getting stuck for the last time in 2012

With only 3 days left in 2012, there wasn't much time left to get stuck. Saturday, we decided to give it a try. Ian, mike and I headed up to beaver lake for some ice fishing, and i figured it would just be best to get stuck right away and get it over with.

last stuck of 2012.  ian was not surprised.

After getting the truck out, we had to find a way to get all our stuff, including firewood, from the road to the lake.  its a road in summer, but a trail in winter.  While we deciding how to get 60 pounds of firewood and everything else to the lake, a dood showed up on a snowmobile.  a trade was made.  2 beers for the transportation of the firewood.  he turned out to be a cool guy that we hung out with on and off throughout the day.

we were fishing in the rich neighbour hood apparently.

There were a few other people out fishing on the lake.  we didn't feel bad when we found out we weren't the only ones not catching any fish.

some new friends of ours having a good time in the rec site

mike checking for fish.  no dice.

We drilled 3 holes and made ourselves comfy.  not as comfy as if we would have brought chairs.  they are on the list of things to bring next weekend.

our spot.  no big tents here.  just holes and firewood.

the frosty shore of beaver lake.

didn't realize there was a rally going on in the area.

chilling with our new friends.

We took dood's snowmobile out for a spin.  drank some beer, and pretty much did everything but catch fish.  that doesn't really bother us.  we'll be out again next weekend.  you should come.

snowshoeing to the orange trail cabin

Some sort of hiking/snowshoeing/skiing/camping adventure is a mandatory event whenever I return to Manitoba. This year, my brother and I decided to check out the new log cabin on the xc ski trails around Pinawa. There wasn't enough snow for the ski trails to be set, so we ended up snowshoeing the 5 km to the cabin on the orange trail.

I'm pretty sure the ski trails around pinawa (the orange trail, the blue trail, the red trail) are named after the various colours of flagging tape that were available when the trails were first cut.  Never though about that until now.

arriving at the new cabin.  we were the 3rd to sign the guest book.

Snowy canadian shield.  not what i'm used to, but good times.

We had packs full of food and beverages and as soon as we got to the cabin be commenced "setting about the place".  We got a ripping fire, unrolled our sleepingbags and it began.

The old cabin was pretty beat up.  It was full of firewood and probably mice as well, but that's about it.  I remember biking to it when i was in jr. high and high school.  that was almost 20 years ago, so its not a surprise how much it's changed.  Glad we didn't have to sleep in it. 

the old cabin.  the new one is significantly better.

Dinner was "stuff in a thing".  its easy.  take some stuff, put it in a thing, and then cook it until the stuff is cooked.  then eat it.  don't eat the thing though, just the stuff in it.

mark, and fun with candles.

The beds were comfy and warm, but we (read "I") had to trow wood on the fire every 90 minutes or so to prevent us from waking up dead.  never got cold, but without the fire, we sure would have.  about -28 or so at night.

strapping up in the morning

In the morning we woke up, ate some breakfast and continued along the orange trail.  the cabin is at the 5km point of the 10 km trail.  the trail was generally easy walking, and the temps were good.

walking the 5 km back to the road.

The trail begins and ends at the Pinawa channel.  The channel runs from the winnipeg river to old pinawa.  Both the river and the channel are the site of numerous past canoe adventures.  And future ones too!!

the winnipeg river.  almost frozen.

pinawa channel.  good times in all seasons.

The whole trip was awesome.  one of the highlights of my time back in Pinawa for the holidays.  I can't really ask for a better adventure partner than my brother.  Never a dull moment.  Thanks Mo.

canoes are cheaper in blizzards

2 days before we leave for manitoba.  a huge blizzard is raging.  the local adds showed "red canoe, $40.  moving must sell."  sell it he did.  to me.  if the snow was water, i'd be floating.  unless it's full of holes, then i'd not be.

Driving home with this on the roof of the truck through a foot of fallen and falling snow was already worth the $40.

$40 red canoe

Needless to say it's gonna get a test run and be featured in some prominent adventures in the future.  Now there's room for more friends.  just gotta find more adventure minded people.  send them my way if you know any.

oyama and beaver, in white.

Sunday... time for the church of 4 low. I called up James, a dood i met on the toy run, and we met up at the bottom of oyama rd. It was pretty cloudy but not too cold. It snowed all night, so this promised to be a pretty white adventure. not like white power, but snowy i mean.

We headed up oyama lake rd, past km 6, where truck 1 was last seen rubber side down. we paused for a moment of silence.

Then up to oyama lake resort. The lake was frozen over, but probably not frozen solid. there was a dood fishing on the ice about 10 feet from shore, but we stayed on solid ground.

oyama lake from the rec. site.

ice fishing time soon.  very soon.

Then we hopped back in the trucks and began the snowy road to beaver lake.  it was pretty much 2nd gear and 4x4 the whole way, stopping in strategic spots only.  If you stopped in the soft stuff, it might get dodgy.  about 12-18 inches of fresh pow pow.

following james along king edward rd.

winter was full on.

We stopped a few times to check out maps and talk about how awesome we were, but other than that, spent most of the time in our trucks.

don't go that way.

This was the same road we met bob on last weekend.  crazy how a week can change a road.

final stop before heading down.

