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FALL issue
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2014 | ottawa • Gatineau • Ontario • Quebec • US & Beyond
adventure | travel | family | home | HEALTH
fall camping awaits paddle barron canyon Water purification now made easy Geology rocks in Ontario's Highlands
check out our Outdoor Club listings
the raccoon food barrel robbery
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outdoors 23
paddle the barron canyon this fall
FALL issue
15 30daysstraight of cycling to a clear head
04 Publisher's Letter 05 Fall camping awaits 06 Getting back into the game 07 The Book Nook 08 The axe-saw controversy 11 Five steps to creating your own geocache 12 Saddle up with 2014's Year of the Horse 14 Cool Gear Hot Clothing 15 30 straight days of cycling to a clear head 17 The raccoon food barrel robbery 18 Geology rocks in Ontario's Highlands 21 Environmental column 23 Paddle the Barron Canyon 25 Four easy-prep fish fillets for a campsite 26 Outdoor clubs listing 27 Go wild for tea on the trail 29 Water purification now made easy 31 Get outside and get fit this winter Cover Photo by Hap Wilson
read it online
the axe or the saw? the controversy continues Read Allen Macartney's,
take on the pros and cons of these camping tools.
08
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Correction The photo on page 24 of our Summer Issue was miscredited and should have read: Photo taken by Joseph Pikul within the Minnesota Boundary Waters canoe Area USA. Thanks Joe!
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ottawaoutdoors I 03
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Falling forward
N
ot only are we exited to have our fall seasonal magazine in your hands so you can plan your adventures from now until December; we're stoked about the exhibitors and speakers coming to our March 21-22, 2015 outdoor and adventure travel show at the EYCentre! We made the announcement last issue and it's exciting to see who is going to be a part of the show. The Ottawa region is filled with local experts in every discipline from trail running and race training, to all things hiking, biking, paddling, trekking, travel DAVE BROWN and more. What a show it'll be as we head into our 4th year. So PUBLISHER stay tuned here and on the adventureottawa.com website for more Editor-in-chief information. Ottawa Outdoors ottawaoutdoors.ca As for this fall issue there is loads for you to do over the next few months to still have fun before the snow falls. SHOW OWNER Next door on p5 you can read about fall camping tips including The Outdoor & Adventure Travel Show on what to do to stay warm and dry. The fall season is a great time adventureottawa.com to camp because there are no bugs, bears or hot sweaty nights. Instead it's beautifully-coloured leaves by day, and gorgeous sunsets and cozy fires by night. So grab you boots, bike or favourite water craft and give Mother Nature some extra love. And before you hit the trails read the article on p8 about the pros and cons of axes versus saws when in the great outdoors. You'll want to bring the right tool for the job. Staying close to home? Then take your hikes to the next level by creating your own geocache. A geocache is like a digital treasure hunt. It requires a GPS device and allows you and others to find little containers hidden around trees and elsewhere, and requires specific coordinates to find the prize. It's great fun for familes and kids and is always exciting. If you're not staying close to home and instead are game to travel into the wilderness, some additional articles within this issue will prove enlightening. They include: Geology rocks in Ontario's Highlands (p5), Paddling the Barron Canyon (p23), Four easyprep fish fillets for a campsite (p25), Go wild for tea on the trail (p27) and a very informative piece on water purification (p29). So you can see whether you're home or away it doesn't really matter, just so long as you're outdoors. See you out there.
the team
ottawa
outdoors &
magazine
mar 21-22, 2015 PUBLISHER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DAVE BROWN EDITOR
ROGER BIRD WRITERS
Allen Macartney, Dani-Elle Dubé, Leslie Foster, Katharine Fletcher, Sheila Ascroft, Jenna Thompson, Craig Macartney, Dave McMahon PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS
FreeHdWP, Bonnechere Caves, FreeHdWP, Eric Fletcher, Aaron Belford, Keith Milne, Gord Coulthart, Flickr (Paul Galipeau), Tom Check, XCZone ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Dave Brown, Publisher | Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is an independent publication published seasonally every four months and distributed FREE at sports stores and a hundred other locations around the region.
E-mail: Advertising@OttawaOutdoors.ca Tel: 613-860-8687 or 888-228-2918 Fax: 613-482-4997 HOW TO GET PUBLISHED
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Check out this new company for your next adventure. They organize tailored expeditions covering canoeing, trekking, cycling or cross-country skiing. Cost is $125/person and includes basic equipment, transporation, picnic and guide.
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mail me your comments: editor@ottawaoutdoors.ca
TOURS EXPÉDITION OTTAWA 1-323 Richelieu Avenue, Ottawa teottawa@gmail.com | (613) 762-6201
Ottawa Outdoors welcomes story and photo contributions. Publisher may publish any and all communications with Ottawa Outdoors, and may edit for clarity and style. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index ISSN No. 1204-69556. © Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any materialspublished in Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is expressly forbidden without consent of the publisher. Printed in Canada
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Photo by FreeHdWP
Fall camping is cool fun S
Guess who's coming to dinner?
No bugs, no bears, no sweat By Allen Macartney
o many people happily camp happily from May to the end of August, but stash their gear in winter storage after the Labour Day weekend. Too bad. Most arguments against fall camping are rooted in fear of cold, and that’s silly. Early fall camping, hiking and canoe tripping has benefits that far outweigh any drawbacks. In fact, on close inspection most “drawbacks” don’t exist. When you think fall camping, hiking and canoeing, think: No bugs No bear worries No lineups No hot sweaty nights No loud music across the lake in the night. Leave the DEET at home (or far down in your pack) because most of the bugs are dead. One light frost clears the air of their noisome pestilence. And bears are groggy in the fall and early winter after gorging all summer on berries and grubs. They’re like happy drunks, ready for a long nap. You can hike remote
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trails in near total safety and security. A wonderful tranquil silence settles over most parks as soon as the last canoe leaves on Labour Day Monday. Timid animals, driven away by summer’s noise and partying, reappear. And island campsites that are never available in July and August – the ones with sandy beaches and towering pines that you forgot to book in early spring – are just waiting for your tent.
But what about the cold? September air is usually no cooler than late August. And it takes time for lake water to give up all the heat from soaking up sun all summer. That spells perfect swimming conditions. And there’s nothing wrong with cool nights, perfect for restful sleep in your tent. And when you wake up, the lake in front of the tent will be clothed in morning mist that slowly burns off as you sip a steaming mug of hot chocolate. When the mist has cleared, it will reveal trees flaunting reds and yellows like a Group of Seven canvas.
