My favorite adventure, documentary filmmaker, David Hartman recently released this cool promo video he created for a company called Voyageur Quest in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Located in the remote Northwest corner of Algonquin Park, the company offers visitors a chance to stay at a cabin completely off the grid. They offer activities and lodging throughout the year for visitors to experience all that Algonquin has to offer. The video does an amazing job capturing the beauty and atmosphere of Algonquin Park. I have camped in Algonquin Park numerous times in my childhood and recently took a weeklong canoe trip with my brother in August 2014. Itching to go back.
Check out more of David’s work at his website: Hayfire Media.
One of the most popular attractions in Banff National Park is the Johnston Canyon Falls. It is a short hike at less than a couple of miles, but spectacular throughout the entire way. In fact, before even reaching the falls we were fortunate enough to get a moose sighting in Moose Meadow. I was curious as to what brought moose to that particular meadow. I was interested to learn that moose are not grazers, and as such they eat forbs and other non-grasses which are plentiful in this meadow. Frequently they are seen feasting on aquatic plants. This particular moose was interested in our vehicle and actually stopped eating to come check us out. It then peacefully, went on its way. It was a very nice welcome from a resident of Banff National Park.
The route
In the summer time, the Johnston Canyon trail is packed elbow to elbow, however during the winter, it is a quiet, icy wonderland. We strapped crampons to our boots to allow for traction while navigating the trail. We followed the Johnston creek as it coursed it’s way through the limestone valley. A steel catwalk system is bolted to the cliffs through the valley for easier navigation and to keep visitors above the water.
glacier flow
bent tree
catwalks
old man’s beard can be used for several things including serving as excellent tinder
The forces of nature are displayed brilliantly in Johnston canyon. The beautiful limestone that encase the valley, reveal a history of thousands of years in its cross sections. The retreating ice glaciers that once covered the region, molded the landscape to what we see today. Trees all around us are literally bent from the many months of heavy snowfall throughout the year. Thick old man’s beard (lichen) draped over the towering firs and the turquoise, glacier water flowed around us, flickering from the ice and sun.
limestone cave
cave falls
Upon reaching the lower falls, we had the opportunity to navigate the limestone caves to view the falls from the shadows and listen in awe to the echos of the rushing water. After a short break, we continued on to the upper falls where we had some warm tea and granola while watching ice climbers brave the falls. The view from the top was stunning. Beyond the upper falls is a region called the Ink Pots, where apparently seven cold mineral springs can be found in open meadows.
This film by Goh Iromoto sheds light on the remarkable story of Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney), an Englishman who chose to take on the identity of a member of the First Nations people in Ontario, Canada. He was most noted for his work as a conservationist, protecting animals such as the beaver that were essential in maintaining the forests and landscapes in Ontario. Evidence of his work as a conservationist still remains today in Canada. This video also showcases the beauty of the boreal land in Temagami, Ontario, a place I was fortunate enough to experience on our canoe trip in August 2015. Itching to go back.
Writing during a trip is always a fulfilling experience. Whether you are noting waypoints on a map, making a quick sketch of the landscape, or jotting down memorable moments, such acts allow you to slow down and reflect during a journey. In my mind, there is only one place to log such entries, an old fashioned hand-bound leather journal. I wanted to make something that was durable, handsome and consistent with the tradition of my field outings. Let’s get to it.
Materials: vegetable tanned leather cutting blade cutting board leather dye leather conditioner leather edge beveler waxed thread parchment paper metal ruler stitching awl needle nose pliers hammer
Step 1: Creating the signatures
The first step in making a journal, is to decide how many pages you want to bound, and then dividing them into signatures (unit of folded pages that will be stitched). For instance, if you wish to have 50 sheets in your book, you might want divide them into signatures of 5, each signature having 10 pages. Different types of paper can be used however I preferred to use acid-free parchment paper for the texture and look of the journal.
Step 2: Preparing the leather
Different thicknesses of leather can be used and this will be entirely up to you. You can purchase boxes of scrap leather from Amazon for less than $25 dollars. For this project, a thick vegetable tanned leather was used to give it the durable and thick appearance I wanted. The leather was cut to leave approximately 1/2 inch of leather bordering all of the pages. Once the leather has been cut, you will notice that the leather can have some fraying of fibers from the cut edges. This is where you will use an edge beveler to clean up all of the edges of the leather, giving it a nice and finished appearance.
preparing the cut
beveling the edges
template
Step 3: Preparing the leather for stitching
In order to assure that all signatures are sewn at a consistent distance from each other, I created a template. This way, all holes will be exactly where I want them to be positioned on the leather. Also, in the future if I decide to create a leather journal with similar dimensions, I could easily use the same template. Depending on the thickness of the leather, this task can be a little time consuming. I initially made the holes with a stitching awl, and then subsequently widened them with a thicker needle and hammer. Needle nosed pliers were also used to help pull the needle through the holes. Once you are satisfied, the leather can also be softened at this stage. This can be accomplished in many ways. One method is simply to manually flex the leather to give it a more broken in feel. Another way is to use rubbing alcohol on the leather and then add petroleum jelly to penetrate the leather.
