Handy new weather site & winter links

If you are a weather forecast junkie like me, you'll like this handy web site created by Gord Bell, owner of the Beauview Cottage Resort in nearby Baysville.

The site, called accu-window-weather, has links to a number web cams located in tourism destinations throughout Ontario. If you don't believe the forecast, there's nothing like a sneak peak to double-check!

Who knows, maybe some day Algonquin Outfitters will have a weather web cam (hint, hint)...

While we are blogging about weather, here are a couple of other handy links for the upcoming winter season:

• The Ontario Winter Road Conditions report
• Algonquin Park five-day weather forecast
• Huntsville five-day weather forecast
• Algonquin Park winter information
• Hidden Valley ski area snow conditions
• Sir Sam's ski area snow conditions
• Algonquin Park XC ski trail conditions
• Arrowhead Park XC ski trail conditions
  
• Haliburton Nordic Trails conditions report
  
• Links to weather cams throughout Canada and around the world
• NOAA satellite image - check ice status of Algonquin lakes!

Winter is here!

Happy winter from Algonquin Outfitters!

Sometimes it is hard to believe in global warming. When I drove into Oxtongue Lake this morning, I was surprised to see that at least 75% of the main body of the lake was frozen over, an unusual event for this time of year.

Well, the ice is thick enough for a fox to make tracks on it...

The same scene taken on Nov. 24, 2006 - winter arrived late that year

While some Ontario ski resorts are opening tomorrow and southwestern Ontario is experiencing huge snowfall amounts this week (I heard that some areas south of Lake Huron will be getting up to 60 CM over the next 48 hours), our area has a nice coverage but still not enough for skiing and snowshoeing. Be patient, it will come!

Outfitter Creek is still running
Look at the strange shadows made by the canoe rack

Banff Mtn. Film Festival coming Jan. 20 & 21, 2009

Algonquin Outfitters presents the 2008/2009
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

Tuesday, Jan. 20 & Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009

Algonquin Outfitters is again bringing the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour to the beautiful Algonquin Theatre for two nights. Each evening will feature a different selection of films. Stay tuned to this blog, film descriptions will be posted mid-December.

For the last ten years, Algonquin Outfitters has hosted this spectacular showing of mountain films in Huntsville. Films in the world tour bring the spirit of adventure to life on the screen and feature a wide variety of stories - from mountain sports, mountain culture and the environment - to entice and inspire viewers.

The tour features a collection of inspiring and thought-provoking action, environmental, and adventure mountain films. Traveling from remote landscapes and cultures, to up close and personal with adrenaline-packed action sports, the World Tour is an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the mountain world. The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is produced by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre, and features award-winning films and audience favorites from approximately 300 films entered in the annual festival in Banff, Alberta. The world tour spans the globe, making its way to North and South America, Europe, South Africa, India, Poland and Iceland.

Advance tickets will be available at the Algonquin Theatre box office at 37 Main St. E., in historic downtown Huntsville, on-line at algonquintheatre.ca or by calling the theatre box office at (705) 789-4975, or 1-888-696-4255, ext. 2352.

Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for students. Folks buying tickets for both shows can exchange their two ticket stubs for a 15% discount on their next purchase at Algonquin Outfitters in Huntsville or Oxtongue Lake.

Huntsville has a great reputation among the BMFF tour coordinators - let's give them another warm Huntsville welcome in 2009!

Snow!

Tuesday, October 21 marks the date of the first significant snowfall this fall. And me without snow tires on yet...

Ooops, still need to wash, er, shovel, a few canoes.

The safest place for a kayak or canoe in this weather is on shore.

The trusty '53 GMC is always ready to go on a canoe trip...

Fall colours are peaking NOW in Algonquin Park

You have to see it to believe it but the colours are spectacular right now. Quick, get in your car and drive north!

The Algonquin Park web site has an informative page on the fall colours, with a cool graph showing leaf change activity, recommended leaf viewing locations and more.

While you are there, check out the annual Fish Survey Results and start planning your spring fishing trip for 2009!