Basic prep
Fall camping requires a bit more planning and a slight shift in gear, like a good thick sleeping mat to keep you off the cooler ground and a three-season sleeping bag. If you don’t have one, an extra summer bag will do the trick as a blanket. Some campers like hand warmers or a hot water bottle, but be careful they don’t get too hot on your skin. A toque, long underwear, fleece and a good meal an hour before bed will almost certainly guarantee happy camping, and campers. There are lots of campsites to choose from. Think about Frontenac Provincial Park, half way between Smiths Falls and Kingston, with 48 paddle-in or hike-in sites, 22 lakes linked by portages, 100 kilometres of looped trails, and excellent fishing. You’ll be entertained by loons calling, diving ospreys and the coyote chorus. So keep that camping gear available. The best weather has just arrived – for outstanding outdoor life in September, October and early November. ottawaoutdoors I 05
Getting back into the game By Dani-Elle Dubé
A lot of people think about escaping the daily grind. Some do it. Caroline Leal is a world traveller. Having visited dozens of countries back in the day, she was always up for a new adventure. But then school took a priority, followed by a job on a kids television show. Though it was the career she had aimed for, travel remained her passion. So, after almost two years in TV, Leal, 28, quit to travel and go adventuring for three months with her boyfriend, Matthew Purchase. Purchase, 26, was struggling to find a steady TV job himself as he worked at an espresso bar. Adventure was the escape he needed. Then there’s Meggie Sylvester. At the time she was deep into her studies at Carleton University, but when a trip with her mom to New Zealand came up, she couldn’t resist. Way off in the southern hemisphere, she tried cave exploring, and it stuck. These three different people had one thing in common: the need for adventure. They had figured out that job demands can stack up and take over, shouldering aside the things they loved. But for many people, getting back into outdoor adventure can seem intimidating. The experts know this. Ian Pineau, who runs Algonquin College’s outdoor adventure naturalist program, advises, “Do something you like that you feel is well within the scope of your abilities.” And do it in “an environment that is a little bit new to you, to keep that sense of adventure.”
His colleague Cameron Dubé puts it this way: “Being out with other people and pushing yourself amongst groups that are passionate about [their activity] will help reignite the fire inside of you.” You can start almost anywhere. Purchase was no fan of horses, but decided to saddle up anyway when he and Leal got to Cuba. He calls horseback riding, “a fun way to get around … a really great experience.” Despite his continuing wariness of horses, that sense of adventure makes him want to continue riding. Several local stables offer horseback riding for beginners and experienced riders. Captiva Farms and Happy Trails Riding Stables both offer trail-riding excursions for single riders and groups. Another avenue to the outdoors is geocaching, a treasure hunt involving modern technology. Pineau calls it “probably one of the fastest growing outdoor recreational activities.” Leal tried what she calls this “pretty ridiculous and geeky concept,” but discovered “it’s a creative way to discover hidden corners in our own city.” With the help of an app and GPS co-ordinates, players try to find a cache. “Once it’s been found, you may leave something in it.” She hooked her boyfriend Purchase into it. He says geocaching has “taken me to areas of Ottawa that I probably never would have thought to investigate on my own.” For another avenue to outdoor adventure, you could do worse than go underground,
Enjoying a hike, Stephen Love and his daughter explore Larose forest south of Bourget.
like Sylvester did. She tried “spelunking” it in New Zealand even though her five-foot frame seemed awfully small next to giant rocks. But being small helped her to squeeze through tight underground passages in a Petzl-lit experience like no other. She still remembers the tube which extended from that New Zealand cave to the surface. “We looked through it and at the very top, we could see a glimpse of daylight. It was smaller than the size of a penny. That’s how far down we were. “We could see glowworms on our way out of the cave in an underground river,” she adds. “It looked like a sea of stars.” You don’t have to go thousands of kilometres to give it a try. Bonnechere Caves near Eganville offers guided tours for beginning spelunkers only an hour and a half drive from downtown Ottawa. Or you can stay above ground, give that inner child free rein, and try paintball, a friendly “war” game. Instead of sitting inside with video game controller, you become the player. It’s not cheap, but offers tons of sheer physicality. Players rent or buy paintball rifles and load them up with plastic balls filled with paint, divide into teams and head to an outdoor combat area. The object of the game is to shoot opposing team members (they have to leave the field) and have the most players left standing when the shooting stops. Good paintballers have mastered the art of camouflage, have good marksmanship and are natural team players. Commando Paintball in Navan and Carnage Paintball in Embrun offer a messy, fast-paced interlude outside those office walls. So whether you choose from this list of activities or any of countless others, it's important to remember to get outdoors and let the adventures enhance your life.
Exploring Bonnechere Caves.
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THEBOOKNOOK
Go Green! A Family Guide to a Sustainable Lifestyle Publisher: Edda USA Hardcover: 96 pages, $12.26 Amazon, Indigo Chapters
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Encouraging children and families to put sustainability into their daily lives is the core message of this first book. It’s not only a guide for families to take steps towards transforming their lives to live a healthier, greener and more sustainable lifestyle. It explains sustainability in a simple and fun way, puts the concept into perspective for children and families, and shows easy ways of making choices that are good for the planet. Here’s an excerpt from the book’s arts and crafts segment, which shows a green and gooey recipe that children can take on.
No-cook playdough
4 cups plain all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup salt 4 tablespoons cream of tartar Up to 3 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right) Food colouring (optional) Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl. Add boiling water and stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough. After allowing it to cool down, take it out of the bowl and knead it well for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone. This is very important so don’t stop until you are happy with the texture. If it stays sticky, add a touch more flour until it’s just right. Once it’s settled, kids can collect natural stuff like leaves, sticks, cones, and dry plants and make sculptures with the dough.
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ottawaoutdoors I 07
Can we solve the axe-saw controversy? By Allen Macartney
A
controversy has dogged hikers and campers for decades – is an axe more important on outdoor treks, or a saw? Let’s take a look at what each has to offer.
When the Unexpected happens . . .
The hallowed axe There’s no greater outdoor icon than the axe or hatchet. As a boy dreaming of Huck Finn camping adventures, I was an axe fanatic. Especially in a survival situation, it’s everything you could ever need – utterly versatile. It chops, splits, hammers in tent pegs, straightens out bent ones, and opens cans when the opener goes missing. It’s rugged, easy to maintain and practically indestructible. So in terms of survival, an axe out-versatiles a saw. You can use it for cleaning a fish, skinning an animal or even defending yourself. But it’s also dangerous. To master an axe takes time and expertise, and provides lots of opportunities for first aid. I’ve watched an inexperienced camper hacking at a log with a dull axe. After several wild swings the blade glanced off the log, and dug into the flesh and bone of his foot. Not a pretty sight!
The utilitarian saw “The best camping axe is a saw.” That’s the other side of the argument. And it’s a strong one. Saws rip through wood much faster than the sharpest axe, and require a lot less energy. That’s why pioneer lumberjacks used saws. And today’s saw blades are so designed that they far surpass the cutting potential of any axe. If weight matters, and it usually does, there’s absolutely no contest. The saw wins. A one pound axe offers limited cutting potential compared to a similarly non-hefty saw.
Saws come in a wide range of sizes and styles, and can fit into a backpack or even a pocket. My favourite is a bow saw, but I’ve also carried a small backpacking saw that cuts like a beaver on steroids. A saw is more specialized, and quieter. You’ll never pound a tent peg with one, but it’s not hard to find a large rock for that chore. On the down side, a saw blade is more fragile than any axe. A broken blade could be a deadly problem if you’re lost and trying to build a shelter. If you break an axe handle in the forest, no big deal.
Room for compromise? Make your choice depending on the outdoor activity. Is your passion weekend cycling trips? Then pack a folding saw. It’s like a large jackknife, with a saw instead of a blade. If you’re heading out on a kayak adventure, a small bow saw might be perfect. But if you plan a long canoe trip with few portages, pack both an axe and saw. Car campers with ample space can go the whole hog with a saw, axe and hatchet. And everyone can argue around the campfire late into the night about which is the best.
