Perfect Winter Weekend? Yeah, I’d say add a little yoga practice, mix in a little adventure on the winter trails and top it all off with some of Gregor’s fine northern cuisines – Edge style.  We put it all together and call it Downward Dog Sledding.  It’s the perfect excuse to get up to the edge of Algonquin Park this winter…… btw, you might think about Yoga and the Zen of Winter as a nice back up plan – coming in March!

Ever plan a summer vacation with your kids without having your kids on THE vacation?

Our new partnership with Hockey Opportunity Camp makes that possible. Now the kids can get the vacation they want while attending summer camp in the same area as the parents are enjoying a holiday with other adults.

Northern Edge Algonquin and Hockey Opportunity Camp have partnered to offer the ideal Northern Ontario Summer Family Vacation that is customized to the specific needs of different members of the family.

Both Northern Edge Algonquin and Hockey Opportunity Camp (HOC) have been providing their customers with unique Northern Ontario experiences for many years. The only difference is that each experience meets the needs of two very different clients. Hockey Opportunity Camp offers camp programs for male and female campers from age 7-16 and Northern Edge Algonquin offers holidays and retreats designed for single adults, couples and friends.

HOC Camp Director Kevin McLaughlin explains that ”after seeing the beauty of Northern Ontario and hearing the positive experiences from their kids, we have received many requests from our parents to develop an adult camp, but are not equipped to do so. That is why we look forward to offering our parents a taste of the same experience with programs and amenities that suit their needs much better.”

Co-founder of Northern Edge Algonquin Todd Lucier says, “A lot of parents we meet tell us that a visit to the Edge has been on their bucket list for years, but because of family commitments in the summer they haven’t been able to visit. With such a great option available for their kids to have a great camp experience, it only made sense to tailor our offerings to mesh with one another.”

The family vacation can look something like this….
After dropping the kids off at camp on Sunday for a week, parents can take a scenic 35 km drive along the “old Almaguin Railway” to Algonquin Park to start their own three, four or seven day outdoor retreat or adventure experience.

While at camp, kids can look forward to participating in one of three main programs, picking the option that best suits the camp experience they want.

• Hockey Training Program with Camp/Sport Activity Options,
• Water Ski Program with Camp/Sport Activity Options, or
• Traditional Camp Program highlighting all Camp/Sport Activity Options.

Parents pick the holiday that fits in with their adventure preference. Equally diverse options for parents include;

• Full week of activities including a guided canoe trip in Algonquin Park, nature retreat stay with a variety of outdoor options including yoga, mountain biking, canoeing, sea kayaking.
• 4 Day/3 Night Canoe Trip in Algonquin Park starting with candle-light dinner, or
• 3 Day/2 Night Pick-Up Package where parents take a few days of self-indulgence including experiencing the Algonquin Park landscape and local cuisine before picking up the kids at camp.

With such great opportunities for each family member to get the summer holiday they crave, the only question that needs answering is, “Who will have the best stories to share when it’s time to head home?”

For more information on each of the programs listed above or to book your ideal summer family vacation, visit http://learnhockey.com/parents/northern-edge-algonquin or http://www.northernedgealgonquin.com/hockey-opportunity-camp.html

Win a $500 gift certificate for Northern Edge Algonquin. Guess when Kawawaymog Lake, Algonquin Park will be ice free and win! Contest closes at Midnight April 4, 2011. Ties will be broken by earliest entry. Four second place prizes will win a colourful Northern Edge Algonquin t-shirt or stainless steel coffee mug. Enter once a day, as often as you wish. Ice Out will be determined at the earliest moment any Northern Edge Algonquin team member notices that there are no visible ice sheets on the lake.

It was inspiring to read this post from Angela Dollar about her recent stay at Northern Edge Algonquin.

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/travelpurpose/2010/10/03/canadian-eco-haven-northern-edge-algonquin/

I love the first few sentences:

“I want to tell you about a very special place. The kind of place where you can let go of everything – your time, your stress, your expectations – and just relax and exist. A place where breathing might be the most important thing you do all day.”

Thanks Angela.

TORONTO, Sept. 21 /CNW/ – The award-winning Bike Train has partnered with Northern Edge Algonquin to provide a green travel option to experience Ontario’s brilliant fall colours in South River, near Algonquin Provincial Park.

On Sept. 24, mountain bikers will journey by train from Toronto to South River, with their bicycles secured in a baggage car equipped with bike racks, for an unique “Rails, Trails and Ales” experience featuring great mountain biking, beautiful fall colours and locavore fare matched up with Ontario’s finest beers.

The weekend getaway starts with a tour of the Highlander Brew Co. and a 20 km Fall Colour Ride to Northern Edge Algonquin where locavore guru, chef Gregor will host an evening of great local foods, including cooking pizza in an outdoor wood-fired clay oven.

On Saturday, participants can choose from a variety of rides on the Forgotten Trails, including double track, single trace extreme or rolling road with some challenging sections.  That evening, the bikers will enjoy a Northern Harvest dinner, with food and beer matching by beer expert, Roger Mittag, Thirst for Knowledge Inc. (www.thirstforknowledge.ca), one of Canada’s leading beer educators.

This experience provides cyclists a sustainable option to easily access Ontario’s Fall colours and to experience its unique culture and local products.

