Village Squire, 1980-03, Page 21TRAVEL
Learning winter
wilderness survival
at Headwaters
BY TONY SLOAN
The bush plane skipped in across the
winter snows towards the Lakeshore and
the cluster of log buildings backgrounded
by the northern Ontario woods.
Wood smoke rose straight as an arrow
in the cold air, from the chimney of the
largest lodge. This was the operational
base for Headwaters, the highly regarded
outdoor specialists and outfitters who teach
all -season living and travel in Canada's
northern wilderness.
The base camp is located about 80 km by
air from the town of Temagami which is, in
turn, 90 km by rail or road (Hwy. 11) north
of North Bay, Ontario.
A knot of about a dozen parka -clad
"inhabitants", wearing snowshoes and
backpacks came forward as the swirl of
snow, blown up by the aircraft's propeller,
settled down.
This wasn't a reception committee. They
were instructors with students on a
seven-day course, who were to set out on a
25 km hike through the rugged forest and
lake country of the Precambrian Shield.
I was quickly fitted with snowshoes by
Camp Director Hugh Stewart and joined
the pack as they trekked off over the
snow-covered ice of Lake Anamanipissing.
Anamanipissing is an Indian word
meaning headwaters.
The easy, loping stride of the guides and
the rhythmic sway of the well conditioned
students set a steady pace. After about an
hour on the trail, we paused for a 'mug up'
(individual's choice of a hot drink carried in
a thermos). At this point the new recruit,
who was already blowing steam, doubted if
he could maintain the pace for the whole 25
km circuit.
While the others continued on as
planned, 1 backtracked to camp and spent
the rest of the day exploring the area's trail
circuit on skis.
Many exponents of cross-country skiing
believe that skis will eventually replace the
more traditional snowshoe in Canada's
north for non -motorized travel. The
Headwaters' experience does not bear this
out.
Skis are swift and easy with only a
backpack on a lake surface or good trail,
but for bushwhacking in thick bush, deep
snow or steep terrain, the snowshoe is still
king.
Towing a toboggan, on extended over-
night trips, requires the steady pull of the
snowshoer. The added drag interferes with
the skier's normal glide and reduces the
pace to an ungainly walk.
Early winter darkness was setting in
when the last stragglers rounded the point
out on the lake and came within sight of the
camp. The cheery glow from the cabin
windows meant good things to the
trail -weary and hungry travellers. A few
moments' relaxation in a warm, com-
fortable chair was followed by a vertiable
mound of superb food.
The inherent hardships and risks
associated with winter travel on foot in the
Canadian wilderness are hypothermia and
fatigue, whiteouts, breaking through ice,
hunger, a disabling injury and a rarely
reported case of snow blindness.
The code of the trail prevails at the
Headwaters' dining table ...this is no
place for the tardy. The main reasons for
such unrestrained voraciousness are the
high sustenance needs of winter travellers
and the undeniable talents of camp
"cuisiniere" Cheryl Harding.
The following night, Cheryl acceded to
popular request and served pizza as the
main course.
Notable performances were chalked up
by all, but guides Kirk Smith, Hoss
Haiblen and Dan Gibson, lean and hungry
lads, bordered on the incredible. The
prodigious quantity of food they stowed
away would have raised a glint of envy in
the eye of a wolverine.
Following our feast, we repaired to the
library where the instructors gave lectures
on birds, animals, trees and the geological
structures of the area. There were
readings on the nomadic life of the Indians
before the coming of the white man, and
how lumbering and mining replaced
trapping and hunting as their primary
livelihood activities.
Next day, we were given a choice of
either snowshoeing across the lake and
climbing Lookout Mountain or donning skis
and doing a 20 km loop of trails and
abandoned logging roads adjacent to the
camp.
It was on the winding, sometimes steep
trail through heavy woods on the mount-
ainside that the snowshoes proved their
worth. To have attempted the same climb
and descent on skis would have been out of
the question.
The afternoon was spent preparing
equipment and checking out gear for a
three-day and two -night camping exped-
ition planned for the morrow.
The afternoon session ended with
everyone participating in a demonstration
on how to erect a four -man expedition tent.
The lecture included how to select, cut and
tie tent and ridge poles and the assembly
and installation of the camp stove inside
the tent.
A visit to the equipment cabin followed
where I was issued special gear suitable for
winter wilderness travel. Felt -lined buckle
boots, anorak, parka, heavy wool trousers,
mitts, duffel bag and a specially insulated
sleeping bag with ground pad are only
some of the items that take the sting out of
the cold winter wind.
Food, duffel bags, stoves, tents were all
wrapped in waterproof tarpaulins and
carefully lashed to toboggans to be pulled
along by the snowshoers.
On the secona lake, a man roared up
riding a snowmobile and pulled up to ask a
few questions as to who we were and if
such a strange assemblage belonged in his
time. He seemed unusually wary as if he
expected us to fade into the snow -filled air
and confirm his suspicions that we were
actually ghosts from a bygone age.
Lunch consisted of pre -packed sand-
wiches and a big pot of hot tea brewed over
a hasty fire. We were sheltered among
evergreen trees at the end of a scenic
portage trail and the snow was at least a
metre deep.
We arrrived at our planned campsite on
Whitewater Lake at mid-afternoon and
proceeded to set up camp.
Tasks assigned to one or more winter-
time nomads were digging out tent sites,
cutting tent poles and firewood, digging
out a cooking area and finally setting up
the tents, assembling the stoves and
storing firewood for the night and at the
cooking area.
The fine efforts of the novice bush cook
were duly appreciated and after conveying
our compliments to the chef, we turned in
early ... you sleep deep after a long day on
the trail.
The agenda for the next two days called
for exploratory trips to nearby lakes while
studying tracks and other signs of wildlife
that reveal the presence and activities of a
boreal ecology in wintertime
My participation in the outing endeo
when a Lakeland Services bush plane from
Temagami dropped down early the follow-
ing morning to pick me up. A few hasty
handshakes and we were winging our way
back to civilization over snow -blanketed
lakes and forest.
For complete details on this unique aii
season camp and outfitting service for
wilderness oriented interests and activities
contact Headwaters, P.O. Box 288P,
Temagami, Ontario, POH 2H0.
VILLAGE SQUIRE/MARCH 1980 PG. 19