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Five steps to a geocache Find a nearby 'treasure' By Leslie Foster
G
eocaching is a real-world treasure hunt and anyone with a GPS can play. Geocachers use GPS co-ordinates to find a “cache.” With nearly 2.5 million active geocaches and over six million geocachers worldwide, you are likely to find several within a few kilometres of your home. There are 371 of them within 10 kilometres of my house. They’re created by other geocachers who upload the coordinates to the Internet after registering at www.geocaching.com. The site is free to use, which makes this a cheap way to turn any hike into an adventure. Here’s how
select a location Create your account at www.geocaching. com and explore some nearby geocaches to become familiar with what they look like, how they are hidden and how hard or easy they are to find. “Geocache listing guidelines” on the site explain what hiding spots are permitted. Try to place a cache just off-trail to preserve the environment while keeping it out of sight of passers-by. Get permission from land owners or managers and follow the rules for their area. Some parks require permits, and others ban geocaching. When in doubt, ask.
prepare your cache Select a container to handle any weather, year-round. Clear, watertight plastic containers or ammunition boxes are popular. Sealable plastic bags can further protect the contents. Mark the container with the words “official geocache,” the name of the cache, and contact information. Consider camouflaging to make the cache more difficult to find and prevent non-Geocachers from finding it. Paint it, wrap
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it in camouflage duct tape, glue bark to it, hide it under rocks. The contents should include a letter (a sample is on the website) that explains what a cache is in case a nongeocacher finds it. Put in a logbook and pencil (pens freeze or dry up) for people to record their find. If your container is large enough, include items for trading, like small toys, or a geocoin or travel bug. Geocachers take these to the next cache they find. The geocoin’s number is then entered into the website to keep track of its location. Some have traveled around the world. No food. Animals may destroy the cache or the food may spoil.
hide it Hide your cache and record its co-ordinates on the container, in the log book and online. When recording coordinates, allow the GPS to settle with a good satellite signal. If you don’t know how to mark a waypoint, read the GPS’s manual.
it for review by a volunteer who will contact you and make your cache live on the website (sometimes after a bit of tweaking).
register it
maintain it
Fill out the online form for a new cache. Write a rocking description to attract geocachers. Confirm that you abide by all of the geocache listing guidelines, then submit
You have to maintain the cache and the area around it. Respond promptly to reports of a missing cache or wet logbook. If you can’t, simply remove it and archive the listing.
ottawaoutdoors I 11
Take a ride on the wild side! 2014 is the Year of the Horse, and it’s time to saddle up By Katharine Fletcher | Photos: Eric Fletcher
“Are you afraid of heights?” Guide Josh Walton of Alpine Stables in Waterton Lakes National Park had good reason to ask. Our four-day horseback ride of this popular park south of Calgary would see us riding soaring ridges, where wind whipped our mounts’ manes and tails every which-way. Watson’s quarter-horses were sure-footed athletes, and each had their traits: my horse Major scrupulously picked his way along precipitous scree trails while husband Eric’s mount, Jackie, powered her way through thick and thin, up and down. Both inspired confidence. That was a good thing. On the first day, we rode to Snowshoe Campground, dumped our gear, ate lunch, then remounted to ascend Avion Ridge, riding along its exposed backbone. From its elevation of almost 2,500 metres, we gazed west into British Columbia and south into Montana. Range upon range slipped to the horizon. After dismounting, with our
legs dangling over the edge, we dreamed our dreams of First Nations traders, grizzlies and mountain explorers. Returning to camp, Watson said, “I’ve not been to Goat Lake for four years. Want to try?” Yes. No wonder he’d not been for a while. We ascended hairpin switchbacks until we were exposed Some Ottawa-area on a precipitous equestrian places talus slope with a In Ottawa itself, book a wagon ride with John narrow metre-wide Cundell, who operates the last stable in Lowertown. trail: a real nailThis is an awesome treat in winter! 613-241-8054. biter. Cautiously Or watch the famous RCMP Musical Ride and visit ascending, we had their stables in Rockcliffe – rcmp-grc.gc.ca/mr-ce/ to dismount briefly centre-eng.htm and with Watson’s A bit further afield, up the Ottawa Valley at advice held the Foresters Falls, Ont., Walter Willet offers horse reins in front of camping and horse workshops at his Horse our horses while Country Campground. 613-867-0585 – clambering up a horsecountrycampground.com metre-high ledge. In summer, kids trek up to Low, Que. to enjoy Our horses followed, Nathalie Legault’s and André Thérien’s Camp jumped up, then we Equimax with many equestrian activities. 819-422remounted. From 3287 – campequimax.com If you have your own horse, you can ride alongside that point onwards Gatineau Park. Contact Pontiac Equestrian I wondered how the Association – en.pontiacequestre.com heck we’d descend. Goat Lake was worth it, shallow
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waters in a mountain bowl surrounded by ragged cliffs. During lunch I scanned them with binoculars and voilà, a male mountain goat sauntered along, jumping nonchalantly from one toehold to another. Once we started down, my apprehensions vaporized. The winning combination of our surefooted horses and Walton’s advice vanquished fears. Typical of most riders here, after we conquered the talus, I wanted more. “More” arrived the next day. We ascended South Kootenay Trail, riding the spine of the Continental Divide as it zigzagged between Waterton Lakes and the adjoining Akamina Kishinena Provincial Park. Here, waist-high, stunted “kruppelholz” evergreens reveal how brutal such exposed elevations are to vegetation. Finally, we emerged from the treeline, onto the Great Divide Trail’s summit ridge. From an elevation of over 2,000 metres, we peered down the 300-metre drop to Lone Lake Campground while our
Riding in Banff National Park near Mount Assiniboine with Holidays on Horseback.
horses rested. Unfortunately for us intrepid explorers, mountain weather descended, reminding us that Mother Nature rules. Roiling clouds, marble-sized-hail squalls and plunging temperatures made returning to camp prudent. Ironically, a blue sky and 24C greeted our next day’s return to Alpine Stables. Already, I long to return. I love horses and the opening up of the West with horses fascinates me. Plus, riding connects us to the country in uniquely western ways, where cowboy culture and mountain-horse guiding are part of Canadian history. Fortunately, an array of riding adventures is available across Canada, from one-hour saunters to multi-day lodge-based rides. For instance, Holiday on Horseback, in Alberta’s Banff National Park, offers a deservedly popular ride that thrills novices with an introduction to mountain riding and an overnight at Sundance Lodge. Cozy bunks ease tired muscles, and the www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
cook conjures delicious cowboy cuisine from her stove. Marry these to a crackling wood fire and easy chairs, a canopy of stars overhead and you’ve experienced an unforgettable Rocky Mountain ride. If you’re hankering for remote backcountry, Wayne Sawchuk guides rides into northern British Columbia’s Muskwa Kechika, a sprawling wilderness area the size of France. With Sawchuk, horses navigate exhilarating mountain passes
and cross turquoise rivers. This is real backcountry and if you’re like me and Eric, you’ll enjoy tenting, catching your horse and saddling up, plus helping cook campfire meals. Yet another mood awaits to the east, in northern Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert National Park. Here Gord Vaadeland of Sturgeon River Ranch takes riders to see Canada’s only free-roaming bison herd. Although they eluded us this time, our cowboy guides prepared a campfire dinner, Descending along Avion Ridge to return to Snowshoe camp. Waterton Lakes National Park. Josh Watson leading the way through an alpine meadow in Waterton Lakes National Park.
played guitar and spun yarns into the wee hours. They were still at it when I hit my sleeping bag in the nearby teepee. Also in Saskatchewan, George Gaber offers stays at cattle operation, La Reata Ranch. After breakfast, it’s time to watch his herd of horses gallop down from the hills to the
corral, eager to be fed. Friendly staff help everyone groom their horses for a ride into coulee country, where gullies pucker the hills and sage perfumes the breeze. Throughout the day, we paused to appreciate views of Gaber’s cattle and calves, broad expanses of the Saskatchewan River, and to hear curlews’ mournful calls as we rode. Truly, whatever your cowboy dreams may be, there’s still time to indulge them this year, the Year of the Horse.