Step 4: Staining
This can be accomplished with a variety of different stains and colors. I decided to use a stain from Ecoflow called acorn born. It is important to use an old clean cloth for this step to assure that you rub the stain evenly throughout the leather. If not, the stain will be absorbed more readily in some areas of the leather than others, causing an uneven appearance. This may not be a bad thing, as some of you may opt for this appearance.
acorn brown
staining
Step 5. Stitching the signatures
Stitching was completed using a thick waxed thread designed specifically for leather use. This was a lengthy process considering I had 8 signatures to sew in place.
Conclusion:
In the end, I was overall very happy with the journal. It feels sturdy and strong and the acorn brown stain came out looking fantastic. It is an overall quick process and with the proper leather tools can be a very fun project. I encourage any one who has ever wanted one to give it a shot. This will definitely be accompanying me on my field and canoe trips.
I have always wanted to see Alberta. Ever since my elementary school days, I remember completing research projects and hearing about the great national parks of the Rockies and knew that one day I would have to visit them. I just never thought it would be in the winter. We were fortunate enough to get vacation together and made our way to the great province of the strong and free. One of the best ways to trek through this winter wonderland is by snowshoe. Sarah and I set out to the woods around Lake Louise to have our go at traditional snowshoeing. Our guide, Paul, works at the Chateau Lake Louise, and has been leading trips through Banff for the past 30 years. He was a knowledgable man who had great respect for nature, ecology and the First Nations people. For the First Nations people who originally lived in the area, snowshoeing was much more than recreation, it was a way of life.
Different snowshoes for different environments
Ojibwe snowshoes, note the narrower profile for weaving between trees.
Paul emphasized, “there is no such thing as a perfect tool”. Each type of shoe was designed by different tribes who lived in different environments. The western prairie snowshoes were very wide allowing for the greatest distribution of weight. The people of these regions did not have to worry about navigating through trees and dense forests. The Algonquin and Ojibwe people however, made their shoes longer and more narrow to weave in and out of trees.
Lake Louise
listening to the forest
fir trees
snow angels
on the move
road
One of 5 bicentennial canoes, this one named “Osprey” undergoing restoration.
The temperature was actually quite warm for the region at about -15 celsius, with fresh snow falling. As we made our way through the trails, I was surprised at just how well the shoes worked. We glided through the forest with ease and comfort. Fir trees towered all around us and we trekked kilometers in peace and quiet with the magnificent sight of the Rockies all around us. I was also surprised to learn that Paul constructed several of his own shoes. These beautiful shoes were not only pieces of art, but more importantly for the First Nations people, an essential tool for survival during the harsh Alberta winters.
In July 2015, we set out to explore the turquoise waters and white quartzite mountains of Killarney Provincial Park. The landscape inspired countless works by Canada’s Group of Seven Artists. This is a video of our trip. Filmed on several different cameras: Sony Nex5, Nikon 5200, GoPro Hero 2, Iphone 5 and 6.
“Dave and Amy Freeman will embark on a yearlong adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in support of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters’ efforts to protect the Boundary Waters from proposed sulfide-ore copper mining on the Wilderness edge. The two will travel more than 3,000 miles by canoe and dog team as they explore more than 500 lakes and streams throughout the year. The journey will begin on September 23, 2015, the fall equinox, on the edge of the Boundary Waters in Ely, Minnesota, and conclude with a paddle along the proposed sulfide-ore copper mining’s path of pollution through the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park. In 2014, Dave and Amy traveled by canoe and sailboat from Ely to Washington, DC, on the Paddle to DC as a first step in their efforts to protect the Wilderness.” – savetheboundarywaters.org
Please help show your support for the boundary waters by visiting the website and signing their petition. Mining affects many of our great canoeing regions. This reminds me of the Temagami region in Ontario and the pressure that mining companies constantly exert on our pristine wilderness areas. What’s unique to the BWCA is the special place it holds in the hearts of many of the American veterans. It serves as a healing place for many of these veterans and is the least we can do as a country to protect it for them.
WAY NORTH 