Preparing for a Winter Trip to Cottage Country

Winter’s coming! Here’s the evidence:

• My sister is treasurer of the Highland Rovers Snowmobile Club north of Huntsville, and she’s reporting brisk sales in permits so far this year. Of course this could be because the price goes up on the first of December, but she says there is a lot of optimism for a good winter this year.
• The Weather Network has snowflakes on its long range forecast for every day next week.
• I’ve seen a dozen trucks towing trailers with snowmobiles, heading north.
• My neighbour has his snow shovel handily placed on the front porch, ready for action. That is always a sign he knows something the rest of us don’t.
• Canadian Tire has all its snow blowers lined up outside in a neat line like a platoon of soldiers ready for action.
• Our snow plough man has been to collect his money for ten ploughs.
• The road down to our cottage has been newly graded and there’s a fresh pile of sand by the side of the steep hill.
• Sergeant Cam Woolley of the OPP says so!

Winter is inevitable and I look forward to it with anticipation of lots of outdoor activity, Tim Horton’s hot chocolate, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air. In cottage country, we prepare for it, expect it to be tough at times, and respect mother nature for the curve balls she occasionally throws. For visitors to the country, particularly those renting a cottage for the first time, it can be surprising how different conditions are, just an hour or so north of the city, particularly at this time of year.

Following these tips can help make your winter cottage rental a trip to remember – for all the right reasons:

Use winter tires. All season tires are OK in places, but many cottage roads are hilly, narrow and winding. You will need all the traction you can get and winter tires are the way to go. Canadian Driver writer Jim Kerr comments on all season tires, “These tires do provide traction on ice and snow if driven carefully, but these tires would be better named “three-season” tires. They work well in spring, summer and fall, but don’t provide the ultimate traction and handling that a performance tire will on dry pavement nor the traction of winter specific tires on snow.”

Keep an emergency pack in the car. Preparing for the worst is always good advice. Some cottage country roads are pretty remote, even if they are ploughed. Our cottage is 4km down a road that is ploughed by the township, however it’s the only winterized cottage. If you broke down or slid off the road, it may be days before someone found you. Environment Canada has a list of what you should have in your emergency car kit.

We rescued a couple last year who were renting our cottage and had driven up with all season tires on a sedan. They came off the icy road on a bend and were well and truly stuck in a snow drift. They had no boots or heavy jackets with them. “We were only going to sit inside the cottage and enjoy the wood stove, or take a dip in the hot tub. We weren’t planning on spending any time outdoors”, one of them said!

Tell people where you are going and when you expect to be there. This is one of those pieces of advice we give our kids, but often ignore as adults, but it’s worth the extra minute or two before you leave on a trip to cottage country to let family or friends know your plans. Give them the contact phone numbers you have on your cottage rental information sheet, the address and phone number of the cottage you have rented, and your planned time of arrival. Phone home and let people know you have arrived safely, or if you are going to be significantly delayed.

Plan your trip thoroughly and give yourself lots of time to get there. Snow squalls are frequent in the traditional snow belt areas, and its not unusual to leave the city in brilliant sunshine and find blizzard conditions just an hour or so north. Make sure you have a good map with you, and know where you are going. Check the Weather Network for severe weather updates – you can get these downloaded to your cell phone.

Trust the owner of your vacation home. If the owner calls you to say there is a problem accessing the cottage due to snow conditions, trust him and do not travel. These people know their cottage areas and won’t get you to curtail your trip unless there is good reason. If you do attempt the trip after being advised not to, you are taking a real risk.

Winter in cottage country can be a magical experience and it only takes a little preparation to really enjoy it.