WINTER ON THE COVER? (C'MON, YOU LOVE IT TOO.)
Inside: the best gear, best ski culture, best trips.
LARISA YURKIW AT HOME
The World Cup ski champ on ski gates and baby gates. P.81
TRAILS, BERMS AND JUMPS
Private ski clubs add mountain biking to their offering (Also resulting in more glade skiing terrain?). P.55
SKIING FOR EVERYONE
A local charity partners with Collingwood’s YMCA to get kids on the hill. P.22 Mountain Homes P.68 Wellness Pioneers P.86 Saving Thornbury’s Old Trees P.46 FALL 2026 // FREE
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OUTDOOR OFFICE
No More Excuses.
Eventually publisher Dave Loopstra found a place to park for free and a quiet area of forest, but it shouldn't be so hard. ASHLEY WARRINGTON
I’m just gonna say it: We need more wild natural areas, and more free access. In the GTA, it’s an emergency that’s spilling north in a hurry.* What’s available is crowded and expensive. And, yay, download an app to park! Example: I recently took my family to a Conservation Area just north of the 401, a bastion in the region of ancient cedars and limestone cliffs, caves and mature forest. It’s also now just a tiny island of accessible nature, surrounded by dieselchoked busy roads, logistics warehouses and ever-expanding subdivisions. It’s sadly a rare public piece of deep(er) forest and trails down there. Let that sink in. If you live there and want an easy natureimmersion experience, good luck, especially on a weekend. And free? Not a chance. My family of four paid $27. For a walk in a forest amongst the crowds. For myself, I can—or rather I choose to—afford this, but I’m one of the lucky ones. For many it means a choice between nature and rent (or food). Can’t afford $27? No nature for you. It’s a tragedy. Nature should not be exclusive. We all need it. The benefits are well-documented. Boosted immune systems—naturally. Better physical health and better mental health. This leads to less strain on the healthcare system and an overall better quality of life. A more productive and happy society means less conflict, less crime, more culture, more well-being and a stronger populace. More nature is also good for the economy— as the regions we feature in this issue speak to. Locally, we’ve seen huge benefits from our nature conservancies, land trusts, community leaders and volunteers for their efforts and our BETA Section starting on page 43 highlights some of these. But we need way more nature protected, and fast, and we need to demand such from all levels of government. It's dire out there. As an individual or corporation, you can act by supporting local conservancies and land trusts, definitely currently the most efficient route for results. But, really, it's now time for our local municipalities to prioritize the acquisition of large swaths of wild areas and provide free access to them through ample parking and significant trail networks—managing them through cooperation with local nonprofits and volunteers, the folks currently gettin' 'er done best. Make natural areas more frequent, make them bigger, make them free and for God’s sake don’t make us download an app to park. Enjoy this issue.
–Dave Loopstra, Publisher *According to StatsCan, close to a million new Canadians have settled in Southern Ontario in the last five years, putting unprecedented pressure on natural areas, a challenge seemingly overlooked by all levels of government.
12
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Faster. Always
Redster Q The one-ski solution for all piste conditions. With raceinspired speed, control, and wider ambitions.
Revoshock Blocks distracting bumps before they reach your feet to cushion up your line.
UPFRONT P.18
Mountain Mama
THE ML - EVENTS
Table of Contents
P.21
24h BLUE MTN
GEAR SHED
P.22
Second Tracks
P.63
The Latest Primo Schwag
GOIN’ PLACES
MTN HOMES
P.27
A Space of Your Own
P.68
Blake Farrow Q&A
P.29
Quebec Way to Winter
P.75
West Wind
P.35
White Out
P.39
Greatest Snow on Earth
WELLNESS P.86
The Vortex Effect & Sauna with a Finn
BETA - NEWSWORTHY P.43
Claybanks Question
ARTIST PROFILE
P.44
Great Lakes Pipeline?
P.103 Charmaine Jenner
P.46
Tree Trust
P.48
Real Estate Corrections
P.51
Rewilding Talisman
P.55
New Club Perk
P.59
85 Winters
FEATURES P.81
Larisa Yurkiw Returns Home
P.94
Shredding Tignes
P.106 Photo Gallery APRÈS P.114 Blair Werbitsky
ON THIS PAGE Alan Poelman in Riding Mountain National Park. ALAN POELMAN ON THE COVER Amanda Christie skiing at an undisclosed location on the Niagara Escarpment. WILL TAM
16
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MOUNTAIN MAMA
Town: Right Where We Left It Bryn Honeywood
COLUMNIST
I got a parking spot in town the other day. Not a “technically legal” space three blocks away. Not the one beside the dumpster. Not a frantic parallel park while someone in a pickup waited behind me. A real parking spot, right where I wanted to go. I pulled in, turned off the car and sat there for a second. Well. Look at that. It was one of those small signs that summer had loosened its grip. There was a table at the coffee shop. The beach felt quiet again. Nobody was lined up halfway down the sidewalk for ice cream. You could decide to go somewhere without first considering traffic, parking, lineups and whether the whole thing was really worth it. Summer here requires a slightly different operating system. For a couple of months, the place where we live becomes the place everyone else wants to be. Cars arrive loaded with bikes, paddleboards, coolers, kayaks, roof boxes and enough outdoor equipment to cross the continent rather than spend two nights at Blue Mountain. Patios fill. Beaches fill. Trails fill. Highway 26 develops moods. You learn that “I’ll just pop into town” is no longer a reasonable sentence on a Saturday afternoon. You develop strong opinions about left-hand turns and look at a busy parking lot and think, with complete sincerity, I don’t need groceries that badly. None of this is really a complaint. There is something strangely affirming about watching people arrive genuinely excited about where you live. They stop to photograph views I pass on my way to buy dog food. They book weekends around trails we keep meaning to walk and restaurants we still haven’t tried. 18
Visitors are very good at reminding us that our ordinary lives happen somewhere pretty extraordinary. They also make it difficult to park. Our towns don’t just get quieter; they start to feel familiar again. You bump into someone at the grocery store or turn a quick errand into a 30-minute gab fest. There’s lots to catch up on. The kids find this deeply irritating. But there is a difference between visiting somewhere and growing up there. Local kids learn the place from the inside. They know the dodgy shortcuts, which beach is better for swimming, and which is better for skipping stones. They know the familiar face at the arena and the librarian who remembers what they used to read. They know which hill is absolutely not worth biking up, and which route to take when the wind is coming off the Bay.
A visitor can know where to find the best coffee. A local kid knows who is probably going to be handing it across the counter. That is a different kind of map. That may be one of the quieter gifts of a hometown. Other locals keep time too. They remember earlier versions of your kids and notice what changed. None of it is particularly remarkable, but perhaps that’s exactly why it matters. Soon enough, we’ll find some other seasonal irritant to complain about. We are, after all, locals. For now, though, there’s a spot to park, an open table at the coffee shop and someone I know walking through the door. “Hey,” I say. “I haven’t seen you in forever.” They laugh. “I’ve been here.” Of course they have. So have we.
"Our towns don't just get quieter; they start to feel familiar again."
COLIN FIELD
The Theone onefor forbest bestresults. results. The one for best results. 234520 234520 Concession Concession 2 WGR, 2 WGR, Durham Durham 234520 Concession 2 WGR, Durham
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250250 Gordon Gordon Drive, Drive, Penetanguishene Penetanguishene 107107 Maple Maple Lane, Lane, Blue Blue Mountains Mountains $4,750,000 $3,999,000 5 BEDS 5 BEDS | 5+1| 5+1 BATHS BATHS | 8,223.6 | 8,223.6 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 4 BEDS 4 BEDS | 4 BATHS | 4 BATHS | 10.66 | 10.66 AC |AC 3,711 | 3,711 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 250 Gordon Drive, Penetanguishene 107 Maple Lane, Blue Mountains Unmatched Unmatched Georgian Georgian BayBay estate estate withwith sweeping sweeping 10 km 10 views km views to to Spectacular Spectacular estate estate perched perched atopatop BlueBlue Mountain, Mountain, offering offering panoramic panoramic 5Cognashene. BEDS | 5+1 BATHS | include 8,223.6 SQ.317’ FT.shoreline, 4views BEDS 4 BATHS | and 10.66 AC | 3,711 SQ. FT. Cognashene. Highlights Highlights include 317’ of of shoreline, protected protected harbour, harbour, dry dry views of Georgian of|Georgian Bay,Bay, and the the town town of Collingwood. of Collingwood. A true A true four-season four-season Unmatched Georgian Bay4-car estate with sweeping Spectacular estate perched atop Blue Mountain, offering panoramic boathouse, boathouse, indoor indoor pool, pool, 4-car garage garage & elevator. & elevator.10 km views to retreat, retreat, ideally ideally suited suited for outdoor for outdoor enthusiasts. enthusiasts. Cognashene. Highlights include 317’ of shoreline, protected harbour, dry views of Georgian Bay, and the town of Collingwood. A true four-season boathouse, indoor pool, 4-car garage & elevator. retreat, ideally suited for outdoor enthusiasts.
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$1,950,000 71 Oak 71 Oak Lea Lea Boulevard, Boulevard, Wasaga Wasaga Beach Beach 6 BEDS 6 BEDS | 3+1| 3+1 BATHS BATHS | 3,341 | 3,341 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 71 Oak Lea Boulevard, Wasaga Beach Modern Modern French French Château Château Lakefront Lakefront retreat retreat nestled nestled in Cedar in Cedar Ridge Ridge 6Estates. BEDS | 3+1 | 3,341 SQ. FT.2on Estates. 155 155 ft ofBATHS ftwest of west facing facing sand sand on acres 2 acres surrounded surrounded by majestic by majestic Modern French Château retreat nestled in Cedar Ridge trees. trees. Tiki Tiki bar bar at the at the shore, shore, aLakefront coach a coach house house above above heated heated double double garage garage 155cellar ftand of west facing sand on 2 acres surrounded by majestic andEstates. and a wine a wine cellar and bar bar in the in the gamesroom. gamesroom. ThisThis oneone has has it all! it all! trees. Tiki bar at the shore, a coach house above heated double garage and a wine cellar and bar in the gamesroom. This one has it all!
$1,699,000 409409 Bayport Bayport Boulevard, Boulevard, Midland Midland 4 BEDS 4 BEDS | 3+1| 3+1 BATHS BATHS | 2,734 | 2,734 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 409 Bayport Boulevard, Midland YourYour Georgian Georgian BayBay dream dream lakefront lakefront awaits! awaits! Immerse Immerse yourself yourself in in 4 BEDS | 3+1 BATHS | 2,734 SQ. FT. breathtaking breathtaking year-round year-round water water views views from from thisthis impressive impressive turn-key turn-key Your Georgian Bay dream lakefront awaits! Immerse yourself in residence, residence, boasting boasting over over 59 feet 59 feet of prime of prime Georgian Georgian BayBay water water frontage. frontage. breathtaking year-round water views from this impressive turn-key residence, boasting over 59 feet of prime Georgian Bay water frontage.
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$649,000 $649,000 $649,000 5-1 Olive 5-1 Olive Crescent, Crescent, Orillia Orillia 2 BEDS 2 BEDS | 2 BATHS | Crescent, 2 BATHS | 1,030 | 1,030 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 5-1 Olive Orillia Waterfront Waterfront end-unit end-unit with with lakelake views, views, open open layout, layout, granite granite kitchen, kitchen, gas gas 2 BEDS | 2 BATHS | 1,030 SQ. FT. fireplace, fireplace, and and fenced fenced deck. deck. Two bedrooms bedrooms up,layout, primary up, primary withwith balcony. balcony. Waterfront end-unit with lakeTwo views, open granite kitchen, gas Finished Finished basement, basement, updated updated windows, A/C.A/C. Near Near parks, parks, marina, marina, andand fireplace, and fenced deck.windows, Two bedrooms up, primary with balcony. downtown downtown Orillia. Orillia. updated windows, A/C. Near parks, marina, and Finished basement,
158523 158523 7th 7th LineLine N, Meaford N, Meaford $3,999,000 4 BEDS 4 BEDS | 43BATHS | 43BATHS | 3,200 | 3,200 SQ. SQ. FT. FT. 158523 7th Line Meaford RareRare 8.3-acre 8.3-acre estate estate onN, Southern on Southern Georgian Georgian Bay.Bay. 561ft 561ft of shoreline, of shoreline, 4 BEDS | ft. 43BATHS |main 3,200 SQ. FT. 3,200sq. 3,200sq. ft. updated updated main home, home, & 2-bed & 2-bed guest guest house. house. LushLush forest, forest, private private Rare 8.3-acre estate on 2hrs Southern Georgian Bay. 561ft of shoreline, drive, drive, sand/rock sand/rock beach. beach. 2hrs fromfrom GTA, GTA, 30m30m to ski toclubs. ski clubs. 3,200sq. ft. updated main home, & 2-bed guest house. Lush forest, private drive, sand/rock beach. 2hrs from GTA, 30m to ski clubs.
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$529,000 $ 499,000 27 Beaver 27 Beaver Street Street S #101, S #101, Blue Blue Mountains Mountains Lot Lot 28 White 28 White Cloud Cloud Island, Island, Georgian Georgian Bluffs Bluffs 2 BEDS 2 BEDS | 2 BATHS | 2 BATHS | 1,479 | 1,479 SQ. SQ. FT. FT.Mountains 12 AC 12 LAND. AC LAND. 27 Beaver Street S #101, Blue Lot 28 White Cloud Island, Georgian Bluffs Far 2Hills Far Hills 1st-floor 1st-floor suite: suite: hardwood hardwood granite granite kitchen, kitchen, ensuite ensuite with with guest/office guest/office Enjoy Enjoy the the perfect perfect balance balance of island of island seclusion seclusion andand convenient convenient mainland mainland BEDS | 2 BATHS | 1,479 SQ. FT. 12 AC LAND. space. space. Underground parking; parking; pool, pool, tennis, tennis, clubhouse. clubhouse. Near Near Downtown Downtown access. access. Less Less than than a 5-minute a 5-minute boat boat rideride from from shore, shore, theconvenient the property property offers offers Far HillsUnderground 1st-floor suite: hardwood granite kitchen, ensuite with guest/office Enjoy the perfect balance of island seclusion and mainland Thornbury Thornbury an easy escape escape while while maintaining maintaining the peace peace andand privacy privacy of island of island living. living. space. Underground parking; pool, tennis, clubhouse. Near Downtown an easy access. Less than a 5-minute boatthe ride from shore, the property offers Thornbury
an easy escape while maintaining the peace and privacy of island living.
downtown Orillia.
