Mountain Life – Blue Mountains - Winter 2025 by Mountain Life Media

BLUE MOUNTAINS

THE ALL-NEW FIRN SERIES

Embrace the Thrill

Glide between skins, scrambles and descents with all-new Firn ski mountaineering packs. Snow-speciﬁc organization and an ultra-stable vest-style harness support any winter mission, while an innovative ski lasso carrying system lets you stow your skis without taking off the pack—keeping you on the move for uninterrupted ﬂow.

UPFRONT

P. 13 Editorial

P. 14 Behind the Photo

P. 17 POW Report

DEPARTMENTS

P. 19 Backyard: Teal’s Tango

P. 38 Biophiliac: Cold Storage

P. 47 Surf: Georgian Bay Surf Club

P. 53 Athlete Profile: Desmond Solursh

P. 57 Mountain Home

P. 63 The Beta

P. 66 Gallery

P. 73 Gear Shed

P. 80 Back Page: Hot Take

TRAVEL FEATURE

P. 20 Paddling Paradise

P. 27 Fabulous Fernie

P. 30 Keepin’ It Stokely

P. 33 On the Rocks

ON THIS PAGE Laura Tombolini kiteboarding at the Toronto Islands. DEAN HELIOTIS ON THE COVER Kelsey Bennett finds freshies above the Beaver Dam. JODY WILSON

Mountain Life Blue Mountains operates within and shares stories primarily set upon the traditional lands and treaty territory of the Anishinabek Nation. We acknowledge and celebrate the past, present and future People of the Three Fires, known as the Ojibway (Chippewas), Odawa and Potawatomi Nations, who lead us in stewarding these lands and waters, and we honour their knowledge and cultural ties to this region.

PUBLISHERS

Glen Harris glen@mountainlifemedia.ca

Jon Burak jon@mountainlifemedia.ca

Todd Lawson todd@mountainlifemedia.ca

EDITOR

Kristin Schnelten kristin@mountainlifemedia.ca

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR, DESIGNER

Amélie Légaré amelie@mountainlifemedia.ca

WEB EDITOR

Ned Morgan ned@mountainlifemedia.ca

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Allison Kennedy Davies allison@mountainlifemedia.ca

Colin Field colin@mountainlifemedia.ca

Scott Parent scott@mountainlifemedia.ca

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, DIGITAL & SOCIAL

Noémie-Capucine Quessy noemie@mountainlifemedia.ca

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Krista Currie krista@mountainlifemedia.ca

DISTRIBUTION

Brendan Thompson brendan@mountainlifemedia.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

Leslie Anthony, Feet Banks, Jessica Carnochan, Ryan Carter, Melanie Chambers, Sarah Chisholm, Geoff Coombs, Matt Cote, Dave Coulson, Alain Denis, Taj Field, Kath Fudurich, Dean Heliotis, Jenna Kitchings, Paulo LaBerge, Benny Marr, Ethan Meleg, Conor Mihell, Carl Michener, Fisher Monahan, Luis Moreira, Ryan Osman, Michael Overbeck, Heather Plewes-LaBerge, Lisa Pottier, Shawn Robertson, Que Rock, Nicola Ross, Richard Roth, Dan Rubinstein, Nicholas Spooner-Rodie, William Tam, Tom Thwaits, Leslie Timms, Scott Turnbull, Kyle Wicks, Jody Wilson

SALES & MARKETING

Glen Harris glen@mountainlifemedia.ca 705 441 6334

Bob Koven bobby@mountainlifemedia.ca 416 721 9940

Stephanie Martinek steph@mountainlifemedia.ca 705 441 3684

Mike Strimas mike@mountainlifemedia.ca 416 779 7908

Andy Lansdale andy@mountainlifemedia.ca 705 446 6450

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT

Mountain Life is printed on paper that is Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC ®) certified. The Forest Stewardship Council® is an international nongovernmental organization that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. Mountain Life is also PrintReleaf certified. It measures our paper consumption and calculates the forest impact. Our paper footprint is automatically reforested at planting sites in Canada.

Photo: Geo Holman

A Brown Duck’s Tale

Accepting and embracing winter’s fury

In this winter edition of Mountain Life Blue Mountains, we’re exploring what it means to resist the urge to hibernate and instead embrace our coldest season. In this guest editorial, ML contributing editor Scott Parent shares an ancient story that encourages all of us to Get Outside – Ed.

words :: Scott Parent

illustration :: Que Rock

The little brown duck sat, self-satisfied, on the icy water beneath a dark and gloomy sky.

The advancing firmament out of the north had already consumed the light of day over the horizon, swallowing the warmth and snugness from the region. The Northwind was harsh and menacing and replaced the clement weather with a chill brume.

All the other animals and people in the forest, those that remained, moved about in distress as they prepared to migrate south toward more hospitable climes.

But the duck wasn’t fazed.

The others warned the little brown duck to leave before the terrible Northwind arrived. They cautioned the duck about the penetrating darkness of winter, the absence of the sun. The dearth of food for months to come.

But the little brown duck remained happy and at ease, paddling about with her webbed feet beneath her and her downy rump bobbing atop the freezing surface of Lake Huron. The duck had little regard for the warnings of others. She had ideas of her own and wasn’t afraid to try them. At the shoreline, she refined her nest into a proper lodge packed with moss and sedge for insulation and gathered enough wood to keep her hearth warm through the winter months.

With her dependable shelter finished, she resumed her daily swim and found splendour in the spectacle of winter. The duck was amazed at the tiny white crystals of frost that covered the grasses along the river bank, while the freezing of the water’s surface astonished her.

The little brown duck used her bill as an adze and chiseled a hole through the ice to search for fish. As darkness set in each day, she retreated to her comfy bed in her lodge and slumbered away the nights.

The duck’s gentle equanimity to winter’s harsh conditions unglued the Northwind.

Northwind was a loner and notably fond of a barren landscape. The little brown duck was a stain on the ivory scene that Northwind admired, as she dabbled about her days in an otherwise flawless environment. Endless snowfall and relentless bitter squalls cleared the region of living things—giving namesake to that dark time of the year we deem “the dead of winter.”

Northwind became furious that the little brown duck had no fear of grim times or harsh climes, and summoned gale-force winds to freeze the duck’s fishing holes.

Steady as a mountaineer, the duck reopened the holes with her bill each time and carried on living her life.

Northwind crept close to the entrance of the little brown duck’s lodge. The duck could feel Northwind’s icy chill through the door. Northwind seeped inside beneath the entrance door and lurked behind her.

Despite the warnings from the others and Northwind’s numerous attempts to dissuade her, the little brown duck welcomed Northwind to stay and cozy up by the fire. At first, Northwind was certain the fowl would soon be a dead duck. But Northwind soon realized the limitations of frozen feelings under the radiance of a welcoming fire and the kindness and hospitality that beamed out from the little brown duck.

Northwind became puffed up with frustration, unable to conjure the cold or sack the duck with fearsome daggers of ice.

The duck wasn’t fazed. She offered Northwind some fresh cooked fish. Feeling frail and diminished, Northwind began to sob and bolted for the door and dove into the duck’s fishing hole, desperate to re-chill.

The story of the little brown duck and the Northwind is as old as the tributaries that feed the Great Lakes watershed. It is the Chippewa tale of Shingebiss and Gaabiboonike (winter-maker) in Anishinaabemowin.

Not only does the little brown duck accept Northwind’s brash nature, she celebrates the winter realm created by the Northwind with all its hibernal beauty and calls it home.

In a world ever-polarized, there’s something we can all glean from the fowl’s gracious disposition toward Northwind. The triumph of our underduck isn’t found through defiance of her adversary, but through accepting Northwind as one of the Great Spirit’s creations. She was also prepared. (In other words, she had her ducks in a row.) Northwind accepted, too, that the little brown duck was also a creation of the Great Spirit, one that asserted her belonging to the region. The story teaches us to adapt with optimism and perseverance in the face of apparent calamity—to be gentle and kind to others and to ourselves.

And it teaches that it’s okay to embrace the gloom. Winter can be a challenging time for many, to find motivation to bundle up and get outside. Especially during the kind of half-assed winters we’ve been having in recent years. (Last winter, ice cover over the Great Lakes region weathered a record low.) But some folks across the region reported more unique and mesmerizing freeze formations last season, such as an abundance of snezhura ice pouring out of rivers. (Also known as ice lard, snezhura often appears with folds and undulations and occurs when water hovers between liquid and solid temperatures, capturing falling snow as it moves.)

Heedless to the changing climate, winter is a spellbinding time of year to go outside and appreciate the small things or even try something new. Brave up to a polar dip in the lake or take up ice fishing. Don’t tolerate winter. Settle in and celebrate the winter while we still can.

When your enthusiasm grows weary of the dreary overcast skies and bitter chill, look to the little brown duck, with her downy rump bobbing in the icy water.

Frozen in Time

words & photo :: Eric

Batty

location :: James Bay rider :: Ryan Atkins

Cold. Really cold. Camped on the shore of James Bay east of Attawapiskat, Ontario, we spent the first night of our 638-kilometre self-supported bike packing trip freezing. Our thermometer only went down to -40 C, and it was below that at sunset—and only got colder as the sun disappeared. Arriving to camp later than we would have liked, we scurried to get the tent set up, collect some sticks for the fire, make dinner and get into our down sleeping bags. We had skipped a vital step: piling snow around the base of the tent to wall off the winter wind. The cold draft that was constantly attacking us from underneath our tent and into our makeshift home was relentless and would contribute to one of the worst and coldest nights I have had.

Just before bed, I went outside to use the “restroom” and to my surprise saw some faint Northern Lights. Ryan Atkins was on his way out to do the same and make a few adjustments to his bike. I put a fresh battery in my camera,

clamped it to my tripod and snapped a few shots. Then I had an idea of illuminating the image with me running a lap of the tent. With Ryan standing as still as possible, I set the self-timer and ran into the frame, around the tent and out. It illuminated the image exactly how I envisioned it. Shortly after that, the focus motor died in that lens, rendering it manual-focus only for the next 10 days on the winter road. Not pictured: Buck Miller and Ted King, in the tent, huddled by the small titanium wood stove, shivering. We finished the ride and had a blast, riding our bikes out onto James Bay and just inside the territory of Nunavut. We got snowed in with 40 centimetres of fresh snow just outside Moosonee, forcing a few down days until crews could get the road open again. We raised $7,783 for charity. We were in the land of polar bears and beluga whales. We pushed our gear, bodies and minds. We laughed a ton and made memories that will last forever.