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ottawaoutdoors I 13
CoolGear FOR THE FALL SEASON MEC YETI HOODED JACKET 2 (Children's) – $27 This cozy mid-weight fleece provides good insulation for active kids. Can be worn on its own in milder weather, or as an insulating mid-layer when it gets cold. • Made of 100% polyester Polartec® 200 Classic fleece. • Quick drying 100% nylon trim around hood, cuffs and hem. Helps to seal out cold. • Three-panel hood has a good fit and is drawcord-free for safety. • Chin guard prevents irritation. • Flat-locked seams around armholes to eliminate chafe • Full front zip. • Two handwarmer pockets. • Child-friendly zipper pulls. • Relaxed fit for easy layering. Look for it at mec.ca.
PACSAFE METROSAFE 200 GII SHOULDER BAG – $79 Big enough to tote an iPad®, netbook, or tablet, the MetroSafe 200 GII is also outfitted to protect you against theft, seen or unseen. It’s slash and snatch-resistant. Concealed clips on the main and organizer compartment zips make opening it on the sly pretty challenging. Inside, a shielded pocket blocks your chipped documents from scanners. • eXomesh® slashguard wire mesh woven into critical panels. • Slashproof Carrysafe strap with turn-and-lock hooks lets you anchor the bag to objects to prevent grab-and-go theft at cafes, etc. • Strap length extends from 81 to 115cm. • Padded RFID-blocking pocket for your chipped passport, IDs, and credit cards. • Headphone port for easy listening to your tunes. • Organizer compartment has two padded gadget pockets, card slots, pen holders, and key clip. • Small front zippered map pocket has a concealable zipper pull. • Two side pockets hold water bottles or compact umbrellas.. Look for it at mec.ca.
Standing Room 100 hanging Family/Cabin Camping Tent – $165 • new Stronger Material, High Quality Zippers, Stronger Corner ties, New Window in Door Design. Attaches to most any 10'x10' Straight Leg canopy/ gazebo (many compatible gazebos/canopies on Amazon) MUST HAVE CANOPY FRAME! FRAME NOT INCLUDED • 8.5' of head room (Able To Stand Up, Walk Around and Stretch Out, Even In The Corners) • two separate doors allows easy enter and exit and ability to "stack" two or more tents together for additional rooms • four convenient storage pouches located in the perimeter of the tent for cell phones, toiletries, extra batteries, etc. Loop ties located in the perimeter of the tent for hanging towels, clothes • tent setup is fast and easy with its attach to canopy hooks and easy-to-follow assembly instructions. Sets Up In Minutes • can accommodate 4 campers; measures 10 by 10 feet at the base with a 102- inch center height. Look for it at www.standingroomtents.com
LA SPORTIVA HYPER MID GTX APPROACH SHOES – $195 Designed for technical approaches, and high-country scrambles. The snug lacing system is derived from La Sportiva rock shoes and gives you a precise, ergonomic fit. A series of hoops and welded reinforcements let you snug the laces around your instep and right on down to the toe. • Uppers are leather and synthetics with AirMesh panels and Vibram® rubber rands. • Linings are Gore-Tex Extended Comfort for waterproofness with exceptional breathability. • Midsoles are dual density EVA with TPU stabilizers. • RockGuard forefoot protection plates block bruising stones. • Outsoles are Vibram IdroGrip X-traction rubber. Climbing zone at the toe, lateral suction pads, and cushioning at the heel. Impact Brake System for shock absorption and traction when descending. Look for it at mec.ca.
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ThermaCELL Outdoor Insect-Repellent Lantern – $31.99 The Patio Lantern is both a powerful insect repellent device and a functional and portable, long-lasting outdoor LED lantern, with both functions being usable separately or together. Providing a 15x15 ft mosquito-free zone, it is 98% effective, making it the most effective insect repellent device on the market. It is also nontoxic, safe and non-intrusive, being DEET-free, silent, portable and odor free. Weighs only 13 ounces. Perfect for campsites, but also great for patios, backyards, decks, picnics and barbecues. The lantern and is powered by 4 AA batteries. Look for it at mosquitorepellent.com MEC WATCHTOWER JACKET (WOMEN'S) – $55 Named for a classic 34-pitch route in the Bugaboos, and designed for moving rapidly in the mountains. The fleece is extremely lightweight and has the features of a true mid-layer. When you're working hard, you can shed your outer layer and the high airpermeability allows the wind to carry off heat and moisture, so you don't get soaked with sweat. When you start to cool down, pull on a shell jacket without feeling all bulked up, and the fabric continues to transport moisture vapour out and away. Look for it at mec.ca
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
30 straight days of cycling to a clear head By Sheila Ascroft
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
Photo by Aaron Belford
I
’m a cyclist. I’ve been biking for 27 years, but April arrived this year and … nothing. I didn’t bike. I didn’t even care about not cycling. May came and still no cycling. I eyed my well-loved Scott carbon bike, cleaned it, put on new handlebar tape, restocked my saddlebag, but the lust was gone. I’d signed up for Cycle for Sight in June – but didn’t train, and it went on without me. After such a long snowy winter stuck indoors, why was I wasting a good summer? I was not riding, not sleeping well, not thinking straight, and feeling that every small chore was too much. Finally, it dawned on me that I was depressed – again. My doctor adjusted my meds, but added a new Rx that woke me up: “Ride your bike.” Was she channelling Eddy Merckx? I thought about it. After cycling for decades, I was told to just ride. I started on the summer solstice. Just cycling. Not training. Not racing. Not going the distance. Just pedalling. One leg down, one leg up. Left, right, left, right. A familiar habit of motion that felt surprisingly good. So I did it the next day too. Thirty minutes at dawn along the Rideau Canal. It was a quiet morning before the city woke. I pedalled past a bittern, two rabbits and carp humping in the shallows. I biked the next day too – for the joy of it. Who knew I could do five consecutive days and like it? Revel in it. Not me. Perhaps AA is
right: one day at a time. If I’d told myself that I had to bike every day, I would have crapped out. All I asked of myself is to bike ride today. No ambitions, no pressure of committing to a cycling event or doing a certain speed. Just ride. That’s all. There was mist rising off the Rideau Canal on day eight. Bobbing in the water was a pair of wood ducks with four fluffy ducklings. A great blue heron secreted amongst the reeds. Mallards and geese roamed the grass beside Dow’s Lake. Two Asian women fished. Our big city so quiet I could hear the Peace Tower bells. I was back in the world of wheels and liking it again. Canada Day. Clean air, promise of a bright sunny day. No wind. No people. No traffic. No construction. Just that early morning stillness and silence. Yachts tied up in the shadow of the Chateau Laurier, waiting for the celebrations. Historic statues around Confederation Square – on guard for thee. Canadian flag aloft but drooping atop the Peace Tower. Listening to the whir of my own wheels. Pedalling with a heart strong and free. O Canada. Happy Birthday from one of your loyal cycling subjects. Two weeks of consecutive sunrise cycling wasn’t much of an achievement except that I’d never tried it before. New things matter. We’re made to establish routines and then break them. Human nature is Writer-cylist Sheila Ascroft takes a break. weird.
