5-Day Whirlwind Tour of Manitoba

July 30th, 2010 | Posted by Jacquie Crone
out of 5  Loading ...

Share this:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Delicious
• DIGG

• More...

Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg made it “Around the World in 80 Days” so it would seem logical (if you’re to believe a fictional character), that new-world adventurers should be able to circumnavigate Manitoba in 5 days. Phileas’ mode of travel in 1872 was rail and steamboat. In 2010, the Prairie Pathfinders Walking Club opted for a land barge – or to put that in plain language, a 47-passenger, air-conditioned motor coach.

The beauty of the Prairie Pathfinders “Bus Off and Hike” adventure was the luxury of being chauffeured from one destination to another, tucking into fine meals and, at days end, slipping between crisp sheets at the best hotels the north had to offer. Don’t misunderstand me, we did plenty of legwork – averaging 3 hiking ‘highlights’ each day – but in between, we relaxed and visited, soaked up the scenery and pretended to be princesses (or princes, as the case might be).

The first day was the longest haul – Winnipeg to Thompson via the Interlake. Nobody seemed to mind, as the gang (24 of us) was pumped, the sky was a bright blue and the fields were a lovely patchwork of colour and texture. (Unfortunately, one of the textures was smooth and shiny, as the Interlake has had a serious amount of overland flooding).

That day was particularly memorable for me because I knocked 2 items off my bucket list: to see the limestone cliffs at Steep Rock on the east side of Lake Manitoba, and to behold the magnificent and powerful Pisew Falls.

The Prairie Pathfinders are experienced guides and at every walk, hike or tour I’ve participated in, they have supplied me with an itinerary – which includes photos, a map and some descriptive details about what to expect. I smiled a wee smile when I read that Steep Rock was reminiscent of a Greek Island, but ya know, when I squinted a bit, I got it.

The water was a definite aqua blue, and there was no denying it – those limestone cliffs were 9 meters high and blinding white. Rock climbing and exploring was easy with well-worn pathways that led you from one spectacular view to another. At the best spot, (you know it, the one Travel Manitoba uses on the cover of many publications), we hunkered down for a picnic, letting our legs dangle over the edge of the cliffs while we ate. A pretty good way to start an adventure, wouldn’t you agree? My one regret – and here’s a reason to return to Steep Rock – I wanted to swim in that blue, blue water.

Steep Rock cliffs

A few stops later, and about 600 kms. closer to Thompson, we rolled into the parking lot at Pisew Falls Provincial Park. The keeners had already cinched up their hiking boots, telescoped-out their walking sticks and donned their Tilley hats – so that when those bus doors opened, they were out – although they still had to wait for the rest of us laggards. I glanced outside (as I casually smeared sunscreen on my arms) and I noticed a definite agitation and flailing of arms amongst those who had disembarked. They quickly re-embarked. Perhaps I would take along insect repellent and don my mesh jacket/hat ensemble. See, sometimes it pays to sit at the back of the bus.

Pisew Falls

The Grass River drops 13 meters (and changes direction!) over Pisew Falls. Legend has it that Mishipisew, a cat-like creature, rules the water (pisew is the Cree word for lynx). On this particular day the feline chose to resist the pull of the falls by roiling, coiling, hissing and spitting. I could hear the roaring of the lynx all the way from the parking lot.

Manitoba Conservation has put a lot of thought into providing access to the river and the falls, while at the same time protecting this sensitive environment. There are several levels of staircases bringing you ever closer to the main attraction. The staircases connect to many lengths of boardwalk that will usher you to logically positioned viewing platforms.

The falls create their own little micro-climate: they never freeze solid and always provide huge amounts of humidity and moisture. Under the mist there are beds of brilliant green moss and ferns, some whose origins date back to the last Ice Age.

From Pisew you can hike to Kwasitchewan Falls, a rugged, 22 kms. backcountry trek,. There’s a primitive campsite at the half-way point, and many visitors choose to stay the night, enjoy the Falls, and then return to Pisew the next day.

My 23 compadres, being of sound body and mind, (and wanting to stay that way), opted for a leisurely stroll along the Grass River, taking in views of the falls from several angles. We did start inland, with the best of intentions, but were quickly dissuaded by the onslaught of every kind of flying and biting miscreant known to mankind.

Odds are, I probably had the opportunity to visit with everyone on the bus over the course of that first day, (even Jack the bus driver). We had a few things in common – a love of the great outdoors and an obvious attraction to an ‘active’ vacation – but beyond that we were a mixed bag, We had teachers, nurses, translators, writers, trail builders and accountants; there was an artist, an IT specialist and so on. Many of us were at the tail-end of our careers, while others were . . . how would you describe it . . . at the nose of their careers? Nah – that doesn’t work. My point being, that there was never a shortage of things to talk about.

I think that the first day, the Winnipeg to Thompson leg of the journey, served to bond the group, because from that point onward, we were a cohesive entity; none of us too demanding, all strong of spirit and will. Even though the Prairie Pathfinders had planned a rigorous agenda for the following 4 days, we were up for the task. We had each other’s backs.

In Thompson, our most northerly destination, we walked in the pelting rain along the Millennium Trail; a hike that loops around the city, yet still manages to capture the fragrance and sheer lushness of the boreal forest.

Flin Flon at dusk

On the 2^nd night we stopped in the picturesque town of Flin Flon – where we scrambled up the rocks, then down the rocks, then up some more rocks and so on. The next day, on our way to Swan River, we were introduced to the wonders of Clearwater Provincial Park. There, along the shoreline, or rather, separated from the shoreline, were deep, cave-like crevices, just begging to be explored.

Clearwater Provincial Park - exploring the caves

On the 4^th day of our journey, at a point not too far from St. Lazare, we found ourselves gazing down from a lofty height into the valley where the Assiniboine and Qu’Appelle rivers meet. A local cattle farmer, Marcel Fouillard, had granted us permission to access his property, where you can still find remnants of Fort Ellice, an old Hudson Bay trading post dating back to the early 19^th century.

We crossed the Assiniboine River once again on Day 5 of the Whirlwind tour and entered Spruce Woods Provincial Park. At high noon, on a +30° cloudless day, we set off to experience Manitoba’s Spirit Sands. The area felt like, and appeared to be a desert:  towering sand dunes, prickly pear cacti, Prairie Skink lizards and several varieties of snakes, (although try as I might, I didn’t get to see a Hognose Snake. I know they’re out there, though). Alternatively known as the Carberry Sandhills, the area receives too much rainfall to be considered a true desert, and is actually what’s left of the Assiniboine River delta from the time when the river flowed into glacial Lake Agassiz.

Spirit Sands Trail - Spruce Woods Provincial Park

All in all, this was quite the trip. Every day I experienced something new, something unexpected. In 5 days we travelled about 2300 kms; enough to get a pretty good feel for this large section of Manitoba. Each day was jam-packed with adventures and although I have only highlighted a few of them in this post, I’ll be sharing more stories over the next couple of months – so stay tuned.

The Prairie Pathfinders tell me that the response to their ‘Bus Off & Take A Hike’ tours has been overwhelmingly positive. They are planning another 5-Day Tour of Manitoba for next May. You will be able to find the details on the Prairie Pathfinders website.

You can contact me at jacquie.crone@gmail.com or if you’re feeling magnanimous, leave a comment for all to share.