Showcase your province's varied landscapes

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Airboy

They were very lucky the fire didn't get to that. You can see the line in the photos how close the fire came. Bare trees just above the town.

Indeed. The hotel is all wood construction, and given it's age, it would have gone up like a Roman candle.

[ScreamingViking]

Hamilton Harbour is now frozen enough for this...

From the Hamilton Spectator










This is 2021 but the shallow marshland west of the harbour (called Cootes Paradise) freezes much earlier, and the skaters rejoice. Princess Point is the most common access.


Source

[Doady]

Some photos of I took last fall of Riverwood, a park here in Mississauga, which is in Ontario. I won't post all photos here, maybe too much, but you can see more on Flickr if you are interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dreams...77720296108158

[ScreamingViking]

Mississauga often gets a bad rap for its suburban sprawl, but there are some really beautiful places along the Credit River and parts of the waterfront. Probably more but those are the only ones I've visited.

[Doady]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Mississauga often gets a bad rap for its suburban sprawl, but there are some really beautiful places along the Credit River and parts of the waterfront. Probably more but those are the only ones I've visited.

Sprawl can get in the way of being able to enjoy a lot of the natural beauty. See Mississauga south of Dundas, developed during the 50s and 60s: very little of Credit River or the lakefront open to the public. It is mostly private. Just completely unplanned, let the developers do whatever they wanted, just pure sprawl. Later suburbs, 70s and onward, the development much more thoughtful, in terms of public greenspaces and public transit corridors and the greater good.

See Ajax, has a mayor who is also a planner by trade, and Ajax has a continuous public lakefront. Toronto and Mississauga both have slowly reclaimed their lakefronts for the public, piece by piece, but that was after the fact. Ajax was like that from the beginning and it is continuous, unbroken.

Compare Mississauga sprawl south of Dundas to the sprawl north of Dundas, in terms of public spaces, public corridors, it is like night and day. I am lucky to live north of Dundas. Although I admit Rattray Marsh still probably the most beautiful place.

Here are couple more photos from August 17, not Rattray Marsh, but along the Credit River in a park near my home, featuring a deer and a heron:

[Airboy]

So 5 days in the Yukon this last week. Had to be in Dawson City for work. did a drive from Whitehore to Dawson. About 5.5 hours. Quite lonely driving but still worth the trip.

[IMG]YK16 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK15 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos//url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK14 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK13 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK12 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos//url], on Flickr[/IMG]
Robert Service Cabin
[IMG]YK11 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK10 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
Robert Service School. Built in 1986.
[IMG]YK9 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK8 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK7 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK6 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK5 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK4 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK3 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK2 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]YK1 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[/url], on Flickr[/IMG]

[megadude]

Cool pics. Town could pass as an Old West theme park, but with a level of authenticity that would be hard to replicate.

The CIO at one of the old companies I used to work at was a business trip to Vancouver and he decided while he was there that he'd fly up to Whitehorse for a day just to see and feel something different, not knowing if he'd have as good a chance again as he did then. He said as soon as he stepped off the plane that the air was different.

When I was driving by myself in in the high plains between Omaha and Denver, it was kind of boring, but at least there were other cars around. Landscape was a typical boring landscape, but because I hadn't experienced it in person before, it proved to be a little bit interesting for a while. Though I'm sure you're used to roads lined by pine trees and nothing else. At least there's some topography to look at too.

[megadude]

Regarding the Credit, and other rivers, I've been fishing by boat or wading at least a hundred times and you really do feel like you're somewhere else other than a suburban hell hole. Mind you, not all of Sauga or Brampton, etc. are suburban garbage as neighbourhoods that run along water tend to be more interesting than the soulless subdivisions that dominate the rest of the city. But if you're not lucky enough to live in those more interesting places, at least there'e close access to those parks, rivers, lakes, ponds, valleys, etc. to spend time in and feel like you're farther away than you actually are. Same goes with Bronte, Sixteen Mile, Humber, Don, Rouge, etc.

I've done way more of the river fishing in the GTA than outside of it because of proximity, so when I'd go to a river or stretch of a river in more rural place, I'd get excited thinking I'd see moose and bears (okay I'm exaggerating) but I'd actually end up seeing almost nothing. It seems that the less development there is on the river (like houses and parks) or nearby to the river, the less wildlife there is. I guess development close to the water spurred new mini ecosystems that attracted more wildlife.

The exception to the rule about seeing interesting things while on rivers in rural areas would be if the river runs along interesting geographical features, but if it simply runs along farmland or a forest or even marshy land, with no development around, it tends to be very boring.

I've encountered much wildlife in the city when in the river. Had a beaver swim right through my legs before. Had a deer jump out of the bushes and skip along the river merely five feet in front of me. Witnessed a few times animals eating other animals. Have fed mutliple waterfowl by hand because they happened to see me eating a sandwich and they weren't afraid to come up to me to beg for some. Snapping turtles, snakes, foxes, deer, coyotes, mink, beavers, blue and green herons, bald eagles, osprey, mergansers (water fowl) in addition to the 15+ species of fish you may or may not catch. Even if you don't fish, if you will still see interesting fish activity if you go at the right time of the year like during the salmon run or carp spawning season when they're stacked up in numbers and jumping and splashing all over the place.

