Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Marten visits the Yurt


We saw this Marten in the trees near our yurt.It had been -28 c for days before we arrived and I think he was looking for food at the site.

These photos are a bit of a blur...wow...can this little guy run fast! No way was he going to pose for a photo shoot. They feed on squirrels, mice, birds and rabbits...so they need to be quick.


I found the marten crunching loudly on something, so he stood still for a moment, he took off when I tried to get closer, it's hard to sneak quietly through the woods in 3 feet of snow.




Saturday, February 16, 2008

Algonquin Park Yurt




"A Yurt? What's a Yurt" was the response we got from most people when we said we were spending a few days in one. Valentines Day(our 27th wedding anniversary) seemed like the perfect date to experience a trip to Algonquin Park in a Yurt.



These semi-permanent canvas-covered structures are 16 feet in diameter, mounted on a wooden deck about two feet off the ground. Yurts can accommodate up to six people. They have two sets of bunk beds, a table and chairs, plywood floors, electric heat and lighting.
Algonquin Park has eight yurts in total. Seven are located in the Mew Lake Campground off of Hwy 60.
After trying to reserve a yurt for the past 3 years on a weekend and finding it booked up for months in advance, we decided to go for a midweek trip.
The temperature the first night was -19 degrees c and the second night was a balmy -15 c. The electric heater kept the six of us warm all night, but we heard that on the nights before we arrived it was -28 c with a strong wind and an extra heater was needed.(the park provides those if you need them)















It doesn't get much better than this, good food, shared with good friends, we were laughing!



Robert did most of the cooking with his trusty Colman stove and a propane BBQ under the cooking shelter beside the Yurt. Some folks down the road from us had tarps around the cook area, they probably needed that on the windy, -28 evenings.




TIPS:
There is an electric outlet inside the Yurt, so we brought a kettle to plug in for coffee and hot cereal, to help get us up in the mornings. I would recommend something to slip on your feet when inside the yurt, we had a ton of water on the floor from our snow covered boot. We also brought a flannel sheet to cover the cold vinyl mattress.


















The heated bathrooms and showers were greatly appreciated, but Connor really should remove his Snowshoes before using the facilities






























We found a Igloo in the park that someone built. It was large enough to stand in.

It was a beautiful time to be snowshoeing, it was cold but once we started walking , -14c didn't seem to bother anyone.





























We had back bacon on a bun with 2 kinds of cheese for brunch,.....mmmmm!


















I can't think of any better way to enjoy a few days in the middle of the cold Canadian winter!
Dress warm!