CallCall today today for for a Free a Free Property Property Evaluation Evaluation using using TheThe Gilchrist Gilchrist Groups Groups 25 year 25 proven proven track record record of waterfront of Evaluation waterfront sales sales on Georgian on Georgian BayBay Callyear today for atrack Free Property using The Gilchrist Groups 25 year provenRealty track record of waterfront sales on Georgian Bay Sotheby’s Sotheby’s International International Realty Canada, Canada, Brokerage Brokerage The The Gilchrist Gilchrist Group Group GilchristGroup@SothebysRealty.ca GilchristGroup@SothebysRealty.ca The Gilchrist Group TheGilchristGroup.ca TheGilchristGroup.ca GilchristGroup@SothebysRealty.ca 705.443.2880 705.443.2880 TheGilchristGroup.ca 705.443.2880 @TheGilchristGroup @TheGilchristGroup @TheGilchristGroup
243 243 Hurontario Hurontario Street, Street, Collingwood Collingwood Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Brokerage Bonnie Bonnie MacPherson MacPherson Kevin Kevin Gilchrist Gilchrist Sales Sales Representative Representative Broker, Broker, Team Team Lead,Lead, GUILD GUILD Elite™ Elite™ Bonnie MacPherson Kevin Gilchrist 416.587.7901 416.587.7901 Senior Senior ViceTeam Vice President President – Sales – Sales Broker, Lead, GUILD Elite™ Sales Representative 705.443.2880 705.443.2880 416.587.7901 Senior Vice President – Sales
GregGreg Tait Tait Sales Sales Representative Representative Greg Tait 705.427.2169 705.427.2169 Sales Representative
243 Hurontario Street, Collingwood
705.427.2169
705.443.2880
E.&O.E: E.&O.E: ThisThis information information is from is from sources sources which which we deem we deem reliable, reliable, but must but must be verified be verified by prospective by prospective purchasers purchasers and may and may be subject be subject to change to change orThis withdrawal. orinformation withdrawal. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Canada, Brokerage. Brokerage. Independently owned and operated. and operated. *Listand *List Price Price E.&O.E: isSotheby’s fromInternational sources which weRealty deem reliable, but must beIndependently verified byowned prospective purchasers may be subject to change or withdrawal. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Brokerage. Independently owned and operated. *List Price
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winter is still a thing.
LIVING THE MOUNTAIN LIFE - EVENTS
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Competitive BeaverTrail consumption during the Golden Hour Après Challenge; Assembling for the mass start; Live tunes in the Village Plaza.
ROTH MEDIA
24h BLUE MTN Isn't About Winning Anymore Less racing, more community and 24 hours of mountain-wide fundraising Skiing for 24 hours sounds hard enough. Throw in karaoke, midnight trivia and a BeaverTails eating contest and things start getting interesting. That’s the idea behind 24h BLUE MTN, which returns to Blue Mountain March 19–21, 2027. The annual fundraiser has undergone a substantial transformation since Blue Mountain Resort brought the event in-house in 2026. Instead of concentrating on which team can hammer out the most laps, organizers have turned it into something closer to a 24-hour winter festival with skiing and snowboarding at its core. “We totally revamped the participant experience. There’s no race component to it anymore,” says Erika Langman, manager of event sales and services at Blue. “It’s about fundraising goals.” Teams still ski through the night, but the competition now extends well beyond the slopes. A team scorecard includes challenges ranging from karaoke to trivia and, yes, competitive BeaverTails consumption. There’s live music, entertainment, midnight pizza and sunrise coffee and donuts. The change was also about making the event more inclusive. Organizers found that rewarding lap counts encouraged people to race down the hill, favouring stronger skiers and snowboarders. Laps are still tracked, but there’s no longer a prize for completing the most. Instead, teams earn points by participating in challenges while the biggest recognition goes to the top fundraisers. “Because it’s fun,” Langman says when asked why people should sign up. “That’s the number one reason to do it.” The format also gives participants considerably more freedom. Teams keep someone skiing or snowboarding throughout the 24 hours, but individual members can head off to explore the resort, ski other terrain or check out Blue Mountain’s attractions
between shifts. Participants receive lift access for two days along with access to available attractions. Overnight, Blue opens additional freshly groomed terrain so participants aren’t simply repeating the same run until sunrise. The event is also open to all ages, with children under 12 able to participate with an adult wearing a buddy bib. But underneath all the fun is the real purpose of the weekend. In 2026, the event raised $250,000, hitting its fundraising goal despite Blue Mountain taking over the event relatively late. The resort also donates significant operational costs including lift tickets, staffing, hill space, overnight operations and food. Special Olympics remains the event’s largest beneficiary, with fantastic local charities supported through the Blue Mountain Foundation including Second Tracks and Jax Pays It Forward/Collingwood General and Marine Hospital supported in 2026. Langman says those organizations share a connection through helping break down barriers that can prevent people from getting on snow. And Blue has much bigger ambitions for the event. Langman points to the long-running 24h Tremblant, which she says raised $8.7 million im 2025. It’s an example of what the Blue event could eventually become. “We have aspirations of scaling it to that level,” she says. “But you have to start somewhere, and grow.” Registration for the 2027 edition of 24h BLUE MTN is open now. So start assembling the team. Preferably with someone who can ski at 3 a.m. and someone else who is really good at eating BeaverTails. -Colin Field 21
THE MOUNTAIN LIFE - EVENTS
"The response has been overwhelming." The Second Tracks program in action.
COLIN FIELD
Second Tracks is Giving Local Kids a Way Onto the Mountain On almost any winter night in Collingwood, you can see Blue Mountain glowing on the escarpment. The lights are just part of the winter landscape. For many of us, skiing and snowboarding are equally woven into living here. But not for everyone. For a kid growing up in Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, The Blue Mountains or Clearview, those lights can represent something physically close but financially a world away. Skiing is expensive. There are lift tickets, equipment, clothing, lessons and transportation. For some families, simply trying the sport isn’t realistic. John Mealey wanted to change that. “The Second Tracks program is a new initiative getting kids out to the hill skiing for free,” says Mealey, a former Canadian Ski Team member and owner of North Shore Ltd., who started the program. “Skiing is not accessible for a lot of these kids.” Now entering its third season, Second Tracks is a barrierfree learn-to-ski and snowboard program for local youth between 12 and 16. A partnership between the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka, Blue Mountain Resort and North Shore Ltd., it attempts to remove virtually every obstacle between a kid and their first turns. “This gives them that opportunity, taking down all barriers to access the ski hill,” Mealey says. “Kids get a lift ticket, rentals at Blue and instruction and a meal, all free.” Transportation from the Collingwood YMCA is included too. The program consists of two four-week sessions, with up to 50 participants in each. It prioritizes local youth with little or no access to skiing and snowboarding. Many arrive having never 22
clicked into skis or strapped onto a snowboard. “They’re starting out super nervous, trying a new sport, snowboarding and skiing, they’ve never done before,” Mealey says. “And I can’t believe how quickly they’ve caught on to it.” Blue Mountain instructors work with participants before volunteers join them for more time on snow. Mealey says the progress has been remarkable. “All the kids have graduated from the beginner slope and we’ve had no injuries and lots of smiles,” he says. But Second Tracks isn’t really about creating better skiers. “What I love most about the program is just seeing the kids gain confidence, trying something new,” Mealey says. “We really hope that they’ll take that confidence and apply it to other things in their life.” The community has embraced the idea, with businesses sponsoring sessions, people donating equipment and volunteers giving their time. “We’ve had all kinds of success with all our volunteers and all our sponsors,” Mealey says. “The response has been overwhelming. People have jumped right on board and helped us out.” Second Tracks isn’t simply giving kids four nights of skiing or snowboarding. It’s giving them the chance to discover a sport that is a huge part of the community they call home. For some, those four weeks might be enough to spark something bigger. Whatever comes next, Mealey and the people behind Second Tracks have opened a door that might otherwise have remained closed. And that’s something worth celebrating. -Colin Field
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GOIN' PLACES
The new Woodrow: bringing the landscape into the experience.
SUPPLIED BY SPY CIDER HOUSE & DISTILLERY
A Space to Make Your Own Some spaces are designed for a particular kind of gathering. The Woodrow at Spy Cider House & Distillery was designed to be whatever the occasion calls for. Set among Spy’s orchards with views across the Beaver Valley, The Woodrow brings the landscape into the experience. At sunset, the valley glows beyond the windows and the 1,300-square-foot wraparound covered terrace becomes a natural extension of the room, a place for cocktails, conversation, dinner or simply taking in the view. Inside, 4,200 square feet provides space for up to 160 seated guests or 220 for a cocktail reception. But perhaps the most distinctive feature is the freedom the space offers. The Woodrow is a blank canvas. It could host a wedding filled with flowers and candlelight. A milestone birthday. An anniversary or celebration of life. A corporate retreat or gathering. A theatrical or musical performance. And yoga or movement arts workshops, film screenings and creative experiences. The space can shift
effortlessly from one purpose to another, allowing each host to create the aesthetic and energy. And while the space is yours to make your own, the setting provides a sense of place that can’t be replicated. At the bar, Spy’s ciders, spirits and ready-to-drink offerings bring the orchard to the glass. Guests can taste the fruit grown around them and the craftsmanship of maker Jonah Read—a connection between the land, the people and the products that make Spy what it is. There is something inherently grounding about gathering here. The open landscape invites you to slow down and breathe the fresh country air, while the changing light reminds you to be present. Whether you’re gathering for 20 people or 220, for a oncein-a-lifetime celebration or simply to bring people together, The Woodrow gives you the room, and the freedom, to create something memorable. You bring the occasion and the vision. The Woodrow provides the canvas. The room, and the freedom, to create something memorable.
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road Trip
~ PART ONE OF A TWO-PART SERIES ~
GOIN' PLACES
Tremblant: Ski hard all morning, stop for lunch, hammer out more laps and finish with beer... COLIN FIELD
The Quebec Way to Winter
Two Quebec ski resorts, and a backcountry lodge. One road trip, three very different ways to experience winter When we pulled into ÖBois Charlevoix, we knew we had found something special. Bonfires outside, dogs running up to say hello and live music drifting from the rustic lodge. Twilight made the snow blue, while chimney smoke wafted toward the backcountry chutes we would ski the next day. We were on the final leg of a week-long road trip through La Belle Province, looking for deep snow, perfect glades, no crowds and a killer après scene—the kind where you might end up drinking beers with ski patrol and local celebs. So far, we had found almost everything except deep snow. It happens. We hadn’t panicked. But ÖBois—a wilderness basecamp of rustic cabins near four 300-metre backcountry runs, all accessed by skinning—looked promising. Tomorrow, we’d earn our turns. The trip had started more than 500 kilometres away, with a mission to link three very different Quebec ski experiences— Mont-Tremblant, Mont Sutton and the Charlevoix backcountry. It’s part of our ongoing search for the deepest snow, finest beer and liveliest après. We started at Tremblant, with its colourful pedestrian village, slopeside hotels, boutiques, bistros and enough après
options to make tomorrow’s first chair ambitious. Tremblant can be both family-friendly and a party at the same time, and part of its beauty is its convenience. Ski hard all morning, stop for a proper lunch, hammer out a few more laps and finish with beer without worrying about driving. Shuttles are everywhere. Tremblant has a reputation for cold, and that reputation is deserved. Dress properly, though, and you’re good. Keep hunting for pow. The glades off The Edge chair—Tremblant’s only non-highspeed lift—are worth the slower ride. Stay skier’s right, far right. That night, over beers in the village, we met a guy in ski boots who claimed he’d been skiing Tremblant since “before GORE-TEX.” He was maybe 60, possibly 70, and still wearing his helmet. In the pub. Gotta love that. We asked him where the best snow was. He looked at us for a second. “If I tell you,” he said, “then it’s not the best snow anymore.” Fair enough. We never did get an answer, but I will tell you: The Edge chair, man! The next day, we headed to Sutton for a smaller scene. The Eastern Townships feel like Quebec’s slightly rebellious 29
backyard—a rolling patchwork of mountains, farms, old villages and winding roads near the Vermont border. There’s a distinctly local rhythm: ski hard, eat well, drink something brewed down the road and don’t get too worked up about anything. The mountains aren’t huge, but they’re full of character. It’s Quebec skiing without much pretense—and that’s exactly the point. Mont Sutton is famous for its glades, with 45 percent of its skiable terrain dedicated to tree skiing. We spend the afternoon threading through hardwoods, picking our way down natural terrain and occasionally stopping to figure out where the hell we’ve ended up. Then there’s the après. At Bar Le Tucker, Thursday means open mic, running from 4 to 7 p.m. and hosted by local musician Pasquinel, who is a total dude. He’s been skiing the mountain a long time, and he promised that the next day he’d take us to his fav spots (a promise he fulfilled). “It snows enough here that I don’t need to keep secrets,” he said over beer and chicken wings. I liked him immediately. That night we roared along with the Bar Le Tucker crowd cheering on performers who are mostly local and seriously talented. Ski boots are still on. Jackets are piled on chairs. Nobody seems particularly concerned about tomorrow. The next leg took us northeast, past Quebec City and into Charlevoix, where mountains rise above the St. Lawrence River. It was time to earn turns at ÖBois Charlevoix: The semiluxe basecamp experience. Arthur Lodge is the communal headquarters, with a fireplace, bar and restaurant. But the main attraction is Montagne des Taillis, a backcountry zone with four forested descents and roughly 300 metres of vertical. With a local guide and snowmobile assistance, climbing skins replaced chairlifts. From there, it was human-powered travel through the forest followed by descents through ungroomed terrain. Proper backcountry equipment, avalanche awareness where applicable, and an honest assessment of conditions are essential. It paid off. Despite the snow drought, Montagne des Taillis had kept its snow soft in the trees, partially thanks to the aspect and the trees themselves. This is some serious terrain: cliffs, trees, steeps and preserved natural snow. By the fourth climb, the legs were getting heavy. That’s the funny thing about earning your turns: eventually somebody has to admit they’ve earned enough. After four 300-metre laps, that somebody was me. I called uncle. Back at Arthur Lodge, boots came off, beers appeared and somebody threw another log on the fire. Outside, the mountains went dark. More than 500 kilometres, three resorts, four backcountry laps and a small mountain of chicken wings after leaving home, we had finally found what we’d come looking for. Turns out we just had to drive the long way to get there. TOP Sutton's Bar Le Tucker.
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GLEN HARRIS. BOTTOM Face shots for days.
COLIN FIELD
It’s good to know what you’re made of.
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MICROLIGHT ALPINE JACKE T 46.9156° N, 10.8557° E PIZTAL, AUSTRIA PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL HUG
road Trip
Sutton has built its reputation around tree skiing, from the forgiving to the technical.
JOCELYNE TRUDEAU
SUTTON LEVELS UP
A new quad chair brings faster laps, better family skiing and easier access to some of Quebec’s best glades Mont Sutton has never been a mountain that needed much polishing. Its appeal is almost the opposite: twisting trails, oldschool character and, most importantly, trees. Lots and lots of trees. But for the 2026–27 season, this Eastern Townships classic is getting a serious upgrade. A new quad chairlift with a boarding carpet is replacing three aging double chairs in the mountain’s west sector. Part of an investment of more than $8 million, the project also includes a redesigned learning area and a second magic carpet. The goal is straightforward: move skiers around the mountain more efficiently while making Sutton easier to navigate for beginners and families. And that’s where things get interesting. The new lift makes Sutton’s western terrain a much more compelling mountain-within-a-mountain—one that works for everyone from first-timers finding their edges to experienced skiers looking for another lap through the trees. That matters at Sutton, because the mountain has built its reputation around tree skiing, with gladed terrain ranging from relatively forgiving introductions to steep, technical lines that can keep strong skiers occupied all day. 32
The new chair, which will double capacity in that sector, will make getting back to that terrain quicker and easier. Less time shuffling between aging lifts. More time skiing. It also makes the west flank more comfortable and enjoyable for families, especially for a parent toting kids, or for school groups. Sutton already offers an unusually broad menu of passes. The new chair breathes new life into the “Little Pass” which grants access to the intermediate and beginner trails that the lift services for as little as $370. This is in addition to Sutton’s other pass options, all exceptionally priced—the full 7-Day Unlimited Pass, a weekday option, Family Pass, Rando-Ski Pass and a collection of more targeted products aimed at students, young adults, parents and occasional skiers. Sutton has even offered passes built around specific weekdays and school PE days. In other words, there’s probably an option designed around you. Sutton isn’t trying to turn itself into some sprawling megaresort. It’s taking what people already come here for—natural terrain, a relaxed atmosphere and some of the best glade skiing in the East—and making it easier to access. A faster ride up. More choices for families. More laps through the trees. Sounds like paradise. –Robert Artspool
Real Mountains. Real Powder. Pure Chic-Chac.