I remember the first time I saw a green heron doing its own fishing. I took a piece of my sandwich and threw it to him to see if he'd use it as bait just like I saw on documentaries. Sure enough, he picked it up, stood at the shore, dropped it in the water and pounced on the minnows when they came up.

[jamincan]

Originally Posted by megadude

Cool pics. Town could pass as an Old West theme park, but with a level of authenticity that would be hard to replicate.

That was my impression when I visited Dawson City. With the number of tourists there, a theme park is definitely the first impression, but then you start to notice the people who live there and actually still do prospecting and the like and it lends an authenticity that is missing from a place like Skagway.

[MonctonRad]

Great photos of the Yukon.

One of my great wishes before dropping off this mortal coil is to drive the Alaska Highway, probably as far as Fairbanks and Anchorage, but also spending time in the YT, including Dawson. I think it would be the adventure of a lifetime.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by jamincan

That was my impression when I visited Dawson City. With the number of tourists there, a theme park is definitely the first impression, but then you start to notice the people who live there and actually still do prospecting and the like and it lends an authenticity that is missing from a place like Skagway.

Skagway is now built for the cruse ships.

Whitehore and Dawson in the winter fell much different. Still lots of Placer mining in Dawson.

I was up before in the early summer, just before the influx of tourist. Much more enjoyable. Interesting place I stayed at this time the Dawson Lodge. An old shed type storefront building that was turned into a Boutique hotel. You are sent the door codes and the room codes. there are about 12 rooms. You do not meet anyone. its all done digitally. Last time there we stayed at Bombay Peggies. An old Whore House.

Whitehore is now just another Government town. but one I could live in.

As for the drive. I love driving so this is OK for me. I always find beauty in the areas I travel. Even if it has been more than once. Not a lot of places to pull over safely but with little traffic you can sometimes just stop in the middle of the road.

In the last month I have driven the whole length of Alberta and Back and now about 50% of the Yukon. Only drive I still need to complete is the Dempster up to Tuk. I've done parts but never the whole length. And I've drive abou100 kms ON the Mackenzie River. Aklavic to Inuvik.

The project I have in the Yukon are over the next 2 years so there will be more trips up. Still trying to get back to Baffin Island. My firm has 3 projects in the area.

This summer when I have to go back up to High Level. My wife suggested we do the trip later in the week and continue up to Yellowknife for the weekend. That might be this years trip.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by megadude

I've done way more of the river fishing in the GTA than outside of it because of proximity, so when I'd go to a river or stretch of a river in more rural place, I'd get excited thinking I'd see moose and bears (okay I'm exaggerating) but I'd actually end up seeing almost nothing. It seems that the less development there is on the river (like houses and parks) or nearby to the river, the less wildlife there is. I guess development close to the water spurred new mini ecosystems that attracted more wildlife.

The wildlife is probably there. In more remote areas the animals are not as used to people, so I'd think they're avoiding you or watching you while hidden or at a distance. Along "urban" waterways they've probably learned that people are just part of the environment, and may even provide something to eat (as you note you did).

[jamincan]

Originally Posted by megadude

I've done way more of the river fishing in the GTA than outside of it because of proximity, so when I'd go to a river or stretch of a river in more rural place, I'd get excited thinking I'd see moose and bears (okay I'm exaggerating) but I'd actually end up seeing almost nothing. It seems that the less development there is on the river (like houses and parks) or nearby to the river, the less wildlife there is. I guess development close to the water spurred new mini ecosystems that attracted more wildlife.

The town is possibly the dullest place on earth, but the one time I worked our of Ear Falls, ON, there wasn't a day that we didn't come across a bear or moose. I saw the tail end of a linx as well.

Originally Posted by Airboy

Only drive I still need to complete is the Dempster up to Tuk. I've done parts but never the whole length.

I only went as far north as Tombstone park (did some interior hiking there), but the entire highway is really appealing to me - I love the wide open landscape of the tundra. I have the occasional dream of biking it, but I doubt it will ever happen.

The triumvirate of epic northern trips I dream of are biking the Canol Trail, paddling one of the great northern rivers (I haven't settled on one, but the Nahanni or Coppermine are at the top of the list), and hiking the pass in Auyittuq National Park.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by jamincan

I only went as far north as Tombstone park (did some interior hiking there), but the entire highway is really appealing to me - I love the wide open landscape of the tundra. I have the occasional dream of biking it, but I doubt it will ever happen.

The triumvirate of epic northern trips I dream of are biking the Canol Trail, paddling one of the great northern rivers (I haven't settled on one, but the Nahanni or Coppermine are at the top of the list), and hiking the pass in Auyittuq National Park.