I still got the firewood from this weekend in my truck, so i think we'll head out and burn it next weekend.  you should come.

stoked for greystokes

It had been a while since an adventure up into greystokes. Last time was the first mission with the first truck.  check the original adventure here. That means it was time to go again. Mike and I hopped into truck 2 and met louie. together, we headed up hwy 33 and then into the hills. There was no snow on the pavement, but, as with our first time up into the area, it changed drastically as we headed up.

up into the snow.  starts off gently.

We took a different way up then last time, at least for the first bit. We had firewood and firearms in the back and thought that heading up to the snowmobile cabin might be a suitable destination.

more snow

and right after the snow and ice and lack of roads turned us around.

Our dream of reaching the cabin was thwarted when the snow got too crazy and the road became a trail.  for snowmobiles.  We Pushed on as far as we could and got about a km from the cabin, but couldn't get closer without a %100 chance of getting stuck and having to dig.
 

some cool sunny views down the valley.

We ended up on a little side road and decided that was the place to set up.  Time to get the tire going and squeeze off a few rounds.

louie and the sks.

logging definitely dominated the landscape once we were higher up. I have mixed feelings about this situation. It obviously makes a mess, but the logging roads make the area accessible to us.

the clearcut logging was pretty obvious

.

Around 4:30 the sun was obviously sinking and it was time for us to get going.  An uneventful drive down.  some cool views and another new road.  Not sure what next weekend holds, but it will probably be cool.

some new tracks around beaver lake

today we had time for a quick rip around beaver lake here ya go...

The first thing mike and i did was run into my neighbour.  all the 100's of km's of road, and we run into someone i know.  He was out for a rip with his dog.  We were out for a rip with some fire wood.  a good match, so we convoyed.

following bob along a new to me rd around beaver lake area.

parked for a bit.

After a bit we stopped for a fire.  we dug out a foot of snow and got it ripping.  it was cloudy but not too cold.

our cooking spot.  we had smokies, of course.

some shooting ensued and after smokies and a box of ammo and some general hanging around, it was time to head back.  this sweet spot was only 14km from my front door and very worthy of returning to on a future adventure.

you should come.

the dog.  he was friendly and awesome.

toy run 2012

time once again for the okanagan 4x4 toy run.  i'm not sure you exactly puts this event on, but it was good times last year and good times again this year.  check out last year's event here. Patrick and charlie were at my place at 8:00, and we were off to toys are us and then to meet the group.

We met up in Rutland where the salvation army collected the toys.  there were heaps of toys, and lots of people too.

toys and the salvation army.  i brought hotwheels and lego.

Then it was up postil, a road i knew well.  we turned off near the resort and headed towards grizzly lake.  Lots of clear cut and enough snow to make it fun.

looking back from the top of postil.  terrace mountain in the distance.

We were driving alone the way up postil, wondering where the heck everyone was.  then we rounded a corner and found the half-way there party just getting going.

got the tow strap ready, just in case.

After shooting the shit for a while, we regrouped and continued on our way.

winter is here.

part of the convoy.

We were one of the first ones to the destination, so a bunch of us went off in search of firewood.  chainsaws were used.

Then back to the bowl were a few more trucks had shown up.  watched them play around and did some playing of our own.  This year i did not have the smallest truck.  close, but not quite.

brapp brapp.

whoever got that firewood is awesome.

We hung out for a few hours, and once it got dark we started heading down.  without the clutch.  something happened to it.  3rd gear is the universal gear.  if you can get into 3rd, you can pretty much drive anywhere.

what i woke up to.

In the morning i went out to fix the clutch.  turns out a pin that connects the pedal to the cylinder fell out.  nothing some random bike parts couldn't fix.  Christine wants me to wash the truck.  might do it, might not.  i like the adventerous look.

see ya next year toy run.

beaver lake, in white.

Monday was a holiday. So a few of us decided that the best way to celebrate remembrance day was to go and have a fire and cook hotdogs. there may also have been a gt racer involved.

the rec site.  rhymes with white.

We were tho only ones up there.  didn't have 1st tracks, but it was all good.

louie's truck and truck 2.

Lunch was buffalo smokies from the butcher in winfield, and truck-a-q sauce.  mmm mmmm  good.

a fj40 snow wheeling by the lake.

some cool frosty views.  the island we camp on is off to the left.  not sure how long the snow will last up there, but it looks like winter is officially here.

the guys and the fj40.

It had snowed all weekend, and it was no surprise that there was about 5 inches of snow up there.  slippery roads on the way up, but we all made it up and down all good. 

spion kopje. near my house. with my brother. and naomi. and snow.

Not far from my house (like 5 km) is spion kpoje. its a small mountain with some houses at the bottom. It's not a long hike, but there are tons of trails. It was a great place to spend the afternoon.

naomi on the way up

its a place i've been quite a few times before, usually on my bike.  we stuck to the wider trails, but still had a big climb time.

okanagan lake from just below the top.

The best views are looking south, towards kelowna.

okanagna lake on the right.  wood lake close left.  duck lake far left.

my house is just to the left of centre.  

towers at the top.

a great day and a great adventure.  come back soon mark and naomi!