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road Trip
White Out
On Quebec’s Les Routes Blanches, a century-old hut-to-hut network of Nordic trails links mountains, forests and villages
Before heading to Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains for my baptism into backcountry Nordic skiing, I was uneasy about two things: the climbs and descents. As an experienced cross-country skier who has logged a lot of vertical on skinny classic planks, the prospect of weaving through the trees on hilly terrain wasn’t daunting. But this trip was the north route of Les Routes Blanches, which summits one of the highest peaks in the Laurentians, part of a collective effort to showcase the region’s vast network of trails and a culture of skiing from village to village. In other words, I’d be at the epicentre of the sport, so I didn’t want to fuck up. Turns out, conditions are perfect when I arrive, in mid-January, at Parc national du Mont-Tremblant. A string of storms has blanketed the mountains in marshmallow powder, which is now sparkling in the bright sun, and a narrow snowshoe path snakes up from the trailhead through waist-high snow, ascending a steep pitch into the thick forest. That means the downhills will be soft and forgiving, especially on short, wide skis that are like a hybrid between XC and alpine touring. And because it’s below -20C, I’m happy to warm up with a climb. “Let’s go at a consistent pace, not too fast,” guide Camille Carle says as we affix climbing skins to our skis, “even though we’re following the Jackrabbit.” That would be Herman SmithJohannsen, aka “Jackrabbit” Johannsen, the ski-obsessed Norwegian who in the 1930s began blazing hundreds
Guide Camille Carle (L) and author Dan Rubinstein follow the Jackrabbit.
of kilometres of trails through the Laurentians, popularizing the sport here and ultimately across Canada. With no highways into this part of Quebec, visitors came by train. Johannsen worked with farmers to secure access to private land and with innkeepers so people had somewhere to sleep. Although many have been lost to development, those trails— including the 128-kilometre Maple Leaf Trail—remain the heart of North America’s biggest backcountry network. I’m sidestepping up the Toit des
JFG VIDEO PRODUCTION
Laurentides trail this frigid morning with Carle, guide/photographer/videographer Jean-François Girard and Brian Lambert. A self-described “alpine guy” who fell in love with backcountry Nordic more than 40 years ago, Lambert wants to resuscitate the spirit of the Maple Leaf Trail, even though the entire original route is no longer feasible. That work inspired Girard to conceive of Les Routes Blanches. Ten years ago, he began embarking on multiday backcountry expeditions in the area, exploring both modern and historic trails. 35
Today, under the auspices the Société de plein-air des Pays-d'en-Haut, or SOPAIR, Les Routes Blanches offers guided and self-guided trips on three different routes, supporting tourism as well as environmental and heritage conservation. “This is spectacular,” Girard says when we don puffy down jackets for a rest after an hour of climbing, ensconced in a forest of snow-draped hemlock. “If we lose these trails, people won’t see how beautiful it is here in winter and how important it is to keep places like this public.” It’s also important, when the windchill is around -30C, not to stop for long. We climb higher and then remove our skins for a series of pillowy descents to the base lodge on the north side of MontTremblant. After another quick break, we’re climbing again, back up into the land of lookouts and snow ghosts. And then more dreamy downhills. “Attache ta tuque!” Lambert hollers—hold onto your hat! At one point, we briefly join an alpine ski run before cutting down a path between two chalets, onto the shoulder of a side street and into a gully, parkouring our way to a multi-use trail that leads to TOP Farouche Tremblant's tub beckons. MIDDLE The Farmbar. BELOW The A-frame cabins encircled by forest. JFG VIDEO PRODUCTION
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the resort village for our shuttle home. Home on this trip is the Farouche Tremblant hotel, with its cozy A-frame cabins alongside a hot tub overlooking the mountains we skied amongst, and a restaurant, Farmbar, that serves local fare, some of which is grown at a farm across the road. As comfortable as these digs are, the backcountry beckons. We start in the resort the next morning with a mammoth two-and-a-half-hour, sometimes technical, 690-metre ascent to Pic Johannsen. Then we shed skins for steep, serpentine drops. I fall half a dozen times, laughing as I slowly extricate myself from the powder. When we rejoin yesterday’s route for the final few kilometres of moderate downhills, I’m thinking about purchasing a pair of backcountry skis—a portal to human-powered adventure during which you barely see any other humans. The North Route totals about 40 km of distance and 1,400 metres of vertical, but in my mind there’s a map of endless trails, from town to town, up and down mountains, stretching out in every direction. –Dan Rubinstein
OPEN THE DOOR TO WINTER:
WHO WILL YOU TAKE
SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING? T
hink back to your first day skiing or snowboarding. Maybe you remember the cold air, the unfamiliar boots, the first chairlift ride or the moment you finally made it down a run without falling. But chances are, you also remember the person who got you there. A parent who patiently taught you to stop. A friend who convinced you to give snowboarding a try. A partner who shared their favourite hill. Or an instructor who made those first uncertain turns feel a little less intimidating. For many skiers and snowboarders, there’s a person behind the beginning of their ski or snowboard journey. This winter, why not pass it on? You can be that person for someone else. Many people are curious about skiing or snowboarding but simply don’t know where to start. They may wonder what they need, where to go or whether they’ll fit in. Sometimes, the biggest barrier is surprisingly simple: no one has invited them. Is there a friend, family member, colleague, neighbour or someone new to the community who might enjoy a day on the slopes? Make the invitation. You don’t have to convince them to become a lifelong skier or snowboarder. Just give them a chance to experience winter from a different perspective. Every Skier Has a First Day If you’ve been skiing or snowboarding for years, it can be tempting to plan a day around your favourite runs. But when you’re introduc-
ing someone to the sport, the goal isn’t to rack up vertical or cover the whole mountain. Choose a beginner-friendly ski area, keep expectations realistic and let the first-timer set the pace. There will be plenty of time for bigger adventures later. And don’t underestimate the value of a lesson. Even experienced skiers and snowboarders aren’t necessarily the best teachers. A professional instructor knows how to introduce the basics, build confidence and create a positive first experience. Programs such as Go Skiing Go Snowboarding’s Never Ever Days can make that first step easier by combining a beginner lift ticket, equipment rental and lesson in one package. (Go Skiing Go Snowboarding) It’s All in the Details For someone who has never been on the slopes, the details can feel like a lot: What should I wear? Do I need goggles? Where do I get equipment? How do lift tickets work? A little preparation can make a big difference. Help them figure out what to wear, arrange rentals ahead of time and look into beginner packages before you arrive. The goal is to remove as much uncertainty as possible so they can focus on having fun. For families, the SnowStart Kidz Pass is another option for getting kids started, with access to participating ski areas across Canada and the opportunity to build confidence over multiple visits. For friends or groups looking to ski together more often, the Canadian Lift Pass offers five shareable lift tickets at participating ski areas across Canada.
Make It More Than a Day on the Hill There’s also something timely about inviting someone into skiing or snowboarding right now. Younger generations are increasingly seeking out experiences away from the screen: real-world activities, clubs, communities, and shared experiences that bring people together. From run clubs and book clubs to retro-themed events and outdoor gatherings, there’s a growing appetite for doing things together, in person. (Forbes) Skiing and snowboarding already offer that kind of connection. They turn winter into something to look forward to: a reason to get outside, meet up with friends, learn something new, and spend a day together. The après-ski coffee, the hot chocolate between runs, the playlist in the car, and the stories on the ride home can be just as memorable as the time spent on the snow. So make room for the breaks. Stop for lunch. Warm up. Laugh at the inevitable falls. Take a photo. Let the day unfold. The goal of a first day isn’t perfection. It’s leaving someone thinking, I’d like to do that again. One invitation can go a long way. The person you take skiing or snowboarding this winter may one day introduce their own friend, partner or child to the sport. Someone once opened the door to winter for you. Now it’s your turn to invite someone to try skiing or snowboarding.
WHO WILL YOU TAKE THIS WINTER?
GOOD FRIENDS. GREAT RIDES. ELAN AMBASSADORS’ MEET-UP, RUKA, FINLAND.
elanskis.com
epic Trip
GOIN' PLACES
What happens when storms roll across the Great Salt Lake.
ADAM CLARK
The Greatest Snow on Earth. No, Seriously.
Deep powder, steep lines, parking-lot beers and a ski culture that doesn’t need to prove a damn thing There’s a reason Utah put “The Greatest Snow on Earth” on its licence plates. I figured it was marketing bravado until I arrived in the Wasatch Mountains and discovered what happens when storms roll across the Great Salt Lake. The snow is ridiculously light. The kind that blows over your shoulders, fills your goggles and leaves you laughing halfway down the mountain out of pure glee. Utah, it turns out, isn’t overselling it. I started in Little Cottonwood Canyon, where Alta Ski Area keeps things refreshingly old-school. No flashy village, just steep faces, long traverses and a crowd that takes its skiing seriously. Next door in Snowbird I rode the tram to Hidden Peak, surveyed the steep chutes, wide-open bowls and seemingly endless powder and knew I was in the right place. Deer Valley has a decidedly five-star approach. Its massive Expanded Excellence project has more than doubled the resort’s terrain, with the new Deer Valley East Village opening up a whole new side of the mountain. This winter, the resort is expanding to 4,500 skiable acres, including another 200 acres served by the new Hail Peak Express. Alta averages roughly 14 metres of snow annually. Numbers like that sound absurd until you’re standing waist-deep in the stuff, trying to remember where you parked. What struck me about Utah was how much the ski culture changes from mountain to mountain. There are hardcore locals chasing storms before sunrise, families out for the weekend and snowboarders hunting natural hits. Everyone has their own version of a perfect day. Park City was a change of pace. The former mining town has
plenty of character, with a lively Main Street full of restaurants, galleries and bars. It’s also got an enormous amount of ski terrain, making it easy to spend a few days there without repeating yourself. Accommodation is equally varied. You can stay slopeside at Alta or Snowbird, where getting first chair is considerably easier, or settle into one of Park City’s boutique hotels or condos. Salt Lake City is another option, particularly if you’re watching your budget or want to sample a few different mountains. Be prepared: skip canyon traffic by taking the ski bus. And Utah does après better than its reputation might suggest. I found myself swapping stories over beers at Snowbird’s Tram Club, while Salt Lake City’s craft breweries and surprisingly diverse restaurant scene offered plenty of reasons to venture off the mountain. The other bonus? Salt Lake City’s airport is remarkably close to the mountains—within an hour of each of the abovementioned resorts. This means you can fly in and be skiing the same afternoon. I went to Utah for the snow. That’s still reason enough to return. But the food, the people and the sheer variety of mountains made the trip considerably more interesting than I’d expected. And that licence plate slogan? Bang on. –ML STAFF 39
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Experience Live Entertainment at Meaford Hall Nov 5 Forever Seger Nov 6 The Best of Paul Simon Tommy Youngsteen Nov 7 Grunge N’ Roses Nov 9 Carol Off In conversation with Christopher Thomas Nov 10 100 Years From Now
Dan Mangan with Special Guest Jenn Grant
Nov 18
Jim Cuddy Band Nov 25 Nov 26 Sold Out
A Musical of Love, Sacrifice & The Great War
Nov 13 Grease the Concert Nov 14 Fleetwood Mac Mania Nov 18 Dan Mangan with Special Guest Jenn Grant Nov 19 The Songs of Eric Clapton & George Harrison Nov 20 Zepology: The Live Zeppelin Experience Nov 21 The Stevie Ray Vaughan Experience Nov 22 The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas Nov 25 & 26 Jim Cuddy Band 2nd date added! Nov 27 Jeff Leeson comedian Nov 28 A Very Middle Raged Sketch Comedy with Geri Hall (22 Minutes) & Gary Pearson (Corner Gas)
Dec 7 Ennis Sisters celtic, folk & country Dec 11 Matt Dusk A Very Sinatra Christmas Dec 13 The Nutcracker Fleetwood Dance Centre Dec 20 A John McDermott Family Christmas Jan 16 Tunnel of Love The Songs of Springsteen and Dire Straits Jan 24 William Prince folk/country Feb 11 Michael Kasehammer jazz & boogie-woogie pianist
A Very Merry
Middle Raged Sketch Comedy
Nov 28
William Prince folk and country
Jan 24
The Ennis Sisters
Celtic, folk rock, country pop
Dec 7
Michael Kaeshammer
jazz pianist
Feb 11
Celebrating 20 years of live music, connection and community. meafordhall.ca 877-538-0463 | 12 Nelson St E, Meaford
arts & cultural centre 2006 Since
BETA-NEWSWORTHY
THE CLAYBANKS QUESTION A proposed development on the southern Georgian Bay shoreline is raising concerns not just for its scale, but for the ecosystem in its path. The project, currently under review by the Municipality of Meaford and Grey County, would transform 135 forested hectares between Meaford and Christie Beach into a small town, with 1250 residential units and over 2300 square metres of commercial space. Bisected by the Georgian Trail, the site includes roughly 800 metres of waterfront. While supporters will point to the economic benefits and public parks and trails promised by the developers (Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities), environmental concerns focus on the shoreline: a rare clay bluff formation, known locally as The Claybanks, towering above a shallow bay. Though relatively wild today and home to bald eagle, bank swallow, eastern meadowlark and many other species dependent on this small nature corridor, the bluffs and flatlands on top were historically a site of industry. Two brick and tile factories operated nearby, one dating back to the late 1800s, the other in operation until the mid-1980s. In spite of extensive quarrying, there is little sign of that activity today apart from a foundation and some washed-out quarry beds. The blue-grey bluff face is full of gullies, rills and seeps, lending the landscape a rough “Badlands” feel. In past years, the site served as a marginal backcountry ski zone with limited snowpack due to wind exposure, and hair-raising (though short-lived) vertical. The ecological significance extends beyond surface features. The bluffs form a central part of a complex hydrological system
with eight watercourses on the Parkbridge property and many more adjacent to it. Since clay soils are less permeable, bluff environments are particularly sensitive to development, as hard surfaces (i.e., roads and parking lots) can accelerate stormwater runoff, accelerating erosion and destabilizing the slopes. Not coincidentally, East Meaford Creek (also known as Workman’s Creek), which drains adjacent to the Parkbridge property, is designated an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) for its fragile and much-studied Georgian Bay Formation geology of fossil-rich shale. The provincial ANSI protection, in place since 1976, includes a minimum 50-metre setback for any development. Since the Claybanks are part of the same Georgian Bay Formation, a 50-metre ANSI setback would be appropriate to protect its integrity. But the Environmental Impact Study prepared for Parkbridge in early 2024 recommends a setback distance of only 20–25 metres from the top of the slope. Though Lake Huron’s shores feature some similar geology (roughly six kilometres of non-continuous bluffs exist between Sarnia and Tobermory), the Meaford Claybanks are rare within the bay, and more intact than many of the Huron formations. Other bluffs on the Canadian Great Lakes are protected, including the clay cliffs in Cabot Head Provincial Nature Reserve on Georgian Bay, Scarborough Bluffs on Lake Ontario and John E. Pearce Provincial Park on Lake Erie. As the planning process continues, the key question is whether a community of this density and scale can be integrated into a delicate ecosystem whose defining features (its erosion processes and habitat) depend on remaining in balance. –Ned Morgan
The bluff face is full of gullies, rills and seeps, lending the landscape a rough “Badlands” feel.