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We would love to see you this winter, scan the QR code to find out more.

We’re Kind of a Big Deal

Quantifying the outdoor industry’s outsize impact

words :: Ned Morgan

If you like being outdoors, you’ll like this report.

The first of its kind (that we know of), The Outdoor Recreation Economy in Canada offers perspective-shifting insights on how Canadian outdoorists spend their time—and their money. Released last fall by Protect Our Winters (POW) Canada, the report estimates the outdoor recreation sector’s contribution to the Canadian economy at a cool $101 billion annually That’s a lot of lettuce—more than the forestry sector (estimated at $97 billion) and second only to the oil and gas sector (estimated at $139 billion).

POW arrived at this number by combining and analyzing more than 20 outdoor activities, including the usual suspects we often cover in the pages of Mountain Life (skiing, mountain biking) and others we generally don’t (snowmobiling, hunting). Throwing this wide net adds breadth to the report and avoids bias—a wise move in these polarized times and one that paints a more demographically comprehensive picture.

POW notes that the findings are probably a sizeable underestimation, due to gaps in Canada-specific data for the following activities: tent camping, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, skating, running, alpine climbing, mountaineering, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving, rowing and leisure cycling.

But even with this underestimation, the report numbers illustrate the broad reach of the outdoor sector’s moving parts and how they mesh with the greater economy. Outdoor consumer spending packs a heavy punch whether on gear, clothing, devices, vehicles, services, transportation, lodging, food, guides, lessons or education. And the sector is no slouch when it comes to employment, generating more than a million direct full-time jobs annually.

The outdoor recreation sector’s contribution to the Canadian economy is estimated at a cool $101 billion annually. That’s more than the forestry sector and second only to the oil and gas sector.

Besides demographics and economic numbers, the report also posits outdoor recreation as “the economy of the future…built from thousands of small to large Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs.” The report suggests we can future-proof the Canadian economy by shifting away from natural resources and toward outdoor recreation (in particular, outdoor-based tourism), helping rural and Indigenous communities diversify their livelihoods, with fewer of the byproducts of the resource economy (e.g., pollution, environmental degradation).

While most of us understand that doing pretty much anything active outside is good for us, the report authors underline a factor that’s missing from their study: indirect contributions to the economy, such as the reduced burden on the healthcare system from those who are regularly active outside. The savings here are difficult to calculate accurately but certainly number in the billions.

Additionally, communities with extensive outdoor recreation infrastructure are more likely to attract new residents with fastergrowing wages than comparable regions with limited infrastructure.

Anik Champoux, programs and marketing director at POW, explains how her organization can work with the government to help amplify these benefits: “At the end of the day sometimes the economic argument resonates. Government investment in the outdoor industry is currently comparatively lower than other sectors on a per-job and contribution to GDP basis…. We are asking the government to measure, monitor and invest in the economic and social benefits of outdoor recreation and support it at parity with other sectors.”

“The outdoor industry is the major economic driver in Collingwood and countless other rural communities across Canada,” adds POW executive director David Erb. “Shortening ski seasons, wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather events are major challenges facing these communities. At POW, we unite stakeholders including resorts, tourism boards, chambers, athletes and others to lobby for policy solutions to climate change.”

Check the report at www.protectourwinters.ca.

Raise the Woof!

Local trail welcomes pups and their people

words :: Colin Field

If you’ve never seen dog-powered sports, Teal’s Tango at Highlands Nordic is a great place to witness the excitement firsthand—or even give it a try.

The 3-kilometre, dog-friendly groomed crosscountry ski loop is the brainchild of Kelly Sinclair, co-owner at Highlands. Sinclair opened Teal’s Tango— named for her pooch, Teal—in the 2020–21 season, and it quickly became a hit.

Folks bring their dogs from around the region, whether for training, racing or just a fun outing. There’s a mix of experienced skijoring teams and casual dog owners with high-energy pups (and sometimes tiny, non-pulling companions). While some of the regulars train for serious races, most are just out to enjoy the snow with their dogs.

As a dog-powered sport, skijoring requires a few specialized pieces of equipment to keep everyone safe and healthy: a fitted belt for the human, a pull-specific harness for the dog and a long, springy bungee line with a quick-release system.

While the dog-friendly trail doesn’t have direct

snowmaking capabilities, it’s groomed daily, making it a reliable spot even in less-snowy conditions. It’s a local favourite for both people and dogs looking to stretch their legs—and paws—on a winter’s day.

While most visitors are local, some come from farther away. A standout for Sinclair is Team Running Husky, a couple that trains rigorously with their dogs.

“We’re from the GTA, so we travel two hours each way to go to Highlands Nordic. We’re so grateful they allow skijoring,” says Floriane Ono-dit-Biot of Team Running Husky. (Her husband, JC, is the 2023 Canadian skijoring champion.)

“Places with groomed trails that allow for dogs on the trails are so rare, especially in Southern Ontario,” she says. “The Highlands Nordic loop is so nicely groomed—it’s perfect. When the dogs are in top shape, we loop around three to four times.”

The couple is part of a niche community dedicated to skijoring, but Sinclair caters to everyday dog owners just looking for a fun winter activity. For her, Teal’s Tango isn’t just a trail—it’s a living project, one that combines her passions for skiing, dogs and creating a welcoming space for the community.

Sam Greer and Archie zip around Teal’s Tango at Highlands Nordic. DEAN HELIOTIS

PADDLING PARADISE

Sometimes, in order to really Get Outside, you need to physically get away. Break out of the everyday humdrum and check out what’s beyond the horizon. Maybe it’s a mid-week road trip, an attitude-changing vacation or a once-in-a-lifetime excursion. In this Mountain Life Winter Travel Feature, we’re highlighting four outdoor experiences—from the Arctic Ocean to our collective backyard—to whet your whistle for adventure and get you off the couch and out the door this season. – Ed.

travel feature

Mindful moments in the Northwest Passage

words :: Marissa Dolotallas

Kayaking through glassy waters, my hull brushing against brash ice, I’m mesmerized by the reflections in the water: The jagged peaks and the tidewater glacier are crisp images ahead of my paddle. I quickly fall into a comfortable rhythm, almost hypnotic. Meditation in motion. Being at sea level offers a unique experience in the Arctic. It’s peaceful. Silent. An intimate connection with the environment.

But I’m not alone. I’m joined by 12 other paddlers and another kayak. I keep a careful watch over our guests and call out, “It’s time for our mindful minute.”

Without hesitation, they move into position. Each tandem kayak finds its preferred spot, creating space. Space to view the landscape and the glacier, to feel the energy and just be. I watch each paddler put their phones and cameras away, then smile widely and guide them: “Deep breath inhale… Exhale slowly… Tune into the essence of the present moment, enjoy the silence—and breathe.” They know the routine by now. Using their senses one at a time, they savour this happy place.

We’re tucked into the Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord in Greenland. (In Greenlandic, Kangerlussuatsiaq means “the rather big fjord.” The Danish name, Evighedsfjorden, translates to “the fjord of eternity.”)

Above us the Taterat Glacier lines the shore like a wall, rising high and ready to rumble. It’s fed by the Greenland ice sheet, which is the second-largest ice sheet in the world.

The kayaking program is available to guests as part of all expedition cruises with Adventure Canada. The travel company offers trips throughout the east coast of Canada and the Arctic, from the west end of the Northwest Passage to Greenland, visiting historical landmarks and Inuit communities along the way. Every other year, Adventure Canada offers a European extension that includes Scotland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Each itinerary depends on the sea and ice conditions—after all, it is an expedition.

I’ve been working as a kayak guide, yoga instructor and Zodiac driver with Adventure Canada for three years. Looking back over

my journey, I see how the dots have connected—but arriving at this place involved many leaps of faith and saying “yes” to unconventional opportunities.

Out on the kayaks, I take a moment. With each exhale, I relax my shoulders, chest, arms, legs and allow any tension to slip away. My breath is calm and my senses sharpen with ease. The colours seem brighter; I notice the subtleties of hues along the mountainsides and along the glacier front. I hear kittiwakes chirping and chatting as they look down upon us, perched high along the cliff walls. There’s a slight rumbling from an orchestra of cascading meltwater from a hidden glacier above. I feel fair winds gently tickling my hair. The sun warms my cheeks. I dip my fingers in the water. It’s crisp and fresh. I smell bird guano. It’s a sensory extravaganza brought by a mindful moment in Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord as we make our way across the Davis Strait.

Enroute through the Northwest Passage, we form a line of Zodiacs winding and weaving our way around shallow shoals through a narrow entrance to Coningham Bay—a popular destination for both belugas and polar bears. Getting stuck is not an option here. My eyes scan the waters and the beach, staying close behind my Zodiac buddy with the firearm and other bear deterrents.

We spot more polar bears in the distance and realize we’ve lost count today: We’ve seen more than 10, maybe as many as 15.

Near the shoreline is a mother and her two cubs, feeding off a beluga carcass. It’s a surreal moment as we watch each bear tug away on the meat with mom in the middle. Gulls hang back, waiting. This moment is a first—for both me and the guests. It’s incredible. I hear cameras clicking away as I motion that it’s time to go. We motor on slowly, allowing the bears to feast in peace. The wildlife wonder of this chilly morning Zodiac cruise continues.

Ahead, I notice an odd movement in the water between our boat and the beach. There’s no splash. Something is pushing the water at a slow and steady pace. My heart starts to race—and my mind quickly runs through various options. Polar bear? No. Beluga? Not sure. I can’t see any white or colour. Then it hits me. Could it be a narwhal—the unicorn of the sea? Yes! I can see the rounded head. This rare sighting is confirmed by my Zodiac buddy, Wayne, who is an Inuk and very familiar with the ways of the narwhal.

Within minutes, we spot our first polar bear. Then another, and another. Across the bay in the lowlands, we see a lone bear casually sauntering.

Within minutes, we spot our first polar bear. Then another, and another. Across the bay in the lowlands, we see a lone bear casually sauntering. In the water a mother and her cub swim, rolling and splashing about. We keep a safe distance away (at least 200 metres, in accordance with the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators). It’s endearing to watch and witness the tenderness between mother and child despite their status as apex predators. Our voices are excited yet purposely muted as we exchange oohs and ahhs. We motor on.

No belugas are in sight, but there’s plenty of evidence they were here. Their skeletons are scattered throughout the shore, some bleached with exposure over time. Glaucous gulls pick at leftovers.

This particular narwhal is oblivious to my presence—or at least unconcerned. I am stunned and choke back tears of disbelief. The guests in my Zodiac are just as shocked. I motion to everyone to keep still and silent and we slow to a crawl. I identify her as a female as I can’t see a tusk, which is typically grown only by males. She must know we’re here, yet she swims so near to us. What a gift!

