Five Winds News

Five Winds is having an amazing start to this winter season. Our first two bus events of the year have had the highest turnouts in more than five years (pre-pandemic) and the snow conditions are fantastic.

We've also had new members join and come out. Our growing snowshoe segment is very active and engaged.

The 2025 Winter is on course to a banner season for Five Winds!

From the perspective of the club's winter activities, the current snowfalls in the Muskoka region gives us lots of optimism for a great winter.

All that snow (five feet and counting!) is getting some soft melting and then freezing. That means we'll have a really good thick base to carry us through the winter.

As we get into cold periods, the water in streams and marshes and lakes will freeze and thicken up, giving us lots of space to enjoy our winter wilderness.

So whether you plan to ski or snowshoe in the backcountry, let's get our gear ready.

If you're new to this, feel free to ask questions for any suggestions.

And make sure you've downloaded the club's map (only available for members) so it is in your phone for our outings. You can alternatively print it  at printing shop.

Five Winds' partnership with MEC is having a big day on Nov 30 at the flagship downtown Queen St store!

MEC is hosting Protect Our Winters at the same day that Five Winds' Iva Kinkova is leading a seminar on Winter Camping in Ontario at 4-6pm.

Come and learn about these supportive programs. Our winter is coming. Let's embrace it.

Come and join us Thursday Oct 17 at 6:30 for an open seminar on enjoying winter wilderness at the MEC Queen St store on the main floor

Five Winds will be ramping up events this fall as we lead into the exciting winter season. They include:

• Three seminars on related winter wilderness
• Three recruitment desks at MEC
• Fall hike
• Pub night

We'll be announcing dates and detail of these events in the Events page of this website as well as on our social media channels.

And about MEC, Five Winds has returned to our partnership with this retail organization after being away for a few years. More on this in future posts

After two very quiet years, we plan to run a full season beginning in January 2023.  Our bus coordinator has made the bookings and we are all looking forward to seeing everyone back on the bus and on the trails!   

Details and bus sign-ups will be posted in the coming weeks ... stay tuned! 

Unfortunately, with low sign-ups for the bus, it has not been possible to run a bus.  By cancelling buses now, we can now focus on offering small group self-drive or car pool events, alongside our virtual events.  Members can post their events on the Members Only Google Group site.  Refunds will be processed shortly.

The start of the Winter Bus has now been postponed until at least February 6th, 2022 (or later) due to the rapidly changing public health guidelines. A couple things that will have to change is that outdoor gatherings will need to increase from the current 25 people, and the 50% restrictions will have to be raised before we are able to run a bus.

• Non-spectator areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities (e.g. gyms)
• Indoor recreational amenities
• Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities
• Tour and guide services

As well, by delaying the start, this gives our Members time to get their booster shots and for it be in effect, so they will have an extra layer of protection.

Non-Bus Events:

Other non-bus events can still go ahead as long as they continue to follow the restrictions set out by local, provincial and federal governments that are in place at the date of the event. (e.g. if gathering restrictions are 5 people for an outdoor event, there can be only 5 people).

Five Winds Executive

Gibson River/McCrae Lake -- ACCESS HAS NOW BEEN RESTRICTED -- and why this has come about

The trails around the Gibson River and McCrae Lake have been in existence for close to 60 years  and have been enjoyed by many outdoor enthusiasts with its pristine environment , but over the last few years (and McCrae over a longer period of time), these areas have seen significant overuse, total disregard on where people park, garbage, property damage,  increased calls to emergency personnel by lost hikers/campers (these are wilderness areas--no "You Are Here" signs; no one picks up your garbage at campsites, along trails or parking areas; there are no outdoor facilities), cutting down of live trees, unauthorized trails and uses, setting up campsites wherever people feel like it (There are designated campsites around McCrae Lake, many with thunder boxes, and only a couple of campsites found close to the trail.  Please don't camp at the lookout at Crowe's Cliff.  Camping is not allowed along the river of the Gibson River Reserve).  McCrae Lake  and the Gibson area are Conservation Reserves which have additional restrictions on use.  Township, OPP, Fire, Emergency Services, Parks Canada/MNR and area residents have all raised concerns which have led to these restrictions. 

Our club welcome these changes which are designed to protect the land, water and wildlife.

NO PARKING" signs have been posted in the following areas:

McCrae Lake:  You can only park "in" the parking lot, not along the sides of the roads leading down.  There is limited space.

South Gibson Lake Road:  Leads towards Gibson Wilderness Trail ("Long Falls").  No parking, period.

Fines start at $85.00 along with towing and storage fees beginning at $310; and once you find your car towed, don't forget to add the cost of a taxi to Midland or Parry Sound to get your vehicle back.  This is being monitored aggressively.

NOTE:  These restrictions do not affect the club's ability to run our bus as parking has never been a requirement since we drop off groups along roadways, and the bus comes back at the end of the day to collect people along the road.