Looking west from the top of the Claybanks.
COLIN FIELD
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BETA-NEWSWORTHY
A PIPELINE BENEATH THE GREAT LAKES? Why the fight over Line 5 matters far beyond the Straits of Mackinac
COLIN FIELD
At the heart of the Great Lakes, where Lake Michigan narrows into the Straits of Mackinac before opening into Lake Huron, two steel pipelines rest on the lakebed. Enbridge’s Line 5 is a 1000-plus kilometre crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline running from Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario. At the Straits, the line divides into two parallel pipes that cross approximately 7 km of lakebed before joining again on the Michigan side. Built in 1953, Line 5 has been the subject of an increasingly heated debate over whether an aging piece of energy infrastructure belongs beneath one of the world’s largest freshwater systems. Enbridge swears that its pipes are environmentally safe. But Google the 2010 Line 6B Kalamazoo River incident, where 840,000 gallons of diluted bitumen ended up in the river due to pipe corrosion, and you’ll find they were responsible for one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history, which dramatically changed the political conversation around Line 5. For the Anishinaabe Nations whose histories, treaty rights and cultural practices are rooted in the Straits, the question reaches deeper still. These are not simply waters to be crossed by infrastructure. They are sacred waters, a place of ceremony, fishing and gathering, history and relationships. In late August, Line 5 ruptured near the Bad River Reservation in northern Wisconsin after a truck struck the exposed pipeline during construction. The rupture released NLG and forced an evacuation and shut down the pipeline. 44
The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has opposed Line 5 for years, arguing that the pipeline threatens its lands, waters, treaty rights and sovereignty. In 2019, the Band sued Enbridge after easements allowing the pipeline to cross the reservation expired. Courts have since ordered Enbridge to reroute the pipeline around the reservation. The Straits crossing has never experienced a leak, but it hasn’t been without problems. In 2018, a ship’s anchor dragged across the pipes and left damage. The following year, another vessel-related impact damaged protective coating and a pipeline support. Coating deficiencies and the need to continually repair and reinforce underwater supports have also become part of the pipeline’s history. Enbridge’s proposed solution is a new Line 5 crossing inside a tunnel beneath the Straits, replacing the existing pipes on the lakebed. But opponents, including Anishinaabe Tribal Nations, argue that a new tunnel doesn’t solve the larger problem—it extends the life of a pipeline they believe should be removed. For now, the tunnel is stalled in another round of environmental review and legal challenges, while the existing Line 5 continues to operate. Why is all this important to a readership in the Georgian Bay area? Because these waters are all connected. We are all connected. Think of Line 5 like a loaded gun behind our ears— what happens in one part of the watershed affects everywhere else, and protecting these waters and the environment is a shared responsibility. –Scott Parent
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TREE TRUST: KEEPERS OF THE CANOPY A town without trees is no town at all. And an Earth without trees is a dead planet. Most of us recognize this as a fact even if trees are (fortunately) all around us here in the Blue Mountains and tend to fade into the backdrop. But to the volunteers behind Tree Trust, trees are anything but backdrop. They are living archives—part wildlife habitat, part climate solution and 100 per cent community beautifier/unifier. Since 2020, the Blue Mountains chapter of Tree Trust (a nonprofit program of the Elora Environment Centre) has worked to preserve landmark trees, an endeavour more visible now thanks to the recent launch of their Tree Trail, a self-guided tour linking six local trees and stands (including sugar maple, American sycamore, northern red oak and others). “The Tree Trust is about helping to preserve older trees so that they can continue to provide their ecosystem and social services,” says chapter manager Betty Muise. “Our most important activity is to raise funds to provide specialist arborist care to ensure such trees enjoy an extended and healthy lifespan.” One of those trees is a widecrowned sugar maple on the western edge of Thornbury beside the Georgian Trail that arborist Tobias Effinger estimates is between 150 and 200 years old. "It's not an exceptional age for a sugar maple in a forest, but it is for a sugar maple here out in the open, where soils become desiccated and don’t offer nutrient cycling according to the needs of this species,” says Effinger, whose expertise the Tree Trust frequently calls upon. “Certainly it is 46
exceptional in an urban setting, due to the fact that it would have had pollution from the railway when it was here, and then when this park was regraded and the subdivision went in; far from a stress-free existence. But we have far too many examples where trees are removed for the wrong reasons, often due to safety concerns which may be largely unfounded.” He adds:
“The sugar maple is a forest specialist. If we can imagine that this tree evolved in a forest, it raced up towards the top of the canopy (when light penetration allowed) on a single stem, spread its branches and closed that hole. But out here in the open, those same sensory catalysts dictate that as soon as it grows, it shoots out everywhere, and limbs establish low and large, often with poor attachments, creating vulnerabilities. Hence, our efforts to
conserve this maple focus on reducing its likelihood of structural failure while also working to increase its vitality. To that end we’ve also used forest mimicry, with the application of sugar maple leaves and mulch, to recreate a setting where the soil biome can offer a symbiosis that supports the tree.” Effinger pauses while we admire the maple, its leaves luminous green under the September sun, its massive trunk thickly ribbed. “It's a really exciting tree, and an exemplar of how a struggling mature specimen can be helped in a meaningful way.” Beyond raising funds for arborist care and keeping the public engaged, Tree Trust organizes plantings and maintains a seedling nursery. “We also focus on the policy pieces around how the town manages its trees,” says Muise. As a case in point, another stop on the Tree Trail is a sugar maple on Victoria Street known as the Meander. It was in the path of a sidewalk until Tree Trust volunteers intervened, making the case to the town that the sidewalk could be rerouted and the tree’s root system carefully excavated and augmented with structural soil. “We’re trying to get the town to adopt these best practices for their own green assets and infrastructure projects,” Muise adds. “Every time I make a deputation about a policy issue related to trees I say, ‘Behind me are hundreds of local volunteers and donors. And they all really care about trees.’” –Ned Morgan
Learn more at treetrust.ca
The Georgian Trail sugar maple: A thriving centenarian.
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WHY REAL ESTATE CORRECTIONS MOVE SLOOOOWLY One of the questions I am asked most often is when the real estate market will finally begin to recover. To answer that, it helps to understand that a real estate correction unfolds very differently from a stock market correction. Stocks trade continuously, allowing prices to adjust almost instantly when conditions change. Markets can rise or fall dramatically within days. By contrast, homes are personal, difficult to value and expensive to transact. Unless there is a compelling reason to sell, many simply wait. As a result, the first sign of a correction is often not falling prices but declining sales activity. THE MEASURE OF CORRECTIONS There are similarities between today’s market and Ontario’s late-1980s housing correction. Following a dramatic run-up in home prices, higher interest rates weakened demand, sales slowed and the downturn unfolded over several years rather than a few months. The comparison is not perfect. Still, the period serves as a reminder that real estate corrections are often measured in years. Southern Georgian Bay experienced a surge in demand during the pandemic.
Low interest rates, changing lifestyle priorities and an influx of buyers from the GTA pushed values higher. When interest rates rose, affordability changed almost immediately. Seller expectations adjusted far more slowly, and that gap continues to influence the market today. ONE REGION, MANY MARKETS It is also important to recognize that Southern Georgian Bay is not a single market. Areas such as the Town of the Blue Mountains, where sales are more dependent on recreational and discretionary purchases, have been affected more significantly. While buyers may need a primary residence, purchases such as ski chalets and weekend properties can often be postponed when confidence weakens. Year to date, the Town of the Blue Mountains has had over 15 months of inventory in its single-family home market, compared with five months in Collingwood. Inventory has been turning over at roughly six per cent per month in the Blue Mountains versus 19 per cent in Collingwood. The contrast highlights how differently neighbouring markets can behave. Waterfront properties, rural
"I believe there is considerable pent-up demand in the market. The more difficult question is what will give buyers enough confidence to act."
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JENNA KITCHINGS
acreages, condominiums and traditional family homes all attract different buyers. Economic uncertainty has added another challenge. The impact is not simply about tariffs. It is about uncertainty. Buyers become hesitant when they are unsure about employment, investments, borrowing costs or the economy. THE GRADUAL RETURN OF BUYER CONFIDENCE Across Ontario, August recorded a 25-year low sales total for that month. Sales were 22 per cent below the 10-year August average, while active inventory remained 41 per cent above its 10-year average. When sales volumes fall this sharply, demand does not disappear. Families continue to grow, people retire, careers change and homeowners still want to move, downsize or purchase recreational properties. I believe there is considerable pent-up demand in the market. The more difficult question is what will give buyers enough confidence to act. A recovery will not necessarily begin with rising prices. More likely, it will start with increasing transaction activity. Buyers will gradually return, inventory will decline and sellers will gain a clearer understanding of current market values. For buyers comfortable with the economic outlook, today’s market offers opportunities. There is more selection, less competition and significantly more negotiating power than existed a few years ago. For sellers, success depends on preparation, marketing and realistic pricing. Looking ahead, I remain cautiously optimistic. Greater economic stability, a trade agreement with the U.S. and more certainty around borrowing costs could encourage many sidelined buyers to return. The recovery is unlikely to happen overnight. But deferred demand provides a foundation for activity to rebuild. Real estate corrections take time, and understanding where a property fits within its local market has never been more important. –Mike Kearns
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One of many watercourses on the new Talisman Forest Nature Reserve.
BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY
REWILDING TALISMAN
The former ski resort property is now a Nature Reserve. What’s next? To a young skier in the early 1980s, Talisman Resort offered the friendliest terrain around. Every winter Saturday starting when I was 11, my parents packed me onto a bus alongside several friends to the resort in the Beaver Valley near Kimberley. My memories consist of slashing wide-open groomers, sneaking off-piste detours onto an unplowed road and spending lodge breaks chugging heated Dr. Pepper, scarfing 3 Musketeers bars and playing Asteroids in the tiled hallway arcade. Founded in 1963, the resort was struggling financially by the early 2000s. After changing ownership, reboot plans stalled following the 2008 financial crisis. Talisman Mountain Resort declared bankruptcy and ceased operations in 2011. As the property fell into disrepair, urbexers occasionally prowled the lodge and hotel, while gonzo skiers and snowboarders trespassed on the otherwise empty hills. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) announced the purchase of the property. “The Bruce Trail has crossed the former Talisman Mountain Resort lands since it was founded almost 60 years ago, so it’s been a property we have wanted to conserve and protect permanently for a very long time,” says Bruce Trail Conservancy CEO Michael McDonald. “In late 2025, local community group Escarpment Corridor Alliance (ECA) alerted us that the owners were interested in selling—we knew that it could be our last opportunity to purchase the land. With the support of our Board, the research we had done on the
property over the years and information from ECA, we were able to move quickly.” The purchase price has never been disclosed. McDonald adds, “It was a carefully thought-out decision: The rewilding of this land will be the most significant restoration project we have ever undertaken, but we know that to do the right thing for nature, sometimes we need to take a bold step.” Conservationists duly celebrated the victory, but transforming the property into an ecosystem worthy of the new moniker, Talisman Forest Nature Reserve, will take decades. The challenge? Restoring native species and ecological processes capable of thriving in a changing climate.
“The rewilding of this land will be the most significant restoration project we have ever undertaken, but we know that to do the right thing for nature, sometimes we need to take a bold step.” –Michael McDonald This past summer I toured the property with some of the people taking on the challenge: BTC Land Stewardship Coordinator and Ecologist Brian Popelier and a group of youthful BTC conservation ambassadors. 51
As we walked along the top of the resort and down into the hardwood forest beside the old ski runs, I asked Popelier about the immediate plans for Talisman. “We do our three-season ecological inventory first, before we make any decisions,” he explained. “That kind of directs everything.” Popelier’s knowledge is remarkable. At the time of writing, he was approaching 250,000 identifications on iNaturalist. On our walk, Brian and the group inventoried so many species that I lost count. (A few notable finds include a broad-winged hawk and endangered butternut seedlings.) Within minutes, it became clear how much of the forest I had spent years overlooking. Species that once blended into a backdrop of “green noise” suddenly revealed themselves as critical pieces of a complex patchwork interrupted by the ski hills but adaptable and ripe for improvement in the right hands. “We’re recording everything we see—plants and wildlife,” Brian said. “That goes into our species database. Then we keep
track of any rare species. That’s what ends up in the stewardship plan. And after we record all the invasives on the property, we’ll set up a plan to get rid of them.” Passing a row of Scots pines near the escarpment brow, he noted, “This is an invasive tree, so we may come in and cut them down and replant some native species.” The scale of the work ahead isn’t small. “At 134 acres, this acquisition presents us with the most ambitious restoration project we have ever undertaken, including approximately 84 acres of planned reforestation to close the gaps in the forest canopy,” says Marsha Russell, Vice President of Fund Development for the BTC. “We also need to address the derelict buildings and massive ski infrastructure—that alone sets this project apart. This really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rewild a major piece of developed land where nature is already taking hold.” Russell says conservation in southern Ontario faces challenges. “Protecting natural spaces is growing in complexity. Rising land prices and increasing development pressures are real headwinds for conservation in this region. Fortunately, people truly care about protecting and having public access to nature.” Back on the ecological inventory walk, we descended into a gentle ravine north of the ski runs. Popelier and the ambassadors fanned out, heedless of soakers, identifying wetland plants in a broad, shallow creek beneath a canopy of silver birch and eastern hemlock. Among many other things, I learned that jewelweed can soothe poison ivy and insect bites, and that sedges (which look a bit like grass, but aren’t) play a huge role in filtering water and controlling erosion. Watching the team so absorbed in their work under the dappled sunlight, I felt grateful for both these people and for the land now under protection. In a world full of uncertainty, this forest is a deep-green sliver of hope. –Ned Morgan
Check brucetrail.org to learn how you can support the restoration.
ABOVE A 1970s-era brochure for Talisman Resort. BELOW "A once-in-a-generation opportunity" to rewild the Beaver Valley escarpment.
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BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY
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THE NEW SKI CLUB PERK? MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS Private ski clubs around Collingwood are discovering their hills are pretty useful without snow
For generations, the rhythm of the private ski clubs around Collingwood was obvious. The snow would fall, people would ski. The snow would melt and people would go somewhere else. That’s changing. At Osler Bluff, Craigleith and Beaver Valley, mountain bikes are increasingly filling the gap between ski seasons. Trails are being cut through forests. Climb trails are meandering up ski hills. The three clubs have taken different approaches based around the same basic realization: A ski hill doesn’t stop being a recreational playground just because the snow is gone. And with Blue Mountain Resort no longer operating lift-accessed downhill mountain biking, and Three Stage’s undergrowth reclaiming the land, there’s a pretty substantial hole to fill. OSLER BLUFF GOES ALL-IN Of the three, Osler Bluff might be making the biggest bet. Mountain biking is now part of the club’s broader strategy to become a four-season destination. The club started with a small progression area, pump track and flow trail before moving into top-to-bottom descents and dedicated climbing trails. This summer marked its second official season with the larger trail network.
Trail builder Conor Bruno sampling the goods at Osler.
For Osler general manager Brad Duench, mountain biking fits into a much bigger philosophy. “One of the three pillars is developing more of a fourseason type model here,” Duench says. So when trail-builder Conor Bruno developed a three-year mountain bike plan, the club started building. And the timing didn’t hurt. “With Blue Mountain kind of closing up shop, there’s definitely a need in the community to develop some more trails around our area,” Bruno says. Osler now has roughly 10 kilometres of cross-country terrain on its lower
COLIN FIELD
property, two climbing trails approaching two kilometres each and seven descent trails, along with its beginner progression areas and pump track. (There is also an unexpected winter benefit. Some of the mountain bike trails double as glade-skiing terrain once the snow flies.) Access remains tied to the private club. Members can sign in unaccompanied summer guests, who can then purchase a hiking and biking pass. And Osler isn’t finished. More trails are already being laid out for next summer. 55
Conor Bruno reaping the rewards of trail building.
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COLIN FIELD
CRAIGLEITH LETS CORC DO THE DIGGING A few kilometres away, Craigleith’s approach is much different. Instead of building and operating its own mountain bike program, the club signed an agreement with the Collingwood Offroad Cycling Club (CORC). For CORC director of Craigleith trails David Holmes, that agreement represented something trail builders don’t stumble across very often: a large private landowner willing to let them build trails. Holmes stepped into the project as a volunteer. And by the second year, a more established network was taking shape, including a midway traverse. CORC later put roughly $8,000 into a professionally machine-built blue trail, while Holmes estimates volunteers have contributed more than 1,000 hours across the project. The arrangement works for both sides. Craigleith gets trails without having to create an entire mountain bike operation. CORC’s members get another place to ride. CORC also provides insurance that helps protect Craigleith as the landowner. Holmes says the trails tend to hit their prime around CORC’s annual social ride, when volunteers come out in force to get everything running well. This summer, machine work also repaired erosion on the climb trail and Holmes says the network was running particularly well by mid-July. It’s an experiment, but one that continues to evolve. “This year we had more new people bike it than before,” Holmes says. He recalls passing one rider who couldn’t believe the trails were there at all. Another rider showed up on an e-bike and quickly declared it the only way to ride the hill. He’s probably right.
pushed forward by the late Devin Gordon, a Beaver Valley member who began shaping trails. An email looking for volunteers eventually landed in front of longtime mountain biker Kris Somers. Somers had spent roughly 11 years helping with Ontario’s old downhill race series. When the chance to build trails at his ski club popped up, the decision wasn’t difficult. “I was like, I gotta get involved in this.” The club raised money from members, sold trail-naming opportunities, held fundraisers and relied on volunteer labour. Somers says more than 1,000 volunteer hours have now gone into the trails. “It really is a bit of a ‘no-dig-noride’ mentality from the start,” he says. The inspiration came from riding Sentiers du Moulin in Quebec and seeing an enduro-style trail centre built around a relatively easy climb followed by a selection of descents. “I subscribe to the theory that bikes are a lot more fun when they’re going down a hill than when they’re going up the hill,” Somers says. Hard to argue. At Beaver Valley, the goal is to keep the climbing grade manageable enough that riders can talk on the way up, then use the elevation for the fun part. If you ride the full network, including repeated trips up the climb trail, the descents and some flatter cross-country terrain at the top, Somers figures you can ride about 22 kilometres
with nearly 800 metres of climbing. Beaver Valley offers public access through day and season passes. Somers says prices have intentionally remained low because the goal isn’t necessarily to turn the trails into a major commercial operation. “It’s about building a community and building a stoke around it,” he says. BUILDING SOMETHING BIGGER For years, mountain biking around Collingwood has existed in a strange position. The hardest part has always been finding land where trails can be built legally. Private ski clubs happen to have a lot of it. “With ski clubs, one of the things that is great about them is it’s private land,” Somers says. “You can build trails specifically for mountain biking as opposed to building trails where bikes are allowed. It’s a very different thing.” And the three clubs don’t necessarily need to follow the same blueprint. More trails at one club doesn’t necessarily take riders away from another. Together, they start creating something the region hasn’t really had before: a collection of purpose-built mountain bike destinations spread across the escarpment. “I think we’re all just getting started,” says Somers. –Colin Field Going up at Beaver Valley.
ROTH MEDIA
BEAVER VALLEY BUILDS A COMMUNITY If Osler represents the in-house model and Craigleith the partnership model, Beaver Valley might be the grassroots model. The Beaver Valley Cycling Club is a self-funded volunteer organization that has an agreement with the ski club allowing it to build and maintain trails on the property. The project was initially 57
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Beautifully renovated 4-bed, 3-bath mountain chalet set on a private, mature lot in Beaver Valley. With sweeping valley views from the upper deck and a sauna for après-ski evenings, this four-season retreat is minutes from Beaver Valley Ski Club, Lake Eugenia and Kimberley.
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"A strong focus on adapability and efficiency." BMR assistant manager of slope maintenance Brandon Hindle mans the controls.
ALLISON KENNEDY-DAVIES
85 WINTERS
With an El Niño on the horizon, Blue Mountain Resort is leaning on decades of experience, major snowmaking investments and year-round prep to keep skiers and boarders sliding
Will it be a winter wonderland or a winter that keeps us guessing? With a potential El Niño in the forecast, there’s plenty of curiosity about what the 2026/27 ski season might bring. But Blue Mountain has been navigating unpredictable winters for 85 years, and the work to get the mountain ready is already underway. We spoke with Graeme Dugale, Vice President, Mountain Operations, about the technology, teamwork and year-round preparations that go into making winter happen.
Mountain Life: What’s the first thing you think of when someone mentions “El Niño” right now? Graeme Dugale: The first thing I think of is the cycles of variable winters we’ve seen before, and how much further along we are now in snowmaking technology and infrastructure than we were in previous years when facing an uncertain forecast like we are now. ML: What advice do you have for passholders and visitors looking forward to the 2026/27 ski season?
GD: Our teams love winter, and they take great pride in providing the best possible experience on the slopes. Conditions can vary depending on what kind of weather Mother Nature throws our way, but our commitment to delivering the best ski season possible doesn’t wane because of a long-range forecast. We’re as committed to this season as we have been for the past 85 years, and our passholders should be too.
ML: Blue Mountain has been making some major investments in snowmaking and snow quality over the last few years. Tell us a bit about that new infrastructure. GD: We’ve been consistently investing in snowmaking since the ’90s. That means buying new snow guns capable of making more snow at lower temperatures, replacing the steel pipes that carry water and air to the snow guns to improve reliability, adding more snow guns to increase snowmaking capacity and increasing automation so we can turn more snow guns on faster. There’s been a strong focus on adaptability and efficiency. Along with upgrading our infrastructure, we try not 59
to lose sight of the forest beyond the trees—or the ski season beyond the snow guns. Making snow is just one part of our overall effort to be as efficient and nimble as possible. We’ve also upgraded our communications systems to make the most of snowmaking windows. Our grooming and operations teams work collaboratively at the beginning of the season and regularly throughout it to manage both natural and machine-made snow. Decisions about when and where to make snow are thoughtful and strategic, taking into account current conditions, the forecast, available terrain and skier traffic.
ML: Really, Blue Mountain has been preparing for variable winters like the one predicted this year for a very long time. How prepared do you feel for this possible challenge? GD: The weather seems to have become increasingly volatile over the past two decades. From warmer average temperatures to higher winds and more frequent freezing rain, I feel like we’ve already experienced and responded to most of what we may see in the future. The winters of 2022/23 and 2023/24—the most recent examples of a “strong” El Niño year—were some of the more challenging from a temperature and snowfall perspective. However, we still operated for more than 100 days in each of those seasons. What Blue Mountain also has, along with great skiing, is the overall experience at the Resort beyond the slopes. We have on-site amenities, events, programming and so much more that help make a ski season memorable. When we’ve faced variable winters in the past, we’ve been
able to collaborate creatively and make the most of a variety of options, all with the goal of getting as much as possible out of the ski season. ML: It’s Blue Mountain’s 85th anniversary this season. What are some of the other challenges the resort has overcome in those years? GD: We’ve seen it all! There have been six El Niño occurrences in the past 20 years, our shortest ski season in 2011/12 at 96 days (which wasn’t an El Niño year), Covid, of course, which required us to adapt our operations on really short notice while navigating openings, closings and then openings again. We also experienced a green Christmas in 2006/07, which was a weak El Niño year, an ice storm in 2024/2, and our highest average December temperature in 2022/23.
ML: What prep happens in the spring and fall that most folks don’t know about? GD: On top of our annual snowmaking work, we complete routine and preventive maintenance across the mountain. That includes chairlifts and carpets, groomers, signage, glades, parking lots, drainage, night ski lights and on-hill buildings. ML: Any last words of reassurance for our snow-loving readers? GD: We spend all year preparing for winter, and we’re working harder than ever to get the mountain open as soon as possible and keep it open for as long as possible. If 85 years of operating isn’t reassurance enough, then I don’t know what is! –Allison Kennedy-Davies Just Snomaxin'. Inside the BMR snowmaking shop.
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ALLISON KENNEDY-DAVIES
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1. The HELLY HANSEN ALPHA PUFFY JACKET combines the cozy warmth of a classic puffer with dependable waterproof protection. Stretch fabric moves with you, while lightweight synthetic insulation keeps the heat in—even when conditions turn wet. Adjustable details, underarm vents and practical pockets make it a versatile layer from first chair to last lap. hellyhansen.com // 2. The WILEY X ZULU GLASSES pair everyday style with serious protection for the guy who’d rather be outside. Shatterproof polycarbonate lenses provide 100% UVA/UVB protection, while the lightweight, durable frame and rubber temples deliver a secure fit from the trail to the water and everywhere in between. Prescription sunglass options available. wileyx.com // 3. Built on the trusted fit of the original Alpha, the SALOMON S/PRO ALPHA BOA 130 introduces Salomon’s revolutionary ExoDrive construction and Powerlink lower pivot, for unmatched energy transmission, precision and confidence. The 98 mm last ensures a snug fit, while the cuffmounted BOA Fit System offers micro-adjustable precision and control. salomon.com // 4. The ATOMIC REDSTER Q9 REVOSHOCK S + I 12 GW combines top-tier construction with World Cup-proven technology for changing, all-day onpiste conditions. Revoshock S absorbs distracting bumps, while a 75mm waist and Multi Radius Sidecut deliver powerful, responsive turns. Carbon Boost enhances acceleration, with unparalleled handling at any speed. atomic.com // 5. Leave your shell behind on cold, wet hikes and winter adventures. The RAB MICROLIGHT SHIELD JACKET is built to keep you warm and bone dry, streamlining your kit list by doing the job of both a waterproof and a down jacket. It’s armed with a two-layer Pertex Shield waterproof outer and 700FP down in strategically positioned baffles to optimize warmth for weight and minimize bulk, leaving you free to move unhindered. rab.equipment // 6. A game changer for car camping, the NAPIER SPORTZ TRUCK TENT turns your truck bed into a weather-ready basecamp in under 15 minutes. A full floor, rainfly, storm flaps, ventilation, four-foot awning, gear loft and lantern holder deliver serious campsite convenience—without ever having to sleep on the ground. napieroutdoors.com
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9→ 7. The YETI LOADOUT GOBOX is ready to take gear storage to another level. Dustproof, waterproof and virtually indestructible, it comes in multiple sizes for camera gear, camp kitchens, first aid kits and more. A growing lineup of accessories—including Gear Cubes, PackAttic, MOLLE Panels and vacuum-seal KOR Protective Inserts—lets you customize, organize and protect gear for almost any adventure. yeti.ca // 8. The BATCH GB.2 GRAVEL BIKE is built for riders who like to wander beyond pavement. With a lightweight aluminum frame, carbon fork and wide tire clearance, it’s equally at home on backroads, rail trails and mixed-surface adventures. Stable geometry inspires confidence on rough terrain, while versatile mounting points make it ready for bikepacking, commuting or allday exploration. batchbicycles.ca // 9. Made for women who love speed and stability, the ATOMIC CLOUD Q14 REVOSHOCK S brings confidence to changing mountain conditions. Revoshock S eliminates chatter, while its 75mm waist and Multi Radius Sidecut transition effortlessly from quick turns through bumps and mixed snow to big, smooth carves. atomic.com // 10. Your kid will roll up to their friends in style on the MICRO MAXI LED SCOOTER. This three-wheeler delivers a smooth, stable ride with lean-to-steer control and motion-powered LED wheels. Lightweight, strong and adjustable as they grow, it’s made for adventures around the neighbourhood. Also available in pink. mindsalive.ca // 11. Born from the orchards of Georgian Bay, SPY CIDER HOUSE & DISTILLERY’S GOLDEN EYE AND CONSPIRACY THEORY showcase two sides of local cider. One is crisp, dry and apple-forward; the other is layered with sour cherry and blueberry for a vibrant semi-dry pour. Two local favourites that deserve a spot in the cooler—find them at the LCBO. spydistillery.com // 12. The PUFF original down-filled NECK WARMER is a true lifesaver on the hill. Designed to keep your face dry, warm and comfortable, a PUFF holds its shape to block windchill so you can breathe easily and focus on what matters most—more laps, more runs and longer days on-mountain. Offered in a variety of colours and sizes. New this season: Navy blue! Visit the website to have one delivered to you and/or a loved one. puff.design
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13. The ROSSIGNOL SOUL 92 blends all-mountain versatility with freeride-inspired playfulness. A lightweight paulownia wood core and Air Tip construction keep it agile and easy to maneuver, while the twin-rocker profile encourages quick turns, confident edge control and a surfy feel in mixed conditions. Designed for everything from groomers to soft snow, it’s a fun, approachable ski for adventurous resort riders. rossignol.com // 14. Crafted to strike the perfect balance between on-trail precision and off-trail exploration, the 2027 ELAN RIPSTICK 96 BLACK EDITION SKIS excel with added muscle and a super smooth feel. Lightweight yet powerful, these skis deliver agility and control without compromise. Featuring a sleek all-black design infused with added carbon to ensure you stand out with distinction on groomed snow or in mixed conditions. Made for skiers with top-shelf taste in style who demand excellence every day of the season. corbetts.com // 15. HOMETOWN HALL and SON’S BREWING TOWNLINE LAGER just make sense together—local, effortlessly cool and dialled in. The lager is crisp, clean, and easy-drinking with a smooth finish that keeps you coming back. It’s refreshing, no fuss—made for your glass and the kind of place you want to hang out. Nice folks and cold beer. hometownhall.ca // 16. The all-new TECNICA MACH 1 MV 130 has been reimagined to deliver a world-class feel with enhanced performance, out-of-the-box fit and greater personalization. The newly designed T-Drive system ensures a smooth and consistent flex that intuitively connects you to the snow, and your next turn. littleeds.com // 17. One of the most recognizable knives in the EDC world, the BENCHMADE BUGOUT balances ultralight carry with real-world durability. Designed for minimal pocket presence without sacrificing capability, its slim profile and dependable performance make it equally at home on the trail or around camp. It features the AXIS lock for smooth, reliable operation and is backed by a lifetime guarantee, including free sharpening. benchmade.com // 18. The KEEN REVEL IV POLAR combines the agility of a lightweight hiker with the warmth and protection of a winter boot. It features recycled KEEN.WARM insulation, heattrapping technology underfoot and a Thermal Heat Shield insole to help lock in warmth. The waterproof leather and performance mesh upper provide added protection, while the KEEN.POLAR TRACTION outsole delivers reliable grip on snowy and icy terrain. keenfootwear.ca
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Feed your Curiosity Bruce Wine Bar Tuesday-Saturday brucewinebar.ca 519-599-1112 8 Bruce St S, Thornbury
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MOUNTAIN HOME
Building What Matters Blake Farrow has spent decades turning big ideas into lasting memories words :: Will Shelley // photos :: Heather Goldsworthy
Few people have watched the South Georgian Bay region evolve as closely as Blake Farrow, a lifelong skier whose connection began with childhood weekends on the slopes. Today, through Blake Farrow Project Management, he builds custom homes and renovations across the region. We caught up with Farrow to talk about the area’s growth, the pursuit of quality craftsmanship and the spaces that matter most when family comes together.
