Snow Shoeing - Winter's Cardio

About 5 years ago I discovered the joy of running. At first it was all about fitness as I was terribly out of shape and looking to lose some weight. By the second or third year however it became more about my passion for the sport, the love of the outdoors and the desire to be in the sunshine on anything from a crisp April morning to a sweltering July afternoon.

Proud of my first medal at one of my first running events

While my running evolved over the first four years, one thing stayed the same. I did not run in the winter. Something about the temperatures dipping below 5C just turned me right off the sport and had me indoors until the following spring. This winter, however, I was able to put that behind me and run right into the depths of January and February. This new found love of cold weather activity sparked a new interest which made use of the snowy, slippery terrain; snow shoeing. 

It started by chance. Early in the winter a buddy had bugged me to try cross-country skiing with him. I did... and I hated it. I had trouble staying on my feet and even when I could I must have looked like a drunk flamingo. He saw my struggles and recommended we try something with a lesser learning curve for the rest of the afternoon, so we strapped on some snow shoes and headed for the trail.

First snow shoe adventure near Barrie, Ontario

Fast forward two months and I now own my own pair of snow shoes (Atlas 9-series), and have been out on many adventures both back-trail and urban. My first big run was High Falls trail in the southern tip of Algonquin Park's panhandle. Great views of a mostly frozen river/waterfall and beautiful forest scenery. Algonquin is one of my favourite places to visit, and the snowy winter setting puts a fresh spin on it.

Beautiful frozen scenery

High Falls Trail - Algonquin Park 

Moose sighting after leaving the High Falls trail

Not being able to 'get away' every weekend however has forced me to track down some great urban snow shoeing. I explored the parklands of my own neighbourhood here in Mississauga and while there were no wild life sightings, I had myself a great view of a passing GO Train. I feel as though you don't really know even your own neighbourhood unless it is explored outside of a car. In the summer this can be done on a bike or even on foot, but in the winter time snow shoeing is a fantastic option.

Loving my Atlas snow shoes

Many chilly Sunday mornings have been spent with my father-in-law in Brampton trekking across several city parks. We cruise through thick powdery snow that boots alone wouldn't dream of, passing by small half-frozen duck-filled ponds. These trips even include a bit of urban exploration checking out an abandoned highway overpass which had been decommissioned since the closing of a quarry many years earlier.

Urban exploration - a decommissioned highway overpass

Out exploring, even on the coldest of winter days

While snow shoeing doesn't offer the adrenaline of snowboarding or downhill skiing, it is a great (affordable!) winter sport for those looking to explore nature, see their own local park from a new perspective or even just keep up with that outdoor cardio in the harsh Canadian winter. Just remember to layer up!

Ducks!

Note - For those who like to track progress I highly recommend the Strava app/site. It is great for running, cycling and even has an option to track other types of movement like snow shoeing. 

Mike @ Palms & Pints
@palmsandpints

Algonquin Park

Some of my fondest childhood memories come from time spent camping with my dad in Algonquin Park. While only being a few hours’ drive from the Toronto area, there is just something enchanting about getting away from the urban sprawl to a place where the air is fresh, the water is clear and the outdoor recreation is endless. We would spend each 3 or 4 day getaway hiking the various interpretive hiking trails, cycling the daunting mountain bike routes and of course relaxing around a campfire under the stars at night. Years later I have rediscovered my love for Ontario’s most popular provincial park and try to make it there at least once a year for my dose of Canadian escapism.

Towering Pines 

A beautiful vista, one of the countless in the park

Transportation around the park is easy. The main road (Highway 60) runs right through the park from the West Gate to the East Gate, with visitor centers at each side. Pick up a park map on your way in as all of the trails, campgrounds and other points of interest are mapped based on kilometre marking from the West Gate. This section of the park is known as the ‘corridor’, whereas the less accessible ‘interior’ can only be accessed via portage routes and is recommended for more experienced and adventurous folk.

Whiskey Rapids 

As an avid runner and cyclist I am always looking for a cardio-based outdoor adventure. The hiking trails of Algonquin are unbeatable. Each one explores a different element of the park’s geography, eco-system and history from raging rapids to beaver dams, early 20^th century logging camps to peaceful spruce bogs. The views from these trails probably haven’t changed much in hundreds of years since the early settlers portaged through the land. Be sure to grab a guidebook (50 cents) at the starting point of each trail (or from the park visitor centres during the off-season) to get an excellent description of each section of the trail via numbered posts.

Lush forests and pristine waters

A hiking trail post marker

 Unlike most of Southern Ontario’s well known lakes, many of the lakes within Algonquin Park’s boundaries ban the use of power boats, meaning both the noise and oil pollution is non-existent and the water is calm and crystal clear; a canoer's paradise. Some of the golden sand beaches I would wager could compete with the best in the country.

Blue sky reflecting off of clear waters in a typical Algonquin bog

My most recent trip to Algonquin Park was this past October. Like the last couple of years we stayed at a very well located cottage complex in Dwight, only a 15 minute drive from Algonquin’s West Gate. Full review of this property can be viewed here, but in brief as long are you are not looking for luxury, this is a clean, well equipped and very affordable option in the area. On the way back to the city be sure to stop at 3 Guys and a Stove in nearby Huntsville for the best gourmet buffet breakfast you’ve ever had!

Logging Chain Lodge - our base for all Algonquin adventures

Mike @ Palms & Pints

@palmsandpints