Breathtaking views of beautiful scenery, wildlife sightings, great adventure, good food, interesting people, and lots of fun, these were the joys of the University of Toronto Outing Club’s (UTOC) Thanksgiving Weekend canoe trip to Killarney Provincial Park.
“I knew it was going to be a good weekend,” said Anna Marie, the trip leader. “On the drive up we saw a mother bear and her two cubs trying to cross Highway 69, and a mother deer and her two fawns crossed our path when scouting for campsites in the park.” Once on the lake, the cares of the city were left behind. The scenery was beautiful, with, the turquoise water slapping against the canoe, gorgeous fall colours, and the white quartz mountains of the La Cloche Mountain range in the distance. Even the portages were not too bad.
Since it was a UTOC trip and Thanksgiving to boot, food was a priority. Carol’s gourmet breakfasts, including hash-browns, bacon and eggs, pancakes with cranberries and homemade granola, started things off right each morning. “Chief chef” Bernie orchestrated preparation of a Thanksgiving feast. Preparing food on a canoe was a challenge. Nonetheless, our turkey came with all the fixings, soup, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing—all with a peck of dirt.
In the mornings it was cold—once it even snowed. But there were no bugs! Kevin used bright yellow dishwashing gloves to fight off the elements and to prevent dishpan hands. In the evening, the UTOCers built roaring fires and made (and ate) many, many s’mores.
These are some of the highlights of a fairly typical UTOC canoe trip—OK, so we don’t usually have turkey dinner, at least not on canoe trips! UTOC was founded in the late 1950s by and for U of T students, alumni, staff and faculty. It is run by an elected executive and directors, all of whom are volunteers. Our membership currently numbers about 300, and is a little more than one-half students. We raise some of the money to run the club by charging a small annual membership fee.
UTOC offers frequent, inexpensive day and weekend trips to many beautiful, and some wild, parts of Ontario (and beyond), as well as social events in the Toronto area. Trips include activities like cross-county and downhill skiing, hiking, camping, cycling, rock climbing, spelunking (caving), dogsledding and more.
As well as being just plain fun, on UTOC trips, less experienced members can learn from those with more experience in a particular activity. The club also offers more formal instructional weekends in flat and whitewater canoeing, and in cross-country skiing at the UTOC cabin.
The UTOC cabin is the club’s most prized asset. Designed and built by U of T student volunteers in the late 1960s, it can be best described as basic but comfy, and accommodates up to 30 people. The cabin is located on the Niagara escarpment, 20 minutes drive south-west of Collingwood and close to Georgian Bay.
The cabin is nestled at the base of Metcalfe Rock, which is great for rock climbing and caving. The Bruce Trail and 50 kms of the Kolapore Uplands cross-country ski trails run by the cabin’s door. Since we are a volunteer organization, our trips are usually very inexpensive. A cross county skiing weekend at the cabin costs between $35 and $50, inclusive (transportation, food, accommodations).
I think UTOC is one of the U of T community’s hidden treasures, waiting to be (re)discovered.
And so, if you like the outdoors, are interested in inexpensive trips and like talking with stimulating people, UTOC may be for you!
If you would like more information on the club or want to join, you can visit our website at: www.campuslife.utoronto.ca/groups/utoc/. Or you can call David Block at (416) 929-6039.
Although David Block did not make it on this Thanksgiving trip, he is a regular participant in, and leader of UTOC trips. The article is based partially on notes from Anna Marie Batelaan, the trip’s leader.