Coningham Bay is located on the southeast coast of Prince of Wales Island in Nunavut, along the Northwest Passage. Belugas are known to migrate here for a seasonal summer moult (and perhaps narwhals do, as well). To shed their old skin and any buildup of bacteria, they rub their bodies on the gravel bottom. It’s a day at the spa with a full-body scrub, leaving their skin smoother and more hydrodynamic. But the shallow waters of the bay can also be their demise. If they get trapped or beached at low tide, belugas become easy prey for polar bears. The bears have been biding their time, patiently patrolling the shore, ready to pounce. Who should I cheer for in this survival situation? I’m torn.

DANNY CATT/ADVENTURE CANADA

An incredible privilege of working in the Canadian Arctic is learning about the Inuit culture and their history from the Inuit themselves, through presentations on board the ship and visits to local Inuit hamlets and communities.

On board one evening, Martha Flaherty—an Inuk and Inuit cultural educator sailing with us—hosts a movie night featuring her documentary, Martha of the North. In the film and in a short question-and-answer session, she shares her experience of being relocated to Grise Fiord from Inukjuak with her family when she was only 5 years old, a result of the false promises of the Inuit High Arctic Relocation program of the 1950s.

Martha is a remarkable woman and I’m honoured to call her a friend. Not only is she a producer and filmmaker, but also an Inuktitut interpreter, translator and former president of Pauktuutit, the national Inuit women’s organization of Canada. Her story continues with an upcoming sequel, Shadow of Nanook

These connections both on board and ashore enhance our holistic experience. Adventure Canada visits several Inuit communities, offering unique opportunities to learn about their culture through foods, drum dancing, throat singing and storytelling.

While visiting these remote villages, we’re able to meet artists and carvers and thank them directly for their work. At each stop, I purchase beaded earrings and carvings—polar bears, muskox and polar bears claim space on my mantel—building a collection over time that has significant meaning to me.

Other stops throughout the Canadian Arctic and the Northwest Passage include Beechey Island—where Sir John Franklin overwintered and three of his men perished—and the 2-billion-year-

old stromatolites at Port Epworth. These are one of the oldest forms of life: Through photosynthesis, stromatolites acted as an oxygenmaking factory, which allowed for the evolution of other organisms, including humans.

In Powell Inlet, my paddle slices the calm water in silent reverie while I keep an eye on the other paddlers around me—and on the walruses swimming along the shoreline. Having admired them earlier from the safety of our Zodiac and not wanting to cause any undue stress (knowing how territorial they can be), we keep a safe distance. Paddling along, we are in awe of our surroundings. How immense it all is. Feeling small is incredibly freeing and healing.

I point out the geology ahead. The rocks tell a tale of The Great Unconformity: The granitic gneiss rocks on the bottom are approximately 2.5 billion years old, while the sandstone and limestone beds above are approximately half a billion years old. I wonder about the 2 billion years of earth’s history between. We glide on. Paddling with a huddle of walruses nearby and geological wonders towering above—and the polar bear at the end of the bay spotted by our bear guards—is a lot to process.

Words can wait. Taking mindful moments with each stroke, my eyes savour the striking landscape. My heart is filled with peace. My spirit soars high. I paddle on.

Marissa Dolotallas is a local paddling instructor and guide who leads groups in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as the Georgian Bay. Learn more about Marissa and her work at www.riseandshineadventures.com.

A welcome ceremony by the Tununiq Arsarniit Theatre Group in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut. JEN DERBACH PHOTOGRAPHY/ADVENTURE CANADA

Fabulous Fernie travel feature

Utopian ski town lives up to its legendary name

words and photos :: Kristin Schnelten

We’re well into our second hour of après at the Griz. Every seat is full. Helmets, goggles and mitts teeter on table ends. Steam rises from base layers and pools in the rafters. Pom poms and braids bobble on the dance floor.

I weave my way back from the bar with another round and find our new best friend Phil (along with our other new best friends, Jacques, Reagan and April—names I will undoubtedly forget before lunch tomorrow) huddled together with my husband. Phil spins around and shouts at me, “Fernie sucks! Don’t go!”

We laugh, clink glasses, choose our shot-ski lineup. But Phil isn’t giving up: “Tell your friends! Fernie sucks!”

These guys are locals—some long-term, others recent imports. They’re proud of their home mountain and happy to share it with us.

Doling out guide-level advice and divulging insider hints on town hot spots, they clearly don’t mind visitors. They simply don’t want it to change.

And it’s easy to see why.

A gritty but charming town with a steep but accessible mountain, Fernie is a true gem—a just-right bowl of porridge that hits that elusive sweet spot, with an international community that delivers perpetually welcoming vibes.

We’re here on an extended vacation, in an attempt to scratch a ceaseless itch. That part of us that screams, downright pleads, “Let’s move to the mountains!” but is muffled by a list of facts and figures that can silence the loudest dream. For now, two weeks is all we get. So we’re making the most of it.

For this do-it-like-a-local vacation, we’ve bunked up exactly where a local wouldn’t: a ski-in, ski-out slopeside condo at the Lizard Creek Lodge, just steps from the chairlift. But what better way to cozy up to the real skiers than to interact with them all day, every day?

We quickly befriend our cast and crew of Aussies: Lulu checks our skis and lets us in on her life ambitions; between courses at the Cirque, Ailish gives my ski-town-scheming son advice on shared housing; and we’re pretty sure we’ve stumbled upon the most genuinely positive lifties in the ski world. The nonchalant down-under attitude seeps into every conversation, and we feel like we’re part of the crew.

The day we arrive, lifts finally reopen after a three-day lowtemperature closure. Three days of continuous, airy snowfall. Three days of an empty mountain, piling up with untouched snow. The snow towering on our deck railing is easily two feet deep, and the major task at hand is digging out of this unbelievable cycle.

It’s the famed Fernie Factor, and we’ve managed to hit it square on.

Our first few days are a jumble of whoops and grins, my son stuck on an infinite loop of “I’m just so happy!” declarations. We make frequent hot chocolate breaks (the frigid temps are barely above the passable line) and collapse into exhausted après crumples.

Some of us stick to the lower runs, choosing a favourite and figure-eighting our own tracks. Others head to the top, where there always seems to be a higher lift. And each time we think we’ve found the further bowl, there’s another. And another.

Some evenings we muster the energy to hit the town: At the Brickhouse we each declare our meal the best on the table, greedily blocking one another from sneaking another taste, and at Yamagoya Sushi we rock-paper-scissors for the coveted last piece. And, because Fernie is Fernie, one night we manage to score an invitation to a private Electric Blanket punk show—the next morning somehow finding ourselves hiking to watch Dylan Siggers film a street segment for his upcoming ski movie.

One afternoon we track down Benji and Zephyr, a ski patrol/ avy dog duo who are happy to give us a search-and-rescue demonstration and offer insight into life as a pro patroller. Another morning we briefly hit the cross-country track, checking out the trail

system before realizing we need to squeeze every drop we can out of these deep pow days.

Because the flipside of the Fernie Factor is what lies between those epic storms—and if you stay long enough you’ll get to experience it, as well. The latter days of our trip see the snow on our deck completely wash away and the shops handing out makeshift rain ponchos. With wet conditions at the bottom and snow on the peaks, some of us manage to squirrel out hidden pockets of fresh snow and still find bottomless turns. Others take the opportunity to rest weary legs.

Downtown, we sample all the flavours of handmade Big Bang Bagels as will fit into our overfilled bellies and we load up on edible souvenirs at the Beanpod, where melted chocolate is piped straight from the bean-to-chocolate workspace to a Wonka-esque countertop tap.

Early on we discover penguin stickers dotted throughout the mountain—stuck on the backs of chairs, slapped onto lift towers. Finding them becomes a game: Who can spot the most in a day? We eventually learn it isn’t a penguin at all, but a free-range duck, created by a visiting ski instructor from the U.K. The point of the unnamed duck: purely to spread joy. We try in vain to secure a stack of our own, but perhaps our lack of success is a good thing. This duck and his joy belong right here.

Michael, our shuttle driver who’s dutifully ferried us around town for the better part of two weeks, drops us back at the lodge for the last time, and I find myself tearing up a bit at the farewell. After reconvening at the Griz for a final round, we hug our goodbyes to tablemates and attempt to double-ski home.

When hiking boots inevitably slip from top sheets, I find myself arse over teakettle at the foot of a liftie just closing up shop. Our shared laughter echoes across the empty run and I lie there, gazing at the sleeping mountain and the endless sky overhead, and think, “Phil’s right. Please don’t change Fernie. Ever.”

Keepin’ It Stokely

Tradition is king at Stokely Creek Lodge

words :: Lisa Pottier

photos :: Colin Field

A storied cross-country ski lodge, just north of The Soo. Five 40-something friends, seeking downtime and connection. A forecast of crisp, sunny days—and a promise of cozy evenings. We were sold.

Stokely Creek Lodge. We’d only heard whispers of stories. The internet said it would be laid-back and welcoming; the photos we could find seemed to confirm. We hoped for the best, booked our room and made the seven-hour drive, on clear roads fueled by laughter.

From the moment we arrive, we feel we’re entering a magical world. Abandoning our vehicle in the parking area, we load our gear onto trailers pulled by snowmobiles then walk ten minutes through the woods. As we crunch along the path, I’m filled with curiosity, wondering what stories lie ahead for us.

We round the final corner and I’m taken by my first view of the main lodge: With greyed cedar shingles, bright-red window frames and a nearby stream, it’s the kind of rustic accommodation that says, “Welcome. You’re home.”

Although a few private chalets dot the property, we’ve chosen a dorm room in the lodge, and we pile like students into our simple space with its mezzanine and single bathroom. The room is smallish, and although we don’t feel squished, we’ll definitely get to know each other very well here.

Before dinner that first night, we take time to explore. We peek through doors to discover room after room with walls covered with old photos and maps, then follow hallways to find two saunas, finally settling into a lounge room with comfortable corners, choosing a spot beside the open fireplace to hang out with our bottle of wine, books and yoga mats.

For the next five days, we leave our adult worlds behind: no computers, no to-do lists and no decision-making beyond which sauna to choose and which trail to take. It’s pure relief: a rare chance for a freeing adventure, the kind of short window in life where each day is an opportunity to connect with your deep self.

Stokely is an all-inclusive lodge; guests eat together in a common room three times per day (unless you choose a packed lunch for the trail), with a buffet breakfast and set menu each night. Sit with your friends or join a table to make new ones. It really feels like a community here.

