washrooms

Nice Looking and Warm

We got all geared up and we were off.

I was amazed by the conditions. There was a good amount of fluffy snow, the trail was well groomed and track set. There were a few thin spots but nothing too bad.

The kids all had a blast. They were keen to ski, ski and ski some more. At one point we suggested that perhaps we should turn around. They wanted no part of it. 

Eventually we convinced them that we should make our way back to have some lunch. We were actually worried that they would keep going until they were tired and then we'd have to make our way back. It's no wonder they wanted to keep going. The weather was perfect, the trails weren't very busy and the forest was very peaceful.

We made our way back to WOODfine Cabin with no issues and enjoyed our lunch. After lunch we played some games and read some books. I asked who wanted to go out skiing again and only our six year old daughter was up to it. So she and I headed out.

I was blown away at how much better a skier she was compared to last year. Last winter it seemed as though every outing was a challenge. She wanted to go back. She'd fall down and wouldn't want to get up. There's no way she would have gone out a second time last year. I couldn't believe the change that somehow occurred from the end of last season to the beginning of this season. She was loving it! I was loving that she was loving it! We skied out to the sugar shack and back. 

Practicing Her Snowplough at the Sugar Shack

On the way back she said "We should go skiing again before schools starts". That a girl! This might be a tall order to fill given that it's Friday and school starts on Monday, but it's the thought that counts.

Overall we had an amazing day. We spent much of the day outside being active and connecting with nature. What better way could there be to start the new year?

As it turns out many others decided that it would be a great day to get out. As we ate our lunch we watched as more and more people just kept arriving. It was nice to see so many families out.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures. We used our camera that went for a swim in Killarney last summer. There's a bit of residue on the inside of the lens.

Morning Paddling on the Bay of Quinte

Bay of Quinte in the Morning

Normally by this time of year I've long since swapped the canoe for my hiking boots. The canoe would normally be hung up in the garage awaiting next summer's adventure. This year I decided to leave the canoe on the floor in the hopes that I would use it a little more in the fall.

I have not been disappointed.

Although autumn is a tough season to find the time to get outdoors, due to busy kid schedules and a shrinking number of day light hours, I have been managed to get out more. I had a good routine of loading the canoe onto the car the night before I planned on going out. I would get up early in the morning and do an hour's worth of paddling before heading off to work. This strategy worked well for much of October. I managed to get out in the canoe at least once per week. The trouble I was running into is that I had less and less light in the mornings. I don't mind paddling in the dark but it's a lot nicer if you can see what's out there.

Sun Sandwiched Between Horizon and Clouds

Thanks to the time change this past weekend and some very warm temperatures I've managed to get out a couple of times this week and I'm hopeful that I can get out again next week. Could a December outing be possible?

I know that my canoeing days are numbered for this season but I sure am enjoying making the most of the days that are left. The fresh air and the serenity mixed with a bit of exercise first thing in the morning have been great additions to my morning routine.

Set aside some time to get outside. You won't be disappointed!

Sandbanks in the Fall

The outdoor activities that we do seem to come to a grinding halt after Labour Day. This is not because of the weather (we had an unbelievably nice September this year) nor is it entirely about school starting. Obviously with school starting we have much less time to get outdoors, but with the start of the school year comes the start of so many other activities.

The kids had a P.A. Day on the last Friday in September. This seemed like a great opportunity to for a camping trip. We decided to book a site at Sandbanks Provincial Park from Thursday to Saturday (a birthday party kept us from staying the entire weekend).

We arrived to an absolutely stunning evening. The sun was warm, the sand soft and it felt as if we had stepped out of the rat race and back into summer. By the time we had arrived at the park the office was closed so we would have to check-in the following day. We headed to our campsite and got setup. Our site was so close to the beach that it was covered in sand. The kids had a great time playing as we got things organized. By the time we were done the sun was about to set so we walked the 30 metres to the beach to take it all in. The kids had a blast playing in the sand, running up and down the beach and taking pictures of the beautiful sunset. Much to our amazement was only one other group on the entire beach.

Playing on the Beach at Sunset

Once we were done at the beach we had a lot of fun getting settled into our tent. It was an adventure to prepare for bed. Everyone found their warm clothes and got bundled up in anticipation of the cold night ahead. We read some stories then settled in for the night. I love that we're all still in the same tent. Bedtime is such a precious time for us to be together.