By day 17, I felt slow and tired and it was an effort to get up at dawn and just ride. “Shut up legs,” I demanded channelling pro cyclist Jens Voight, 42. He just rode his 17th (and last) Tour de France. Only two others have managed that. I try again. “Shut up legs.” Rebellion from below. “Shut up butt” You shut up. Great. Now I’m rolling along the canal path arguing with my ass. Time to turn around…. On day 20, I went south to ride some rural roads – nothing like the smell of manure in the morning! Hot, hazy and windy. Fields of metre-high corn stalks all waving their leaves at me. Niblets of grandeur? After three weeks, cycling didn’t seem to be much about the bike any more. I just throw a leg over and pedal. It allows my mind and emotions to do whatever. I feel calmer after riding, I feel content, refreshed. It was a joy to ride again. I love my two-wheel therapy tool. One month of summer, 30 days of daily cycling. A surprising 500 kilometres seemingly without effort. It’s not easier, not harder. It just is. How long does it take to make a good habit? Three weeks? Thirty days? Every day? Are good habits harder to break once established? I hope so. I hope this cycling habit stays with me for another 27 years. It’s September now and I’m still cycling. Not every day but most days. I feel better when I bike. My body seems more awake and my mind is calmer. I’m a cyclist again. ottawaoutdoors I 15
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Allen Macartney
The Lake Opeongo food barrel robbery
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relaxing week on a remote arm of Opeongo Lake in Algonquin Park started in late August as my wife and I nosed our canoe onto a sandy beach and started unloading gear. After supper and a glorious northern sunset melting into the horizon, we packed away all our food in a heavy-duty, tightly sealed food barrel and slipped into our sleeping bag. Sleep came quickly. In the morning, with breakfast on our mind, we found the barrel tipped over with its metal, clamp-tight security hoop in the forest and the lid it was supposed to protect lying beside it. How did this happen?! We’ve camped with this barrel all over North America, including the far north, and no mammal, reptile or bird has been able to conquer it. We knew it was raccoons; a bear would have destroyed the entire barrel. Raccoons are forest lock pickers with delicate hands. Bears are a motorcycle gang equivalent – rough, tough, and don’t get in my way. These looters were choosy as well as clever. They stole only nachos, peanuts and one granola bar, leaving behind about four pounds of milk chocolate, along with cookies, cashew nuts and lots more. www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
Next night I beefed up the barrel challenge by stacking two huge rocks on the lid. “They’ll need a crane to move this,” I snickered confidently. Then I “locked” the metal hoop with a wire twist-tie and jammed sticks into the locking mechanism itself. “Those raccoons don’t have a chance against my brainpower,” I trumpeted confidently. My wife looked skeptical and chuckled. Foiling the masked bandits Within hours of arriving home I worked out what I think is a near fail-proof food barrel lock. Unbend and cut a 25-centimetre straight section of metal clothes hanger. Bend it into a rectangle with four right-angle corners (see illustration). Insert this “lock” into the metal hoop of your food barrel locking mechanism. Then sleep soundly, I hope. I’ll be testing it on a solo canoe trip in September. In the meantime, keep in mind these food storage ideas: tie your barrel at least 100 metres from your tent; never feed wild animals anything; stay outside your tent to eat (crumbs attract mice and other pests). Occasionally, experienced camper Allen Macartney can outsmart a raccoon.
Next morning we unzipped our tent to another crime scene. The thin wire and sticks jamming the opening latch proved no challenge. Once more the raccoons had nosed through the barrel cafeteria, sampling a few treats, thoughtfully leaving the rest. And then they went elsewhere. Our barrel entertained no more visitors for the next five nights. But on our last night, five minutes after we climbed into our tent, the masked miscreants were hard at work. Heavy thumping sounds echoed from the barrel. Sweeping our flashlights into the forest darkness, four pairs of blinking eyes gazed back at us through the gloom. Algonquin’s equivalent of an urban street gang were preparing to strike again. “This might be a long night,” my wife observed in a slightly amused tone. I suspected her of cheering on the raccoons. It took me 15 minutes to suspend our food barrel on a cord far up between two trees. It would take a tightrope walker to loot the barrel this time. The raccoons took the rest of the night off, leaving our food unmolested. ottawaoutdoors I 17
Geology rocks in Ontario’s highlands! Photo by Eric Fletcher
Ottawa Valley is renowned for stories and treasures in stone By Katharine Fletcher
“Geology rocks!” says Chris Hinsperger, owner of Eganville’s Bonnechere Caves. “The Ottawa Valley is home to fascinating geological features.” He’s right. The Bonnechere site is just one of many destinations to discover. Another thing he’s right about is his firm conviction that geology isn’t boring. It may seem complex, but National Capital Region residents have many places close by to handle fossils, visit museums which demonstrate how the Earth was formed, or go rockhounding to collect mineral specimens. Indeed, Ontario’s Highlands Region, an official tourism area that covers a thick slab of the province south and east of Algonquin Park along the Ottawa River right down to Arnprior, has developed a recreational geology program for people wanting to understand the story of the rocks. Here are some basics.
geology defined The University of British Columbia website (geoeng.ubc.ca) puts it this way: “Geology is the study of the Earth, its composition,
its history, and its constantly changing character.”
Highland highlights It is home to some of the most ancient, exposed rock on Earth – the “Precambrian” Canadian Shield, formed some 2.5 billion years ago. The Precambrian Era is the earliest of the geologic ages. As well, 15,000 years ago (just last week in geological time), the Laurentian Ice Cap covered our region to a depth of 3.2 kilometres. As it receded, its meltwater collected in a pre-historic body of water known as the Champlain Sea. In what is now the Ottawa Valley, marine life such as whales, seals, trilobites (crab-like creatures), gastropods (snails), pelycypods (clams) flourished. Today, with a bit of luck, we can find fossils of these creatures in the limestone that formed from the sediments at the bottom of that sea. The land rose as the weight of those kilometres of melting ice dwindled, and the Bonnechere, Madawaska, Mississippi and other river watersheds were defined, draining into the Ottawa River. The resulting topography is a region of lakes, rivers, beaches from earlier, vastly wider rivers, fossils, minerals and metals. Here are some of its destinations.
Photo by Eric Fletcher
Bonnechere treasures
Apatite crystal like this can be found at Bear Lake dig.
