We're camping in a secret crown-land location that's surprising close to Toronto but absolutely beautiful.
This is a backcountry camping trip which means we’ll be away from any sort of support or vehicles. We’ll carry everything we need to survive in on our backs and be completely self reliant for the trip. This means you’ll need to pack as light as possible.
We'll hike in to a riverside site and set up camp together then spend the afternoon chilling out in hammocks and swimming to cool off. That evening we'll have dinner around a campfire and if we're lucky with the weather, stargaze.
We start the adventure with a gorgeous 4km hike to reach our campsite. Despite the short distance, carrying heavy bags means it could take about 3 hours.
The Camp
There are a few campsites for us to choose between - we’ll find somewhere with enough space for all of our tents. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. This will be coordinated over Discord so we can figure out if anyone's bringing their owntents in addition to those provided by Wilderness Union.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and no toilets. Because we're not setting up on a formal site, you'll be digging a hole in the ground if you need to poop. This is a good guide!
We'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Saturday 1st June
07:50 - Meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave at 08:00. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch
08:00 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
09:45 - Meet at the parking lot opposite Big Chute Marina
10:00 - 12:30 - Hike in
Lunch
13:30-18:00 - Set up camp. Hang out at the campsite. Learn camping skills and relax
18:00 - Dinner
Evening - Fireside hangs
Sunday 2nd June
Morning - Chill morning at campsite
12:00- 13:00 - Lunch
13:30 - 15:30 - Hike out
17:30 - Anticipated return to Toronto
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight.
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing tents for everybody but you will need to bring the following:
Personal Stuff:
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, Chrissy has offered to be our resident outdoorsy Period Professor and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1.
Saturday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Saturday night dinner - Hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Wraps
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
No additional reservations required
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - This is a wilderness location, away from help so it's important that we stay together at all times. If you get separated from the group, stop and blow your whistle/shout for help if there's no phone reception. It's unlikely that you'll have reception during this adventure. No breaking off without first discussing it with the hike leader!
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
Water danger - There is fast moving water there. Only swim in places where you've been told it's safe to do so and if you can't swim, keep out of the water.
We're camping in a secret crown-land location that's surprising close to Toronto but absolutely beautiful.
This is a backcountry camping trip which means we’ll be away from any sort of support or vehicles. We’ll carry everything we need to survive in on our backs and be completely self reliant for the trip. This means you’ll need to pack as light as possible.
We'll hike in to a riverside site and set up camp together then spend the afternoon chilling out in hammocks and swimming to cool off. That evening we'll have dinner around a campfire and if we're lucky with the weather, stargaze.
We start the adventure with a gorgeous 4km hike to reach our campsite. Despite the short distance, carrying heavy bags means it could take about 3 hours.
The Camp
There are a few campsites for us to choose between - we’ll find somewhere with enough space for all of our tents. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. This will be coordinated over Discord so we can figure out if anyone's bringing their owntents in addition to those provided by Wilderness Union.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and no toilets. Because we're not setting up on a formal site, you'll be digging a hole in the ground if you need to poop. This is a good guide!
We'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Saturday 1st June
07:50 - Meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave at 08:00. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch
08:00 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
09:45 - Meet at the parking lot opposite Big Chute Marina
10:00 - 12:30 - Hike in
Lunch
13:30-18:00 - Set up camp. Hang out at the campsite. Learn camping skills and relax
18:00 - Dinner
Evening - Fireside hangs
Sunday 2nd June
Morning - Chill morning at campsite
12:00- 13:00 - Lunch
13:30 - 15:30 - Hike out
17:30 - Anticipated return to Toronto
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight.
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing tents for everybody but you will need to bring the following:
Personal Stuff:
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, Chrissy has offered to be our resident outdoorsy Period Professor and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1.
Saturday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Saturday night dinner - Hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Wraps
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
No additional reservations required
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - This is a wilderness location, away from help so it's important that we stay together at all times. If you get separated from the group, stop and blow your whistle/shout for help if there's no phone reception. It's unlikely that you'll have reception during this adventure. No breaking off without first discussing it with the hike leader!
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
Water danger - There is fast moving water there. Only swim in places where you've been told it's safe to do so and if you can't swim, keep out of the water.
