NW Ontario - Its Over

[HOOP]

Southern part of Northwestern Ontario:

-  Daytime temperatures for the past 3 weeks shockingly high, averaging about +5 to +10C, with spikes higher.  Setting records.
-  Nighttime temperatures not cold enough to stop the meltdown.
-  Rain storms during much of the 2nd week of March.
-  6 to 8 inches of water reported on top of the inland lake ice, and a panic to get the ice huts off the big fishing lakes.  My back yard is flooded.

Its over, and it was over last week.  I had to cancel my traditional 2nd week of March trek due to the soaking, slushy, rainy mess.       Usually a glorious part of the season with long cool bright sunny days and deep cold nights, and good travelling snow.  Not this winter.

Shortest, worst winter I can remember.  I will try and pull together a National report from the Environment Canada weather service, and post a summary.  

I hope people got out anyways and took advantage of the unusually short winter.  There were some fine days, and pretty good ice conditions.  

There is always next winter.....

[FRANZENRP]

I'll agree with you Hoop, it was apoor winter for trekking. We did a late January and a mid February trip into the BWCA and we had good conditions. The area had a lot of mid winter rain that made for some bad slush conditions. Temps were to warm for me, and as far as March goes its over. My March trip is cancelled lousy conditions. So its time to hang the sleds up take the backpack down for a early spring hike, and dust off the canoe. I'll be in the BWCA first of may on a solo trip.

[Clovishunter]

Well look at it this way guys at least you had a winter we finally got snow enough to work with but alas it was gone in 4 days not much time to do anything except make a Quinzee hut in the back yard for practice lol!  Another year with no trails to dogsled, no trail to break on snowshoes! Every year its the same I say " maybe next year "

[lost_patrol]

It's over down here too.  I've got one more weekend to spend before other commitments keep me home on weekends, and I think I'm going to spend it daytripping and planning things for next year's bug-free season.  I don't usually do that until the end of March, but here we are.

[HOOP]

Good attitude Lost_Patrol.   With the ice still travel-able in many areas (although watch out for stream mouths and shoreline melting, and big spider holes that are melting from drain-in flow), you might be able to do a day-trip hike to scout some new routes and campsites.  You could travel very fast in the early AM on crust if it still exists.  Bring a pair of Yak Traks or equivalent boot grippers for booting it on ice, and strap your synthetic snowshoes to your pack.   Use the synthetics in the snowy patches if they are still there.   Goes without saying to bring ice picks of course if crossing ice.

Many of my winter treks have been scouted previously on long day trips with my skis.   I always bring a headlamp so the daylight is not a concern on my way out...although that said, I have always done these scouts with good ice.  You might want daylight on the return if you had decomposing ice to cross.

Hi Clovishunter,
Not "maybe" next year.....its "for sure" next year!    (I know, easier said than done.  My day job gets in the way all the time!   ).   Next year for me is going to be epic, I swear.   I am getting older, and winters are getting shorter....running out of time.  Gotta get several more serious trekking trips in before I bump off and the world melts down.   

[Kevinkinney]

...I'm kinda enjoying the crop tops and ladies running in their shorts.