Riding the dempster is a dream as well. I drove the Canol from Ross river to Whitehorse. Some gravel riders here are talking about doing the Norma Wells Ross river section. (To Tough for me). Ive walked along the Nahanni and Coppermine. the paddling coppermine sound interesting. Met a few people hiking Ayyittug they all said it was tougher than thet expected. I've been to Qikitarjuuaq and Pangnirtung on either end. My wife was with me in Iqaluit a few years back and could not get over the feeling of walking on the tundra and the silence.

[megadude]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Riding the dempster is a dream as well. I drove the Canol from Ross river to Whitehorse. Some gravel riders here are talking about doing the Norma Wells Ross river section. (To Tough for me). Ive walked along the Nahanni and Coppermine. the paddling coppermine sound interesting. Met a few people hiking Ayyittug they all said it was tougher than thet expected. I've been to Qikitarjuuaq and Pangnirtung on either end. My wife was with me in Iqaluit a few years back and could not get over the feeling of walking on the tundra and the silence.

I find that the most interesting places and landscapes for me are not the prettiest or grandest, although those are nice to see, but rather places that offer something beyond that or places I'm not used to. I prefer the Appalaichans to the Rockies because of the interesting culture and history. I was fascinated by the rather plain looking high plains landscape around a river I forget the name of in some eastern suburb of Denver because it's something you rarely see in pictures or on TV. More fascinated by that than the rivers I stopped by in the Rockies a couple days later and the river by Sedona, which are places you'd see way more of in media.

Now, related to what you said, I watched the DVD extras for the movie The Snow Walker with Barry Pepper and James Cromwell. Jon Gries, aka Uncle Rico, talked about filming out there in the tundra and just getting that odd and surreal feeling of standing in a place that very few others have. I kind of got that feeling at White Sands National Monument in NM because there were only a handful of people in the park at the time and you could see only white sand and some mountains way off in the distance and nothing else. Of course, there was a park station house and a proper road that got you there, so it wasn't like hundreds of kms to civilization or anything like that. But it was remote enough that nearby the military would test missles.

[jamincan]

My experience with tundra and the arctic has been entirely through work - mining exploration. So remote in one sense, but also not remote in the sense that there's a helicopter a radio away.

Probably the highlight point for me in the Arctic was my first job ever up north working out of a camp on South Henik Lake in Nunavut. Midway through the job we woke up to a herd of caribou passing by our camp. If you look at the map, the camp was located south of the runway. The caribou came from the west, crossed the river, then continued west to the point and crossed again on the other side of the camp.

It is one thing to see a herd of caribou on TV, but it's another thing to actually experience it in real life. It literally stretched as far as we could see in either direction and took about two days for the bulk of the herd to pass by us. You could also see the dynamics of their movement, as part of the herd was moving, but the other part would be grazing.

We also saw a herd of Musk Ox on that job, but they were further away (on the other side of the river).

[megadude]

Love those unexpected moments.

I went to Jacques Cartier NP a few years ago and was there for about an hour. Not much of a hiker so it was a quick trip. I was thinking I'd see some wildlife but didn't see so much as a mosquito let alone birds or squirrels. Wasn't expecting deer on that quick visit but at least the terrain was nice.

Similarly, in the Colorado Rockies I was expecting to see a mountain goat at some point, but didn't. Over several days in the Rockies, Colorado Plateau, Sonoran Desert, etc. we saw a few squirrels, one road runner and a few lizards. Sure enough, the second last day of the trip, in Southern Colorado, east of the mountains, we saw some mountain goats and a pack of wild horses in a field of shrubs practically hanging out together just beside the main road.

[Airboy]

A good chunk of my career has been in remote regions. I remember complaining about not seeing some caribou on Baffin and an Elder once said if the animal wants you to see it you will. but to be a peace with yourself and they will come. I see quite a bit of wildlife now. But woodland Caribou I have not yet seen.

Even though the vista is grand in the Arctic if you look down you would be amazed at how much life you see. I always made a point to take some time at a project site to get out for a walk. even in the winter.

I took my wife to Iqaluit and when we walked along the tundra at the Road to Nowwhere. See commented on the quiet.

When I was in Kugluktuk one year with an Engineer, we went for a hike to the Coppermine river in the evening. When we got over the ridge I pointed out that when looking south there was a good chance that for 3000kms in the direction we were looking there was a good chance there was no-one. He looked at me and had tears in his eyes. He had grown up in China and had never been anywhere that there was no-one.

I sat on a bank in Pond Inlet one year, and while sitting there I could imaging the Franklin expedition sailing by.

Same with Dawson. All of the lives that passed by along the creeks and rivers.

Not many places in Canada I do not like. I always find some beauty where I am. But for those of us that have the luck to travel in the Arctic, I believe were were truly blessed.

[jamincan]

I was reading Pierre Burton's book on the Klondike Gold Rush while we were up there - had the opportunity to hike the Chilkoot Pass Trail on the same trip - and that sense of history was very real, especially on the trail.

I loved working on the tundra, I hated working in boreal forest. The lakes may be beautiful, but all the rest is buggy and swampy with little beauty to be found.

[Binour]

A very nice video of Charlevoix region, in Quebec.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGaWGVXArL8