Is Ontario's geography underrated?

DrJoe · #1 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 2:29 PM**

The other day a colleague of mine, who just returned from a trip to Colorado, was mentioning to me how beautiful the mountains are out there and how boring it is in Ontario, no mountains, etc. I believe that is a sentiment held by many people, perhaps I'm incorrect though?

Anyways it got me thinking how quite unique our province really is. Speaking from a southern Ontario perspective we are located on an inland, continental peninsula bounded by some of the worlds largest lakes, the Great Lakes themselves are unqiue as hell obviously, inland seas for all intents and purposes. We have these inland seas surrounding us except for the north/northeast where another amazing geographical feature is present in the Canadian Shield. In addition to that perhaps the worlds most impressive waterfall is at our doorsteps. The southwest is flat as pancake, which doesn't help, but areas to the east are not, Niagara Escarpment and so on is present.

Now for all I know our geography is appreciated, many people flock to the Great Lakes for recreation and up to cottage country and enjoy both immensely. Could also be more a case of being ho-hum about what you're used to seeing. If you see a Great Lake everyday what is there to be excited about?

Anyways that's my semi-incoherent rambling for the day..

vid · #2 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 4:19 PM**

There's no mountains!

It's so flat!

There's nothing to see!

It's so boring!

And flat.

vid · #3 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 4:28 PM**

And it doesn't have to be mountains to be interesting, here are some photos of the lowlands that most Southerners don't even know exist.

DrJoe · #4 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 5:26 PM**

Some really wonderful pics there. It's is funny seeing people in southern Ontario referred to as "southerners", a term down here we associate with the US.

Dengler Avenue · #5 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 6:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

And it doesn't have to be mountains to be interesting, here are some photos of the lowlands that most Southerners don't even know exist.

You actually went up to one of the table rocks?? How did you do it?

vid · #6 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 6:11 PM**

None of those photos are mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJoe

Some really wonderful pics there. It's is funny seeing people in southern Ontario referred to as "southerners", a term down here we associate with the US.

To us, you live "Down East" but "Down Easters" doesn't sound as good as "southerners".

Kitchissippi · #7 Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 6:12 PM**

Ontario's not boring, there's just too much of it.

Jamaican-Phoenix · #8 Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 2:03 AM**

Ontario ranges from arctic tundra in its northern lowlands, to cacti-laced and lizard and snake inhabited southern wine lands.

Remember, Ontario ranges in latitude from north of Dawson Creek, BC down to roughly the southern border of Oregon.

sonysnob · #9 Posted **Mar 11, 2019, 1:41 PM**

I don't think Ontario's geography is underrated.

I don't think it's all that positive that so little of our land mass (considering the large size of the province) can actually be used for productive agriculture for example.

vid · #10 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonysnob

I don't think Ontario's geography is underrated.

I don't think it's all that positive that so little of our land mass (considering the large size of the province) can actually be used for productive agriculture for example.

Trees are kind of an agriculture. We're at a stage now where an area is planted with trees which are then, 30 years later, harvested and then replanted. It's much slower than we usually think for agriculture and we don't eat them but they're essentially "farmed" in many cases.

TownGuy · #11 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 12:37 AM**

Never been but I want to check out Killarney...

(This photo refuses to go down to the smaller resolution for me. Atleast it's nice!)

The Crack 06 by Russell Sturmey, on Flickr

ScreamingViking · #12 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 3:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Ontario's not boring, there's just too much of it.

Well said

But the ruggedly beautiful parts -- of which there are many -- are damn hard to get tired of looking at, no matter how much of them one passes through. Many of the softer parts too.

On further thought, maybe I'd edit your line to "there's just SO much of it"

ScreamingViking · #13 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 3:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Never been but I want to check out Killarney...

(This photo refuses to go down to the smaller resolution for me. Atleast it's nice!)

It refused based on principle. It need not shrink itself for anyone!

The La Cloche Mountains in the Killarney park region are thought to have been taller than the Rockies nearly 2 billion years ago. One of the general tenets of geology is 'what goes up must come down'

tyeman200 · #14 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 10:55 PM**

Honestly, it kinda gets boring if you stick around in southern Ontario. But if people bothered to go up north, its way different. I just went on a camping trip to Tobermory with my friend, and boy we were amazed on how different it is up north! The air is fresh, the water up there is crystal clear, lots of trees, rocks, cliffs, etc. Not to mention it feels like the 60s or 70s, 2 lane highways, small towns, hardly any urban sprawl.

TownGuy · #15 Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 11:53 PM**

I think Tobermory would classify as Southern Ontario.

ScreamingViking · #16 Posted **Mar 13, 2019, 1:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyeman200

Honestly, it kinda gets boring if you stick around in southern Ontario. But if people bothered to go up north, its way different. I just went on a camping trip to Tobermory with my friend, and boy we were amazed on how different it is up north! The air is fresh, the water up there is crystal clear, lots of trees, rocks, cliffs, etc. Not to mention it feels like the 60s or 70s, 2 lane highways, small towns, hardly any urban sprawl.

To me, it depends what kind of highway you're on. Hwy 401 is boring for the majority of its entire length, especially west of Kitchener and east of Kingston. The 402 is same inspiring drive as the 401 Windsor-London. The 403 is mostly a yawn-inducer until you round the curve to descend the Niagara Escarpment into lower Hamilton. Hwy 400 south of Barrie is unremarkable for the most part too. And the 407 might just be the worst of them all.

But take some of the secondary highways, even in the flat rural parts of SW Ontario, and the journey is far more interesting. Nice little towns. Picturesque farms. Forested creek valleys.

I really appreciate the drive to Tobermory, mainly for those reasons. The destination is beautiful, but even along 6 or 10 there are interesting things to see, despite their straight and less visually exciting segments.

Dengler Avenue · #17 Posted **Mar 13, 2019, 1:27 AM**

401 from Napanee to Prescott goes through some rock cuts and abuts St. Lawrence River between Gananoque and Brockville, so it's not too bad.

ScreamingViking · #18 Posted **Mar 13, 2019, 1:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

401 from Napanee to Prescott goes through some rock cuts and abuts St. Lawrence River between Gananoque and Brockville, so it's not too bad.

There are interesting spots for sure. But if I had to drive that highway every week I'd be doing it with my eyelids taped open.

vid · #19 Posted **Mar 13, 2019, 2:36 AM**

None of them compare to Highway 17 north of Superior.

Pancake Bay Provincial Park, one of Lake Superior's longest white sand beaches.

sonysnob · #20 Posted **Mar 13, 2019, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

To me, it depends what kind of highway you're on. Hwy 401 is boring for the majority of its entire length, especially west of Kitchener and east of Kingston. The 402 is same inspiring drive as the 401 Windsor-London. The 403 is mostly a yawn-inducer until you round the curve to descend the Niagara Escarpment into lower Hamilton. Hwy 400 south of Barrie is unremarkable for the most part too. And the 407 might just be the worst of them all.

But take some of the secondary highways, even in the flat rural parts of SW Ontario, and the journey is far more interesting. Nice little towns. Picturesque farms. Forested creek valleys.

I really appreciate the drive to Tobermory, mainly for those reasons. The destination is beautiful, but even along 6 or 10 there are interesting things to see, despite their straight and less visually exciting segments.

It's funny that you say that actually. I had to drive to and from the Sarnia area yesterday from the GTA for work, and, although I have driven the 402 about a zillion times, I was thinking to myself how much I prefer driving through agricultural fields compared to miles of rock and jackpines.

My opinion is probably very much the minority, but I much prefer the 402 to say Hwy 400/69 north of the Severn River. Another highway I think I've driven a zillion times.