I awoke early the next morning in order to get to work. Somehow it seems like less of a chore getting ready for work when you're in such a picturesque location. I also felt as though we were cheating the system. We were camping on a week night in September. Score! I went to work and found myself thinking a lot about what the rest of the family was doing all day. As you might imagine they spent a lot of time playing on the beach, splashing in the water and even doing some swimming.

Beautiful Day for a Swim

Sand Castles

Out for a Swim

It was great to return to the park and see everyone having a great time. We played on the beach some more then headed back to our site. The kids played at the site while we prepared dinner. The food was delicious, as it always seems to be when cooked over a fire.

After dinner we cleaned up and headed to the beach. There were a lot more people on the beach this time around. Perhaps a result of the stunning sunset.

Picnic Table at Sunset

We headed back in the dark and got the kids settled in for the night. Once they were asleep I headed out to get some night shots. It felt like I had been gone for a long time but when I returned to the tent I realized it was only 9:30. The early fall sunsets sure make it seem much later.

The Beach at Night

The next day we decided to spend some time paddling up the Outlet River. The wind was really blowing but it was from the North East so there were no waves on the beach. We paddle to the mouth of the river but the combination of strong current and shallow water meant that we had to line the canoe through the shallow section. We paddled the length of the river and made it to East Lake. When we got to the river the wind and the waves were coming right across the lake at us. We made our way back to the shelter of the river.

Great Looking Site on the River

We paddled back to our site, had some lunch, packed up and headed for the birthday party. We had such a great time and need to do this more often. I'm hoping we can sneak in another fall trip this season.

First Family Trip to Killarney

After hearing about Killarney and seeing lots of photos earlier in the summer our kids were keen to pay the park a visit. We thought it might make for a good trip next year. At some point we decided that there's no time like the present. Why not go this year and next year? We didn't have a ton of time so we decided to go overnight. Our intention was to book a site at the George Lake Campground and explore George Lake. However, we discovered that the reservable sites were all booked. There were about a dozen non-reservable sites available but we weren't sure that we wanted to take our chances. Instead we booked an interior site on George Lake. Even better!

We packed up the gear and began our journey. Less than 10 minutes into our trip we spotted a fox next to the road. Less than 45 minutes later a coyote crossed the road a short distance ahead of us. If nothing else this trip was already a success for wildlife sightings.

Red Fox on the Train Tracks

The rest of the drive was fairly uneventful. We continued along the highway and headed into the town of Killarney. We stopped on the wharf and had some fish and chips from Herbert's Fisheries. The sky looked quite threatening so we thought it would be best to be on our way. We arrived at the park at about 2:30. By this time the sky was beginning to clear a little. For Killarney's interior you book the lake you want to stay on and not a specific site. We had wanted to stay at site 6, which was at the opposite end of the lake from the access point, so that we could explore some of the other lakes. We headed in that direction hoping we wouldn't need to backtrack if the site were occupied. As it turns out the site was vacant. It was a great site located on a point.

Once we were setup we decided to paddle to the 80 m portage into Freeland Lake. Upon our arrival we found a large beaver dam.

Beaver Dam into Freeland Lake

Freeland Lake was a picturesque lake. It was long and narrow and was quite shallow and marshy. 

Freeland Lake from the Killarney Lake Portage

We paddled across the lake to the portage into Killarney Lake. We left our stuff at the beginning of the portage. Our purpose for this trip was to check out the waterfall located about halfway along the portage. We were not disappointed. We were rewarded with a great looking waterfall. 

Waterfall Along Freeland to Killarney Portage

Waterfall From Above

We made our way back to the start of the portage and paddled across Freeland Lake. As we neared the portage we spotted a beaver a short distance in front of us. Not long after we spotted it, it dove. We quietly paddled along hoping to catch another glimpse of it. As we paddled we figured we wouldn't see it again, then it reappeared in front of us. It swam for a bit and then realized we were there. We watched it slap its tail then dive. It was such a site to see. I'm glad we were all able to see it.

As we paddled back to our site the clouds started to build again. The sky looked very threatening so we ate and cleaned up quickly. Just as we were about to enter the tent it began to rain. The wind picked up and was howling all night. Luckily there was a rock face between the lake and our tent that acted as a windbreak. Although we could hear the wind, we didn't feel any of it.