And most guests choose a week on the calendar and stick to that routine, returning year after year. Co-owner Sue Byker says only 30 to 40 per cent of their guests are like us, experiencing our first-ever trip to Stokely: “Everybody knows each other quite well. In particular, the week they come. They return each year to reconnect with friends they met here.”

Sue and her husband, Gaylen, purchased the lodge along with another couple 16 years ago after decades of annual visits, making

travel feature

the decision then to “keep it Stokely.” Sue says, “When people buy an organization, they often change it so much that it isn’t it anymore.

We’ve really been careful.” They’ve renovated and upgraded over the years, but keeping the character and the energy is always the goal.

“When we bought it, my daughter said, ‘Don’t change anything. Not even that picture on the wall!’”

We feel that appreciation for yesterday, in both the lodging and the people. And, as we eventually find ourselves in long conversations with our fellow guests, we see how easy it would be to become a regular visitor. There’s a familiarity here—a familial, communal pride for a well-loved home away from home.

Just the act of leaving your vehicle behind and immersing yourself in the place is a welcome removal from reality. In the parking lot we noticed a wide variety of cars, from old Subarus to Land Rovers and sports cars, but here in the lodge, we’re all just skiers in winter lounge clothes. I love how it feels like an inclusive, judgementfree circle.

inclines, easy to technical trails, frozen lakes, endless woods—and warming huts equipped with wood stoves, which warm our frozen butts. Our group of five is composed of a strong-willed beginner, a free spirit in her element and three not-so-confident intermediate skiers, determined to complete every trail in the network. We each find our way to the viewpoint on Lake Superior, a quiet place for a deep breath and broad smile, appreciating just how special this location is.

Stokely has it all: gentle to steep inclines, easy to technical trails, frozen lakes, endless woods—and warming huts equipped with wood stoves, which warm our frozen butts.

We quickly fall into a routine, exploring the more than 90 kilometres of trails each day. Stokely has it all: gentle to steep

The layout of the trails makes it easy to adventure a few times a day with the lodge or clubhouse as home base. We choose separate paths, then regather for lunch. Some hit the sauna, others repeat their favourite rolling loop trail. And there’s still time to enjoy a book in front of the fire or book a massage.

Our last night coincides with many others’, and after dinner the community— our community now—is rosy with wine and jovial enough to share toast after toast of gratitude to our hosts, to new friends and to this place. A place filled with history and charm, one that feels like a second home, one that we agree we have to visit again. We make plans to return at the same time next year, to pick up just where we left off.

On the Rocks

Off-season adventuring at the Grotto

words :: Allison Kennedy Davies

In high school, we used to skip class to go to the Grotto. We’d drive up the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula without a care in the world, with no parking reservation and with zero concerns that our favourite place might be too busy. We had no idea how lucky we were. A postpandemic era in the Tobermory area is a different reality. Visits to the Grotto now need to be booked well in advance, locals know to avoid the summer months and the Bruce Peninsula National Park sees enough visitors that it’s expanded to include winter offerings.

Despite having been to the Grotto at least a dozen times on my own, I recently joined Eco Adventures on their Snowshoe the Grotto program. I wasn’t too sure what to expect. After all, what could a

local guide tell me that I didn’t already know about this place? It turns out I had a lot to learn.

From cedar tea prepared trailside to details about the geology of the Niagara Escarpment itself and frequent stops to identify tracks in the snow, the Eco Adventure guides offered a window into a deeper

Local guides are passionate about inspiring visitors to become stewards of the peninsula’s future.

layer of information about this place I loved. The highlight of the day was snowshoeing along the Bruce Trail to the water’s edge, safely traversing the ice and down into the Grotto itself. With the ice

Don Wilkes at the Grotto, Bruce Peninsula National Park. ETHAN MELEG

groaning and shifting, those steps are ones I wouldn’t have had the skills or confidence to take without an experienced leader at the helm to inspect the ice thickness and choose the safest route.

This wintertime tour is one of many offered by Eco Adventures,

The BPBA launched Eco Adventures with two primary goals: to generate revenue in support of their key projects and to foster a deeper connection between visitors and the Bruce Peninsula’s natural wonders.

a program created by the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association (BPBA). Tasked with preserving one of the world’s most unique ecosystems, the BPBA helps to protect the peninsula, which is in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. With no formal conservation authority in the region, the BPBA tackles everything from waterquality monitoring to wetland revitalization, bioremediation projects and the installation of more than 50 EV chargers spanning from Wiarton to Tobermory.

The BPBA launched Eco Adventures with two primary goals: to generate revenue in support of those key projects and to foster a deeper connection between visitors and the Bruce Peninsula’s natural wonders. The sustainable, off-peak tours steer clear of crowded hot

spots, encouraging participants to fall in love with the very spaces they help to conserve.

Running from early January to early March, Snowshoe the Grotto was recently rebranded Journey to the Winter Grotto to account for unpredictable snowfall. The tour allows visitors to get a closeup experience on the trail with hiking boots, ice cleats or snowshoes, depending on conditions. Along the way, guides share information about the area’s ecology, geology and history, making time for the group to explore the shoreline in a peace and quiet rarely found during peak tourist season.

To reach their lofty goals of fundraising and education, Eco Adventures offers a list of excursions throughout the year, including night hikes and daytime nature walks. The after-hours hikes provide a unique opportunity to experience the peninsula’s wilderness with a focus on night ecology and stargazing. In late February and early March, the peninsula’s owls become particularly active and the Owl Prowl begins. Taking place in Lindsay Tract’s wetlands and forests, the programming offers visitors a rare chance to learn about nocturnal owl behaviour.

Later, in warmer weather, I joined another guided tour at Lindsay Tract; this one focused on bushcraft, and our guide made frequent stops to point out tiny mushrooms and fungi I’d otherwise have flown right by. We stepped just off the trail to view some large black claw marks in a beech tree left by a black bear climbing to the top. I’ve been back to that same section of trail many times and I’ve never successfully found those claw marks again. It’s funny what a great guide can unearth for you.

The expertise of these local guides transforms each hike into a memorable experience and brings the landscape to life, and they’re passionate about inspiring visitors to become stewards of the peninsula’s future. Says Eco Adventures guide Caeli Mazara: “If you know what is there to protect, you become more inspired to protect it.”

Learn more about Eco Adventures tours and their mission at www.myecoadventures.ca.

Journey to the Winter Grotto on a bluebird day, with insight from a knowledgeable Eco Adventures guide. ALLISON KENNEDY DAVIES

All mountain. All day.

First tracks, full sends and every run in-between—spend your longest days in jackets, bibs and pants built to keep you out there.

Yellow Birch $1,499,000

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THE URBAN

Dispensary

Are you a Blue Mountain resident? Or just visiting the area searching for a reliable cannabis dispensary that addresses the common frustrations with legal cannabis quality? Look no further than Soma Leaf Co., conveniently located in the heart of Thornbury, just a short 10-15 minute drive from the scenic escarpment ski hills. Visit us at 99 King Street East, directly across from the Thornbury Cidery.

Soma Leaf Co. is your local source for high-quality, premium cannabis products. Open seven days a week— Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.—we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all cannabis enthusiasts.

Step inside Soma Leaf Co. and be greeted by an inviting atmosphere, featuring elegant wood finishes, gold accents, and a carefully curated aesthetic that reflects our commitment to quality. Explore our expansive wellness section with a variety of CBD products tailored to various consumption preferences.

Our mission is simple: to provide accessible, premium cannabis that enriches your experience. Our thoughtfully curated menu emphasizes quality over quantity, offering a wide selection of Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, and CBD options. Enjoy various consumption methods, including flowers, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, beverages, oils, and topicals.

“Every product sitting on our shelves has been tried, tested and approved by at least one team member, ” says the Soma Leaf Co. team.

Whether you're visiting us in-store or shopping online, our knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you in finding products that align with your desired cannabis experience—whether you're looking to energize, relax, or enhance intimate moments. We also carry an array of smoking accessories and merchandise, including high-quality pipes, bongs, lighters, grinders, and more to meet the needs of the modern cannabis user.

For Blue Mountain locals and visitors seeking a dispensary that truly caters to their needs, Soma Leaf Co. is a must-visit destination. Discover the premium products and exceptional service we are proud to offer.

Visit us at www.somaleaf.ca and stay connected by following us on Instagram and Facebook @somaleafcompany for the latest updates and promotions.

Cold Storage

The

hidden winter lives of aquatic species

words :: Leslie Anthony

As a biologist, canoeist and skier, I’ve always been fascinated by the complete transformation of an environment from one season to another, and how this change impacts different forms of life. For many land organisms, winter means hibernation or brumation (a specialized metabolic slow-down in cold-blooded critters), but in water—a medium which, save for temperature, remains fluid throughout the winter—things aren’t as black and white: Differing degrees of movement and activity make winter life in water a little greyer.

As an example, a recent study of winter distribution in lake trout and smallmouth bass found that biotic interactions between

these species change dramatically with seasonal shifts in environmental conditions. Specifically, ice-covered periods—broadly perceived as a stressor for all fishes—appear to play a unique role: though denizens of deep, cold, offshore waters during summer, lake trout are drawn by the changing temperature and oxygen gradients of winter into shallower, nearshore areas occupied by smallmouth bass. Lest these top carnivores suddenly find themselves battling for resources, however, nature seems to have worked it out. While the trout remain active throughout winter, the bass enter a state of semi-dormancy, slowing their swimming and eating to levels that obviate any competition between these typically spatially separated species; when the ice melts and surface

waters warm, the trout head back to depth while the bass resume feeding.

To appreciate why such behaviour evolved requires a nod to the chemistry and physics of seasonal lake hydrology. While shallow lakes mix frequently and feature more uniform temperatures top-to-bottom in all seasons, lakes deeper than six metres tend to stratify during both summer and winter in gradients that prevent mixing of top and bottom layers. That’s because water, unlike most liquids, is densest at 4 C—meaning it’s lighter at both warmer and cooler temperatures. Thus, in summer, warmer, less-dense water floats atop a cooler, denser layer—it might be 20 C at the surface but single digits only a few metres down (as you’ve doubtless noticed); in

winter, less-dense, close-to-freezing water also floats atop a denser layer—which is why ice both forms on the surface and floats. In between these states, the lakes undergo “turnover.” In autumn, as air temperatures dive, stratification in the water column breaks down; once surface waters reach 4 C they sink toward the lower 4 C layer, causing a lake-wide mixing of nutrients and oxygen; in spring, ice-off allows the colder upper layer to rapidly warm to 4 C, precipitating a similar flop.

