Port Renfrew - Vancouver Island

For this post we are going clear across the country to the west coast of Canada, across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island. Take the BC Ferry to Nanaimo then make your way through the belly of the island, winding your way around mountains, through valleys, along lakes and past pines taller than you’ve ever imagined with breathtaking scenery at every turn. At Lake Cowichan,  follow a gravel logging road to Port Renfrew. Keep alert as there are logging trucks using this passage.

 Port Renfrew resides on the west coast of the island; home of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, Botanical Beach and access point to several trailheads.  This small community has quite a few amenities given its proximity to such a diverse playground.

If you are here to hike and experience the exposed shoreline and old growth temperate rainforest, there is more than one option. The Juan deFuca Marine Trail begins here and snakes its way along the coastline and through very rugged terrain for 47 kilometres to China Beach. The other option is The West Coast Trail which is classed as difficult to challenging and includes steep climbs up cliffs using rope ladders.  At 75 km expect  this trail to take about 5 - 7 days in its entirety.

Botanical Beach is part of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. Check the tide tables for low tide and head out for a 20 minute walk through the dense forest to reach this beach which resembles a distant planet of black jagged rock interspersed with smooth wave worn rocks. At first glance you might think it is a barren wasteland, however once you begin to clamber over the rocks it won’t take long to discover the tidal pools left behind by the receding ocean. Each pool is teaming with life patiently waiting until the tide returns and the ocean once again claims it as part of the rhythm of life. Enjoy such finds as anemones, sea urchins, mussels, snails, barnacles and seastars.  You might know seastars better as starfish, as they used to be called.  Their name has been changed as technically they are not a fish.

Botanical Beach was a marine station in 1900 belonging to the University of Minnesota where students and researchers gathered from all over the world to study the abundance of intertidal life here. There are easily hundreds of species of plants and animals that have learned to adapt to the wide range of conditions presented to them in the tidal pools. When the tide is out, the pools warm up quickly, the salinity changes, food sources are not readily found and predators make life a tenuous affair when you are trapped in a rocky bowl of water.

Take frequent glances out to sea for a chance to see KillerWhales and Grey Whales which can be seen swimming by or feeding  just off of the points. Grey Whales are best observed in March and April. If you are visiting between late August through May, Sea Lions are a viewing possibility. Oh, and those black basketballs bobbing at the surface? Harbour Seals.

We stayed at Trailhead Resort which is well situated and offers a variety of lodging options, from hiker huts for the minimalist to rooms with kitchenettes. There is a hot tub in the yard to soak in after a hard day of hiking, fishing charters, and a fish processing plant on site. Not only that, you need only walk across the street to enjoy great local food and enjoy the fruits of the ocean at The Coastal Kitchen Café.

A note about safety. The rocks at Botanical Beach are extremely sharp and slippery and it is helpful to have a walking stick. The island is also known to have black bears and cougars and they may be present here. Leave pets at home and do not allow small children to venture alone into bush areas. Develop a healthy respect for the power of waves and be aware of what the tide is doing and know where your escape trails are if your route becomes blocked by the surf.

Nothing Says Winter like Wasaga Beach

When you think of the world famous Wasaga Beach, does an endless  sandy beach dotted with sun worshippers and  the smell of suntan lotion come to mind? I admit it’s a nice thought and while the 14km white sand beach is definitely one of the main attractions of Wasaga Beach,  it isn’t the only one, nor is summer the only season to enjoy this playground.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is home to one of the rarest ecosystems in Canada and 30km of cross country ski trails of varying degrees of difficulty. Over thousands of years, prevailing winds collected sand into a large series of sand dunes, some of which are over 40 metres tall. The dunes are now covered by a pine-oak savannah; an open forest of pine and oak mixed with prairie plants. There is a healthy population of white tail deer in the park, as well as many winter birds.

