One-Tank Trip for
March 2/19
(c) By Jim Fox
There’s still time to “chill out” with icy
adventures before they melt away.
We’ve had more than our share of icy weather
throughout the winter, leading the more hardy to embrace newer forms of
slippery pursuits.
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| Snowkites and ice fishers dot Rice Lake at the Elmhirst Resort. (Photo by Justen Soule) |
One of the latest is snowkiting over a
frozen lake along with ice climbing walls of frozen water.
Also known as kite skiing, the sport involves
using kite power on snow or ice similar to kiteboarding on water.
Snowkiting
is now big at Elmhirst Resort on Rice Lake, near Peterborough.
This is because of Stephen Elmhirst’s “passion
for the sport” as he’s recognized as a certified trainer and promotes the event
year-round, said the resort’s Christine Painter.
The resort offers introductory lessons and
there’s an annual snowkiting weekend in January.
Conditions have been “ideal” this winter
with all the cold weather and the snow cover on the lake.
Elmhirst (1045
Settlers Line) in Keene also has an outdoor skating rink on the lake, horse-drawn
sleigh rides, snowshoeing, ice fishing and a Fire and Ice spa package. elmhirst.ca; 1-800-461-1940
Walls of ice
For those whose
idea of embracing winter is scaling a wall of sheer ice on the face of a gorge
or climbing a frozen waterfall can get their thrills in Elora and Ancaster.
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| Ice climbers brave the slippery slopes of the Elora Gorge. (One Axe Pursuits) |
Known for the
scenic beauty of its gorge, Elora offers visitors a challenging 20-metre-high ice
wall.
It’s open to experienced
climbers and beginners alike who can learn the ropes of ice climbing from
experts with tour operator One Axe Pursuits.
“We cater to people
who want to really enjoy the winter and not hide from it,” said One Axe’s Christa
Niravong.
The company’s operation
in Elora, northwest of Guelph, runs usually through the end of March.
For perfect
conditions, One Axe diverts water from Irvine Creek over the edge of the gorge so
it can freeze and form the ice wall.
 |
| An ice climber is on the way up at Tiffany Falls in Ancaster. (One Axe Pursuits – The Heart of Ontario) |
There’s also an ice
climbing site at Tiffany Falls in Ancaster, near Hamilton, operated by the
company.
Elora also has
numerous trails around the gorge for snowshoeing, cross-county skiing, skating
and tobogganing including at the Wellington County Museum and Archives. oneaxepursuits.com; (519) 846-8888
Experience
Hamilton’s waterfront at the Pier 8 outdoor rink while Burlington’s Discovery
Landing has the huge Rotary Centennial Pond for recreational skating.
Other for-free skating
options are Harmony Square in Brantford and Terra Cotta Conservation Area with
a frozen pond and trail. theheartofontario.com
Dashing through the snow
The province has a
“full range of outside activities including snowmobiling, snowbiking and
fatbiking – the winterized version of mountain biking,” said Helen Lovekin of
Destination Ontario.
There is also the
most extensive, interconnected system of snowmobile trails anywhere with 30,000
kilometres maintained and supervised by local clubs. www.ofsc.on.ca
 |
| A snowbiker rides the trails in Wawa. (Northern Ontario Travel) |
Called
the “younger, more hyperactive cousin of the snowmobile,” snowbikes or
skibiking is the latest sport.
It’s like
riding a dirt bike but instead of wheels, it has two skis, with riders converting
bikes.
Some places are now
renting them including Wawa where two-and three-day guided tours are offered.
Fatbikes are
zipping along winter trails and city streets with their extra wide tires that
allow the mountain bikes to propel through most varieties of snow.
Outfitters in the
Muskoka region are especially big on fatbikes and the Old Railway Bike Trail in
Algonquin Provincial Park is popular along with mountain biking trails in
Torrance Barrens Conservation Area. ontariotravel.net
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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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