A troubled American woman travels to a small Ontario town, determined to find the mother she has never known. As she searches through dusty records and stirs up old memories among those around her, three young people emerge from the mists of the past…a beautiful woman named Jenny, a shy local boy named Russell, and a dark-eyed painter named Tom, who changes the course of Jenny and Russell’s lives. Historical reality and conjecture are skilfully interwoven with intrigue and suspense as these three move unwittingly toward tragedy.
The classic chronicle of life and self-reliance in the great Northern Forest, reissued for its many fans “Cache Lake Country is a gem for many reasons—a simple narrative, the ways in which it conveys the work-a-day joys and exertions of life in the wilderness, the woodscraft techniques it illustrates, and the slow and pleasurable way in which the soul of a serene man is revealed.” —The New York Times Over half a century ago, John Rowlands set out by canoe into the wilds of Canada to survey land for a timber company. After paddling alone for several days, he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams," which he named Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer?timber for a cabin; fish, game, and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without. This is his story, containing both folklore and philosophy, with wisdom about the woods and the demand therein for inventiveness. It includes directions for making moccasins, stoves, shelters, outdoor ovens, canoes, and hundreds of other ingenious and useful gadgets.
Since 1917, much has been written about the life and death of artist Tom Thomson on Canoe Lake in Ontario's Algonquin Park. Thomson was a major influence on the Group of Seven, but until now, little has been known about the women whose lives he touched: Annie Fraser, proprietress of Mowat Lodge who likely knew a lot more than she ever let on; Louisa Blecher, mother of Martin Blecher the man who was silently accused of playing a hand in Thomson's death; Molly Colson, owner of the Algonquin Hotel where Tom was last seen; and the elusive Winnifred Trainor, Thomson's alleged love interest. After years of painstaking research, Gaye I. Clemson's ALGONQUIN VOICES brings to life the lives of these and many other courageous women who have lived and loved on the shores of Algonquin Park's famous Canoe Lake since 1905. "In 1997 I got inspired to trace and record the settlement history of all of my Canoe Lake neighbours," Clemson, a 48-year resident of Canoe Lake, explains. "In the process I discovered a treasure trove of family stories about the lives of women pioneers, business owners, children's camp leaders and independent spirits from all walks of life, who were captivated by the lake's haunted history and beauty and chose to settle on Canoe Lake, some with husbands and children and others without." Beginning in the early 1900's, ALGONQUIN VOICES tells in words and pictures the stories of over 20 pioneers, business women, children's' camp leaders and independent spirits who chose to make Canoe Lake their summer, and in some cases year round, home. It shares their life and settlement history, artistic and professional endeavours, family traditions and summer amusements including first hand insight as to how they coped (and in some cases earned a living) with the challenges of day-to-day living without city conveniences, miles from civilization deep in the heart of one of North AmericaÕs most well-known parks. It makes an important contribution in helping 21st C young women understand better what life was like for their grandmothers and great grandmothers 100+ years ago and get in touch with their collective feminist roots that are so easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle of our modern lives.
One of our favourite chroniclers of all things Canadian presents a rollicking, personal, photo-filled history of the relationship between a country and its canoes. From the earliest explorers on the Columbia River in BC or the Mattawa in Ontario to a doomed expedition of voyageurs up the Nile to rescue Khartoum; from the author's family roots deep in the Algonquin wilderness to modern families who have canoed across the country (kids and dogs included): Canoe Country is Roy MacGregor's celebration of the essential and enduring love affair Canadians have with our first and still favourite means of getting around. Famous paddlers have been so enchanted with the canoe that one swore God made Canada as the perfect country in which to paddle it. Drawing on MacGregor's own decades spent whenever possible with a paddle in his hand, this is a story of high adventure on white water and the sweetest peace in nature's quietest corners, from the author best able (and most eager) to tell it.
Covering the Saranac Lakes, St. Regis Wilderness Area, Santa Clara Tract, Five Ponds Wilderness, Whitney Wilderness, Raquette River & Cranberry Lake Wild Forest.
For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.
New in this edition: Ten new routes, 64 added pages, updated text -- an essential purchase of a revised classic. Review of previous edition: The book is much more than a trip guide. Callan weaves in anecdotes from his own trips, so there's all the nuts and bolts info but with some good stories thrown in. -- The Journal of Canadian Wilderness Canoeing Ontario's Algonquin Park is one of North America's foremost canoeing destinations. Only a day's journey from the Great Lakes and much of the Eastern Seaboard, and 200 miles from Toronto, it's a paddler's paradise of spectacular lakes, rivers and marshes surrounded by maple hills and rocky ridges. The only way to explore the interior of the park is by canoe or on foot, where you will be rewarded with a chorus of wolves howling and the echoing call of loons. You may also see more of the abundant wildlife that call it home: moose, white-tailed deer, beaver, black bears, and more than 300 bird and 30 reptile species. This revised and updated edition of A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park has 64 more pages, 10 new canoe routes for a total of 35, new photographs by Callan, and detailed redesigned maps showing portages and permitted campsites. Callan has chosen routes of varying difficulty and experience, from easy to deep backcountry. Along with updates of information according to changes in park conditions, regulations, closed routes and so on, the book includes this essential information: Route difficulty Portages Campsite locations Put-in and take-out recommendations Alternative access points Updated list of local outfitters and guides Updated web sites and more. Kevin Callan has paddled Algonquin Park for three decades. His practical advice and lively descriptions are like having him sitting in the lead canoe -- and that would be an adventure.
This book describes the cultural significance of two centuries of recreational paddling in Canada, illustrating through contemporary interviews and published sources what the experience of canoeing has meant to the sport's participants.