The biggest winter challenge for fish is the availability of oxygen, which becomes limited under a surface stilled by ice, where light is in short supply and plants consume oxygen instead of producing it. Oxygen can fall so dramatically in small, shallow lakes

that fish suffer hypoxia or even suffocate. Dead fish decompose, which consumes more oxygen and causes more fatalities, a snowball effect that can lead to winterkill the death of most or all lake organisms. But different lake fish have different tricks to

where dissolved oxygen is higher; bottomdwellers move to the lake’s edges where the water is oxygenated down to the substrate; mud minnows can breathe gaseous air, surviving on oxygen trapped in air bubbles beneath the ice.

Prime overwintering habitat can be both very specific and in short supply for some turtle species, meaning many congregate in the same place, leaving them vulnerable to predation if the hideout is discovered by a marauding otter.

avoid hypoxia: darters emigrate from the lake into flowing water before ice forms; sticklebacks and minnows remain in the lake, but move to inlets of freshwater streams

Lakes lose oxygen from the bottom up, so fish that frequent deeper habitats—such as the aforementioned lake trout—move to shallows, where oxygen in the ice slowly

dissolves into the water. Northern pike create their own areas of high oxygen: Resting at an angle, noses almost touching the ice, they slowly fan pectoral fins and gill-covers to create a weak current of warm water that melts a dome of oxygen-rich water into the ice.

But hanging out close to ice comes with its own challenges, which you’ve probably already thought of. Yes, this is now the coldest part of the lake, at or below 1 C with a risk of hypothermia. Fish employ one of two tactics to counter this risk: conserving energy, as with small- and largemouth bass that reduce metabolic, respiratory and

temperature and metabolic rates compared to summer, but continuing to hunt for food; with low prey densities, however, there is some reliance on fat stored from summer. Minimizing energy use, most species hold in slow, deep pools, while smaller fish and newly hatched fry find cover in the interstices of coarse gravel and cobble. An unstable ice environment (ephemeral dams, frazil, anchor ice, etc.) caused by frequent thawing and freezing events (hello climate change!) can force fish from holding pools, rapidly stripping their energy reserves. Some rivers, however, have built in respite— because beavers. Beaver ponds are vital

Beaver ponds are vital overwintering habitat for many trout; dams halt the movement of frazil and anchor ice and form deep pools that maintain consistent water levels.

feeding activity to rely more on fat reserves to survive, or actually increasing feeding, respiration and general activity, as in yellow perch, sunfish, walleye and northern pike, all of which put on the feed-bag early during ice-over as the weed cover that previously protected their small prey dies back. This strategy means feeding actively throughout winter—which is probably why ice fishers love them.

River fish employ a mix of these two strategies, drastically reducing body

overwintering habitat for many trout; dams halt the movement of frazil and anchor ice and form deep pools that maintain consistent water levels.

Areas with groundwater are another important overwintering habitat for fish and their eggs, as well as animals like turtles, many of which are more active in winter than previously thought and, in lieu of breathing air, employ the neat trick of absorbing oxygen from the water through their buttholes. Unfortunately, prime

overwintering habitat can be both very specific and in short supply for some turtle species, meaning many congregate in the same place, leaving them vulnerable to predation if the hideout is discovered by a marauding otter.

Now that we’ve fully broken the fish spell, what’s everyone else doing?

Frogs and newts burrow into sediments along pond and lake bottoms for at least parts of the winter; toads, salamanders and wood frogs (a species that can actually freeze solid) overwinter on land. In lakes, both phytoplankton and zooplankton settle downward to overwinter in the relatively warmer sediments. Bottom-dwelling invertebrates typically burrow into the substrate of the littoral zone—the area where, in spring, light will reach the bottom in sufficient quantity to promote plant growth. But many of these behaviours are context-dependent, hinging on the type of water body, the amount of oxygen, and winter weather—much of which is being altered by climate change. Indeed, under certain conditions that have become common in Ontario—like, thin, clear ice— winter biological activity can be high, and even include algal blooms.

What does this all mean? Basically, that my fascination with seasonal transformations is itself transforming, and that understanding their impacts is going to get greyer than ever.

Wood frogs hibernate beneath leaf litter and can freeze solid for months, but they’re the first to start calling in spring. ILLUSTRATION BY © ANDREA CHEUNG / WWW.I2IART.COM

BRING ON THE SNOW!

The high-tech science of snowmaking at Blue Mountain

words :: Carl Michener

photos :: Kristin Schnelten

In Ontario, getting first tracks almost always means tearing down unblemished corduroy. Some mornings it’s got an icy crust, on others it’s so soft it’s almost slushy and on the most memorable days it’s just right: firm, smooth and holds an edge like nothing else.

If you ever wondered how that corduroy magically appears morning after morning, whether the darkness brought a blizzard or a monsoon, here’s the skinny.

It starts with hundreds of elves with little shovels. They live in burrows in the trees between ski runs and they—okay, no it doesn’t, as fun as that idea might be. That magical morning ‘roy starts with a dedicated team of snowmakers who toil night and day, mostly at night when temperatures plummet and slopes are deserted.

At Blue Mountain Resort, automated systems enable snowmakers to activate dozens of guns at once with the push of a button, allowing teams to cover slopes quickly as conditions allow. “It used to take hours to turn on that many guns manually,” explains Andrew Garbutt, director of golf, grounds and slope maintenance. “Now, it’s all about optimizing every minute we have in those smaller cold windows.”

While automation has drastically reduced the physical labour involved, it hasn’t eliminated the need for skilled snowmakers. The job requires constant monitoring and adjusting, especially as temperatures fluctuate. Some snow guns can make snow at -2.5 C, while others require -4 C to -5 C.

One of the most critical tasks that snowmakers have is controlling the density of the snow that their guns produce. Snowmakers can change the water-to-air ratio in each gun to produce either wet, dense snow or drier, powdery snow, depending on conditions. Wet snow forms a durable base, while drier snow creates a more skier-friendly surface. Today’s machine-made snow is often indistinguishable from the real stuff.

Snow guns have become intrinsic to skiing in southern Ontario. There was a time when they were used to fill in a few bare patches between snowfalls. Now the challenge isn’t just about filling gaps between dumps, but about creating a snow base from scratch.

As ski seasons in Ontario have become more unpredictable, advanced snowmaking systems are absolutely essential to consistent, quality snow cover—especially during El Niño winters like last year’s. “We used to get -7 C or -10 C for extended periods of time,” says Garbutt. “Now it could be 24 hours.”

Snowmaking technicians Noah Matthews-Hill and Sarah Wells coordinate snow guns and on-hill teams using the automation application Mr. Flakey—a simple moniker for a complex system.

With shorter and less-predictable cold snaps, snowmaking teams need to be agile and quick. That means better equipment and shorter prep times.

Back in the 1970s, it took half a day or longer to drag widely spaced snow guns into place, hook them up and turn them on. In 1996, Blue Mountain took a major step forward by installing an automated snowmaking system. Snow guns could be turned on and off remotely, allowing the team to respond quickly to cold snaps and maximize snow coverage. Today, Blue Mountain has a total of 850 snow guns. They’re tightly packed, with the distance between them shrinking from 150 to 300 feet apart in the ‘90s to an average of 80 feet today. This incredible number of guns can produce lots of snow very quickly, and with good coverage. Now groomers can simply knock the tops from mounds covering the slopes rather than move big piles of snow onto bare patches.

“With the snow guns we have, we can blanket Smart Alec with around a metre of snow in 48 to 72 hours, given the right conditions,” says Garbutt. In mid-November, Garbutt’s snowmaking team of six was already busy during the wee hours. “If we can make snow, we’re making snow,” says Garbutt. “When we get a 24-hour cold snap at minus seven, we go as hard as we can.” If you ever wondered why snow guns are active in the middle of the day when you’re out skiing, there’s your answer: There’s no way around it.

The job requires constant monitoring and adjusting, especially as temperatures fluctuate. Some snow guns can make snow at -2.5 C, while others require -4 C to -5 C

Snowmaking starts with water—lots of water. Blue Mountain’s comes from a large cistern on the property as well as from nearby ponds at Monterra Golf, which are in turn fed by a pipeline from Georgian Bay. Water is pumped into subterranean pipes that extend to the top of the slopes, pressurized to 600 pounds per square inch (psi). That’s about six times the pressure of your average firefighter hose. Ka-pow! Eight pumphouses and dozens of water lines power the resort’s system of snow guns stationed across Blue Mountain’s 360 acres of skiable terrain.

At about 2.5 guns per acre, Blue Mountain’s runs are quickly covered with a fairly uniform distribution of snow. But there are still areas where sled guns need to be pulled into place, and some runs aren’t serviced at all. The goal is to continue refining and expanding the system for total coverage.

Since ski-hill grooming began, it has pretty much always involved huge bulldozer-like machines pushing snow uphill, downhill and across. While that hasn’t changed, there’s less guesswork now. Back in the day, great grooming depended to a large extent on how well machine operators knew their terrain. That way, they could avoid scraping snow off the crests of hills (remember those long brown streaks?) and building two metres of depth into the natural dips of a run. Now, onboard systems like SNOWRIGHT use GPS to show groomer operators the depth of snow in real time. This helps them to keep a uniform depth—Blue Mountain aims for one metre— and saves on both snowmaking and grooming.

Like many southern Ontario ski hills, Blue Mountain continues to invest in snowmaking infrastructure. Its goals are total slope coverage, consistent snow from the start to the end of each season, better water management and better energy efficiency. Things like variablefrequency drives for compressors and pumps and lower-energy snow guns are all potential ingredients in reducing the environmental impact of snowmaking without sacrificing snow quality.

So that’s the skinny on snowmaking. Next time you hit the corduroy, think of all the work and dedication that goes into making it happen. And show those elves some love!

Even guns controlled via computer require hands-on connection.

ar ts & cultural centre

Jan. 10 - Pursuits Film Fest 7

Jan. 17 - Green River Revival CCR Tribute

Jan. 18 - Goddo 50 Years Who Cares!

Jan. 24 - The Trews

Jan. 25 - Tartan Terrors Celebrate in Celtic style on Robbie Burns Day

Feb. 1 - For the Love of Dance Collingwood School of Dance

Feb. 8 - Black Gold Motown, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Disco & more

Feb. 14 - Aaron Goodvin with River Town Saints

Feb. 22 - Elton Sean - Early Elton Experience

Feb. 28 - Jersey Nights Tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Mar. 15 - Glass Tiger This Island Earth, with guest VJ Erica Ehm

Mar. 22 - Simply Queen Live Tribute

Apr. 2 - The Songs of Stevie Nicks & Sheryl Crow

Apr. 25 - Hotel California The Original Eagles Tribute

Apr. 29 - Ron James Not Nearly Done Yet!

