Red Pine in Febuary

[puckster_guy]

Hi guys. I came up to camp for a week or so last Sat. Lima Charley and his buddy came in from across the lake on their sleds. They stayed for a couple of hours and gave me a hand unloading my Jeep as My sled was buried under snow. I left it in my back yard. Gonna build a shed for it. He's some pics...

[limacharley]

It was nice to see you again Joe. Your place is coming along nicely. That buddy heater sure works good heating up your camp fast.
We travelled about 85 kms that day, all the way from Bronson Island.

We met a few sledders in the bush. They advised us not to buy gas at Migizy as they had let the tanks run very low and now
they were sucking all the bad stuff from the bottom. Lots of locals having trouble with their sleds.

Keep me posted on your return trip. Unfortunately, I must descend into the Big Smoke for a conference this upcoming weekend.

Now if we can just convince Hodgey and a few others to join us for a weekend of riding and bonfire stories.

[T-Bone]

Nice update...thanks Puck...nice and snowy there, though it appears (to my unrecorded documentation, just going off of memory) the weather, in general, appears to be a bit milder this winter up there. We're having a very mild winter here in Central Ohio...I know people that went out golfing on Sunday.

And @limacharley...I have to ask. What is 'the Big Smoke'...and why is it referenced as that? It made me laugh...and I don't even know what it is... 

Thanks.

[limacharley]

I worked with a few natives when I was a Border Services Officer and they described Toronto as the "Big Smoke" ....lots of tall building spewing exhaust from chimneys etc...
It might be a line from a movie? who knows? 

[puckster_guy]

I'm heading home on Sat or Sunday. Depending on weather and roads. I wanna be back for my Monday night skate. Only 3 games to season ends. Supposed to storm tomorrow, we'll see lol. Enjoying being out of the big city.

[puckster_guy]

Ahhhh back in the big city. This was about my third dead of winter trip to camp. Snow shoes are an absolute necessity, I spent a couple  of walks up my driveway and onto the lake breaking a trail in knee deep snow. No more. My sled was buried in over three feet of snow and I decided to not dig it out and try to move it. Next year I trailer it in. LC saved my life hauling my stuff in down a 600 foot driveway and packed me a trail.Next year I can do that myself. I gotta insulate under the floor as green wood and cold permeating from under the  floor, especially when temps got below -10C made it difficult to keep the place warm. TG for a great propane heater that saved my fat a$$. When I awoke on Saturday to -22 outside and only +5C inside. So much learned from this trip. It was almost fun. I only wished I could have dropped a line thru the ice. One day soon I hope...

[Hodgey1]

gave me a hand unloading my Jeep

Joe, the road back to Red Pine has winter maintenance/plowed?

[puckster_guy]

They now plow my whole road, all 2.5km of it so I can drive right to the end of the driveway. If I decide to go more then twice a winter I'll pay someone to plow my driveway. Still not totally sold on winters at camp. Really not much to do and I found myself inside most of the time. Red Pine road and Maniwaki were well plowed and smoother then summer. I found myself travelling at 80 to 90kph on Maniwaki traction was good and 4 foot high snowbanks would act as guardrails if you lost it so no going into a ditch in winter.

[Hodgey1]

Now if we can just convince Hodgey and a few others to join us for a weekend of riding and bonfire stories.

Kipawa Fishing Forum 2021 Snowmobile Fest ? I'm in! "@T-Bone they rent sleds"  My wish list for such an endeavor, would to be centrally located somewhere with lots of day trip options or to do a 3-4 loop. The older I get the total daily mileage keep decreasing though, I used to like 150-175 miles a day, now 100 is plenty, but then again that's on the beaten up/not groomed well trails of Western NY. I've heard mythical stories "sort of like fish stories" of the wide and smooth wonderfulness of Canadian snowmobile trails.

I've been a snowmobiler most of my life and Canadian snowmobiling has been on the to do list for way too long. Between having had one of the mildest winters here ever and having hurt my shoulder, I haven't been trail riding once this season, only towed grand kids around the field on a tube a couple of times. It appears the season is over here also, when looking at the 15 day forecast.

[puckster_guy]

Ya gotta come up to Kipawa in winter, Hodgey. I left about 3 feet and change of fine powder snow at camp. I don'r sled much as I never really got into it. None of my friends did it, Hockey and skiing were my winter sports. However talk to Lima Charley he can point out millions of miles of good trails in the area. He sledded across the lake to my camp last week. Sledding on the lake can be a bit dicey unless you know it. Narrows and slushy sections create dangerous conditions. I don't mind short runs but I'm not into longer ones. I don't mind doing it in summer in my boat, It's about an hour's ride to the hub or make a day of it and troll promising looking spots. But I'd rather have a nice shot of Wisers with the ice in my drink by wood stove in winter, along with a cigar or three.
However if thats what your into this is the place. Diving both directions down Maniwaki there are bunches of trucks with empty trailers off of bushroads and the winter silence is just deafening. Check it out guys.

[Hodgey1]

But I'd rather have a nice shot of Wisers with the ice in my drink by wood stove in winter, along with a cigar or three.

As the day and years wiz by Joe, the more I like to do just that. Especially while at Kipawa on cabin porch. Honestly, I would still love being there even if the fishing sucked.

Snowmobile trip to Canada is on the bucket list, but my bucket has holes in it   

[Fort Wisers]

Hey Joe,
Great report as always.
As your place comes along and you get yourself into a decent supply of dry wood, time at camp in the winter will become more and more enjoyable.
My wife used to hate winter, now that we're setup I think it's her favorite time of the year at camp.
Snowshoes for sure.......

Thanks for always taking the time to send reports and post up pics!
We all enjoy it.

Brent