Thursday, September 29, 2005

Snow at Opeongo!

The title says it all.

The weekend looks good though - check the weather!

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Fall colour report #1

Fall is really here, now that the beautiful fall foliage is starting to appear. As of today, there are a few trees that have completely turned but the majority are just beginning to "blush." This suggests that the colours will be at their peak in Algonquin Park some time during the last week of September.

Personally, I like the early phase of the fall colour change, with the contrast between greens, reds and yellows. The drive to work this morning was fanstastic: the early morning light, back lit mist and dewy spider webs, occasional bursts of colour in the maples was a visual feast

Monday, September 12, 2005

Annual Fall Canoe & Kayak Sale, Sept. 17 -18, at Oxtongue Lake

This weekend, Sept. 17 and 18, is the annual Fall Canoe sale and Assembly at Algonquin Outfitter's Oxtongue Lake store. This event is a season-end clearance sale of rentals, demos, trade-ins, used and new canoes and kayaks. There will be incredible variety at unbeatable prices. You'll find canoes and kayaks from Swift, Bell, Chestnut, Scott, Wilderness Systems, Dagger, Perception, Bic and more! The canoe & kayak sale starts at 10 am on Saturday. Test paddling and previewing are available on Friday.

There will also be a storewide sale all weekend at Algonquin Outfitters, in Oxtongue Lake only: outdoor clothing & footwear, paddles, sprayskirts, kayak accessories, canoe packs, tents, sleeping bags, camping gear, life jackets and more!

Bob Henderson, author of "Every Trail Has A Story" will be the special guest speaker on Sept. 17. Bob is a fascinating story teller, seasoned canoe tripper, outdoor educator and canoe trip history buff. His latest book, Every Trail Has a Story, “captures our living history in its relationship to the land and invites us to imagine and participate.” Spend an afternoon with one of Canada’s most gifted story tellers, and learn more about the living history of Algonquin Park and canoe travel in Canada. On Saturday only, from 2-4 pm, Bob will offer a storytelling session, featuring tales about Canadian landscape and heritage from "then and now." At 4:30, he will present a slide show highlighting stories in his new book. To learn more about Every Trail Has a Story, visit Natural Heritage books .

• For information on canoe & kayak sales, call 1-800-661-1429 or visit www.swiftcanoe.com

• For information on outdoor clothing & gear sales, call Algonquin Outfitters at 1-800-469-4948

• Oxtongue Lake is located 30 km east of Huntsville on Hwy 60, just before the West Gate of Algonquin Park.

Monday, September 05, 2005

Fall is here!

Well, it is Labour Day Monday, the unofficial last day of summer. Signs of fall are popping up everywhere: tinges of red and yellow in the maples, cooler nights and some nice displays of Northern Lights. There are lots of canoes out in Algonquin Park somewhere, carrying people back from what might be their last trip of the season. It doesn't have to be that way, though. Anyone with time off in September should be planning an Algonquin Park canoe trip.

In my mind, fall is the best time to go on canoe trip in Algonquin Park. After the Labor Day weekend the number of park visitors drops dramatically. You'll find spectacular fall colors (usually peaking around the third week), no bugs, higher water levels and, if you're lucky, glorious weather. Early October can still offer nice canoeing weather, then again, it could snow. Die-hard canoe trippers will go on trips right up until the lakes freeze in November. Remember that as fall progresses, the days get shorter and you have to put a considerable amount of effort into simply staying warm.

Fall is probably the best time to enjoy Algonquin Park's day hiking and backpacking trails. The cooler weather is ideal for hiking and the fall colors make every step a scenic view. I'm looking forward to our annual fall hike on the Centennial Ridges trail. It is my personal favourite day hike in the park, with outstanding views, a variety of forest environments and is just a really great walk.