May 1 - Garth & Shania Tribute Concert

May 13 - Gowan

June 27 - Strange Magic - The ELO Experience

words :: Allison Kennedy Davies

Surf HQ

Sitting down over a cup of coffee, eyes glassy from a lack of sleep during months of construction, Curtis Eichenberger’s face lights up when he talks about being in the lineup on the waves with his fellow Collingwood surfers. “We always said we needed a clubhouse,” he laughs.

Clubhouse might be the understatement of the century. Eichenberger and business partners Luke Anderson and Keaton Grieve (co-owners of Gibson & Co.), along with Greg Youzwyshyn, were hoping to collaborate on a new downtown Collingwood business. They purchased a building on Hurontario with a set of ideas about what that location might be: A restaurant? A retail outlet? The home of the Georgian Bay Surf Club? Or maybe all of those combined? “We knew it was going

to be a surf shop,” recalls Eichenberger. “But we had to figure out how we could make it financially sustainable.”

The hybrid surf shop, restaurant and clubhouse was born. “It’s all integrated,” Eichenberger explains. “The retail supports the restaurant, and the restaurant supports the retail. A standalone surf shop wouldn’t work here, but this combination will.”

Nearly a decade ago, Eichenberger was just a local guy sporting an ice beard at a home surf spot on Georgian Bay. Back then, the Great Lakes surf scene was still quite small: A handful of local surfers would watch the forecasts, exchange texts and meet up at the break firing that day. People thought they were nuts—braving the cold water and paddling their hearts out for waves that definitely wouldn’t make the cut for the SURFER Magazine yearly calendar. But, over the years, the core group grew in numbers.

Georgian Bay Surf Club launches shop and restaurant

Georgian Bay Surf Club founder Curtis Eichenberger. RYAN CARTER

“When we first started surfing here, we thought we were unique,” Eichenberger recalls with a laugh. “We’d surf around the world, come back home and realize, ‘Wow, we can surf in our backyard.’ It felt so cool, like we were the only ones doing it. Then we found out there were people surfing here since the 1950s. They just weren’t talking about it.”

Despite always being tight-lipped about exact locations, more and more like-minded surfers would show up on ideal days. Over the past decade, Georgian Bay’s surf scene has grown from a tight-knit group of enthusiasts to a vibrant community. Eichenberger remembers a time when it was just him and three friends in the water. “Now you go down to Sunset Point and there are 28 cars parked—30, maybe 40, people in the water at once. It’s wild.”

Downstairs is a restaurant where Chef Mike Thompson will serve an eclectic menu that pulls dishes from surf destinations across the globe. Upstairs is a carefully curated lineup of brands, including surfboards shaped specifically for the Great Lakes.

Way back when, Eichenberger designed a very small, very limited line of Georgian Bay Surf Club gear: hoodies, toques, ball caps. You really had to be in the know to end up with a piece of this GBSC club merch. Like a secret handshake, spotting someone in OG local surf merch meant you’d almost certainly found a new friend. People loved the stuff. They wanted more. The pop-ups would sell out quickly. Eichenberger knew there was an appetite for more and, as the surf scene grew, so did interest in the brand. “I lost money on every single shirt I made,” he admits. “But it was cool. It felt good to see our friends wearing them. I always knew it had potential even if it was just a side hobby for me.”

The Hurontario location of the Georgian Bay Surf Club should satisfy that hunger. With two levels, the downstairs is a restaurant where Chef Mike Thompson will serve an eclectic menu that pulls dishes from surf destinations across the globe. “We aren’t pigeonholed into one cuisine,” says Eichenberger. “We can serve food from Portugal, France, Hawaii and Maine. We’ve got a lobster roll and a curry—there’s something for everyone.”

Downstairs also has a bar for local cocktails and of course an espresso machine. Whether you want a latte after your surf or an après margarita, they’ve got you covered.

Upstairs is a carefully curated lineup of brands, including surfboards shaped specifically for the Great Lakes. “We’ve got swimwear from Australia and California that you can’t find anywhere else, as well as men’s and women’s fashion. Of course a large focus will be on our Georgian Bay Surf Club private label as well,” says Eichenberger, noting his original GBCS hand-sketched t-shirt design has been updated to a professional (and wicked-cool) new logo. The layout of the retail space

JESSICA CRANDLEMIRE PHOTOS

is flexible enough to allow for surf-related events like wave-forecasting seminars, surf safety sessions, first aid courses and movie nights. Eichenberger is working with the Surfrider Foundation to establish an Ontario chapter. “We’ve already had conversations about microplastics cleanups and other initiatives,” says Eichenberger. “This space will open up so many opportunities.”

Eichenberger and his team have been working around the clock ahead of their grand opening, which is slated for the new year. Their space—in a prime spot on Hurontario, the former Play It Again Sports location—has been gutted and remodeled from the ground up. “The only thing left from the old building is the top rafters,” Eichenberger says. “We’ve rebuilt everything: the footings, the walls, everything.”

“This is a space that brings people together, that celebrates our community and our love for the water. I’m excited for people to see it,” says Eichenberger. “It’s wild to think how far we’ve come. What started as a joke with a few t-shirts is now this incredible space. Georgian Bay has always been special. We’re just giving people a place to celebrate it.”

Like a secret handshake, spotting someone in Georgian Bay Surf Club merch meant you’d almost certainly found a new friend.

JESSICA CRANDLEMIRE PHOTOS

Save up to 15% on lodging and get a free day of adult li tickets for stays January 1 – March 29, 2025 when you book a minimum of four nights of lodging with four days of skiing.

Landing It

Freestyle champ Desmond Solursh takes it up a notch

words :: Leslie Anthony

An athlete’s proudest moment says a lot about who they are and, if they’re just starting out, their potential. For 17-year-old Desmond Solursh, that juncture came during the 2024 Provincial Freestyle Championships last February at Beaver Valley Ski Club. “I already placed first in slopestyle, and was hoping to win big air, too. But I struggled with my best trick in training,” he recalls. “On my first hit, I messed up and missed my grab.”

Placing considerably lower on the scoreboard than he’d hoped created another dilemma: what to do for a second hit. Play it safe with something familiar and maybe sneak onto the podium, or go for broke with a more difficult trick? He chose the latter. “I nailed it and immediately shot to first place— which also led to taking first overall in the Championships.”

Calm, cool, strategizing, executing. Not bad for a Meaford kid who was a bit late to the freestyle game but whose huge strides have now landed him on the Ontario Freestyle Team.

“Desi is always looking for a way to improve on the hill,” says Kiri Cyrelle Meulendyk, a Mental Performance Consultant (MPC) who has worked with him since 2022. “He does a great job at taking and applying the concepts we go over.”

But wait, we’re talking about a kid here—what’s with the immediate deep dive into his brain? In case you haven’t noticed, having your head in the game is the ground on which battles in any Olympic-track sport are eventually won. Still, with those in Desi’s circle often noting it takes a village to raise an athlete, maybe we should back up a bit.

Skiing from age two, at nine Desi started following the freestyle tracks of older brother Kale (now a freestyle coach at Alpine Ski Club), who began competing in 2016. What Desi enjoyed about the freestyle milieu

then—its lack of restriction and the ability to express oneself—compels him to this day. “There aren’t really any limitations. You can have a small park but still be creative,” he notes, a gestalt that carries over into competition, where “everyone can always do their own thing.”

A few years in, Desi passed the point of just showing up on weekends; partaking in Friday park sessions and off-slope training, his freestyle aspirations became serious.

Working his way up through the local ranks, with a solid sponsor in Head skis and backed by Squire John’s, last season’s

Timber Tour saw him place first four times and second twice, while also competing in two Canada Cups and Junior Nationals.

Though all concerned knew he’d done well, Desi received not one, but two awards at November’s Freestyle Ontario Fall Fundraiser and Timber Tour Awards ceremony—U18 Timber Tour Champion and Overall Men’s Park and Pipe Champion. This on the heels of a June invite to join the Ontario team for the 2024–25 season.

“I can say with certainty it hasn’t been easy for him,” says his mother, Michelle Ward. “A lot of kids left the sport during the

Desi pretzels a rail during the 2024 Timber Tour at Horseshoe Valley Resort. KATHRYN MURRAY

transition after Covid but Desi just kept at it— staying true to himself and moving forward.”

“He’s one of the best athletes we’ve ever worked with,” says Corey Vanular, his coach of three years alongside Max Hill, the pair who run the Contender freestyle training program. “A real leader for those at his level and those looking up to him.”

Vanular believes Desi to be not only a talented athlete, but, critically for freestyle, an excellent jumper who naturally spins both ways (does the same trick in both directions). “He’s a good visualizer and really fast learner who takes feedback well,” says Vanular. “If he needs to dial back a bit to solve a problem, he really works with coaches to figure out the proper steps.”

Meaning, not only does he put his mind to a task, but he embraces the necessary

work. “There can be a big skill gap early on in trampoline work, and kids might get discouraged,” says Ontario Team coach Adam McIntaggart, who also pegs Desi’s biggest asset as a combination of work ethic and positive attitude. “Desi is really good at seeing the process; it fuels him to do better when he’s around more skilled athletes.”

Though it’s an individual sport, everyone on the team helps each other out, and Desi is also a good team member. “He’s always got a smile on his face and I’ve never seen him have a bad day,” says McIntaggart. “That’ll carry a kid far in life.”

Of course, it will also carry far in enjoying what you’re doing. “My two favourite tricks right now are a cork 9 tail and a switch misty 9,” enthuses Desi, who well knows the horizon of difficulty in

freestyle is ever-creeping. “But this summer I learned a double cork 1080.”

That would be two flips and three spins, for those without good grounding in Park and Pipeology 101—a big stepping stone to more difficult maneuvers. Which brings us back to the suite of mental skills required to do well in freestyle: understanding and maintaining confidence, goal-setting for camps and competitions, injury support,

“He’s one of the best athletes we’ve ever worked with… A real leader for those at his level and those looking up to him.” – Corey Vanular

using let-downs as motivation, as well as resiliency. “One of Desi’s strengths is being able to focus on what’s in his control and not get too frustrated or down when things don’t go his way,” notes Kiri Cyrelle Meulendyk, who also works with the Freestyle Ontario Team.

