Tag: Backcountry

Master Chef: Ontario Parks backcountry edition

Today’s post comes from Will Oades, Discovery Program Educator
at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

Eating in the backcountry should be no different than eating at home!

Well-planned and prepared backcountry meals can taste amazing, satisfy your hunger, and foster conversations about your long day of hiking or paddling.

Tasty outdoor meals are a simple comfort fix that can exponentially enhance your backcountry experience.

There are many meal options available, however, there are three important things to consider when developing your meal plan: caloric content, size/weight, and taste.

Continue reading Master Chef: Ontario Parks backcountry edition

Five friends, five departments, one park

Today’s post comes from Zuzanna, Alysa, Lyle, Jackson, and Emily: five friends who applied to Ontario Parks across the province and by a twist of fate, all got jobs at the same provincial park, 1,500 km (or 16 hours) from home!

In early January, we applied to work at parks across the province. Being friends with connections in Southern Ontario, we were yearning for seasonal jobs characterized by adventure and wilderness.

After numerous interviews and phone calls, one by one we received job offers from the same park: Quetico Provincial Park.

Once he reviewed our resumes and interviews, our senior operations technician discovered the friendships and previous connections that we had to one another.

Upon consideration of our unique backgrounds, he placed us in distinct departments to align with our individual strengths.

We became five friends in five departments, all at the same provincial park.

Continue reading Five friends, five departments, one park

Fall paddling at Restoule

Imagine. 

You put your canoe or kayak into the lake. The water is smooth and reflective. The sky’s a deep, dark blue, and the clouds are brilliant white. The day is sunny, cool and crisp, and the trees that cover the hills around you…well, they’re a stunning display of red, orange, and yellow.

There’s something special about paddling in Ontario’s provincial parks in the fall, particularly secluded Restoule Provincial Park.

Continue reading Fall paddling at Restoule

There and back again: a Quetico tale

Today’s blog comes from Quetico Provincial Park Canoe Route Technician Gavin Morito-Karn.

In 2019, I spent my summer paddling across a large chunk of the vastness of one of Canada’s waterways.

Brigitte Champaigne-Klassen (also a past member of Quetico’s staff) and I travelled from Cochrane, Alberta (just west of Calgary) to Nym Lake on the border of Quetico, approximately a 4,500 km journey.

The majority of those days were spent on unfamiliar waters that cut through prairie fields and man-made lakes.

Continue reading There and back again: a Quetico tale

Say “no” to axe-idents

You’ve just paddled your heart out to get to your campsite. You put on your flannel and grab your axe to prepare your campfire.

Something about being in the wilderness that brings out our inner woodsperson.

We know the feeling.

However, for the preservation of your toes, please read this before you swing that axe!

Continue reading Say “no” to axe-idents

7 desserts for your next backcountry trip

Today’s post comes from Jill Sorensen, Quetico Provincial Park’s biggest sweet tooth.

Celebrating a birthday or anniversary while on your backcountry camping trip?

Here are some of my favourite trail treats to make your day extra special.

Even if there’s no occasion, food is such an important part of any trip and a total morale booster after long days. Why not add some sweetness to your next adventure?

Continue reading 7 desserts for your next backcountry trip

Backcountry basics: know your limits

You’ve heard about this fantastic new adventure through a friend, route guide, or Instagram. It looks kind of tough, and you’re pretty new to the whole backcountry thing.

Still, you don’t want to miss out, so you decide to go for it.

But as you start planning, there’s a little voice wondering if this is really the best idea.

Listen to that voice.

Continue reading Backcountry basics: know your limits

5 tips for planning your Wabakimi Provincial Park paddling adventure

Today’s post comes from Evan McCaul, assistant superintendent at Wabakimi Provincial Park.

Welcome all new and returning visitors to Wabakimi!

Located a three hour drive north of Thunder Bay, Wabakimi is a huge sweep of the Canadian Shield, encompassing over 1,500 km of canoe routes. This park is a hub for exciting paddling experiences and adventures!

Check out the following top five pointers to assist with your backcountry trip planning:

Continue reading 5 tips for planning your Wabakimi Provincial Park paddling adventure

Try a night or two in Quetico on your next BWCAW trip

Today’s post comes from Jill Legault, Information Specialist at Quetico Provincial Park.

Have you been paddling for years in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and are looking to change up your route?

Here are some reasons why you should try paddling over the Canada–USA border to Quetico Provincial Park.

Continue reading Try a night or two in Quetico on your next BWCAW trip

How to avoid getting lost

We can definitely recommend “losing yourself” in our provincial parks by delighting in the sights and sounds of nature, and living in the moment.

We do not, however, recommend getting actually lost.

Park visitors get lost more often than you’d think. It can be a scary, stressful, and dangerous situation. It can also result in complicated and expensive search-and-rescue operations.

While we know no one sets out to get lost, there are steps you can take to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Continue reading How to avoid getting lost