Lesson # 1 – The most wonderful time of the year is when the snow arrives and stays for good.
Lesson #2 – There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices.
Lesson #3 – When the sky is blue and the sun is shining get outside regardless of temperature.
For most people the most wonderful time of the year is Christmas time. For me it was summer time—but I quickly learned my first lesson since moving to Northeastern Ontario that the most wonderful time of the year is when the snow arrives and stays for good. Northeastern Ontario is a winter lover’s paradise. The light fluffy snow provides the perfect conditions for winter sports and outdoor living. Although I’m a summer baby through and through, I’m learning to appreciate the winter season for what it is—a time for outdoor adventure and explorations. As a Maritimer, I’m blessed to get a taste of northern living; regardless of the weather or temperature, I’m getting outside and enjoying life.
I’m embracing my first winter in Northeastern Ontario and the reality is that -40 Celsius days are normal and frequent. The second lesson I learned in the north is that there is no bad weather, but only bad clothing choices. All fall season I stock piled my thermal and winter gear in preparation for what was inevitably to come. And it came. With a copious amount of alpaca fleece wool winter wear from Dream Acres Alpacas and snowshoes in tow, I’m experiencing the best Northeastern Ontario can throw at me. I’m seeing how winter time is the most wonderful time of the year through the eyes of locals who, with their hearts of gold, are showing me their favourite spots.
With BIG forests, BIG trails, BIG frozen waterways, BIG horizons, and BIG snow piles, winter is the perfect time in Northeastern Ontario to wander. The third lesson I have been taught is that when the sky is blue and the sun is shining get outside regardless of the temperature! Enjoy the blue sky sunny days when they come before the next blizzard arrives…and it will. I’m also understanding and appreciating the humour associated with the extreme weather in the north. If you can’t outrun it, embrace it. Whether it’s overcast or sunny, it’s the best season to enjoy the ultimate outdoor northern lifestyle.
From attending winter events like The South Porcupine Winter Carnival, Ladies Spa Weekend at Horwood Lake Lodge (March 18-20, 2016), to the Eclipse Financial Snowcross Pro Challenge (March 12-13, 2016), or getting out and creating your own voyage like hiking at Hersey Lake Conservation Area in Timmins, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at Porcupine Ski Runners, or downhill skiing at Laurentian Ski Hill—your options are endless. The question is where will you begin?
My favorite winter wonderland activities thus far in Northeastern Ontario have been snowshoeing, meeting sledding dogs, making smores’ over an open winter bush fire, and winter fireworks over the frozen snow-covered Porcupine Lake. There’s no way I’ll stay sane by staying inside so I might as well get outdoors and LIVE! Northeastern Ontario is BIG, so create your own one of a kind winter escapade today—anything is possible. Put your winter gear on and GO!
What’s on your winter bucket list? Join the conversation on social media using #neontario!
