Snowshoeing at Highlands Nordic

After having a great time last week snowshoeing with Trakkers Cross Country Ski Club, Teena and I both joined the club. It is well-run and it's so nice to ride in a comfortable highway coach bus to and from the resort. The roads today were quite bad and we saw the result of a few accidents on the road. Both of us felt better riding the bus rather than driving.

Highlands Nordic is located just below Collingwood. The weather was quite cold when we arrived but we were prepared and layered up.

Leaving the lodge.

At the start of the trail.

On the trail. We covered 4.5 km during the day. It was a hard 4.5 km!

Although there is no snow int Toronto, there was plenty here.

It was a fun and exhausting trek. It had snowed and the trails either were not packed down very well or not at all. Makes for heavy going but much more fun!

Ducking under a fallen tree.

More trail shots.

Happy and cold.

Larry's Glacier was steep and very challenging.

The snow is half way up the fences.

It was a funexhilarating day. At the start, we warmed up pretty quick and started to take off some of our layers but as we reached the peak, it was quite cold and windy, so the layers were put back on.

We're looking forward to our next outing with the club.

Snowshoeing at Hardwood Hills

Our friend, Trish, goes skiing with a group called Trakkers Cross Country Ski Club. Trakkers is a volunteer, non-profit, recreational ski club dedicated to the support and enjoyment of cross-country skiing and has been providing Sunday ski trips in luxury highway coaches to Southern Ontario ski resorts for over 30 years.

Trakkers welcomes members of all ages and all skill levels, from novice to the expert. Trakkers is the club for you if you want to learn to ski or improve your skills.

They also go to places that have snowshoeing trails and today made a trip to Hardwood Hills, which has four dedicated snowshoe trails, so Trish invited Teena and I along.

Here is a group of cross country skiers outside the chalet getting ready to go.

Cross country trail maps. Snowshoe trails are intertwined with them.

The start for all trails.

Teena on the trail.

I love snowshoeing. The views are always so beautiful. We had a great blue sky for most of the day.

Cross country ski trail signs at a major junction.

OK, this part was a challenge. Loose snow, step climb.

I made it but not before taking a great tumble. I held onto the tree beside me and helped Teena up over the large mound.

We thought we would do a short trail, grab a bite then head out for a long one. Instead we ended up doing a 6 km trail that passes by a lookout. The view was stunning. My camera does not do it justice.

Here we are at the lookout after an hour and a half of trudging through the snow. We haven't been out for a couple of years and forgot how exhausting it could be ... still, we look good but then again, this was taken after a bit of a rest!

A couple of trail shots.

There is no snow in Toronto but plenty north of Barrie.

 Here I am.

Teena taking the lead.

Here are Trish, Teena and I at the end of the day.

It was a great day and very reasonably priced. It's our first trip with Trakkers.  Thanks again, Trish, for inviting us. Looks like Trakkers will be getting a couple of new members.

Snowshoeing the Summit of Mont-Tremblant

Of all the reasons Teena and I came to Mont-Tremblant, the main one was to go snowshoeing. It was freezing cold this morning when we took the gondola up to the summit. This is without the windchill and there was a good wind blowing!

It is about a five minute gondola ride to the top. As you can see, the village is very proud of alpine world cup skier and home town boy Eric Guay, who now has won more world cup medals than any other Canadian.

It's cold up at the top of the mountain! The second picture is looking down the mountain. At the time, there was a frost haze in the air. That's why you see nothing behind it!

Teena and I on the trail. The light kept changing during the day which is why there is a difference in the colour quality.

Lots of frozen snow filled trees. It was beautiful and more stunning than these pictures.

We found some frozen berries along the trail. The only color in a snow covered land.

Onward to yonder tower!

Objective reached!

 Yet another tower? Teena sure looks cold.

Yet another tower reached!

Looking back at where we started from.

Back on the trail.

Some more winter pictures.

After a great day it's back down on the gondola.

It was a sensational day!