Walk Into Winter

Walk into winter . on snowshoes. Explore the winter wilds of the Haliburton Highlands with a winter travel expert, a wildlife biologist and a fur trader. You will stay at the unique and beautiful Stouffer Mill B&B (www.stouffermill.com) near Hall's Lake. Start your experience with an introduction to snowshoes - history, types, techniques, and tips. After some practice you will head out on a wilderness walk to discover the ecology of winter and the finer points of winter travel and survival. You will also enjoy some good stories, warm hospitality, a tasty bush lunch prepared over a campfire, a scrumptious dinner, hot tub, and live entertainment.

On day three you will step back into Canada's history and join an 18th century fur trader for a snowshoe along Ten Mile Creek to a heritage log cabin. There you will hear stories and see artifacts from the 18th and 19th century fur trade and enjoy a hearty lunch of baked beans, wild rice, and bannock.

Seasons: Winter
Dates: Early January to early March (see Calendar)
Duration: 3 days/2 nights or 3 days
Sample Itinerary: Click here.
Itinerary can be customized to meet your needs, interests and budget. This itinerary may change. Yours Outdoors reserves the right to make changes in response to individual and group needs, availability of experience providers, weather, and other factors.
Physical Challenge Rating: 4 (More info)
Rates: Based on a minimum of 6 persons, double occupancy, tax (GST/PST) not included. Adults only. With accommodation - from $465/person. Package includes three days of program, two breakfasts, one dinner, two lunches, and two nights accommodation. Without accommodation - from $290/person. Package includes three days of program, two breakfasts, one dinner, and two lunches.
Accommodation: Stouffer Mill Bed & Breakfast
Booking: To make a booking with accommodation, contact Don or Jesse at 1.888.593.8888, 705.489.3024 or info@stouffermill.com. To make a booking without accommodation, contact Barrie Martin at info@yoursoutdoors.ca or 705-754-3436.

Walk Into Winter - Sample Itinerary

* Ten Mile Creek House

Located on Ten Mile Creek, between Dwight and Dorset, is the log camp owned by Mike and Joanne Buss. The building has been restored to recreate what a late 18th or early 19th century trading post might have looked like. It is furnished with hand made or antique furniture, heated with wood, has no electricity or plumbing, is lit by candles and employs no plastic, plywood, sheet metal or fiberglass in its construction. Even the door hinges and handles are hand wrought and period square nails are used throughout. The camp is used as a hunt camp during the fall and an overnight ski cabin during the winter.

Your visit will include a 2 km (approximately) round trip snowshoe hike from the road along Ten Mile Creek with a visit to an active beaver lodge and associated ponds and dams.

Ten Mile Creek House will be arranged and furnished with common trade goods and furs. Mike, in period clothing, will present an explanation of the fur trade as it was conducted in the late 18th century. Mike has an extensive collection of reproduction trade goods and can demonstrate the use of these artifacts including flint and steel fire making, flintlock firearms and traps. The biology and ecology of fur bearing animals is interpreted in light of Native technologies and lifestyles and with regard of European market economics.