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Halfway Haven


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30 minutes ago, Muskoka1 said:

5 feet-most I've seen in over 25 yrs. up there!

That's probably why you encountered the wolf, that's allot of snow to try and maneuver in. Probably wouldn't   bother with you if stopped, they are very timid. I have tried to get close to them, never had any luck. Beautiful animal.

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8 hours ago, Wildman said:

That's probably why you encountered the wolf, that's allot of snow to try and maneuver in. Probably wouldn't   bother with you if stopped, they are very timid. I have tried to get close to them, never had any luck. Beautiful animal.

It wasn't this year-he was far from timid!

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1 hour ago, Muskoka1 said:

It wasn't this year-he was far from timid!

I mean if you where stopped and he was walking up the trail, he probably would have stopped long before he got to you. I can see him being pissed when you ride by though. Not to many people get to see them that close. A friend of mine walked out of a cabin and there was 1 standing around 30y from him, he just stopped and looked at it and it bolted,

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My daughter had one (wolf) at least that close, only SHE was the one that bolted!

At 14 yrs old and not all that much experience, she held that 470 liquid to the bars while trying to navigate a swamp, knowing full well that he was nipping at her snowflap the whole way - 'till she found someone. (me)

 

That was the last time that she has came to Canada with me, and the 2nd last time she has went sledding.

(Partly doo to being busy with other stuff as she got older, but ....)

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  • 6 months later...
14 hours ago, Hoosier said:

Any updates on Halfway haven for the upcoming season? I haven't heard anything.

 

Fingers crossed. 

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My buddys rode their motorcycles by HH yesterday and there were staff on site.    Sounds like a bear got into the kitchen area a couple of days ago and really messed things up.

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, scottyr said:

My buddys rode their motorcycles by HH yesterday and there were staff on site.    Sounds like a bear got into the kitchen area a couple of days ago and really messed things up.

 

 

 

Seems like a recurring theme with the bears. 

 

Are they open for the hunting season or something? Or doing improvements?

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Bear in the kitchen again?

 

I wonder where he came in through?

 

 

Years ago they had one come right through the kitchen wall. (prolly had a hood vent in that area?)

 

When he had it all back together, Steve took a large 2 man cross-cut saw and flipped it upside down right near the winder on that wall. If a bear git's pawing around there, he will be self invited to leave that wall alone....

 

 

 

.

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Sean had one get in the kitchen too. Not sure how it got in.

 

Saw some rumors that the border rules are changing end of September. If so and if Halfway is planning to be open, I'll probably buy my first ever season permit. Normally I just buy the daily passes for when we are there.

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6 minutes ago, 04nightfire said:

Saw the Intrepids post that Half Way should be open, but for gas and maybe snacks only

That’s a huge task to just get fuel truck in though, for such little revenue. Wait and see what happens with some of trail connections too. Timmins end  and dub area could be issues again possibly. 

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Staffing seemed to be one of their issues last season.    Maybe they only need a couple of guys there if they are sellling gas.    Maybe they see the lucrative market in boiled hot dogs that the Base Camp serves and are pivoting their business model to emulate BC.   

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GREAT NEWS! Early word has it that TOP Trail D between Searchmont and Wawa should be open this winter because fuel will be available at Ontario's Algoma Country's iconic Halfway Haven. Groomers can roll and riders can fill their sleds & warm up inside, but probably no lodgings or hot meals,  maybe snacks.

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They have always been fair with fuel prices considering the logistics of getting it there 

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33 minutes ago, 1049 said:

They have always been fair with fuel prices considering the logistics of getting it there 

 

From what I understand, there is a fairly long road to the camp that must be privately maintained by the staff for service, that I imagine is not cheap to maintain, plus the staff that stay of course, etc....to provide the service they have & keep the doors open.

With the only revenue stream possibly now coming from fuel sales and snacks, there might need to be an adjustment to reflect the cost and cover the overhead, which I think for most is expected and as you said, they have always been fair.

 

I was only suggesting the $6 as a joke because basecamp who charges quite the premium for fuel is on a road that I think is not serviced by them, so I imagine their overhead is quite a bit less given the locations of each and their situations. 

 

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sorry to be jaded but, I have saw this play out several times since 1998. the clubs bank on this stop to be available, then for financial, and other reasons, they close down, mid season, or never open. wasting valuable time, money, resources and the faith of the volunteers. can you imagine the amount of ofsc/district money, put into getting that trail opened, signed, safe and groomed during years when it closed, or never opened? or after it closed for years, to get it reopened, only to close again?