Clouds Over Killarney Ridge

In the morning we packed up and headed out against a really strong wind. We paddled close to the south side of the lake to stay somewhat protected.

View From the Campsite

Granite on the South Side, Quartz on the North Side

 We paddled until we got to where we could see Little Sheguiandah Lake. We got out and admired the view. It would make for a neat little side trip. It wouldn't be too difficult to lift over the rock and paddle around the small lake and do some exploring of the neat looking cliffs.

Little Sheguiandah Lake

We left Little Sheguiandah Lake behind and headed into the wind. It was slow going and at one point it didn't seem like we were going anywhere. I mentioned that to everyone else and at that point the young paddlers decided they should pitch in. It made a big difference. We paddled to a cliff that was located between sites 2 and 3. We were hoping to see a volcanic intrusion and thought that we had (as it turns out it was a little further along the shore). We did however see some cool patterns in the rock.

Interesting Patterns in the Rock

On the way back to the access point we paddled past a glacial erratic, a rock deposited by a glacier. It was an interesting rock due to all of the holes and cracks in it.

Glacial Erratic

Although our stay was short it was full of adventure and we look forward to returning.

Star Gazing

We're always on the look out for family adventures. Often those adventures require some travel. Sometimes the travel is long, other times it's short. Rarely do I think of the things that can happen right outside our door as adventures. I was reminded about these 'backyard adventures' the other night. We were staying at a cottage and after the kids were in bed I decided that I would head out and take some pictures. It was a perfectly clear night and the stars were out in full force. It was a stunning sight all around.

Parry Sound at Night

As I lay on the ground gazing up at the Milky Way and the seemingly endless sea of stars I watched meteors careen through the atmosphere and tracked satellites as they moved across the sky. There were so many things to take in. 

The Milky Way

The icing on the cake, though, was being fortunate enough to witness the northern lights. I snapped a few photos of them and was going to wake up the rest of the family, but they dissipated quickly. They reappeared about thirty minutes later but again they didn't last long.

An Appearance of the Northern Lights

That night I was extremely grateful to have witnessed all that I did. It was a perfect night for star gazing. I look forward to spending some time with the rest of the family admiring the vastness of space and seeing what interesting sights might appear. Sharing nights like that with the family, either from the backyard or some distant location, will be a real treat.

If you haven't starred at the night sky lately, head to a dark spot and set aside at least thirty minutes to take in the night sky. You won't regret it...so long as it's a clear night. You can also search for Aurora Forecasts to see when the Northern Lights might be active. Here's an example and here's another.

A Quick Overnight to Kawartha Highlands

We decided at the last minute we should do an overnight trip to Kawartha Highlands. We arrived at Access Point #6 (Cold Lake Access) at about 4:30. We paddled through Gold Lake which was full of nice cottages. Many of the cottagers were down on the water enjoying the afternoon. They were all really friendly. They waved and asked us where we were going and wished us well.

We were happy to cross into the park and paddle through the narrows leading into Cold Lake, our destination for the night. It's a small lake with a couple of islands and a neat sandbar. Our destination was site 511 on one of the islands. It was a great site. It had great rocks for swimming off of, lots of space, a great view of the lake and trails that led around the small island.

Looking Across Cold Lake From Site 511

Once at our site we setup camp and prepared dinner. After dinner the kids wanted to go out for a paddle so we loaded the canoe and paddled around some of the marsh behind the site. It was a perfect evening for a paddle.

Paddling at Dusk

Working Hard

The next day our two year old daughter said that she wanted to go hiking (music to our ears). Little did she know that the plan was to hike one (or possibly more) or the portages leading out of the lake in search of a Paddle In The Park Contest paddle. We loaded up the canoe and paddled to one of the portages. It was fairly rugged and difficult to follow at times. I was glad that I didn't have a canoe on my head. The kids did alright on the hike, but we certainly discovered that any portage much over a kilometre would be a challenge for them. In total we hiked close to three kilometres. Everyone was tired by the end, but generally in good spirits. The reward for hiking the portage is that we had the chance to observe two different deer on our way back.

We made our way back to our site and had a much deserved swim. The water was refreshing but not too cold. There were lots of laughs and some hooting and hollering. What a great way to enjoy the park. We had some lunch and packed up then retraced our steps from the day before. Although our outing was short it was a lot of fun.

Enjoying Lunch and the View