For beginners or those wanting a nice, leisurely ski, choose the easy Blueberry Trail (4.0km), or the more moderate Pine Trail (2.4km). If you crave an adrenaline rush as much as your morning coffee, then head for the steep,  up and down, very challenging High Dunes Trail (5.8) for a physically demanding workout. This park also is a choice destination  for snowshoeing and moonlight skiing during the full moon.

No need to worry if you don’t have your own gear – you can rent what you need at the Wasaga Nordic & Trail Centre which also sells ski wax, accessories and refreshments, has washrooms and provides a place to warm up on a brisk winter day. There are also outback shelters to be found in the 800 hectare park, so pack a lunch, get out there and enjoy!  Find the centre just off Blueberry Trail near the OPP station.

When you’re finished with your skiis, make a quick visit to the beach for a drive-by before you head home. We came across this cyclist who was taking advantage of the frozen beach laid bare by an offshore wind. We Canadians definitely are a hardy bunch!

 

Snowshoeing at Torrance Barrens Conservation Area - Muskoka

 

Are you the type of person who likes to get out there in winter,  embracing the lively snap of cold air as it tries to work its way through your careful layers of clothing? Winter is the season of the longest night, it’s true, but it is also the time of the festival of light as daylight grows a little longer each day. Get out there and celebrate! You won’t be disappointed.

Snowshoeing is a great winter event and I invite you to visit Torrance Barrens with your equipment for a satisfying stomp over barren Precambrian bedrock that is more than 2 billion years old. Stand here, close your eyes and imagine the immensity of what this place represents.  It has been under mountains, under water, under glaciers miles thick and under tropical jungles many times during its existence. The bare bedrock is a result of wave washing of the receding ancient glacial Algonquin Lake and Nipissing Lake.

This conservation area consists of more than 5000 acres of Crown Land with two main trail loops and two extensions; parallel ridges of rock with lakes, small ponds and wetlands nestled in between. The trails are well marked with white blazes on trees and rocks, stone cairns and metal signs and a boardwalk near the start keeps you dry as you traverse through a marshy area.  Choose from 3, 5 or 6km trails. While the trails aren’t completely flat and trail guides rate them as difficult, we don’t find them particularly hard to navigate other than a tricky creek crossing on one of the trails. The creek isn’t that wide or deep but it’s the ascent on the other side that can be a struggle.  If you are unsure of your ability or endurance level, trek out part way, about 1km, and then return along the same trail and enjoy the same experience.  I wouldn’t recommend cross country skiing as winter winds can sometimes expose spots of bare bedrock not to mention you could potentially get hung up in low spreading junipers.

In summer Torrance Barrens is equally wonderful. Hiking, mountain biking, star and galaxy gazing or just sitting on the flat rock along the shoreline of Highland Pond for a picnic are some of the activities you might take part in. Blueberries grow in abundance here, too, which is why this is bear country, as the sign in the parking lot reminds you.

 

You will find Torrance Barrens on Southwood Road (approximately 7km south off Hwy. 169) with a parking lot of flat rock that is ploughed in winter.  Drive with care as the road has many twists and turns. Pick up a colour brochure at tourism information centres throughout Muskoka, Ministry of Natural Resources in Bracebridge or at the Muskoka Heritage Foundation Resource Centre.

Torrance Barrens is isolated. There are no services here except a well maintained port-a-potty just beyond the parking lot by Highland Pond.  Make sure you carry some water and snacks with you and be prepared for any eventuality. I always carry a flannel backed plastic table cloth in my backpack which I use for taking photographs from a lying down position, but this item can also come in really handy if you find yourself suddenly needing shelter.

This is a magical place of serenity and beauty with 360 degree vistas and just the occasional haunting whistle of a passing train in the distance.  There is no payment for use of this special gem of the Muskokas, other than to respect what you are witness to and a part of.  Pack your garbage out with you and  leave no trace other than footprints in the snow so that others who visit after you will enjoy the same experience.

 Torrance Barrens is also one of the few places in Canada which holds the designation of  Dark Sky Reserve, which I will post about in summer 2013.