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Mountain Life: Can you talk about your earlier years and how they led you to today? Blake Farrow: I guess the story really began with our parents dragging three kids up to Collingwood to ski every weekend—I was three and I was hooked. We became a ski family and spent all winter on the slopes, eventually racing and travelling to different clubs. I met the most gregarious, motley crew of merrymakers in those early race days and they are friends to this day. Some of those skiers joined me in the bush in 1985 when I founded Outland Reforestation and began pioneering largescale silviculture. By 1990 we’d had massive growth and became Canada’s largest reforestation company, planting more than 50 million trees annually. Ten years later my attention had turned
to another challenge and early passion—the mountains were calling and off I went to build homes and ski powder in BC’s Coast Mountains. It was then that I met and married my gorgeous, talented, Italian wife Marina. When we contemplated starting a family, I knew we needed to be back in Ontario closer to the extended Farrow clan. My opportunity presented itself with Intrawest redeveloping the Village at Blue Mountain and I hopped on board as the director of construction. It’s a proud moment to this day to see what an economic engine the Village has become and how full of life it is on any given Saturday year-round. In 2006 I was ready to become an entrepreneur again and Blake Farrow Project Management was born. 69
“It takes years to cultivate those relationships and understand who can provide the very best of the best in each trade required.” –Blake Farrow
ML: How has the region changed during that time, and how has that evolution influenced the way you think about designing and building homes today? BF: We have seen a steady stream of people making this area home with an exceptional spike of growth over COVID—a range of young families, pre-retirees and retirees all looking for an active, outdoor lifestyle. One of our first commercial projects—Le Scandinave Spa—is a great example of how popular the area has become; it now has a line-up down the street before it opens on the weekend. Growth has added viability to new, award-winning restaurants like The Pine in Creemore, and Michelin-starred boutique hotels have popped up, as well as vineyards, microbreweries and cideries, incredible farm-to-table markets and a thriving arts scene. ML: Is there a common thread that connects your work? BF: Regardless of the architectural style or size of project, we have gathered the most impressive craftspeople in the area to bring each project to life and deliver it with an exceptional level of quality. It takes years to cultivate those relationships and understand who can provide the very best of the best in each trade required. Our success is truly a team effort; the common thread in our homes is excellence in every detail. ML: Can you talk about some of your favourite home-related things? BF: We have three adult children, now living abroad, but when we gather it’s typically at our home in Collingwood and our cottage in Pointe au Baril. The spaces that allow us to spend time together, host friends and share traditions hold a special significance for me at this stage of life. We are a close family, the kids love being together, skiing together, cooking together. (Did I mention my wife Marina is Italian?) Over the years we have added to those special gathering places, so they are fun and comfortable for the kids and their partners, and now a grandchild. One of our favourite family traditions is using the Finnish, woodburning sauna that we built in Pointe Au Baril. Nothing better at the end of a day on the boat than a sauna and dip in the lake— you sleep like a baby. My favourite new space at home in Collingwood is my garage, also used as a wedding venue for my son Kyle and his wife Courtney a few years ago. I love to tinker with cars, trucks, boats and anything mechanical—maybe a throwback to fixing things constantly in my tree-planting days. Now I have a dedicated space to make a mess, so Marina is happy. It does have a bonus lounge area, so it’s a pretty cool garage. I just love to build cool stuff.
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MLS®️ X13573792 | $2,999,999 131 Grand Cypress Lane, The Blue Mountains
MLS®️ S13065468 | $2,999,000 1 Windrose Valley Blvd., Clearview
MLS®️ X12519282 | $1,999,000 108 Grand Cypress Lane, The Blue Mountains
MLS®️X13810698 | $1,995,000 154 Brooker Boulevard, Blue Mountains
MLS®️X13678092 | $1,895,000 103 Ridgecrest Lane, Meaford
MLS®️S13520864 | $1,399,000 15 Saunders Street, Collingwood
MLS®️ S13426178 | $1,074,000 72 Campbell Street, Collingwood
MLS®️ S12812282 | $999,000 24 Ramblings Way, PH1 - 1001, Collingwood
MLS®️ S13701358 | $995,000 21 Siera Trail, Collingwood
WITH THE PICOT TEAM
www.ThePicotTeam.com picot@rogers.com | C: 705.444.3452 | *REALTORS®
BARB PICOT* & RON PICOT*
Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage | 393 First Street, Suite 100, Collingwood, ON, L9Y 1B3
Four of Blake’s Best
Ground-breaking ceremony for the Affordable Housing Project on Birch Street in Collingwood. FRONT ROW (L-R) Lois Ferguson, Troy Ferguson and Blake Farrow. BACK ROW John Gordon, Micah Stewart, Ben Williams and Wyatt King.
Multi-Family Attainable Housing Project "In collaboration with 720 Modular, BFPM is very proud to be constructing homes on Birch Street in Collingwood that help provide affordable/attainable housing in our community."
The Big Curve "There are so many details to celebrate in this house and the BFPM is proud to have delivered on the client's vision. The home is technically quite complicated but needed to feel functional and enduring. Above all, it needed to host family and friends with ease and this outdoor living room (poolside) is one of our favourite spaces."
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Highmark House "In collaboration with the incredible team of architects and designers at Superkül, the BFPM team is excited to deliver this gorgeous home in Clearview Township— incredible attention to detail, craftsmanship and beautiful connection to the natural landscape."
Stone House "We have collaborated with architect Luis Méndez on many beautiful projects but a new build in Thornbury captured our hearts and imagination. Designed in the English stone country cottage style, this project combines time-honoured masonry techniques and copper roofing accents. We predict it will be an ageless addition to the town and thought of as an original home."
WE LOVE
WHAT WE DO. AND IT SHOWS. There’s nothing like real handcrafted stonework that stands the test of time.
The MBM crew of professional stone masons. Simply good guys—honest, hard working guys, and masters of expert masonry that is a permanent work of functioning art.
Call Mark Today!
(705) 333-4538
CRAFTSMANSHIP. CREATIVITY. QUALITY. DEPENDABILITY. And a crew of the nicest pros you will ever meet.
IF YOUR HOME IS BEING BUILT BY SCOT-BUILD, YOU ARE IN VERY GOOD HANDS.
Come for the accent. Stay for the peace of mind.
Watch the story behind the Scottish long house here!
LET’S HAVE A COFFEE AND TALK ABOUT YOUR DREAM HOME
S C O T - B U I L D D E V . INC. – (705 888 2759) s cot-bui l d.ca NORDIC / NORTHERN EUROPEAN & FULL CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS
L. Patten & SonS QUALITY CUSTOM HOMES SINCE 1958
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MOUNTAIN HOME
ABOVE At night, the sky becomes part of the architecture: Expansive and filled with stars. BELOW LEFT The home was constructed around the hand-hewn timber frame of an 1800s barn.
Where modern design meets the escarpment words :: Robert Artspool photos :: Nat Kay
There are country homes, and there are properties where the land itself becomes part of the main event. West Wind, a 100-acre estate in the Singhampton highlands, belongs firmly in the latter category. Set at the end of a long, winding drive, the newly built residence occupies the property’s high point, surrounded by rolling hay fields, mature forest and long views across the Escarpment countryside. There isn’t another house in sight. At night, with the lights of town well in the distance, the sky becomes part of the architecture—dark, expansive and filled with stars. “The first thing you notice here is the sense of space,” says realtor Mike Kearns. “You have 100 acres of your own, and then Pretty River Valley Provincial Park is virtually at your doorstep. It feels like your own private basecamp for everything this area offers.”
That proximity is significant. Pretty River Valley Provincial Park is a rugged pocket of the Niagara Escarpment, characterized by deep forest, steep terrain and some of the highest elevations in the region. For hikers, cyclists, skiers and anyone drawn to the outdoors, the surrounding landscape offers fourseason adventure within minutes of home. Osler Bluff and Devil’s Glen are both about 15 minutes away, while the Bruce Trail and Mad River add still more opportunities to explore. Yet West Wind’s connection to the landscape begins right at home. The residence was constructed around the hand-hewn timber frame of a late-1800s Ontario barn, pairing the warmth and imperfections of centuryold wood with a contemporary interior. Soaring ceilings and walls of glass draw the landscape inside, while polished 75
The residence pairs the warmth and imperfections of century-old wood with a contemporary interior.
TOP The kitchen, bedrooms and open living room are refreshingly uncluttered but layered with history. BOTTOM West Wind comes complete with an original rug from the Eaton family home and a custom-restored vintage sofa.
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concrete floors, heated by hydronic in-floor heating, create a clean counterpoint to the original timbers. A suspended staircase with glass railings adds another modern gesture, while oversized sliding doors open the main living space to a west-facing deck. It’s here that the property’s name makes perfect sense. The prevailing breeze moves across the fields, and evening light stretches over the meadows and forest as the sun disappears behind the hills. Inside, Revision Four handled the interiors, including custom millwork and lighting throughout. The kitchen is streamlined and quietly luxurious, with Miele, Fisher & Paykel and Bosch appliances: an induction cooktop, wall oven, integrated refrigeration and twin appliance garages keep countertops refreshingly uncluttered. The furnishings tell a more layered story. West Wind is offered turnkey, complete with pieces that have genuine history, including an original rug from the Eaton family home and a customrestored vintage sofa. Against the barn timbers, glass and concrete, these pieces give the new home the comfortable feeling of something that has evolved over generations.
STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
WE DESI GN A ND BUILD LA ND S CA P E S T HAT F E EL LIKE A NATURA L E XT ENSI O N O F THE O UTD O O RS .
R O C K S O L I D L A N D S C A P E S . C A
“It feels like your own private basecamp for everything this area offers.”
TOP The very picture of rural independence. BOTTOM Revision Four handled the custom millwork and lighting.
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Modern performance is equally considered. A heat pump provides heating and cooling, complemented by in-floor heat and a wood-burning stove for cold winter nights. A steel exterior minimizes maintenance, while a new septic system and drilled well support the home’s rural independence. And West Wind isn’t necessarily finished. Included with the property is a second complete barn kit and architect-designed plans for a garage, additional bedrooms and a breezeway connecting the new structure to the existing residence—a path toward creating a family compound. “You could ski in the morning, hike or bike straight into some of the most beautiful terrain in the escarpment, then come home, light the wood stove and watch the sunset,” says Kearns. “That’s what makes West Wind special. The house isn’t separate from the adventure—it’s the place you come back to.” And after dark, when the surrounding fields disappear and the stars take over, staying home may be the best adventure of all.
This home is listed for sale with the Kearns Group.
Home for Good
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CARVING OUT A PLACE After years of training camps and chasing hundredths of a second, World Cup ski champ Larisa Yurkiw returns home words and photos :: Allison Kennedy Davies
Larisa Yurkiw is a force. She has a calm, steady presence and wisdom that extends well beyond her years. I remember this from our interviews back in her racing days. On the slopes, she was out claiming podiums and risking it all but when you spoke to her she was calculated, caring and kind. It’s no surprise that she left racing on her own terms—that she made those same calculations and decided the risks outweighed the rewards. I’m greeted at the door by Nora, age 4, and Lydia, age 2, who are eager to show off the outfits they’ve chosen for today’s photo shoot. They bring me inside, where I meet Monty (age 1), Larisa’s husband Charlie Kidd (also a former pro skier) and Rex the dog. Finally, I see Larisa with the same welcoming smile I remember. This is the story of two ski racers who fell in love: With each other, with a community and with a home that they built together, down to the very last detail. Larisa is a sales broker with Chestnut Park Real Estate and Charlie builds local homes under the Kidd Custom Homes banner. Read on for our conversation about leaving racing behind to build a life and a family in South Georgian Bay.
Mountain Life: The last time we spoke, you had just embarked on your 2016 season while running your own race program, Team Larisa. Tell us a little bit about your education and career course since retiring from racing. Larisa Yurkiw: Retiring wasn’t easy. I’d spent my whole life with a very specific path and having freedom all of a sudden was very challenging. I worked for SkiTV for a time which was a nice transition—continuing to travel the world and ski. I stayed busy with speaking gigs in the interim and completed my MBA online. By the time I was finished with that, I had decided on working towards my real estate license. It has been an absolute blessing of a job. I know goal setting well but working for others’ goals has been refreshing and rewarding. ML: What is it like to have to ‘turn it off’ when you have spent so much of your life as a competitive athlete? LY: I don’t know if I really elected to turn it off. Naturally, that level of nervous system intensity was not sustainable. I had night sweats in the early days from, I believe, just missing the adrenaline rush and the demands of performing under pressure. But my kids are a jolt to my nervous system these days (laughs). ML: How often does your family of five get to the slopes during the ski season? LY: We ski most weekends and we generally have a grandparent or two to trade off with so that everyone gets a chance to make some turns. We’re members at Georgian Peaks and it’s been wonderful for Charlie and me to watch our kids share our passion. ML: You faced adversity in your ski career and experienced some of your biggest success after; what kept you going in tough times? LY: The adversities, whether they were physical, financial or political: they all seemed to define what the journey meant to me. Was this becoming too big a sacrifice or was it exactly what I was meant to be doing? In the end, the adversity helped me make the big decisions at the right time. 81
Holding an edge at the 2016 World Cup in St. Moritz.