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Perhaps the best introduction to regional geology is at Eganville’s Bonnechere Museum, open by appointment after Labour Day. It offers geological maps, local fossils, minerals, and rocks. Walk the nearby geomorphology hike (get brochure at museum) which snakes along the Bonnechere River. At the trailhead, 15 numbered boulders explained in the brochure help you recognize garnets, stromatolites, orthocones and the minerals and fossils in them. This easy walk follows an old railbed to
Cephalopod fossil in a boulder at trailhead of Bonnechere Geoheritage Trail.
an abandoned limestone quarry mined during the 1800s. The trail descends to follow the river with a water level that has usually dropped by late summer, exposing minerals and fossils. Here’s where you can go rockhounding to heart’s content. The nearby Bonnechere Caves offer guided tours on weekends from Labour Day until Thanksgiving. These caverns were formed more than 510 million years ago. Inside, bats sleep amid stalactites (stone “icicles”), surrounded by fossilized cephalopods and crinoids (ancestors of sea urchins).
Bear Lake dig Phone ahead (613- 332-1513) and reserve picks and shovels to literally “get down and dirty” in fissures of exposed bedrock called “dykes.” Then buy a $10 permit for the dig site at the Bancroft Mineral Museum in the Bancroft and District Chamber of Commerce. Rockhounds revere this site, and have removed sometimes massive crystals of green apatite, pink feldspar or the layered glasslike mineral called mica. The dykes are expanded every year, so repeat visits pay off with new crystals that have been exposed. Wear old clothes, sturdy shoes and work gloves. A headlamp could be handy too.
Eagle’s Nest trail The trailhead to this five-kilometre easy walk is two kilometres west of Calabogie Peaks Ski resort on the south side of Highway 508 West. Hike along an old logging road that gradually rises until you reach a sign on your right explaining the history of Eagle’s Nest. Ascend the short trail for a simply spectacular views of the Madawaska Valley from the 120-metre cliff face. It’s an easy trail but a scary cliff, so rein in any rambunctious youngsters. Take binoculars to enhance the view, and maybe spy raptors overhead. www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
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Photo by Eric Fletcher
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drive to Haliburton. Take Highway 35 to the Frost Centre, a former logging school. The geology hike follows the shore of Sherborne Lake, part of the Haliburton Highlands’ Water Trail. Allow an hour and a half so you can stop at all 15 interpreted signposts to
Descending to the river on Bonnechere Geoheritage Trail alongside Ordovician cliff.& Plus 10K,limestone 5K, 3K
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ottawaoutdoors I 19
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Ottawa’s natural environment
Blinded by the light Dark Sky Preserves open a door to the universe
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nature’s beauty. While contemplating dark skies, people can feel connected to our distant ancestors who, like us, gazed at the mystery of the heavens. From their wonderment would spring their culture’s superheroes, gods, and creation stories. Here in the Ottawa Valley, we’re fortunate to be able to appreciate dark skies where “light pollution” doesn’t obliterate the sky. And if they become world travellers, they can look upwards to see different celestial phenomena. Australia, for instance, offers Antipodean-sky views of constellations such as the Southern Cross. Darkness itself is important to life. So important, that in 1988, a group called the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) was set up to preserve the view – worldwide – of night skies unimpeded by “light pollution,” from lamps, housing, industry and other sources that impede visibility. It’s an environmental issue because many creatures are disturbed by artificial light – from moths attracted to lamplight, to all sorts of other critters. Migrating birds die after flying into lit-up skyscraper windows at night. Baby sea turtles find their way to the ocean by heading towards the illuminated path of the moon on its surface, but light from street lamps, beach houses or hotels confuses them. The large eyes and other adaptations of nocturnal predators such as owls evolved to enable them to hunt in darkness. Ambient light reduces their hunting areas and thus their food supply. And night light affects human beings too. The IDSA website (darksky.org) reports that “health researchers have established that exposure to artificial light at night reduces the human body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that tells the body’s organs and systems that it is dark.” When that happens, www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
Photo by Eric Fletcher
katharine fletcher
bove me, the night sky is velvety black. Against it, the pathway of our home galaxy – the Milky Way – courses across the heavens. As my eyes adjust, black silhouettes of the surrounding white pine forest appear, and once again I am humbled by
people sleep poorly, increasing their risk of depression, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. International dark sky preserves (DSPs) are areas designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada where artificial light pollution is low enough to allow unimpeded astronomical observation and ordinary people can see the night sky in all its primordial beauty. These areas offer infrastructure so ordinary people can observe the night sky. So far, 17 of them have been set up in Canada, a recent one at Jasper National Park, designated in 2011. Rogier Gruys, an official for the park, said “the Town of Jasper is working hard to adopt environmentally sensitive, energy-efficient lighting which minimizes light pollution.” Closer to home, Stephan Paape started the AstroPontiac initiative in West Quebec, building support to establish a dark sky viewing area in the Pontiac region. Check out
we recycle and donate usable materials fully insured friendly staff available within a two-day notice WE DO remove construction debris, unwanted appliances, furniture, household hazardous waste, landscaping materials, demolition and cement work WE DON’T take bio hazards, isotopes, etc.
No man-made lights competed with the southern stars at our roadside camp west of the Atherton Tablelands in north-eastern Australia.
his popular night-sky-watching events, where astronomers bring telescopes so visitors can view the sky and hear expert explanations of what they are seeing. Near Ottawa, the closest designated DSP is in North Frontenac township. The viewing area was set up in 2013 at 5816 Road 506, near Plevna, Ont. That’s about two hours driving time from Ottawa. The Ottawa Valley also has dark-skywatching destinations in Lennox and Addington County, Westmeath Lookout, Basin Depot and Foymount (Ontario’s highest populated point). Katharine and Eric Fletcher live north of Quyon, Que., where they enjoy dark sky over Gatineau Park.
