Ice out frenzy has begun!

Someone called me the other day and commented on how that open water at the Opeongo Store sure looked inviting...

Ha Ha! They were looking at the Google Street View image in the previous post (see below), which of course is a frozen (pardon the pun) moment in time, of an unfrozen lake. This is not the case right now. Despite all the warm weather, sun and rain, lakes in Algonquin Park (and outside) remain securely frozen solid. Folks were cross-country skiing yesterday and came back with mixed reviews but the trails are still open. Many south-facing slopes are 90% snow-free though there is still knee-deep mushy snow in the woods.

 Due to its shady location the Quinzee built Feb. 19 is 

still hanging in there on March 14

 

The Igloo, built on Winter Fun Day, has 
suffered from exposure to sun, wind and rain

 The same Igloo a few weeks ago

So, you ask, any predictions yet? Given the current state of snow and ice, you might think we are headed for an early spring. Then there is the fact that, only a week ago, my ice-out guru informed me that the snow pack was "very resistant" and that Algonquin Park lake ice is solid, high-quality ice. Gazing into the ice-crystal ball, I see that it is still mid-March, so anything can happen (including a major snow storm like the one we had on March 25, 2008), night-time temps are going to be below zero all this week and the current 14-day forecast is calling for a return to seasonal (as in coolish) temps later in the month. Hmmmm.

  Gord's annual photo of the Oxtongue Lake bridge spanning a very frozen lake

My prediction is that it still too early to call and that you will visit our booth (# 4120) at the Toronto Sportsmens Show, March 17 -21, to chat about your canoe trip plans for this season. If you are a regular Sportsmens Show visitor, don't forget that the show has moved to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre!

Still life with dock, boots and solid white ice

The unusual sight of leaves blowing across a frozen lake

Get in on the spring action! 
Enter the Canoe Lake Ice-Out contest.

Algonquin Park in Google Street View

What a world we live in!

The Google Street View camera car went to Algonquin Park (and a lot of other places). While it did pass through Oxtongue Lake, it did not drive up our road, so you can't see the Oxtongue Lake store.

Check out the view of our Opeongo Store and water taxi. You can "drive" down the Opeongo Road, Highway 60 and about halfway to Rock Lake (why didn't they go all the way?).

If you have not not seen this before, and you have Google Earth on your computer, here is what to do:

- open Google Earth
- check the Street View check box in the Layers menu (lower left of your screen)
- go to some area you know (like your street address)
- if you see little camera icons, double click on one of them
- this will open the street view, then click on full screen
- play with the arrows in upper right to see the 360 degree view
- see what people were doing on that day!

If you have yet to discover Google Earth,  this is what it is, according to Google:

Google Earth streams the world over wired and wireless networks enabling users to virtually go anywhere on the planet and see places in photographic detail.  This is not like any map you have ever seen.  This is a 3D model of the real world, based on real satellite images combined with maps, guides to restaurants, hotels, entertainment, businesses and more.  You can zoom from space to street level instantly and then pan or jump from place to place, city to city, even country to country.

Get Google Earth.  Put the world in perspective.

Winter Fun Day is coming up!

Winter fun in the great outdoors is always the theme of the annual Winter Fun Day, hosted by Algonquin Outfitters, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010. This free, family-oriented, event takes place at the Oxtongue Lake location, just west of Algonquin Park, on Hwy. 60, about 30 km east of Huntsville. Click here for Google Maps directions.

Winter Fun Day is designed to introduce people to self-propelled (or at least non-motorized) winter activities like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, skate skiing, winter camping and dog sledding, as well as provide a host of opportunities to simply have fun in the snow.

This year’s event will pack a host of activities into a single day. You could drive a dog team, learn how to build a snow shelter, try skate skiing, go on a snowshoe hike, learn about winter camping, enter a snowshoe race (and hopefully finish!), play snow games and more! Representatives from MSR snowshoes will be here to talk about their latest models and let you try out a range of snowshoes and demonstrate new winter products. Lunch is always a highlight of any winter activity and barbeque fare, like hotdogs and sausages, will be available.

Equipment for all activities will be provided free of charge for Winter Fun Day participants and a heap of door prizes will be given away throughout the event.

For more information, please call the Oxtongue Lake store, 1-800-4694948 (705-635-2243).

Please note that there is a charge for dog sled rides and a family rate is available.

Here is a general overview of the day:

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010:

9 am: Algonquin Outfitters opens

10 - 4 pm: dog sled rides - please sign up  at the dog truck to make sure you get a ride!

10 -12: morning program (x-c ski lesson, ski and snowshoes demos, snowshoe hike, quinzee building, dog sled rides, etc.)

12 - 2: lunch

1 - 5: afternoon program (skate ski lessons, ski and snowshoe demos, winter camping demo, etc.)

Sunday, Feb. 21:

10 - noon: 16th annual Ragged Falls Snowshoe Adventure Hike. This is a three-hour guided exploration of the Ragged Falls area. About half the trek is on packed trails and the rest is on unmarked, unpacked trails.

Advance registration is not required - simply show up! All events take place in the immediate area of our Oxtongue Lake store (except the Ragged Falls hike - car pooling req'd).

Dog sled rides are provided by Winterdance Dog Sled Tours.

Ski lessons are provided by Ski for Life.

Treading water in the muddy pond of the Hinterweb

Apparently my blog was posted on this Facebook feature called Networked Blogs. Luddite that I am, I of course had no clue until my techy colleague, Randy Mitson, pointed it out. So, if you are both an avid Facebooker and fan of this humble blog, you can do "one-stop shopping" by becoming a Follower. I knew I was a guru, now I can have Followers. Hope it doesn't go to my head. Please scroll down the right-hand sidebar of the page and click on "follow this blog" in the Networked Blogs gadget. Every time I do a blog post, it will then magically appear in your FB news feed (I think).

Thanks for paying attention!

Gord

A random post about dogs

Rule # 1: when out in the woods, blend in and stay alert

In case you hadn't noticed, the gang here at Algonquin Outfitters is pretty dog-friendly. You never know when you might enter the store and receive a friendly greeting from Utah, Max, Hogan or any one of the regular canine visitors at Oxtongue Lake. The recent edition of one of the many email newsletters I receive contained a great ode to our best friend in the animal world, which may be a good set of "rules to live by" for the new decade:

Things we can learn from a dog:

• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy
• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them
• When it is in your best interest, practice obedience
• Let others know when they have invaded your territory
• Run, romp and play daily
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm
• Be loyal
• Never pretend to be something that you’re not
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it
• When someone else is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and muzzle them gently
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree
• When you’re happy, dance around and wag your whole body
• No matter how often you are scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.
• Delight in the simple job of a long walk.

Here are a few more rules, as illustrated by various dogs from my life:

Utah's rule: don't go in over your head, even if it is a good stick

Nellie's rule: take some time to relax in the middle of a busy work day

Mica's rule: let your human know what's on your mind