AGENCE ZOOM
ML: What does it feel like to stand on a World Cup podium? LY: The first couple of podiums were surreal. They left me asking myself, ‘Do I belong up here with the best in the world?’ The last couple of podiums felt like a deep breath, like I was arriving at the end of a big road. I think because my journey was long prior to the podiums, once I arrived at a world ranking of second and third I was surprised at how quickly I felt the personal sense of achievement I had been searching for. It was clear to me that I didn’t need to keep going on that path—I’d proved to myself what I set out to do. ML: Speaking of the end of a big road, how did you know it was time to stop? LY: In the early days, I was very clearheaded (and selfish), taking help and really whatever was needed to be successful as an athlete. By the end, I was having surgery every spring just to maintain some semblance of health so I could race for two minutes on a Saturday. I watched some playback one day and saw the difference between a winning line and one that would save my knees, and I chose the latter. That’s when I knew it was going to be too dangerous to continue. ML: What lessons did racing teach you that you will now pass on to your kids? LY: I hope they find a passion, like Charlie and I did. What we really hope for our kids is that they find something they care intrinsically about. Ski racing was the ultimate education for both of us, and in a way it still is. I’m blessed with a job that I genuinely put my heart into and Charlie’s building homes that he genuinely has his heart in. I hope they find something and I don’t care if it’s skiing. 82
custom home builder www.coulterdawe.com | 705-444-6000
ML: What would you say if they decide to pursue sports at the highest level? LY: Well, I’d say you’ve got two athletes for parents, so, of course we will be at every match and every race. I can still remember the best thing my parents ever said to me, and it was probably right when things started to get serious around 10 years old. They said, ‘We don’t care if you do this’. And I remember thinking, What? I’m over here working so hard at this. Then I realized pretty quickly what they meant was that I would always have their support but I would never have them forcing me to do this. They cared because I cared. If I was done, that was up to me. ML: Your home is beautiful and it seems to have so much light and open space for your family. What was the thinking behind the design you created together? LY: One of the non-negotiables was a landing on the staircase so that the girls could do performances every single day! I grew up around the beautiful houses in Owen Sound and Charlie always wanted to build a brick house so we managed to merge that dream with a contemporary angle and reflect that transitional choice throughout the interior as well. Charlie always teases me that we paid far too much for our lighting given that I don’t use it—I do love natural light and he designed a home that leans on that in every room. ML: There are more young families moving to the region. Tell us about the kind of community people become a part of when they live here. LY: This community has continued to blossom for us in so many ways. Growing up, the Blue Mountains was a place my family visited to ski and nothing else. Thirty years later, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
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Hospitals don’t build themselves. Communities do. The people caring for you at CGMH don’t just work here. They live here. They ski these hills, paddle these waters, cycle these trails, and share a deep connection to this community. Because this is their community too, they are deeply invested in the health and wellbeing of the people they serve. Together, we are building Tomorrow’s Hospital so that exceptional care can continue for every resident, every visitor, every season, and every stage of life.
Dickon Worsley CGMH, RPN
TomorrowsHospital.com
WELLNESS ~ PART ONE ~
The wellness boom is here, proving that self care isn't selfish. In this issue we highlight two visionaries—behind two distinctive philosophies—who have built their businesses around helping others feel and be their best.
THE VORTEX EFFECT High-tech, high-vibe wellness hits Collingwood words :: Carl Michener
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A
LEFT PAGE Daniel James. "It's about getting a quick hit of human connection." COLIN FIELD CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Setting the scene in the lounge, where even the plants sport nametags; Compression "air massage"; The Somadome: an immersive journey inward. EMMA NICHOL
s soon as you walk into Vortex Wellness Studio in Collingwood’s south end, you feel it. Your nervous system calms. Your shoulders drop. Your breath slows. And you haven’t even started a session. That’s Vortex, the brainchild of Daniel James and his husband, Steve McCrea. Suddenly, a complete reset seems easier than you thought. What used to require a day’s excursion might now fit between work and picking up the kids from basketball. Is Vortex a spa? “We love a good spa, but we’re purposely not one. No massages, no robes, no water features.” Co-owner Daniel James smiles and explains that it’s wellness built for real life. “We’re showing the world there are other ways to feel good.” Whereas a traditional spa experience might consume an afternoon or an entire day, Vortex offers a reset in 10-60 minutes. Opening its doors in spring 2022, Daniel conceived, designed and built the space with Steve. He manages Vortex day to day and is responsible for its irreverent website and Instagram messaging. “It’s edutainment,” smiles Daniel. “The wellness world can be so serious and intimidating and I want to disrupt the industry and make it more approachable.” Even the website brings refreshing realness. “We help you keep your $#!% together,” it proclaims. Not a bad way to sum up the Vortex effect. After being warmly greeted with comfy felted wool slippers, you enter the lounge. Tasteful furniture, framed art, stacks of books, complimentary wellness shots and herbal teas set the scene. Even the plants sport name tags, and some regulars greet them like old friends. You can choose a sofa or grouping of chairs and connect (or not) with other visitors before your first session. What you’ll notice
is that staff act more like guides than gurus. No RMTs announcing they’re ready for you. No attendants hovering. “We’ve got eight sciencebacked sessions to make you feel awesome. It’s about recharging your battery and getting a quick hit of human connection,” says Daniel. The self-guided approach is central to Vortex. Once you’re in a session, you’re left alone to enjoy some serious me time. “We show you the ropes, and then we leave you the f@#$ alone,” says Daniel, a twinkle in his eye. Some sessions you may never have heard of, like NuCalm, a patented system that softens your stress response and provides the restorative benefits of two hours of sleep in 20 minutes. Other sessions take familiar wellness experiences and give them a new spin. Consider the glass-fronted infrared sauna. Nothing particularly revolutionary there, until you discover it’s in a private suite complete with a TV, shower, fridge and more. For an entire hour, the space is yours. The red light room is a pro-level setup of 12 panels that offer a full-body blast of powerful light frequencies to reduce inflammation, increase energy and speed up recovery. It’s a popular 10-minute recharge. The compression session takes place in a private pod—complete with an adjustable
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lounger, comfy pillow and noise-cancelling headphones. Vortexers love this self-controlled air massage designed to support muscle recovery and circulation. SEQEX uses pulsed electromagnetic frequencies intended to boost cellular function and support the body’s natural processes. There are halo salt saunas infused with medical-grade salt particles, and Somadome, a high-tech meditation pod resembling a glowing, retrofuturistic clamshell—one of only three in Ontario. Then there’s TUNE, the only one in Canada, which resembles an oversized wood-and-leather ottoman. Slip on some spendy headphones, lie back on the luxurious padding and discover that you’re in for a 15-minute vibroacoustic experience combining music and low-frequency vibrations designed to encourage deep relaxation. “Think of it as tuning your nervous system the way you might tune a guitar or piano,” Daniel explains. Still feeling the vibes of this sciencey soundbath, you’re ready for your next experience. “But there’s no rush… unless you want to,” grins Daniel. “You can go back-to-back or take it easy. It’s a vibe. It’s not bougie. It’s not shushy. It’s just good.”
TOP TUNE is a "vibroacoustic experience" and the only one in Canada. MIDDLE The glassfronted infrared sauna is a private retreat. BOTTOM Feeling the glow: Red light therapy. EMMA NICHOL
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It is good. After one small stack of sessions, it’s easy to understand the appeal of the Vortex effect. And, by design, the more frequently you visit, the more intuitive the experience becomes. “Once you come a few times, you know the drill,” says Daniel. “Our members and regulars know the benefit of consistent self-care, and we make it easy for them to show up, say hello, then feel good fast.” Who is all this for? “Well, ‘athletes and biohackers’ is what we thought at the beginning,” explains Daniel. “But we’re getting everybody. People come from all over.” Skiers, hockey players and runners are regulars. But Vortex quickly discovered that its audience extended well beyond the highperformance crowd. “What we’ve discovered is that the need isn’t demographic. It’s human. People are tired of being burnt out and they’re ready to get ahead of it.” Clients range in age from 12 to 80, with roughly equal numbers of men and women. First responders, first-time parents, doctors and dancers all find their way through the doors. The common denominator? People who want to feel good more often. And because this is Collingwood, there’s a homecoming story. Daniel is a native son, born and raised, who left for 16 years before rediscovering just how idyllic this corner of the world really is. An actor and graphic designer by profession, he has infused Vortex with creative flair and his own irreverent brand of positivity. “Who doesn’t want a calmer nervous system and a better-feeling body?” he shrugs. “We empower people with the ability to feel good now.” Traditional spas are often built around aesthetics and pampering. Vortex is built around self-care that fits into real life. “Most people don’t have time for a full spa day or a holiday every couple of months,” Daniel explains. “That’s why we created a place where self-care is easy, fast and fun.” The Vortex philosophy is refreshingly simple: feeling better means doing better. Small, regular bursts of self-care can build momentum, making wellness something you weave into your everyday life rather than reserve for a special occasion. And perhaps that’s the biggest revelation. Taking care of yourself isn’t about disappearing from your responsibilities for an entire day. Sometimes, it’s about giving yourself half an hour so you can return to them feeling a little more like yourself. As Daniel puts it: “Self-care is not selfish. It’s a strategy.”
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~ PART TWO ~
WELLNESS
SAUNA WITH A FINN Vettä Nordic Spa is a little piece of Finland in Ontario words :: Carl Michener "It's a big, big part of just normal life." Eric Harkonen in traditional sauna garb.
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ou have probably heard that sauna forms a big part of Finnish culture. In Finland, ‘sauna’ is not just a room that gets hot; it’s a concept, a verb, a noun, a way of life and a national obsession. Sauna is a place to catch up with friends or family, relax and just be. According to Eric Harkonen, founder of Vettä Nordic Spa, 98 per cent of Finns have access to a sauna. There are more saunas in Finland than cars. So I’m hardly surprised when Eric traces a line between Finland’s rating as the happiest country in the world (nine years running) and sauna culture. He’s a tall man, clean-shaven, wearing a thick robe BRIAN HUNT and a traditional felted wool sauna hat. “It’s a big, big part of just normal life,” he explains. Eric and his family have had a sauna wherever they lived. Looking mildly
MONIKA GRZELAK
alarmed, he confides: “If I don’t have sauna, I’m like, ‘There’s something wrong!’” BRINGING THE NORDIC SPA TO ONTARIO Sharing this Nordic sensibility, offering the chance to slow down, was the driving force behind Vettä, which opened its doors north of Barrie in Oro-Medonte mid-pandemic, in January 2022. Years earlier, when friends let him know that there were multiple Nordic spas in Quebec, he and his sister Jaana quickly discovered over 50. “And only one in Ontario,” says Eric. “The idea for Vettä was born.” Half a decade later, Vettä is a destination. “A little piece of Finland in Canada,” it’s the ideal collection of saunas, pools hot and cold, steam and relaxation rooms, hot stone and treatment rooms seamlessly integrated into the landscape. The location couldn’t be better. Situated on a moraine in Oro-Medonte, Vettä is right next to two resorts and a golf course. It’s no surprise that there’s lots of cross-pollination happening. Guess what people feel like doing after a day on the links or the slopes? When I visited, I found it the perfect antidote to a cold, wet morning of downhill mountain biking. 91
ANCHORED IN PLACE Enter a grand and very Nordic-looking main building built of steel, concrete and blond wood, and you’re immediately enveloped in harmonious, meditative music. Vettä, as the website says, “embraces Finnish lifestyle and cultural elements to create a proactive recovery and wellness experience”. You’re welcomed with a smile, a towel and plush robe, then it’s off to change, shower and choose your pleasure. Beautifully landscaped and surrounded by
ABOVE Wood-fired bliss, Finnish-style.
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BRIAN HUNT. BELOW Pressing pause with a cold plunge.
MONIKA GRZELAK
forest, Vettä is a feast for the eyes, especially as the seasons change. The lush green canopy progressively erupts into golds and reds as autumn nights grow cool. In the wintertime, it’s a whole different scene. Heated pathways connect the pools, saunas and steam rooms with the main building. “Last winter, we had huge banks of snow lining the pathways, it was kind of like a winter maze,” recalls Eric. “And instead of the cold plunge, for some of the Finns, we make snow angels.” At Vettä you can chat in most places, but there is a Quiet Zone for those who value silence. Visit on a Sunday and you can catch Eric’s 3 p.m. Sauna with a Finn, 45 minutes of sauna-pluscold-plunge and a thorough rundown of Finnish sauna culture, its benefits, and the best way to enjoy it. (Regularly.) Who knew that pouring water on the rocks (löyly in Finnish) was the heart and soul of an authentic sauna experience? A TASTE OF FINLAND You’d be hard-pressed to find a Finnish restaurant east of Thunder Bay, but at Vettä there are two. At SAVU Bistro, becalmed, berobed patrons order at the counter and have authentic Finnish fare delivered to their tables, either indoors or al
fresco. ‘Quick but elegant’ is a good description. Upstairs, KOIVU Restaurant delivers a fullservice meal experience where you can sit down, share platters and spend some time. The head chef for both restaurants is an architect from Mexico who has spent the last 15 years cooking up a storm. He’s now rumoured to be one of the best purveyors of Finnish cuisine in Canada. People show up just for his Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka), a Finnish rye-flour pastry. Enjoy Karelian stew (karjalanpaisti), Finnish rye bread, warm cinnamon and cardamom buns (korvapuusti), or Finnish salmon soup (lohikeitto) washed down with herbal tea, a local craft beer, cider, wine or cocktail with your meal. As you would in Finland. “What I want people to embrace,” explains Eric, “is learning how to make this part of your lifestyle—not just here, but with anything you do. Proactive recovery. Work it into your routine,” he urges. “That’s how you become better in all aspects of your life, if you can embrace rest, relaxation and reflection as part of your routine.” The same day I visited Vetta Nordic Spa, I received an email. Congratulations To You! (Onnittelut Sinulle!) Carl, today you pressed pause. And that’s exactly what it felt like. "Embrace rest, relaxation and reflection as part of your routine.” Eric leads a "Sauna with a Finn" session.
WHEN BUDDY IS FOUND, WHO HAS A SAFE SPACE READY?
MONIKA GRZELAK
The David & Helen Capin Regional Centre for Pets & People will give the Georgian Triangle Humane Society more capacity to safely receive and care for lost, found, and displaced pets from across South Georgian Bay.
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OVERSEAS
CHRIS GERMAN
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Tignes:
Where Have You Been All My life? words :: Glen Harris
G After a lifetime of ski trips across North America, one visit to the French Alps had me wondering what exactly I’d been doing all these years
rowing up and living in ski towns for most of my life, the annual ski getaway has always been part of the deal. For me, that usually meant heading west to BC or the States, or pointing the car east toward Quebec, the Maritimes or Vermont. When I lived in BC, we’d head into the Interior. And the whole time, I wore a pretty smug smile. We were winning. Living the life. Chasing storms, checking forecasts and hoping we’d timed things perfectly enough to score fresh tracks. Then I went skiing in France. Turns out, I may have been doing this wrong. Tignes, which, to be completely honest, I’d barely heard of before this trip, sits high in the northern Alps and shares an enormous ski area with neighbouring Val d’Isère. Together, there are 82 lifts, including a tram and funicular, accessing more than 9,000 acres of terrain. And almost all of it feels enormous. Tignes sits above the treeline, so instead of
skiing narrow ribbons cut through the forest, you’re looking out across huge alpine faces. There are vast swaths of corduroy, powder fields seemingly everywhere and, perhaps most surprisingly for a North American skier, no real concept of out-of-bounds. See something you want to ski? Go ski it. Getting there takes a little longer than flying out west, but it’s worth it. Fly into Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, then drive into the mountains through rural France, past old stone churches, villages and increasingly dramatic terrain until, eventually, you’re properly in the Alps. Then something incredible happens. You relax. There’s none of that powder-day anxiety we’ve perfected in North America. No frantic race to get ahead of the crowds. No obsessively calculating which lift to take next because you’re convinced everyone else is coming for your line. There barely seem to be any lift lines. 95
So you ski. Then you stop for a very good coffee. Maybe you ski some more. The powder isn’t going anywhere. Neither is the corduroy. And if you happen to stumble into a midday dance party at the base, well, apparently that’s part of skiing too. Everyone just seems happy. Which raises an uncomfortable question: How had it taken me until my mid-50s to discover this? For anyone who considers themselves a connoisseur of mountain resorts, Tignes should be on the list. For a family looking for one of those trips you’ll still be talking about years later, it’s difficult to imagine a better one. Maybe it’s the scale. Maybe it’s the food and coffee. Maybe it’s the lack of crowds. Maybe it’s simply the European approach to spending a day in the mountains, where getting as many runs as humanly possible doesn’t necessarily seem to be the point. Whatever it is, I’ll just say it out loud. They have this more figured out. It’s better.
