| Vacation Experiences |
Hiking Tour of Temagami's Caribou Mountain and Fire Tower: The 100' high Temagami Fire Tower stands on the summit of Caribou Mountain, 400' above the town and 1300' above sea level. It is just one kilometer from Ontario's historic Young Street (Highway 11 ) and is the highest lookout point along this mute. The cupola at the top of the tower commands a view in excess of 40 kilometers, overlooking Finlayson Provincial Park, the White Bear Forest with its stands of old growth pine and the town's Portage Bay with its float plane base and water traffic. Remnants of the historic Ferguson Highway and the sites of old mining and logging operations can also be identified. Prominent features in the landscape include the lakes supporting Ontario Hydro's Matabitchuan Dam and the Trans canada Pipeline serving the industrial heartland of Southern Ontario. Nothing compares to actually visiting the Tower Site in person. There is a $2 per person admission fee (children 6 years and under get in free). This gives you access to all that the Caribou Mountain/Temagami Fire Tower has to offer including hiking trails, Interpretive Centre, picnic areas, viewing platforms, etc. You can also purchase season passes from the Interpretive Centre to enjoy a whole season's worth of visits with friends and family. You can also enjoy the tour in a motorized 5 passenger golf cart. And make sure you hike or bike the network of trails through the White Bear Forest. Welcome to The White Bear Forest The White Bear Forest Trail System offers many hikes to outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. The particular section of trail you choose to hike may not take you past all of the sights shown in the photographs. However, there will be many other fine examples of the old growth characteristics along the section of trail you choose to hike. Use the photographs and text as a guide, and keep your eyes open for the variety of old-growth features described in this booklet. We hope you enjoy your trek into the natural wonders of Temagami's beautiful White Bear Forest. History The White Bear Forest takes its name from the last chief of the Teme augama Anishnabai tribe before the arrival of Europeans to this area. Since the 19th century, when Chief White Bear and his family used this forest as part of their hunting and trapping grounds, humans have done little to change this landscape. In 1928, the Gillies Bros. Logging company won the logging rights to about 500 square kilometers (200 square miles) of forest surrounding White Bear Lake (now Cassels Lake) and Rabbit Lake. While scheduling adjacent land for logging, Gillies .Preserved the 800 hectares (2000 acres) of the White Bear Forest in its virgin state for its employees and local residents to enjoy. However, an old wagon road was built through the forest from the town of Temagami to the narrows between Cassels Lake and Rabbit Lake, so that a log dam could be built to enable saw logs to be driven from surrounding lakes to the Ottawa River. This road, built before 1920, is now barely recognizable. The Future While the White Bear Forest has enjoyed a long and natural history that has left the 800 hectares (2000 acres) of land in a nearly pristine state, the future of the forest remains in question. The natural state and very existence of this forest has been recently threatened by the parties interested in logging the large white and red pine trees. The cutting plan for this stand included much of the old-growth pine forest which is considered by Forest Ecologist Dr. Peter Quinby, to be an endangered ecosystem. He has estimated that there is less than 1% of the old-growth white pine forest type remaining world-wide. The White Bear Forest is the sixth largest remaining stand of old-growth white pine forest currently known. The forest is also unique in that it is perhaps one of the most easily accessible of the remaining large stands of old-growth pine. Plans to log the White Bear Forest were opposed by many local citizens who felt that the short term gains of cutting the forest were not in their best interests. There is a growing feeling in t Temagami that the future of the town lies not in the timber industry, but in the value of its natural heritage for tourism. Located on the doorstep of the town is a magnificent stand of ancient forest which is very accessible to the public. Of course, for tourism to be most effective, the White Bear Forest must remain standing and in its natural state. To address the interests of all concerned parties, the government agreed to establish a partnership consisting of ten different interest groups to determine the method of harvest for the White Bear Forest. It soon became evident that the majority of partnership members were in favour of saving the forest for values other than logging. Under pressure,'the government agreed with the wisdom of the partnership and established a moratorium on logging the White Bear Forest which expires at the end of 1996. At that time, more discussions will take place regarding its future. In the meantime, the future of the White Bear Forest hangs in the balance. What is an Old-Growth Forest? Old-growth forests are characterized by a number of structural and ecological features. The most obvious feature is the abundance of huge, old trees that tower far above the lower levels of the forest. Among these huge trees are large dead standing trees called snags, and fallen trees called logs, both of which provide valuable wildlife habitat and contribute to the recycling of nutrients within the forest ecosystem. Because of the great length of time that it takes for these forests to evolve, we often think of them as unchanging environments. On the contrary, the old-growth forest is a very dynamic system in which constant changes are taking place; large and small scale disturbances change the structure and composition of the forest, renewal and recycling of young and old trees continually revitalizes the forest, and the lives of the inhabitants are continually reshaping and responding to it. All of these processes result in the diverse and highly productive ecosystems we call old-growth forests. Sledding One of Marten Rivers fastest growing trails activities is snowmobiling. The exhilaration of exploring Marten River's winter adventure! Marian Lake Lodge is strategically located on the TOP (Trans-Ontario Provincial) trail system with links west to Sudbury, south to North Bay, and north to the Temagami and the Province of Quebec. Marten River Trails, Near North Trail Association and the Tri Towns Assoc. groom trails, which are usually open from early January to late March. Canoing For the more adventurous campers who want to leave civilization behind, the Temagami region contains over 8,000 square kilometers of interconnecting canoe routes. Hundreds of rock and pine clad lakes, adjoining wetlands, and wild rivers provide breathtaking scenery and a wide diversity of wildlife. The unique and varied features of the Temagami area have been recognized in the establishment of several waterway and wilderness provincial parks, and continues to be a favourite area for canoe tripping. The area's famous old growth pine stands can be enjoyed during your vacation in the wilderness. If you are planning a canoing vacation, one of our local outfitters would be happy to give you their expertise and set you up for an adventure on a travel route that will match your skill. Fishing For many, angling is an essential part of the Marian Lake experience, either trying for the big one, catching supper, or just catch and release for sport. Marian Lake area offers many varieties of fish, including Lake Trout, Pickerel, Smallmouth Bass, Pike, and Jumbo Perch. Some area lakes even support Rainbow or Speckle Trout angling. There's something about spending a day on the water, coaxing those feisty fish into the boat that can really make a person hungry for the fruits of their effort. Whatever type of fish you're after, you're bound to have fun. You'll also enjoy the mouthwatering taste of fresh caught fish - but you'll probably want to fillet and cook them first. For the adventurous angler be sure to book a guided fishing trip with our local guide during your stay here at Timberlane Cottage Resort, Marian Lake Lodge. Hunting Centrally located here at Marian Lake Lodge, Timberlane Cottage Resort in close proximity to both area 40 and 41allows our hunting guests miles and miles of logging roads and crown land. Moose, grouse, partridge and hare as well as the occasional deer are spotted at regular intervals in the surrounding forest. Bird licences can be gotten right here at the camp as we are blessed with the local Post Office in our large gift shop. ATV Trail Riding If your an avid ATV fan then be sure to bring yours with you. Here in the Marten River area there are miles of old logging roads as well as ATV trails to travel on. Chances are you will see every northern animal possible as you wind through the forests and around lakes. |
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