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ottawaoutdoors I 21
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“We are thrilled with this gazebo. My husband got it all leveled easily and he is quite impressed with the quality and service. Thank you for your help and a wonderful addition to our home. “ ~ Glenda Bidwell, Renfrew ON
Paddle Barron Canyon Photo by Flickr (Paul Galipeau)
A gem among easy portages By Jenna Thompson
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Photo by Flickr (Paul Galipeau)
lgonquin’s Barron Canyon makes a perfect fall getaway weekend only 3½ hours from Ottawa. It’s in the less-travelled east end of the park and far from the campgrounds and access points along Highway 60, so serenity on the water is easy to find. This area is great in both spring when the Barron River’s falls and cascades are roaring their strongest and in the fall when the colours of the canyon’s rock walls coincide with the rusty tones of fall foliage. The canyon offers a route short enough for a three-day weekend (like Thanksgiving). It shelters remnants of logging history, and paddlers can get an up-close view of geology between the canyon walls. It’s a marvel of nature crafted during the last Ice Age, when glacial meltwaters carved their way through the canyon to empty into the Champlain Sea. The Achray access point on Grand Lake is a good place to start, and paddlers can check out Tom Thomson’s nearby cabin. In this area, the artist – he died three years before the Group of
Seven got itself organized – found inspiration for his famous painting The Jack Pine in this area. This is the biggest water of the trip, but it’s not long until the first (short! just 30 metres) portage as you head south toward Stratton Lake. Most portages are relatively easy, with just a few areas where paddlers have to wrestle a canoe on their shoulders over tangled tree roots and steep landings. In Stratton Lake, your boat will glide under an abandoned Canadian National rail bridge, and another short portage brings you into St. Andrews Lake, a great spot to spend the night. The night sky before bedtime is far from any light pollution, and the Milky Way is clearly visible. As you approach the portage to High Falls, you’ll see a remnant from long-ago logging: the bow or stern of a flat-bottomed “pointer boat,” favoured by loggers and designed by John Cockburn of Pembroke, juts out of the water’s edge. The far end of the portage is a great spot to tie up your canoe and head off
Achray to Squirrel Rapids
for a picnic at High Falls, with its flat, smooth rock surfaces and cascading water. After a series of portages (one’s just 15 metres long), paddlers meet the star of the river’s topography: two kilometres of Barron Canyon itself, with the river narrowing and the cliffs ascending up to a staggering 100 metres. The canyon rock hosts bright orange lichen, and brown, black and grey markings, stunning when they’re right in front of your nose. A photograph taken here would look like abstract art. In some stretches, huge boulders rest along the base of the cliffs, beside deep, clear water, awesome for swimming. If you pay close attention, you may spot peregrine falcons: they love steep cliffs from which they “stoop” straight down at speeds over 300 km/h to snatch their prey. If you look up – way u p – to the canyon’s rim you may spot hikers at the top, little specks that wave. Sound travels well here, so don’t be surprised if you hear fragments of their talk. There is one final 420-metre portage before you reach the Barron River parking lot. Since this is a one-way route, you’ll need to come with friends and plan a car shuttle, or pay a local outfitter to drive your car to the other end for you. It’s worth it. If time is short or muscles weak, a day trip is possible via Brigham Lake or the Barron Canyon parking lot. Either way, you’ll have to portage, but nothing too serious. Day hikers can view the canyon from up top on the 1.5-kilometre Barron Canyon Trail. An excellent Barron/Achray map is available at nearby outfitters.
High Falls is a great spot for a picnic with its flat, smoot rock surfaces.
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
ottawaoutdoors I 23
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Four easy-prep fish fillets for a campsite By Craig Macartney Sitting in an office cubicle without a window in sight, almost anyone’s mind can wander off to one hill further or one portage deeper into the wild. Cool fall temperatures mean no bugs, and there are real meals to be had without deet-stained hands. Every adventurer dreams of living off the land or catching fish to eat, but camping-friendly recipes are hard to come by. Here are four that could nudge your next adventure closer to a gourmet standard. Maple trout For a family of four, this dish requires: • 1 trout per person • ¼ cup of milk • 2 tbsp maple syrup • ½ cup of bread crumbs • Large frying pan Clean and dry the trout. Mix the milk and syrup and let the trout soak in the mixture for several minutes, making sure the inside of the fish gets wet too. Next, roll the trout in the bread crumbs so the skin gets a generous, even coating.
Drop a good dollop of oil or butter into your frying pan and heat it over medium-hot coals. Once the pan is hot, cook the trout for five minutes per side. Serve hot and savour every bite. Fish à la française For a family of four, this dish requires: • 2 pounds of fish fillets (not trout) • ½ cup French dressing • Tartar sauce • 1 lemon • 1 onion • lots of cooking oil Add a generous amount of butter or oil to your frying pan and allow it to heat over medium coals. Slice the lemon and chop the onion. Rub each fillet with a thin coating of French dressing and place them in your frying pan. Spread half the chopped onion in on top of the fish. After three to four minutes, turn the fillets over and cover with the rest of the chopped onion. Wait another three to four minutes, then remove the fillets from the heat and drizzle the lemon over them. Serve with tartar sauce.
Battered bass This simple recipe serves four. You will need: • 2 pounds of skinned and cleaned bass • 1½ cups flour • 1 tsp salt • garlic powder (to taste) • A dash of cayenne • 2 eggs • ½ cup of milk • 1 lemon • cooking oil or butter Mix dry ingredients a bowl. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, and milk. Dip each fillet in the egg mixture and roll them in the flour mixture, ensuring they are evenly covered. Pour a generous amount of oil or butter into your frying pan and heat over medium-hot coals. Once the oil is hot, fry the fillets, turning occasionally until both sides are brown and slightly crispy. Serve with lemon slices Rolled trout This recipe serves four, but is easily adjusted for any group, cooking one trout per person. • 4 trout • 1 cup rolled oats
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• 1 cup of flour • 1 tsp salt • 2 eggs • ½ cup of milk • cooking oil or butter • Lemon pepper spice (to taste) Start by cleaning and drying the trout. Then blend the eggs and milk in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats, salt, and lemon pepper. Dip the trout in the egg mixture, then roll them in the oats, applying gentle pressure to help the oats stick. Pour oil or butter into the frying pan and heat it over medium-high coals. Fry the trout for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned. (Tip: use lots of oil as it will be absorbed by the oats – you don’t want to dry out the frying pan and burn the fish.)
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Go wild for tea on the trail By Allen Macartney
Pine or spruce This was a wilderness favourite with pioneers for its high levels of vitamins A and C. But if you boil the needles too long the resulting brew can taste like turpentine – not great Take the pot off the heat after the water boils. Bruise or partially crush the pine or spruce needles with a knife, and drop them into the hot water. Let them steep for five to 10 minutes depending on how strong you want the flavour. Pour the tea into your cup and savour the ancient aroma. Wild tea cautions! • Be sure the leaves you pick are from the plant you want for tea. Look-alikes can be toxic. • Take only a few leaves from each plant. • If you’re pregnant or ill, avoid wild teas. • Stick to mild brews until you gain experience. Some teas can upset your stomach. • Avoid plants near roads that might have been sprayed with herbicides.
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Strawberry Strawberry leaves make a milder tea than raspberry leaves, which have a tangy and fruity taste. But the longer the leaves stay brewing in the pot, the more flavor comes out. Collect a handful of leaves, toss them into a pot and pour hot water over them. Stir every minute or so to release the flavours.
Mint Pungent and aromatic as a tea, mint grows beside or in lakes and wetlands. The plant is easy to identify because of its square stems. Rub the leaves and you’ll release that unmistakable aroma. The leaves make the best tea when young and fresh but any time is good. You can dry them out for winter camping.
White cedar Jacques Cartier’s crew was reportedly saved from scurvy by drinking this brew. Put some of its flat needles and bark into a pot of hot water and let it steep until the water is cool enough to drink. Notice a cedar oil shine on the surface? This is mildly toxic and must be poured off before drinking. The tea has a strong forest flavor, loved by some. Soften it by adding honey.
Photo by Tom Check
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ext time you’re out cycling or hiking, stop for a look at the plants along your route. Pioneers used many of them to brew an array of wild teas that brimmed with flavor and vitamins. Some are mild with a fruity or honey taste (like strawberry or raspberry leaves, or red clover) while others are more pungent and aromatic, like mint tea. Almost all wilderness teas are prepared the same way. Bring a pot of water to the boil over a campfire or backpacking stove; then remove it from the heat for one minute before dropping in your plant leaves. Don’t boil the leaves in the water, because this destroys some of the brew’s vitamins.
a handful of leaves, let steep in hot water and taste. One mugful is enough – this tea has a slight laxative effect!
