An Unforgettable Winter Expedition in Algonquin Park

It’s cold. Bitterly cold. Trudging through the untouched wilderness of Algonquin Park with their packs to reach their campsites, the Grade 10s on this winter outdoor education trip were already dreaming of the moment when they could return home. While they had chosen this option for their Winter OE experience, they admit they were stunned by the reality of outdoor winter camping. 

 

For their winter outdoor education trip, Grade 10s could pick between two options: a week-long camp trip at Camp Mini-Yo-We or a week-long expedition in Algonquin Park with Outward Bound Canada. Most chose to spend their Winter OE at Camp Mini-Yo-We. A sizeable minority chose the winter expedition option instead. Five of those students - Oliver Duchesne ‘27, Jack Kimmel ‘27, Toby Kimsa ‘27, Nisha Malhotra ‘27 and Maddy Shaw ‘27 - shared their thoughts on the experience – an experience they say was challenging but also very rewarding.

 

Many of them chose this Winter OE option because their friend group decided to try it. This trip put their friendships to the test against the cold temperatures and demanding camp tasks. “We definitely bonded over this experience,” says Maddy. “We cried together and we had to work together to make sure we survived.” 

 

Other students chose this option because they wanted a different experience. “I wanted to take a break away from the camp,” explains Jack. “In Grade 9, you’re at a camp and I know that [for Winter OE] in Grade 11, you’re also at a camp. I wanted an experience that I could look back on and say, ‘Wow, I really did that.’”

 

“I would have never gone on this trip if it wasn’t with Greenwood, and I probably will never do it again,” Toby mentions his reasoning for picking this option. “It’s interesting to be out there; you’re in the moment, not worrying about homework, grades, anything.” 

 

The others also commented how nice it was to be purely focused on surviving rather than the worries of modern life. “There was so much to do in a day to be alive out there, I didn’t think about my phone once out there,” adds Jack. 

 

“They told us at the beginning of the trip that you’re not going to think it’s fun, but when you look back it’ll be fun,” says Nisha. All five students agreed this experience was a “Type 2” kind of fun–an experience that will be fun and rewarding to think about nostalgically. 

 

Upon arriving at their camping site for the trip, the students learned the basic tasks they needed to complete to pass a more-or-less comfortable night. First, they needed to step on the snow to compress it and form a base for their tents. “We had to drill a hole in the ice to fetch water,” remembers Maddy. “We had to heat it over the fire. It was cool but the water tasted smokey.” 

 

The next couple of days were entirely dedicated to wood gathering. The groups delegated tasks for individuals who were in charge of felling the wood, gathering smaller pieces of wood and processing wood into logs fit for burning. Some group members had to move away from the camp to find suitable trees. “I ended up with one of the heavier sleds to bring back to camp,” explains Jack. “But I felt a sense of satisfaction that I was able to bring all the wood back.” 

 

In their prior outdoor education experiences, the students have learnt how to build fires, but they had to learn new ways of building a fire in the winter. “One of the highlights for me was chopping wood with an axe,” Nisha adds. While the process was long, it was necessary in order to have enough to sustain the campfire and heating inside the tents through the night. While the temperatures stayed around -20°C, students stayed warm overnight thanks to the heating stove inside the tent and tips from their guides. 

 

Unexpectedly, one of the highlights of the trip was the food they had for snacks and mealtimes. Maybe it was just the hunger talking, but each meal was heartily enjoyed. The groups enjoyed curry and naan, chickpea stew and burritos just to name a few. However, the clean up also posed some challenges. “Washing dishes was tough, my hands turned purple after the water turned cold,” says Oliver.

 

Needless to say, when it came to packing up on the last day and returning to the buses, the groups completed it in record time. “I woke up at 6 a.m. just to pack and return home,” says Toby. “We were practically running back to the bus.” What would normally be a 30-minute trek back to the buses only took the groups 10 minutes. “That first shower after returning home was glorious,” Maddy sighs. 

 

For any students interested in taking on this challenge in Grade 10, the students highly recommended many midlayers and extra change of boot liners. “My feet were always cold so I definitely recommend an extra pair of liners since you’ll need to set one aside to dry all day,” suggests Oliver. Jack also had this tip for interested students, “Wear clothes you feel like wearing for the entire time, because changing out there is brutal.” 

 

Despite all the challenges, all five students agreed that they were glad to have gone through this experience. For many, this will be the one and only time they’ll ever go outdoor winter camping. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” says Toby. “I know whatever I’ll do for the rest of my life won’t be as challenging as that. It’s not going to be fun at the moment, but just do it.”