ABOVE "Hannah Melinchuk lays down a textbook kick turn high on the Grande Motte, a glacier in Tignes that stretches toward the Italian border. At Club Med Tignes, indulgence is part of the program. Long lunches, generous pours and second helpings (the buffet doesn’t judge). Earning your turns is a strategic move, burn calories now, refill them with an apéritif, then dinner, then desert , then a couple of Scotches, then…" CHRIS GERMAN LEFT "Jonah Williams has an uncanny ability to make skiing look stylish and easy—steezy. We were on a mission to shoot photos. The moment Jonah spotted this line from the chairlift, we both knew the plan. He bootpacked to the top while I searched for the right angle. Mission accomplished. Look closely at the tight couloir in the background and you’ll spot tracks exiting out of it. People in France ski the gnarliest lines, straight from the lifts." CHRIS GERMAN 96
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LEFT "Inside the Perce-Neige funicular, one of the lifts in the Tignes ski area, we squeeze in as tightly as possible, skis pressed against skis, surrounded by conversations recounting the previous day’s exploits and the sound of ski boots pounding the floor. In seven minutes, this long underground tube whisks us from Tignes Val Claret, at 2,111 metres, to the foot of the Grande Motte glacier, at 3,032 metres. Then the doors open: vast expanses above the clouds, the silence of the high Alps and the slope calling our name. We linger at the top before finally setting off, with only two sounds breaking the silence: our breath, shortened by the altitude, and the crunch of snow beneath our skis." CHARLES-ÉDOUARD CARRIER
LEFT From Club Med Tignes, if you ski up and over to the other side of the mountain you can ski down into a different valley, to the town of ValD’Isere. On your way down, you pass a ski bar called Folie Douce. This is a world-famous open-air après bar, where ski boots double as dancing shoes and Euro EDM thumps across the alpine. Less of a casual drink, more of a cultural experience. It’s lit. “La Folie Douce après ski is a rare moment in the French Alps where the Euro-veneer of oldworld propriety and cured meats falls away, and bums the world over come to revel in a sloppy hedonistic version of ‘Kumbaya’ (Electro House remix). P.S.: If by any chance the beautiful Finnish woman who I met there the night this photo was taken is reading this, I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name; I won’t forget you.” CHRIS GERMAN
ABOVE Club Med Tignes delivers an exceptional all-inclusive alpine experience with upscale modern comfort, including an indoor pool and a lavish, globally inspired buffet featuring fondue and raclette. It also throws a serious dance party with nightly live performances. SUPPLIED BY CLUB MED
ABOVE Meet Philou: "Just one of the magnificent breed of alpine guide superheroes who manage to look effortlessly glamorous while navigating your perfect day at Tignes. These local legends possess a unique combination of extreme patience, Olympian-level skill and a delightfully thick French accent that makes a stern warning about your jump turn posture sound like a Romantic poetry reading." GLEN HARRIS
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PROCLIVITY
Ride harder. Tread lighter.
©Photo: Florian Monot
Built for big mountain environments. Strategically designed and stress-tested by the best riders in the world.
LEFT Tignes has an abundance of all varieties of terrain. But if you're looking to be pressed, the resort offers an iconic collection of steep off-piste chutes and couloirs. This one named Couloir 3500 is just off the tram, followed by wide above-the-treeline powder fields leading to your hotel far below on the valley floor. JULIEN PAYETTE-TESSIER
RIGHT "Here's Uri Tremblay (Brand & Public Relations Manager for Club Med Canada) leading the charge. Uri has one of the best careers ever; a large portion of his job involves hosting media trips with Club Med all over the world and he is the one I have to thank for this trip. Behind him is Ski Canada's legendary editor Iain Macmillan who is retired now but shreds like a man in his thirties. These guys are chargers who make it look easy." GLEN HARRIS
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ARTIST
"The land is so embedded in our culture and our teachings." Charmaine Jenner on the shore of Neyaashiinigmiing.
Woodland Heartwork The Art of Charmaine Jenner words & photos :: Scott Parent For Neyaashiinigmiing artist Charmaine Jenner, art is a way of carrying traditional teachings forward—about gratitude, connection and our responsibility to the world around us. By the time she picks up a paintbrush, the process of creation has already begun. It begins at Neyaashiinigmiing, where she was born and raised, surrounded by the water, the traditional medicines and the wild ones who share the lands. Her creative process also begins with a way of understanding the world in which nothing exists in isolation. “I was raised with ceremony and living my culture every day,” Jenner says. “When you get up in the morning, you give thanks for your day. You look around at Mother Earth, all the gifts, and you give thanks to the Creator who made all of us and everything that is. At night, we say Miigwetch for all that you have.” For Charmaine, these aren’t abstract ideas. They are teachings that have shaped the way she sees the world and, ultimately, the way she makes art. Her English name is Charmaine Jenner. Her Anishinaabe
name is Tauch Kwe, meaning Creative Woman. Her clan is Otter. She carries both Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee relations through her family. Her grandparents survived the residential school era, while Jenner also attended Indian day schools. Yet the cultural teachings passed down to her have remained a source of strength: spirituality, kindness, gratitude, respect for creation and an understanding that human beings are part of something much larger than themselves. “The land is so embedded in our culture and our teachings,” she says. “That goes hand in hand with my art and guides my work.” Jenner was about 16 when she sold her first painting. In the years since, art has accompanied her through the changing circumstances of life, including raising a family as a single mother. But she doesn’t describe art simply as a career. “It’s like therapy,” she says. She embeds what she has learned in ceremony into her Woodland-style paintings—the stories and what she calls the “hidden images” within her pieces. She hopes that someone looking at her work might find something that resonates with them. “Maybe it’s a colour. Maybe it’s an image. Maybe it’s something they can’t quite explain.” 103
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Whatever it is, Jenner’s intention is the same: to lift someone else’s spirit. One glance at Jenner’s work and her connection to the natural world is apparent. “The plants, animals and birds are not simply subjects. They are relatives who provide medicines and many lessons, if we pay attention. Their natural way of being and beauty, the way they seamlessly weave with creation,” she says. It is an understanding that reaches beyond the canvas. “We are part of the web of life. If a part of it falls, we fall with it.” It also means thinking about those who haven’t arrived yet. “What are we going to leave them? Whether we are Anishinaabe or non-Native—no matter where we come from—we are all human beings. How we treat the planet determines our environmental legacy.” That, she says, is one of the first teachings the Creator gave us. “We need to be asking: What will we leave behind?” Jenner’s work is featured throughout the Neyaashiinigmiing community, on signs at the reserve entrance, as well as the local elementary school. Visitors at Bruce Peninsula and Fathom Five National Parks can find a selection of her prints installed on signage throughout the Parks, as well as displayed on a new installation at Bognor Marsh Management Area in Grey County. In Oxenden, an enlargement of her painting of a crane (Ajiijak) is permanently installed on the wall of the general store. The Owen Sound Reconciliation Garden Park showcases her work on panels while her paintings 104
SUPPLIED BY CHARMAINE JENNER. TOP MIDDLE
SCOTT PARENT
have also decorated local galleries. Jenner has also completed commissioned art for the Three Waters Foundation, an environmental organization dedicated to cleaning up shorelines and islands surrounding the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula. For Jenner, her artwork is heartwork that comes with a responsibility: to share what she has learned, to uplift others and to remind people that the natural world is not separate from us.
For commissions and inquiries, contact charmainejenner75@gmail.com
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GALLERY
Borrowed Colour photography :: Colin Field
There’s something special about being right in the middle of the Niagara Escarpment. Not looking up from below or out from the top, but surrounded by the folds, valleys and forests that define this landscape. In the fall, it all becomes a patchwork of red, orange and yellow. Layers of colour stretch into the distance, changing daily as autumn rolls along. It won’t last. One good storm will blow through, strip the trees and the brown season begins. That strange stretch between fall colours and white snow when everything around here gets a whole lot less photogenic. For a few short weeks, our backyard puts on a pretty spectacular show. And the fact that it doesn’t last long is part of what makes it so damn good. Brown season is coming.
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Becki Relihan and Tiia Dolson heading up the Escarpment.
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Jeff Fletcher, Windy Island, Lake Huron.
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ADVERTORIAL – The second in a four-part series
A Little Lighter: Inside Living Shore Spa
Those connections have helped create a loyal clientele, with guests returning year after year and often requesting the same team member. Some employees have been with the spa for years; others started at Living Water as teenagers and have grown into new roles. For Van De Vechte, that sense of growth and mentorship is a defining part of the spa’s story. She credits Living Water owner Larry Law and Executive Vice President of Resort Operations and General Manager Don Buckle with providing the guidance, trust and resources that have allowed her and her team to build the spa’s vision. She also gives credit to Anita Dobbing, lead/senior Aesthetician since 2017. “She has been a tremendous help to our development and success because of her passion for wellness trends, commitment to continuous learning and training, and dedication to exceptional customer service,” says Van De Vechte. She continues.
T
here’s a moment when you walk into Living Shore Spa at Living Water Resorts when the pace of the outside world seems to drop a few notches. Maybe it’s the soft lighting, or the calming music. Or maybe it’s simply the feeling that, for the next little while, someone else will take care of you. “We want everyone to feel that they are in a space where they can slow down, feel comfortable and know that they will be taken care of,” says Sandra Van De Vechte, Spa Director at Living Shore Spa— at Living Water Resorts.
“We’re encouraged to lead with kindness and with a caring heart,” she says. “That’s something I find really unique about Living Water.” And perhaps that philosophy explains why the ultimate goal at Living Shore Spa is so simple: not transformation, but relief. “We live in such a fast-paced society,” Van De Vechte says. “We minimize how important quiet moments, relaxation and nurturing ourselves really are to our overall wellness.”
Van De Vechte knows the spa from the inside out. She joined Living Shore Spa as an aesthetician when it opened in 2016 and has grown with the business into her current leadership role. Today, she oversees everything from guest experience and team development to operations, financial performance, new services and corporate retreats.
After a massage, facial or hydrotherapy session, guests often say the same thing: I really needed this.
The spa itself offers the full range of classic treatments—facials, body treatments, massage and pedicures—along with one particularly distinctive feature: the Aquapath Grotto, an eight-station hydrotherapy circuit designed to encourage relaxation. Guests can combine it with treatments or add experiences such as Infrared Halo Therapy Sauna to create a visit that feels uniquely their own.
After a decade, that may be the spa’s most enduring treatment of all.
“That’s what we want,” she says. “For someone to leave Living Shore Spa feeling a little lighter, calmer, more rested and cared for than when they arrived.”
The menu also reflects the creativity of the team. Treatments include Thai Foot Massage, Reiki, reflexology and specialty facials, as well as signature services developed in-house, including Sensory Bamboo Massage, Reiki Fusion and Coconut Calm Body Treatment. But ask Van De Vechte what really sets the spa apart, and she doesn’t talk first about the treatments, the facilities or the menu. She talks about the people. “We have a very skilled and experienced group of aestheticians who genuinely care about what they do,” she says. “The aesthetics team, reception team and Aquapath attendants take the time to customize services, listen to their guests and create personal connections.”
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APRÈS of hours. Just free time. Then I helped build the Handuro trail at Duntroon for the enduro race with Jeremy Shields. I was just like, “this is fun. Let’s do more of this. I do it all the time anyway.”
ML: And now you build with dirt in summer and snow in winter? BW: Dirt’s way better. Dirt doesn’t melt. Snow, you’re constantly rebuilding. But it’s super fun to be creative. It keeps you employed. ML: You’re also known for riding some pretty ridiculous bikes around town. Where did the tall bikes come from? BW: I saw a random YouTube video of someone taking a tandem bike and making it into a tall bike. I’m like, “that’s super sick.” I collect bikes anyway. I see one on the side of the road and I’m like, “I have a use for that.” I bought a $100 stick welder and a grinder. My welds are poo. But it makes me happy going out in public and freaking people out. People are like, “How the hell did you get up there?” Especially when I had the big, big one.
Tall bike through a ring of fire for the win.
Blair Werbitsky Purveyor of stoke words and photos: Colin Field If you’ve spent much time riding bikes around Collingwood, there’s a decent chance you’ve encountered Blair Werbitsky. Maybe he fixed your bike during the decade he spent working at Squire John’s. Maybe you’ve ridden one of the trails he helped build. Maybe you’ve seen him shaping dirt at Osler Bluff. Or maybe you’ve simply spotted him pedalling through town on a homemade tall bike that looks like it escaped from a circus. Whatever the circumstance, he was probably psyched. Going for a ride with Werbitsky is like having Flavor Flav along for the ride; he’s a hype man. He’s a purveyor of stoke. In grade 6 he moved from Orangeville to Collingwood and quickly fell into the local bike and ski scene. He now builds mountain bike trails at Osler Bluff in summer and works on the terrain park in winter. It’s a pretty logical career for someone who has spent thousands of hours building jumps for free. But it’s his enthusiasm that makes Werbitsky memorable.
Mountain Life: You’ve basically turned building jumps into a career. How did that happen? Blair Werbitsky: I’ve always built jumps. On my downtime, I’d just go in the woods. Back in the day, Black Ash [a trail in Collingwood] had the sweetest jumps when I was 12 years old. Just consecutive boom, boom, boom. They got bulldozed. Then we would go back there and start building crazy stuff. Thousands 114
ML: How does someone get a tall bike? BW: They’re not for sale. If you want a tall bike, I’ll help you build one. I’m not going to build one for you. And you can’t pay me to build one. It’s something you have to create yourself. It’s not something that should be mainstream. I have a couple friends I’m helping make tall bikes. You get a couple bikes, start collecting parts and then we’ll go together and make it happen. ML: How many bikes do you actually own? BW: I don’t like to disclose that generally. Probably close to 12. Some are in pieces. I have a 1956 Roadmaster that I put back together. There’s always something. Facebook Marketplace is a trap. It’s so dangerous. ML: So where does all that positivity come from? BW: I don’t believe in negativity. I’m always happy. There’s always a bright side, you know what I mean? Something bad happens, it’ll make a great story. But yeah, let’s do it, man. Let’s have fun.
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Your money should be working hard to help you achieve more— more quality time with the people you love, more adventures, more meaningful moments and memories. My team and I can help with that. Born and raised in the area, I spent 20 years in downtown Toronto on the institutional and capital markets side of investing. That experience shaped how I work today: bringing the sophistication of Bay Street to our community, with personal, down-to-earth service and a network of RBC specialists to help you secure the financial future you have envisioned.
Our services include: Portfolio management Alternative investments Tax planning Wills and estate planning Business owner planning
Let’s connect and determine if a partnership makes sense for both of us. Paul Chapman, CIM, MBA, B.Sc. (Eng) Senior Portfolio Manager & Wealth Advisor Office: 705-444-1800 | Mobile: 705-441-0482 | paul.chapman@rbc.com Chapman Private Wealth Group of RBC Dominion Securities 1 First St., Suite 230, Collingwood, ON www.paul-chapman.ca RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2026 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved. 26_90544_FX1_002