For more information, visit http://northernedgealgonquin.com/bike-train.html

QUOTES:

Living on solar power, we really appreciate that our guests and their bikes can get to Northern Edge Algonquin by train, especially when the fall colours are exploding like they are now.  The colours and the trails are just begging for exploration. – Todd Lucier, Northern Edge Algonquin (http://northernedgealgonquin.com/bike-train.html)

I’m truly excited about bringing my Thirst For Knowledge to the Rails, Trails and Ales weekend.  We all know that a beer is a great way to revitalize the body after a long ride and I’m looking forward to matching some great food with some of our very finest beers from Northern Ontario.”   Roger Mittag, Thirst for Knowledge Inc. (www.thirstforknowledge.ca)

“Riding is one of the best ways to experience Ontario’s brilliant autumn colours.” says Peter Lipscombe, Project Manager for the Bike Train initiative.   “The Rails, Trails and Ales weekend combines the best of sustainable travel – green transportation and accommodation, local foods and local culture.  It’s a getaway not to be missed.”  (www.biketrain.ca)

As summer days grow shorter and evenings cooler, it is soon going to be autumn.  While leaves falling from the trees are a sign for many that the warm days of summer are soon to be gone, change brings with it a chance for reflection and sometimes celebration of the wonderful times we had.

Over the past 15 summers, the Edge has welcomed dozens of staff who have contributed to making Northern Edge Algonquin the magical place that it is.  Many, have found their way into the hearts of guests by inspiring rediscovery, empowerment and healing.  Over the past three seasons, Alexis Burnett has shared with guests a deep appreciation of the earth and helped others make a spiritual connection to the plants and animals that call this little corner of Algonquin Park home.

At this time, Earth Tracks, Alexis Burnett and Northern Edge Algonquin are moving on and each following our own path.

We are extremely grateful to have shared Alexis’ inspiring nature awareness programs with our guests over the past three seasons. We have learned a lot from one another.  We look forward to continuing to support one another as allies as we all continue working to rediscover ourselves, empower each other and heal the earth.

Happy tracking Alexis.

~ Todd and Martha Lucier, co-founders, Northern Edge Algonquin

For all of you who have paddled with us before or are looking for something ‘more’ in your wilderness canoe trip the ‘Algonquin Crossing’ is for you. This experience will see you travelling through some of the most untraveled canoe routes while traversing the northern part of Algonquin Pak. We will leave from the Edge and dip our paddles in lakes with such names as ‘Erables’, ‘Osler’ ‘Radiant’, ‘depot’ and many others. This trip promises to push your paddling experience to a new level and bring you to a deeper understanding of what this world-renowned park has to offer.

This August and September we will be running many Wolf Howl Canoe Trips into the scenic and beautiful Algonquin Park.   Let your inner voice out as we howl and learn about the Eastern Wolf who calls this wilderness home.   This experience is one of our most popular summer canoe trips and gives people the chance to paddle and camp in the park while under the caring guidance and instruction of our qualifies wilderness guides.   For more information on this trip and the many others that we run here at the Edge Please give our office a call at 800 953 3343 or email at northernedgealgonquin@gmail.com looking forward to crossing paddles with you soon.

One of the best things about a canoe is its ability to glide silently across the water.   This helps us in many ways while trying to locate and observe the many mammals, birds, reptiles and Amphibians that make their home in central Ontario.   One of the most memorable and exciting times on one of our canoe trips is being able to observe these wild creatures in their natural setting.   Imagine watching a bull moose feeding on aquatic plants next to a meandering stream, a mature Bald Eagle as it soars gracefully over an open lake or the ‘haunting’ call of a loon as it echoes across an unnamed lake before dawn.   Seeing these animals and many others in the wild creates memories and emotions within us that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.   Here’s a short list of some of our wildlife observations so far this paddling season:

Black Duck, Mallard duck, Buffleheads, common Loon, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Northern Goshawk, Coopers Hawk, Merlin, Broad Wing Hawk, Barred Owl, Common Yellow throat, Balckburnian warbler, Raven, Red Breasted Nuthatch, Gray Jay, Winter Wren, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Canada Warbler, Canada Geese, American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Moose, Eastern Wolf, Red Fox, Black Bear, White-Footed Mouse, Meadow Vole, Northern Flying Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Chipmunk, raccoon.  Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, Pickerel Frog, Bull Frog, Spring Peeper, Gray Tree frog, Green frog, Wood Frog, American Toad, Garter Snake, Northern Water Snake.

Our canoe tripping season is in full-swing and we have had many great experiences in Algonquin Park. As I write this (in my notebook), I am currently sitting next to a crackling campfire under a grove of old hemlock trees beside a secluded Algonquin lake. Later I counted the growth rings on an old grandfather hemlock and it was around 276 years old! This is one of our ‘base-camp’ days and we have been relaxing all morning, taking the beauty and serenity of this place into our being. After a couple days in the park your body begins to beat in sync with the natural rhythms of Creation. I awoke this morning to the call of the loon as its surreal voice echoed off of the hillside across the lake. Walking down to the waters edge I looked south and spotted a bull moose feeding hungrily in the shallow wetland where a small creek empties into this lake. Our group sipped our morning coffee and kept an eye on this stately animal for over an hour. As the birds sing and flirt through the trees, I am reminded of our connection to all things. The invisible threads that link us altogether. There is a power and sacredness to this land that touches us all in many ways. On each of these trips it sinks further into the core of all of us and strengthens each of those ‘threads’ with each new experience.