Blog on a Log
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Wild Trip Reports: The Mantario Trail
At Wilderness Supply we encourage our staff to get out and use our gear as much as they can - it's the best way to make sure they know what to recommend to you! Our employees can be found adventuring all over the world, but today we bring you a Wild Trip Report from close to home: the Mantario Hiking Trail.
These posts will be a chance to feature some of our staff's adventures (and misadventures, no doubt!) wherever they may lead. Whether on the road, trail, or water, we love sharing our experiences with you, and hope you'll be able to use them for your own inspiration and planning...or perhaps just a little vicarious living!
The Mantario Hiking Trail
Tripper: Dan N.
Location: Manitoba
Type: Hike
Date: May 2-4, 2015
Lori and I at the north trailhead before venturing onto the trail
The Mantario Trail cuts a rugged path through Whiteshell Provincial Park, covering 63 kms between HWY 312 and Big Whiteshell Lake. It covers terrain ranging from flat, grassy trails, to scrambles up granite hill sides, to wet bog crossings (depending on the season). Spring and fall are the more desirable seasons to hike the trail, mostly because of the lack of mosquitoes and lower temperatures.
The first few kms of the trail is shared with a 4x4 road. This part can be pretty wet.
If your feet stay wet, they might end up looking like prunes, like Riley's feet did. They were just fine after they dried out.
This Mantario outing was my fifth time hiking the whole trail, and along for the hike was my wife Lori, and two friends, Riley and Alissa. Lori has hiked the complete trail a few times, and Riley and Alissa were excited for their first time on it. We experienced great weather (not too hot, not too cold) and the trail was relatively dry for spring. This made our three days of hiking fairly easy, and I managed to only get water in my shoes on the last day. My companions weren't so lucky! We travelled north to south, camping at Mantario Lake and Marion Lake. We parked a car at the south trailhead, and then shuttled back to the north end to pick up the other car.
Sometimes you have to keep looking straight down to find the trail. In summer, the trail will be almost completely hidden from you if you're looking straight ahead here. Look down, and you'll see the well worn trail through the bushes.
Stone cairns mark a large part of the trail.
Some of the stream crossings have makeshift bridges, but be careful! Some of them are a little wobbly. This one had one solid and one not so solid log to choose from.
Overall the trail was in good shape, but the severe windstorms that have occurred in the last few years have greatly affected some parts of the trail. Downed trees blocked sections of the trail, but not so severely that we couldn't find an easy path around them. There have been some efforts to clear the trail, but more work is needed. I suspect the biggest deterrent to trail clearing is hiking in with a chainsaw on your back!
Windstorm affected area.
Being early in the season, we only encountered 7 other people on the trail. Five thru hiking, and two on a short trip on the south end. During summer and early fall, you can expect to meet quite a few hikers, with a large number of them heading out for a short trip to one of the two camp sites on Caribou Lake, the southern most lake on the trail. I love to see large numbers of people getting outside, but there can be a downside to this if those people don't take care of the trail. We encountered some litter along the trail, and the eastern campsite on Caribou Lake (the site that sees the heaviest use) had more litter than I expected to see. Over use of green ribbon marking the way to the outhouse; pots, pans, and metal grills dropped around a fire pit; and a bear box almost overflowing with abandoned food and gear (including a tent!). Proper trail etiquette is to pack out what you pack in, leaving as little trace as possible. "Take only photos, leave only footprints" as the saying goes. A granola bar wrapper here and there is understandable, those can easily fall out of your pocket unnoticed. But a tent is too much.
Irresponsible human waste disposal. There's a "Green Throne" toilet within 20 meters of this spot...
Junk left behind. If you pack it in, pack it out!
Don't let my tale of garbage give you the wrong idea about the trail though. The Mantario is Manitoba's longest and most challenging trail, while at the same time being fairly easy to navigate for beginners. The trail is well marked by signs and rock cairns, and there is amazing beauty to behold all along it's 63 kms of winding trail.
Beaver dam crossing
Mantario Lake campsite
Marion Lake campsite.
Riley and Alissa's new MSR Hubba Hubba NX
Lori drying out her socks
Trip Length: 63 kilometers (recommended 3 days)
How to get there:
The south trailhead is located roughly 2 hours out of Winnipeg. Take the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) east towards West Hawk Lake. Turn north on Highway #44 and then east (right) onto PR #312. Watch for a wooden sign marking the south trailhead parking lot.
The north trailhead is located roughly 2.5 hours out of Winnipeg. Take Highway #59 out of Winnipeg and then turn east onto Highway #44, towards Beausejour. Turn north (left) on Highway #11 and drive for 5km, then turn east onto PR #307 and drive through Seven Sisters Falls and on for roughly 55km. Take a slight left onto highway #309 towards Big Whiteshell Lake. Keep left at the fork and continue on until you reach a small store and the road ends. Behind the store is a parking lot - drive through the lot and along the winding gravel road to reach the north trailhead.