It seems to have worked, reflected in Desi’s personal motto: “If it’s gonna be, it’s up to me.”

As for his next goal? “I’d like to make it into the NorAm Cup championship,” he says. “I’m not fully sure about my ultimate goal. I find it best to just focus on what’s directly in front of me and see what kind of possibilities are unlocked.”

Fellow Ontario Teammate Andrew Dorchak with Desi at the 2024 Timber Tour. KATHRYN MURRAY

Desi sends it during the 2024 Canada Cup at Horseshoe Valley Resort. KATHRYN MURRAY

IT’S WILD IN THE NORTH but occasionally... you’ll see sprawl.

At Home Woods

Bespoke log chalet provides priceless valley views

words :: Kristin Schnelten

When Suzanne and Rob purchased their tiny, ageing Beaver Valley chalet some 25 years ago, they had no plans to modify the escarpment-perched cabin. It was the perfect place to spend their winter ski weekends in simple, if a bit cramped, fashion. After long days on the ski hill followed by après with friends and family, guests were perfectly happy to bunk up beneath the dining room table. But when their son and daughter finally outgrew their diminutive 5-by-5-foot room, something had to change.

An architect steered the couple away from an extensive remodel, instead pointing them toward a complete rebuild. Hoping to capture the spirit of winter ski chalets but unsure what direction to take, a ski trip to Colorado—where they toured log homes and timber frames—inspired them to create a log home that tucked quietly into its surroundings.

Experts generally encourage property owners to spend time on their land before building, and Suzanne and Rob logged those hours in spades. They knew exactly what they needed in their new log home: lots of space, and a focus on the view.

That vista is one in a million, overlooking the Beaver Valley Ski Club and stretching down the valley over Kimberley. Their completed design featured sightlines

to this view from all but one room, with a vaulted ceiling and loft above the main living space. While the couple shifted their energy to researching design details, Tim Bullock of Bullock Log Homes set to work sourcing and prepping the logs and timbers.

“Some of the logs came from Tillsonburg, Ontario, and others from Quebec,” says Suzanne. “They built it on their lot in New Lowell, then disassembled and numbered each piece, and reconstructed it here on the new foundation with a crane—a bit like Lincoln Logs.” After the twoday assembly process, an on-site builder constructed the conventional interior walls. But the soul of the house is in the logs.

“Tim was really passionate about his work,” says Suzanne. “We mentioned, ‘If you have any suggestions, we’re kind of open ears for these things.’ And he was so excited.” Bullock had just purchased enormous, ancient timbers from the

ALAN SHISKO

KRISTIN SCHNELTEN

reconstructed Welland Canal near St. Catharine’s, and suggested using them as the main support beams. The couple were swept up in his enthusiasm and gave him the go-ahead—and the resulting milled and finished beams beneath the long span of their main living space have a history as rich as their deep colour.

Reclaimed and refinished factory flooring, along with distressed cabinetry, tie in with the historic beams. Rob recalls the cabinetmaker’s process: “Before they put the final coat on, they called Suzanne to get the okay.” When word arrived that they needed to be even more distressed, he says, “They took them out in the parking lot, laid them down, and stepped all over them with gravel beneath their boots.”

But it’s the railings that steal the show. Says Suzanne, “They were going to install wood railings, and I remember thinking, ‘That’s going to be clunky. I don’t want people coming in the front door looking at clunky log railings.’” So the couple found a local blacksmith in Flesherton, and after a few rounds of drawings they landed on the concept of simple railings that resembled small logs. “My God, this was the best thing ever!” says Suzanne. “My favourite piece in the chalet is probably the railing, because he handforged and pounded every single post here.”

Early in the process, before windows and doors were installed, an unmarked crate arrived from Winnipeg. It loomed large on the subfloor, taking up much of the living space through the many months of construction, and the packaging was a bit worse for wear

by installation time. “Every time we would come up to check on the progress, you could see that people were curious. They sort of peeled back the box, going, ‘What’s in there?’ The box eventually had a permanent fold where people were peeking in,” says Suzanne.

ALAN SHISKO

KRISTIN SCHNELTEN

Welcome to the next phase of mountain homes nestled between Blue Mountain Resort and the award winning Scandinave Spa. A community set proudly apart yet connected by nature. Distinctive architecture inspired by Georgian Bay cabins and mountain chalets. This is everything you want Blue Mountain living to be. This is your Windfall. Save over $100,000 on move-in ready Builder Collection Homes.

“My favourite piece in the chalet is probably the railing, because he hand-forged and pounded every single post here.” – Suzanne

It wasn’t until the final weeks, when the electrician arrived, that he ceremoniously opened the crate to reveal a faux-antler chandelier more than two metres in height—a fixture so large the log chalet had to be built around it.

Suzanne filled the finished home with personal touches, including a bear skin purchased near her grandparents’ cottage and a settle bench from Alton, where her great-grandparents lived. “Alton holds a special little spot in my heart,” she says. “I always like to pick up pieces that are meaningful from certain places.” When their architect suggested placing a window between the ski storage room and main living space, Suzanne sourced a reclaimed stained-glass window from a shop in Campbellville where, she says, “I walked through thousands of pieces of stained glass on the front lawn to choose one.” The coloured beams of light now shine both into and out of that functional space.

About ten years ago, the couple made the decision to leave the city behind and make the permanent move to their chalet in the country. Their days of skiing with the kids at Beaver Valley behind them, the focus is now on cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking out their front door, along with curling and, most importantly, building community.

Urban conveniences might lead another couple to move closer to town, but Suzanne declares they have all they need here, with the Kimberley General Store, Justin’s Oven and Heart’s Tavern just down the road. And, as Rob says, “How could we give up a piece of art like this to move closer to things? Granted, we would be more accessible to amenities, but the living space just wouldn’t be as nice.” The log cabin life just suits them, and they have a future to look forward to here, in a seven-bed home along the Bruce Trail that fits their lifestyle—and, thankfully, their visiting friends and family.

ALAN SHISKO

KRISTIN SCHNELTEN

WITNESS WORLD-CLASS SKIERS SOAR

Here’s an event to mark in ink on your calendar: On March 14 and 15, elite athletes from across the globe will descend upon the Blue Mountains, gathering to compete at the RedTag.ca Ski Cross World Cup at Craigleith Ski Club. The high-speed full-exhilaration weekend will feature world-class racing and family-friendly activities. Bring your cowbells and your screaming voices—this weekend promises to be a memorable one. Keep an eye out for details on social media by following @craigleithskiclub

HANDS FORWARD, TIPS UP!

When spring hits and the snow begins to melt, there's no better place to be than the Retro Pond Skim at Blue Mountain Resort. Dig out your favourite retro kit—or your toughest rain gear—for this year's event, scheduled for March 29 from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. The wacky, wet and downright wild celebration of snow culture and sun is not to be missed! www.bluemountain.ca

WANT THE SNOW TO LAST? GET INVOLVED!

How often do you pinch yourself that you’re lucky enough to live in this community, filled with outdoor opportunities? Have you ever thought about giving back to that community—and protecting the natural world that brought so many of us here? POW Canada may be the perfect fit for you. Searching for enthusiastic volunteers in the Blue Mountains/Collingwood/ Meaford area, the POW Canada Collingwood Chapter is a vibrant community of its own, “dedicated to advancing climate action on a local level.” Get involved with the chapter by building relationships, developing advocacy initiatives, raising funds, education and, most importantly, delivering the POW stoke. Seize the day and sign up by sending an email to collingwood@protectourwinters.ca.

MAKE A SPLASH FOR GEORGIAN BAY

Ready for a chilly adventure with a cause? Save Georgian Bay is gearing up for the 4th Annual Save The Bay Polar Dip. Each year, brave souls take the plunge to protect the bay—and this year, they’re aiming to make an even bigger splash. On Saturday, February 22, dippers will enter the icy waters of Georgian Bay at Fred Raper Park in Meaford to protect both this vital freshwater resource and the Niagara Escarpment. The proposed TC Energy pumped storage project threatens to harm our fragile ecosystem, but you can help make a difference—by diving in or cheering on others. Not able to join in person? You can still make an impact with the virtual option. Visit www.polardip.savegeorgianbay.ca for more details and follow @savegeorgianbay for updates.

PROTECT OUR WINTERS CANADA

Polar dippers at the 2024 Save The Bay Polar Dip. SUBMITTED BY SAVE GEORGIAN BAY

You’d have to be batty to miss this one! KRISTIN SCHNELTEN

HIT THE SLOPES AND SUPPORT TRACK3

As a nonprofit, volunteer organization that helps children and youth with cognitive and physical disabilities get out on the ski hill through 18 programs across 11 locations, Ontario Track3

Adaptive Sports Association has a monumental mandate—and needs a monumental community effort to support it.

Come out to Craigleith Ski Club on February 7 to learn more about Track3 and help fund this exceptional group. The annual Friends and Family Snow Day is an activity-filled event, from breakfast and lunch to an après social, with a guided snowshoe, silent auction, 50/50 tickets and live entertainment.

The executive director of Track3, Tracy Collier, says, “This event has always been a highlight for our community—a day full of fun and connection that directly supports our mission to empower adaptive athletes. Past Snow Days have brought so much joy and made a real difference, and we can’t wait to see what this year will bring!”

Ticket prices range from $75 to $225, and group pricing is available. Learn more at www.track3.org.

ENVISIONING A CONSERVATION ECONOMY IN SOUTH GEORGIAN BAY

Here’s a question worth pondering: What if economies could thrive and generate wealth inside a fully protected natural environment? This concept is a central tenet of the conservation economy, a model of sustainable growth that posits a healthy ecosystem as the foundation of a well-managed economy rather than the victim of a poorly managed one.

If you want to know more about this idea and how it resonates locally, look no further than the Escarpment Corridor Alliance’s recently released The South Georgian Bay Conservation Economy Report. Prepared with support from the South Georgian Bay Innovation Fund, the report lays out a “vision and toolkit” for an economy built within nature, arguing that biodiversity and other elements will contribute “incalculable monetary value.”

In an informal cost-benefit analysis, the report outlines the valuations that a conservation economy delivers, including improved physical and mental health, natural disaster resilience, renewable energy, food security and more.

The report strikes a positive but practical tone, explaining “how policies, planning and resources can be put in place to support products, services and experiences that stimulate new employment and business opportunities while supporting community stewardship of natural resources and ecosystem services.”