 

for me, I would rather see a route placed that can bypass this situation altogether, and stop depending on a place that of late, cannot maintain itself functional.  

 

yes, at one time with the right people, funding, and commitment, it could serve the public but, the condition of the buildings, property, location and infrastructure not in place, even though they are right below the hydro line, just isnt a good bet to bank on. this place's time has come and gone. (in my mind). 

 

I have utilized them, I respect what was tried and done. I understand we cant loop ride from the soo, chapleau, timmins wawa, without carrying big gas, without a stop like this in place. I understand some people really really like the place but, there are other routes, and options. just ask @AC+YAthere are viable routes in there, or around there. 

 

restore the Missanabbi to Chapleau trail. make a closer route from searchmont/aubrey falls, to chapleau. 

 

the last I heard the owners were from the USA, and were trying to get a grant from the Canadian Gov't to keep it running. being a Canadian property owner, and having some common sense, I cant see the Canadian Gov't giving money to a US business person, only to turn around and see the profits (if it makes it), go to a person of another country. or if it doesnt make it, just throw good money down a deep hole, with no chance for any return. 

 

Sorry guys, it is just time, to find another option, and stop trying to make this work. Ski

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29 minutes ago, skidooboy said:

sorry to be jaded but, I have saw this play out several times since 1998. the clubs bank on this stop to be available, then for financial, and other reasons, they close down, mid season, or never open. wasting valuable time, money, resources and the faith of the volunteers. can you imagine the amount of ofsc/district money, put into getting that trail opened, signed, safe and groomed during years when it closed, or never opened? or after it closed for years, to get it reopened, only to close again?

 

for me, I would rather see a route placed that can bypass this situation altogether, and stop depending on a place that of late, cannot maintain itself functional.  

 

yes, at one time with the right people, funding, and commitment, it could serve the public but, the condition of the buildings, property, location and infrastructure not in place, even though they are right below the hydro line, just isnt a good bet to bank on. this place's time has come and gone. (in my mind). 

 

I have utilized them, I respect what was tried and done. I understand we cant loop ride from the soo, chapleau, timmins wawa, without carrying big gas, without a stop like this in place. I understand some people really really like the place but, there are other routes, and options. just ask @AC+YAthere are viable routes in there, or around there. 

 

restore the Missanabbi to Chapleau trail. make a closer route from searchmont/aubrey falls, to chapleau. 

 

the last I heard the owners were from the USA, and were trying to get a grant from the Canadian Gov't to keep it running. being a Canadian property owner, and having some common sense, I cant see the Canadian Gov't giving money to a US business person, only to turn around and see the profits (if it makes it), go to a person of another country. or if it doesnt make it, just throw good money down a deep hole, with no chance for any return. 

 

Sorry guys, it is just time, to find another option, and stop trying to make this work. Ski

 

1998?

There was no Halfway Haven for the '98 season.

My group was the first through ever and that was Dec 27 (?) '98.

 

And there was no issue with it [not] being open until around 2010, after 2 full seasons of no Yanks with pockets full of cash coming up anymore. However - it really shouldn't have been a hardship for many - since the traffic had been nill already.

 

I am not going to contest the rest of your schpeal, but the subject doesn't need exaggerated.

 

 

.

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My first winter winter season up there started december of 1998, had a brand spankin new zx chassis doo 600. so to clarify... winter of 1998-1999. our groups first trip through halfway was super bowl weekend of 1999. so, there you go. My apologies for the confusion, of dates.

 

Steve and Gail were GREAT, what came after was the beginning of what we have now, which is closure, promise, open, excuse, closure etc...

 

why do you think we stopped riding from the soo, searchmont, echo bay? just got tired of dealing with the not knowing if there would be fuel, lodging, or shelter. plus, you lose 2 days in the area, one day up, one day back. we can drive to wawa in 2.5 hours as long as the road is open. get to see more of the country, than a hydro corridor. again, only an opinion.

 

 

my point was not exaggeration but, the need to find a viable solution for the issue, for traveling tourers.  Ski 

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45 minutes ago, skidooboy said:

My first winter winter season up there started december of 1998, had a brand spankin new zx chassis doo 600. so to clarify... winter of 1998-1999. our groups first trip through halfway was super bowl weekend of 1999. so, there you go. My apologies for the confusion, of dates.