So leave the Earl Grey or Red Rose at home. Harvest the wild in that amazing pantry called the outdoors.
the 2014
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Fireweed Fireweed leaves can be collected in the spring, summer or fall, and dried for winter use. Look for the abundant red-flowering plant in the forest, along trails and beside lakes. The leaves produce a traditional green tea flavour with a hint of sweetness. Simply take
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Chateau Montebello In a cozy atmosphere, the outdoor enthusiast can choose from swimming, tennis, hiking, cycling and a plethora of other activities terrific for the entire family or for a romantic weekend away. Sit by the famous towering six-sided stone fireplace where you can relax with a nice book, game or conversation. Only 45-min away, it’s truly magical! Visit their website at: www.fairmont.com/montebello
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Water purification
now made easy
On the trail or in the bush By Allen Macartney
If you’re tired of hauling litres of camp fuel on portage or through the bush to boil water, there are ultra-light purifiers to lighten your load and ensure safe drinking water. In early days, forest travelers tried to strain out algae, viruses, fungi, parasites and bacteria with fabric, but microscopic bacteria and viruses got through. So people turned to boiling – effective but time- and fuel-consuming. Then in mid-20th-century, iodine pills offered a quicker way to purify water, but they left a nasty taste behind. Then 30 years ago, pumping water
through a ceramic filter became the preferred method. But filters often clogged, transforming the process into a rigorous aerobic exercise. And the filter came in a bulky pump with over a metre of tubes that kept getting lost. Recently, two products have hit the market and won a raft of awards, including the Time Magazine award for best invention. They’re called SteriPEN and LifeStraw. They are small, light, and offer almost 100-per-centguaranteed pure water. Steri-PEN is a banana-sized ultra-violet
purifier that cleans a litre of water in 90 seconds. Dead simple, it’s just a handle with a short UV light sticking out the bottom. Dip it in a litre of water, snap on the tiny light, wait 90 seconds, and presto, you’re safe! The light destroys virtually all viruses, bacteria and protozoa (including Giardia and Cryptosporidium). It comes with a tiny holder that snaps to a belt or backpack. Whether your water source is a clear woodland brook or a dirty tap in a Third World hotel, this device purifies water fast. If the water starts out cloudy from
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States Environmental Protection Agency standards, LifeStraw removes more than Your next ski trip. 99.9% of bacteria (like E-coli and salmonella) Your early retirement. and waterborne protozoa (like the kind that cause beaver fever) leaving no aftertaste. All depend on one Survivorman took onething. on a desert island several years ago and said he loved it. your next You can even get amaDeLYn LifeStraw integrated into CoCHrane mBa move. a stylish, litre-sized water bottle. Consultant When filter has reached (613) its capacity for 723-7200 Are Youthe Ready? purifying water, it simply stops. madelyn.cochrane@ We can help. investorsgroup.com If you lead groups of paddlers or winter Ask about campers, check out the 2 Gurdwara road THE PLAN LifeStraw family model. Suite 500 nepean, on K2e 1a2 Small and packable, it hangs from a tree at camp and provides up to 18,000 litres of pure water. Costs are $24.95 for a LifeStraw, $35.95 for a LifeStraw/water bottle combination, and $99 for the family unit. Summer or winter, Steri-PEN and Log Cottage Stuart Traditionaltake cabin for rent in the Ottawa Valley LifeStraw away • spacious living room with large stone fireplace the worry of clean • large loft bedroom suitable for family For more inFo water. • 4 pieceNo bathpack with tub and shower pLeaSe CaLL • full kitchen should bewith fridge, stove (613) 628-3311 • private dock on Mink Lake without one or w w w. S t u a r t L o g C o t t a g e .com both! (™)Trademarks owned by iGm Financial inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations.
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suspended particles, filter them out through any cloth and then use the Steri-PEN to purify it. It uses four AA batteries, enough for 80 litres on a 10-day solo canoe trip. Cost: $75.95. The other device, LifeStraw looks like a fat milkshake straw and filters up to 1,000 litres of water, clearing it of anything bigger than 0.2 microns. Tested to surpass the United
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Get outside and get fit this winter By Dave McMahon
W
Photo by XCZone
inter is a magical time to be under the stars at night instead of down in the basement on an exercise bike, so don’t let the snowflakes slow you down. Get outside and combine trail running and Nordic (cross-country) skiing for max fitness. Natural terrain, seasonal change and demanding weather all provide the diversity the body needs to improve. And getting outdoors in winter is good for the soul. If you want endurance, muscle toning, core strength, power, agility and balance, you can’t go to far wrong with this blend of sports. Both winter trail running and Nordic skiing can lead you from a groomed trail to route-finding on a mountain. When the snow is too deep for skiing, put on modern lightweight snow-
structured workout, with diversity that provides a better training effect than running like a shoes and just go running. You will forget you gerbil on a treadmill. even have them on. Once the trail is packed Compared with running on city sidewalks, down, you can run in trail shoes. running on snow or snowshoeing is lower imIce storm? No problem, slip on some yak pact, and a host of single-track trails are waiting tracks or studded shoes. It may be counter to be discovered in the forest – you can run a intuitive, but running on packed snow is easier different route every day and never get bored. than dirt. At cold temperatures snow is abrasive, The variety of footing, pace and stride in trail meaning less chance of slipping, and if you do running will add years to your running career, it’s a softer fall than hitting the bare ground. and negotiating a winding, hilly foot-path at Running or skiing on forest trails is an allspeed creates real-time problem-solving opporseason, all-terrain, all-natural, clean oxygen-rich tunities to boost mental fitness too. experience which combines elemental basics If you Nordic ski in winter for fitness it’s a of life itself – sun, oxygen, gravity and motion. good idea to run for 20 minutes at least three Our minds and bodies are wired for nature and times a week – bones, joints and soft tissue respond best to that training environment – hu- need the impact for healthy bone density and man evolution involved running long distances resilience. Otherwise, you could get hurt as you across natural terrain, not sitting behind a desk get back into running shape in the spring. Contrary to popular belief, people are or working out in a gym. not born with running or skiing skills. Most Running amidst the natural aesthetics of people could benefit from reading about these the trail means you can run further, at greater intensity, with less physical and mental fatigue. skills, watching instructional DVDs and taking lessons or personal coaching. Advice from Skiing provides a total training dynamic with the pros not only boosts safety and fitness, but less impact, albeit a bit more complicated than provides the motivation everyone needs from running. So take a lesson or two. When you’ve • unrivaled earlyfarsnow winning coaching staffof your time to time. If you become a student mastered the skills, a trail will induce more • award sport, imprinting from experts is the best way natural intervals a convenience • ski to yourthan door • village dining to fast track your results.
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So Close‌ Long Sault Parkway Islands on the St. Lawrence River
Half way between Kingston and Montreal just off Highway 401, a series of eleven islands sweep in an arc through the St. Lawrence River like a green-jewelled necklace. Causeways connect these former hilltops of the Lost Villages now home to three unique campgrounds (Mille Roches, Woodlands and McLaren) offering over 450 campsites from RV to tent, exclusive Sunrise-Sunset sites, 5 cabins, a dive shack and two large sandy beaches nestled in the heart of the river. Plan a camping trip with family and friends and enjoy winding bike paths, nature trails, picnicking, awesome diving and lucky fishing! Book an island site 24/7 at stlawrenceparks.com!
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