Some of the ideas could be called idealistic, given the persistence of the resource-based economy in Canada and the stiff headwinds changemakers will always face. Yet the suggestions feel attainable. “Conservation economies do not seek to exclude people from the landscape,” the report explains, “but rather open it up for much greater public engagement with the natural world.” – Ned Morgan

Check out the report at www.myescarpment.ca.

PODCAST SPOTLIGHTS LOCAL PERSONALITIES

Collingwood is a vibrant and growing community, fueled by the outdoor enthusiasts, creatives and entrepreneurs who call it home. The new Colling/It podcast from the Collingwood Public Library shines a spotlight on the characters behind the names, giving them space to share their insight and personal stories.

With recent guests including Muckpaloo Ipeelie, CEO of the Urban Inuit Identity Project; Mark Bechtel, co-owner of VO2 Sports; Cassie MacKell, co-owner of Low Down; and Jillian Morris, the Town of Collingwood’s Poet Laureate, Colling/It focuses in on timely, insightful conversations.

Co-hosts Jeff Cepukas and Jenn Perks are as passionate about their community as their guests. Says Jeff: “The podcast idea started as a conversation between colleagues when we were building out our annual goals. We both saw great potential for sharing the stories of our community, and Colling/It was born.” Listen to Colling/It wherever you find your podcasts.

Certified Track3 instructors training a young adaptive athlete at Batawa Ski Hill. ONTARIO TRACK3 ADAPTIVE SPORTS ASSOCIATION

FiNd YoUrSeLF iN NAtUre! Just a few minutes from collingwood, in one of canada’s 18 UNeSco biosphere reserves, are 370 unspoiled acres of mature hardwood forest. We are here, atop the Niagara escarpment, where snowshoers and cross-country skiers alike will enjoy our breathtaking world of adventure in nature!

Glide along our 27 km of professionally groomed cross country ski trails, or hike 12 km of snowshoe trails through a majestic forest.take in the spectacular views from Southern ontario’s longest Suspension Bridge or at Lookout Point

Greg Sturch at Sunset Point. JODY WILSON

Shannon Miller and friends on the Bruce Trail at -25 C (without the windchill). JODY WILSON

Dave Scott at Blue Mountain Resort. GLEN HARRIS

Daniel Martian sneaks behind the free-hanging ice pillar on Trial (M9+ WI6) at Diamond Lake. WILL TAM

Severin van der Meer

Photographer: Silvano Zeiter

1. From the everyday carry to carry-on travel, the OSPREY ARCHEON 40 PACK offers advanced organization, easy access to gear and protects most laptops up to 17”. The ultra-strong, bluesign-approved carbonate coating blends style, sustainability and weather protection. www.osprey.com // 2. The ATOMIC REVENT GT AMID VISOR is the new standard. An integrated visor offers a wide field of vision and HD lens for optimal clarity, the AMID 360° impact protection enhances safety by absorbing energy from impacts at any angle, and the Live Fit and 360° Fit System ensure a customized, comfortable fit. Available at Skiis & Biikes Collingwood, Toronto and Mississauga. skiisandbiikes.com // 3. Stay warm from lift to lodge with the COLUMBIA MEN’S CIRQUE BOWL JACKET. This waterproof and breathable ski jacket is packed with insulation and Omni-Heat Infinity technology, Columbia Sportswear’s most advanced thermal-reflective lining. Plus, ski pass and goggle pockets will keep you mountain-ready. www.columbiasportswear.ca // 4. Expertly balancing warmth, breathability, low weight and minimal bulk, the RAB XENAIR 3/4 PANTS are perfect for wearing under a shell to beat the chill on freezing days. The 3/4 length insulated midlayer is designed with ski boots in mind and is easy to layer, making them suitable for a range of pursuits and variable temperatures. rab.equipment // 5. The INTUITION DOWNHILL TONGUE LINERS are designed to provide power along with top-tier comfort and warmth for downhill ski and snowboard boots. The DH Liner series are available in tongue and wrap styles, in both stiffer high-density proprietary Intuition Foam, as well as softer dual-density Intuition Foam in 9 mm, 12 mm and 15 mm thicknesses. www.intuitionliners.com

6. The FISCHER COUNTRY CROWN 60 SKI is the most versatile in their lineup. Reliable air-channel wood core and 60 mm width make this the ultimate for your favourite backcountry trail or Nordic centre track. Check them out at Kamikaze. www.kamikazebikes.com // 7. SPY CIDER HOUSE AND DISTILLERY NEVER SAY NEVER CIDER is made from choice organic apples harvested by whistle-blowers at their farm estate under the shadow of the quarantined Blue Mountains. Pressed on-site by detained operatives, the fruit reveals a level of complexity that can only be achieved from mature trees with roots that reach deep into the underground resistance. www.spydistillery.com // 8. Great tools are only as useful as the operator. STANCE PERFORMANCE FITTING uses proprietary scanning technology and tools to allow for best-in-class assessment, modification and selection. They offer a no-charge assessment of existing boots and full guarantee on custom boots they sell. Retail to race, Stance prioritizes skier and skiing with innovation and guarantees results. www.stanceperformance.com // 9. Waterproof on the outside, warm on the inside: The NORTH FACE MEN’S THERMOBALL SNOW TRICLIMATE JACKET is an all-purpose snowsports jacket that lets you customize your layering to the current conditions. With 100 per cent recycled DryVent and two different synthetic insulations, you’ll be comfortable from lift to lodge. www.thenorthface.com // 10. A tribute beer to the amazing Collingwood-area community, the BLACK BELLOWS EL 9 WYE is a crisp, refreshing lightly malted helles-style lager. Great for porch sips and backyard strolls. www.blackbellows.com // 11. Après-ski doesn’t get any better than this. SALMO CRAFT CO. designs and builds refined outdoor saunas that deliver next-level performance, no matter how cold it gets outside. Built to last, delivered pre-assembled and ready to use. Oh, and they can float, too. www.salmocraft.com

12. No more cramming your prescription eyeglasses under your goggles or dealing with foggy lenses. Book a consult at BLINK EYEWEAR to discuss a prescription insert that fits easily into most goggle brands, and enjoy clear vision for all of your outdoor activities. www.blink-eyewear.com // 13. Because it’s packable, breathable, durable and waterproof, the ARC’TERYX WOMEN’S BETA AR JACKET protects across a spectrum of alpine environments and activities. Rugged AF with GORE-TEX PRO for maximum durability. The bucket-compatible DropHood features an internal collar for added protection and an embedded RECCO reflector makes its wearer easier to locate in emergencies. www.arcteryx.com // 14. The new KOMBI PATROL MEN'S GLOVE offers high-performance durability and warmth. With premium goatskin leather on both shell and palm, these gloves are designed to comfortably withstand the elements. The GORE-TEX membrane provides waterproof, breathable and windproof protection, while the ethically sourced down insulation ensures maximum thermal retention. These gloves keep hands warm and dry in all conditions. www.kombicanada.com // 15. Looking for the best ski boot for freestyle and park? The K2 REVOLVE TBL WOMEN’S SKI BOOTS are your answer. Designed to take your freestyle skiing to the next level, it’s the boot Taylor Lundquist relies on day-in and day-out. www.corbetts.com // 16. Did you know up to 45 per cent of body heat is lost through the head and neck? PUFF, the original down-filled neck warmer, is stretchable and holds its shape—making it breathable while protecting you from the elements. Offered in a variety of colours and sizes. One dollar from every Puff sold is donated to POW Canada. www.puff.design

HOT TAKE

words and photo :: Colin Field

I can’t pinpoint exactly who first pitched the ring of fire idea, but the second it was mentioned, it spread like—well, wildfire. The concept immediately felt perfect—doable, thrilling and absolutely worth pursuing. I mean, who wouldn’t want to jump their bike through a flaming ring? Of course it was a good idea. The idea simmered through the fall until Matt Konings sent me a Marketplace link for a “large metal ring.”

I didn’t waste time with the standard “Is this still available?” message. I went in hot.

“Dude, you have my ring of fire. I need that thing.”

“Wait, what? You wanna light it on fire?”

“Yeah. And jump bikes through it.”

“Hell yes. It’s yours.”

The ring had been used as a wedding decoration, wrapped in flowers and placed behind the happy couple as they exchanged vows. Romantic, sure, but this ring was destined for something far more explosive.

With the ring in hand, the next step was research. And, like magic, the stars aligned. Enter the crew at Cedar Trails in Saskatoon, Sask.—seasoned veterans of flaming-ring stunts. They knew the ropes and generously shared their wisdom.

“Water won’t put it out,” trail boss Carson Donovan warned. “You have to smother it if the ring gets knocked over. Ours rolled away this year—luckily not into the tall grass.”

Turns out, building a ring of fire is pretty straightforward but not cheap. You need Kevlar cloth—and a lot of it. $700 worth, to be exact. Wrap the ring in Kevlar, soak it in your fuel of choice, and light it up.

Unfortunately, winter beat me to the punch. By the time I committed to buying the Kevlar, snow had blanketed the jumps. But then it hit me—you could ski through a ring of fire, too.

I immediately texted Greg Sturch: “Hey dude, wanna jump your skis through a ring of fire?”

His reply was instant: “Hell yes, I do.”

And backyard history was made. You can guarantee we’ll be jumping bikes through it in early spring, too. Wanna come?

Mountain Life – Blue Mountains - Winter 2025

BLUE MOUNTAINS

THE ALL-NEW FIRN SERIES

Embrace the Thrill

Table of Contents

UPFRONT

DEPARTMENTS

TRAVEL FEATURE

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT

A Brown Duck’s Tale

Frozen in Time

PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED. FIERCELY INDEPENDENT.

We’re Kind of a Big Deal

Raise the Woof!

Local trail welcomes pups and their people

PADDLING PARADISE

travel feature

Mindful moments in the Northwest Passage

Fabulous Fernie travel feature

Keepin’ It Stokely

Tradition is king at Stokely Creek Lodge

travel feature

On the Rocks

All mountain. All day.

THE URBAN

Dispensary

Cold Storage

The

BRING ON THE SNOW!

The high-tech science of snowmaking at Blue Mountain

Surf HQ

Landing It

Freestyle champ Desmond Solursh takes it up a notch

At Home Woods

WITNESS WORLD-CLASS SKIERS SOAR

HANDS FORWARD, TIPS UP!

WANT THE SNOW TO LAST? GET INVOLVED!

MAKE A SPLASH FOR GEORGIAN BAY

HIT THE SLOPES AND SUPPORT TRACK3

ENVISIONING A CONSERVATION ECONOMY IN SOUTH GEORGIAN BAY

PODCAST SPOTLIGHTS LOCAL PERSONALITIES

HOT TAKE