 

Steve and Gail were GREAT, what came after was the beginning of what we have now, which is closure, promise, open, excuse, closure etc...

 

why do you think we stopped riding from the soo, searchmont, echo bay? just got tired of dealing with the not knowing if there would be fuel, lodging, or shelter. plus, you lose 2 days in the area, one day up, one day back. we can drive to wawa in 2.5 hours as long as the road is open. get to see more of the country, than a hydro corridor. again, only an opinion.

 

 

my point was not exaggeration but, the need to find a viable solution for the issue, for traveling tourers.  Ski 

 

I have never rode here, but every year it seems there is always some updates surrounding this famous destination that so many are so very hopeful & optimistic for. I get your points and others who want this place to succeed so badly, including you I am sure for the sport and this area of sledding in Ontario.

I cannot see how any person or group cannot make this work without some type of a repeat grant money, more now than ever before when grants seem to be less and less. The smart thing to do is get this place into some "new Canadian's" names where it seems grants and funding are still flowing, especially to those willing and able to start up a business in the Northern parts, but even at that, this is only a seasonal business that I am not sure how it can succeed long term financially.

 

Maybe keeping it simple can and will work with the gas priced properly, but will the people still come, enough to make it work, has the snow plowing issue been resolved for the road, will the trail in either direction be open, will the club have the required groomer operators, can permanent power be installed to ease some of the operational hassles, etc.....

 

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Normally, Halfway has not been as seasonal as you think. Steve and Dennis started it expecting to only run it in the winter, and sell gas as that trail started out to be prox 180 miles long, and in '99 most sleds got 10 mpg. 

 

But these days the trail length has benn shortened up a bit and sleds git noteably better milage, and so many only fetch a few gallons, and so they lost a big chunk of their income revenue.

 

After a few years they started staying there full time, and catered to the atv crowd. They can live there MUCH  cheaper then as they can git away with running the generator only a cpl  hrs or less per day. They had a pontoon boat on an adjacent lake that folks could take out fishing too.

 

Then they started dooing bear hunts. Maybe a few guys during moose season. And they would take in loggers during the weekdays for a reduced rate. And of course Steve trapped (traps) the 3 adjacent townships.  Even had the tree planter kids camped out in the yard sometimes.

 

By 2001 or so Halfway was open for business for most all year except spring break-up, untill 2010 when The Great Recession took  it's toll. 

 

I have only been there once so far since the Bonne's sold it, so I really have no clue how hard the new folks try to make it work? How in touch they are with the bush around them, or even how much oportunity there is anymore?

 

I did question what they  (new owners) were dooing when they shut it down a few summers ago to doo renovations, when the summer weekend crowd would help to  put some loonies in the tank. ???

 

But to make it sound like it has been unreliable since it was opened is just wrong.

 

And with all that said, I would think that they should have closed it up as soon as Wuhan Flue closed the border. The cost of just being there in the winter is just staggering, and there is just no way that they weren't flushing loonies down the drain for the last 2 years.

 

Hopefully they will git the border truley open this year and that they can have a chance again.

 

 

----------------

 

Think Snow Eh!

Ox

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Just like many other lodges in the bush, you’d think there are other revenue streams throughout the entire year, some even offered at a break even rate simply to get through the thin months. 

That is one of things you notice in QC in similar locations, as well the support team onsite are on shifts where they work 15 and off 15, or similar setups and the folks that work are almost like family, but they aren’t…..maybe just a QC thing/dynamics. 

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9 minutes ago, stoney said:

Just like many other lodges in the bush, you’d think there are other revenue streams throughout the entire year, some even offered at a break even rate simply to get through the thin months. 

That is one of things you notice in QC in similar locations, as well the support team onsite are on shifts where they work 15 and off 15, or similar setups and the folks that work are almost like family, but they aren’t…..maybe just a QC thing/dynamics. 

Things are changing in Quebec like Ontario. I was reading a post on QR not long ago from a guy doing a bike trip on the north shore of Gaspe. Basically saying that some regular sled stops have posted that they won't be open this winter, some are closed certain days now or have shortened open hours due to lack of employees.  Sounds like trip planners this winter may have to be on the phone more checking out food/fuel availability and  maybe pre-booking accommodations if you haven't in the past.

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