Gear List
On My Feet
- SmartWool PHD Mid Weight socks
- Ahnu Coburn Low waterproof shoes
On My Back
- Nylon Hiking pants
- 150 weight Merino Wool long sleeve shirt
In My Bag
- North Face Verto 32 pack
- JetBoil MiniMo stove
- SteriPEN Ultra
- Nalgene 1L bottle
- Petzl Headlamp
- MSR Hubba Hubba tent
- Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 sleeping bag
- Thermarest NeoAir All Season
- Adventure Medical First Aid Kit
- Fox 40 whistle
- Backpackers Pantry meals for supper
- Bagels, peperoni sticks, other goodies for lunch and snacks
- Oatmeal packages for breakfast
- storm proof lighter
- Spare SmartWool Socks
- Outdoor Research merino blend t-shirt
- North Face DNP Jacket
- Synthetic base layer bottoms for sleeping
- Ryders Eyewear Chops sunglasses
- North Face Oroshi GoreTex jacket
- Rain pants
Monday, April 27, 2015
10-50% OFF Camping Tents
Join us for a one day only sale showcasing our full range of camping tents from 1-person bivys to 8-person base camps. Every singe tent is on sale - from 10-50% off!
Whatever kind of camper you are we've got a tent designed just for you. Need space to take the kids, the dogs, and a blow up mattress or three? Got it. Need an ultralight tent you can carry for 20 miles a day? Got it. Want to be the envy of your fellow campers at Folk Fest this year? Got it!
Come check out our full range in person, set up for you to try and on sale.
Wilderness Supply Camping Tent Sale
Saturday, May 9th
9:00am - 5:00pm
42 Speers Road, Winnipeg
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Enter to win a Goal Zero prize pack from Wilderness Supply
Summer just isn't the same without some absolutely kick-butt tunes...which is why we've teamed up with Goal Zero to give away a solar music prize pack that means your tunes can come with you wherever your summer adventures lead.
The prize includes a Switch 10 kit (Switch 10, Nomad 7 panel, Flashlight/Fan Extensions) and a Rock Out 2 rechargeable speaker. To enter, visit our Facebook page and vote for your favourite summer song. You can enter once per day until March 31st!
One entry per person per day. Prizes must be collected from a Wilderness Supply store location.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Buy a Boat, Get a Gift Card
2015 Preseason Special
For a limited time buy any canoe, kayak or SUP at Wilderness Supply and get up to $150 to spend in store. Boats under $1000 get a $50 gift card, boats over $1000 get a $100 gift card, and boats over $2000 get a $150 gift card.
Spend your moola on a new paddle, a killer summer outfit, or whatever gear you've got your eye on - it's our gift to you!
Offer valid on any deposit placed before March 31, 2015.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Dress Like A Donkey: How to Stay Warm and Dry During Winnipeg's Ice Donkey Winter Adventure
Winnipeg's Ice Donkey Winter Adventure is 5km like no other, letting you run, slide, crawl and dig in winter inspired obstacles.
If you're Canadian enough to brave this great northern adventure, you best make sure you've got the right gear so you can enjoy your frosty fun in all its glory .... rather than moaning about your blue fingertips and wind-chapped cheeks! Check out our Layering 101 video for an overview of how baselayer, midlayer and outerlayer work together to keep you warm, dry and comfortable, then read on for gear tips tailored just for this event!
Bottoms Up
Your feet are going to keep you moving through 5 km of snow and ice, you best outfit them well. Start with a pair of warm, moisture-wicking merino wool socks. They're not scratchy like other wools, but they'll still keep you warm even when wet, making merino the perfect active winter companion.
If you're planning on tackling the course at a run, a good pair of trail runners is just the ticket. Goretex shoes are an ideal pick, making sure your feet stay dry and still breathe. Test the treads on ice and snow before the race - if the grip isn't good enough, slip-on winter treads are a great inexpensive option. A popular item with winter runners, these pull-on treads add the necessary grip and traction to make your favourite summer shoes winter ready so you don't have to invest in a whole new pair.
If a slower pace is more your style, stick with an insulated winter boot to provide warmth and traction on the ice. The waterproof outer will keep your feet dry, while the insulation provides all the warmth you need to get down in the snow.
Inside Out
The key to winter comfort is a moisture managing baselayer that provides warmth while keeping you from overheating. Wool or synthetic options are both good picks - just stay away from cotton, which holds moisture next to the body and is a surefire way to catch a chill, especially in cold weather. Check out men's and women's options.
Over Top
The runners out there will want to go with a lightweight softshell (try the North Face Chromium for women or the North Face Alloy for men) as their outerlayer - enough to make sure any wayward snowballs don't soak through, while being breathable enough to keep you from overheating while active.
If you're planning on a slower pace, a lightly insulated jacket will provide the warmth your body needs without the extra bulk or overheating of a full parka (try the North Face Zephyrus Optimus Hoodie for Men or Women). This course is designed to make you run, slide, crawl and dig ... so you'd better be mobile enough to take up the challenge!
Give Good Face
There's no point in struggling with a wayward toque and dangling scarf more likely to trip you up than keep you warm. Protect those tender cheeks with a warm, windproof balaclava so your face doesn't end up redder than it should be.
Top it all off with a waterproof pair of mitts prepped for digging holes and packing snowballs--with a wool liner underneath for added warmth and you'll be set for a day of whatever Mother Nature may throw at you.
Party Time!
After the race, it's time to suit up! Bring a warm change of clothes (now's the perfect time to pull out that big poofy parka!) to keep you feeling toasty as your body starts to cool down. Then grab a hot chocolate and cheer on the other racers as the rest of the Donkeys cross the finish line.
See you at the Donkey!