Rediscovering the Joy of Winter in Ontario's Highlands

From the second we pulled up, I knew our stay at the Somewhere Inn Calabogie was going to be a memorable one. One glance at the boutique, analog, 1970s inspired room, and I knew this was exactly the kind of place I needed to be with my partner; unplugged, and simply enjoying each other’s company. 

Especially after the hustle of another holiday season had come to an end. I eyed the beautiful soaker tub in the far corner of the room, nestled right next to the fireplace, and for a split second I wished I could skip right to the part where I was stepping in for a soak after a long day of adventure in the Ottawa Valley.

We were up early the next morning to take advantage of the day, making ourselves a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast in the room. And then we were off to Calabogie Peaks Resort (a mere 4 minutes down the road), to try our hand at skiing and snowboarding for the first time in our lives.

Arriving at the ski hill I felt so out of my element that for a moment I felt as if I had maybe taken on too much. I pushed down that feeling of unease, and reminded myself that everyone starts somewhere. To my relief, upon entering the ski lodge, we found many friendly faces in the staff that were on site. In no time we were set up with our equipment, and given valuable pointers to make the most of our first day on the slopes.

We meandered over to the carpet lift and beginner’s hill, where folks of all ages were testing out their ski legs, and I felt my apprehension start to fade away. We spent a while here figuring out steering, stopping, and balance; while simultaneously peering across to the black diamond hills, in awe of the seasoned skiers bounding down the slopes at incredible speeds.

We learned that Calabogie Peaks is home to not only Ontario’s largest vertical drop, but also the longest beginner trail in the province! When we finally felt the confidence in our abilities growing, we decided to head for the ski lift, to the top of Dickson Mountain we went. 

Our desire for a new experience led us to some undeniably breathtaking views of the Ottawa Valley, along the ‘Ole K&P’ trail that also happens to be a portion of the Manitou Mountain trail system. Not for a single second here did I regret saying yes to the call of winter adventure in Calabogie, and my feelings of enamour with this small town had only just begun.

Piling back into the truck, recounting our day on the hills with equal parts laughter and satisfaction, we knew we wanted to make a quick stop before heading back to the Inn to relax before dinner. Another short, sweet, drive and we were popping into Calabogie Brewing Co. We enjoyed everything about their quality service, delicious appetizers, and award winning ales.

Arriving at On The Rocks for our dinner reservations left little to the imagination. From the second we laid eyes on the front entrance we knew we were in for a memorable night. From the engaging wait staff, to the intricate designs and architecture within the restaurant, our mains were cooked to perfection (do not sleep on the truffle parmesan fries!), and our cherry brownie dessert was something I will be talking about for a while.

Pulling back into the driveway at the Somewhere Inn we could see the fire pits already lit up and waiting for us. We spent a little while down by the fire, bundled, drinks in hand, enjoying the stillness of this quiet January night. With chilled finger tips and flushed cheeks, sharing jokes and reminiscing on the day we had, we eventually retired to our room to run the bath I had been dreaming of since we had first arrived!

As the sun came up we enjoyed an unhurried morning, and espressos in our room as we slowly woke. I had heard some good things about a little cafe called Oh-el-la Cafe so we packed our things and waved goodbye to our beautiful momentary home. A few minutes later we pulled up to an unassuming building off the main road, but the second we stepped inside we knew it was going to be a noteworthy gem. 

Ordering a couple lattes and what was on the menu as simply an “egg sandwich”, we were served some of the most beautiful breakfast sammys I’d ever seen. And honestly, I don’t think I’ll have it topped any time soon. Drool-worthy. Dream-worthy. This place is not to be missed.

We hit the road again, wistfully saying goodbye to this larger than life small town. But not before stopping five minutes out of town at “the Eagles Nest” lookout, for a short, brisk, hike to the top. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to witness the landscape here from yet another breathtaking vantage point.

Heading back westward we continued our quest to find the snowy landscapes we had been dreaming of (and Mother Nature just wasn’t quite delivering on). Of course when we left Calabogie, the snow squalls began. Fearing the worst, with the wind picking up, we continued on to our final destination in the Haliburton Highlands.

The skies cleared as we neared one of our last stops, fluffy, perfect snow clung to everything as we arrived at the Minden Whitewater Preserve. Taking the snowshoes from the bed of the truck, we excitedly geared up and hit the trails. Meandering down along the banks of the Gull River, we spotted multiple “boat put in” signs, and imagined the fearless paddlers maneuvering this white water. The water here was absolutely pristine and I couldn’t help but think of the folks who help keep these places maintained and clean for everyone and everything’s sake.

We hurried putting our gear away and made one more stop at Sir Sam’s Ski & Ride just north of Haliburton, pulling out our snow shoes once again we delighted in the small town vibes of this particular ski hill. We learned of the covered carpet lift here known as “the Time Tunnel” that would take us up the hill and allow us to view across Eagle Lake and beyond. 

We puttered around the trails here, taking in the beauty of the snow covered trees, noting the abundance of animal tracks, and even imagined what it would look like in the other seasons. Just as beautiful no doubt. Before it was too late we descended the ski hill along the marked trail and got back to our vehicle. 

Hearts full & legs good and tired, I was already dreaming of the next adventure we’d be planning into Ontario’s Highlands.