&*#?%! snow and %&#! cold!

Got the point!

Slush

Under the snow is about 4 inches of slush snow, which becomes water when removed.  Too wet to dig through the ice.  And it isn't winter yet!

Snow and more snow

Snow is 13 inches deep.  Hard to make the snowmobile turn around.  Easy to slip off the road into a ditch.  More on the way before winter starts.

Drifts

It doesn't take much wind for snow to build up on the causeway, connecting the island with the mainland.  If too deep the snowmobile gets 'hung up'.  Best to 'beat it down' before it gets too deep.  Can you spot where the skidoo was stuck on the ice?

Double yuk

This used to be a flat, gorgeous skating rink.  Now it is 12 inches of powder over a gorgeous skating rink that will never be seen again.  The snow is insulating the lake and overflow from cracks is making it slushy.  Perhaps 3 days of heavenly skating is all the weather gods will give us this year.  By the way, this skidoo was big time stuck.  No studs, no traction on ice, especially trying to plow through snow.  Live and learn.

Historic skating

Beautiful! 
It's flatter than what the Canadian Senate thinks of their importance and more exciting than watching a Rob Ford video. 
The entire lake is snow free and skatable.  Thank you weather gods.

Scared?

A big 'tired' truck got half way to the island and quit.  Frightened of ice maybe.

Icy nice

If the ice gods can keep the snow gods and winds gods away, the entire lake will be a gigantic ice rink.

Yuk

Major flooding at the end of the rink.  Difficult to get ATV to clear the 1 inch of snow on the excellent (ever) rink.  Rain scheduled tomorrow.  Maybe goodbye skating and curling?
     Tire tracks of a small vehicle travelled as far as the new road but turned around and retreated.

Snow

Snow depth 8 inches.  Some ground water seeping into lake along edges, making it sloppy.

Blades on

Another year, another new sport.  Curling stones are ready.  But how to play?

Ice

Ice is 5 inches thick in the bay.  Two to 3 inches of snow on the ground.  Several vehicles plowed through the snow drifts on the causeway.  Minus 24 this morning!

Snow covered lake

Early winter this season.  Two inches of snow on the ground.

Winter is here

Skating

Ice 3 1/2 inches on the causeway bay.  Skating now in play.  Some deep drifts on causeway.

Hunting

Gun hunting season for deer has ended.  In our area, 3 bucks (2 with 8 points, another 5 point), 1 doe and one faun (male) for a total of 5.  More seen but too fast and used the lake as an escape route.
    

Ice time

Lake is starting to form a smooth layer of ice.  Some tree clearing work at the Langford 'nasty' curve road.  This is to make room for a hydro pole to supply a new residence going up on the west side of the road.

Open year round

Clarke Road is a pretty place,
Often very deep in snow,
But when you need an outhouse,
The mills the place to go.

For some reason, the area that turtles lay eggs has once again been opened up by some animal.  Perhaps raccoons, although raccoons seem to have disappeared this summer and fall.

News

The first 5 days of hunting from the mill hill north has resulted in one doe and one calf. 
The municipality has graded the road from mill hill to Tusk Rd.  And, they provided a new grating for one of the municipal culverts.
Local hunters say that the lack of rabbits is mostly due to wolves.  But last night 2 rabbits were seen on the road.  Rare.
Chipmunks are still active.

Neat work

South of the mill hill there are 2 culverts on Clarke Rd.  In between the 2 culverts, on the west side, about 20 feet from the road is a 6 x 6 post that extends about 1 foot above the water.  This is a marker that separates Municipality of Dysart to the north, and Highlands East to the south.  The entire west side is Haliburton County and on the east side is Hastings County.
     So, the southern most culvert was plugged by the beavers.  Not a little bit, but major.  The road crew from Dysart, based in Haliburton, came and cleaned out the culvert-really neat!  They cut down a large birch tree longer than the width of the road and culvert.  A backhoe worked the tree, with no branches, into the end of the culvert and pushed it through with the bucket.  Once the tree extended out the other side the tree was withdrawn and the water flow through this culvert.  But, once they started, it was pointed out that they were really working in the Highlands East culvert.  The northern culvert is Dysart.  Anyways, job done.
    Now, Highlands East maintains the roadway through an agreement with Hasting County.  Remember, Clarke Rd is a division between Haliburton and Hastings.  Highlands East plows only to the top of the mill hill, to the turnabout.  Sometimes they use a grader to Tusk--wish they did more!
   There is a need for grates to protect the culvert from beavers.  If you have grates, like stove grates, drop them off by a culvert next spring, or sooner if around.

Power out

At 6:55 a.m. power was out for 869 customers.  Very windy.  Power back on at 9:30 am.

Snowbirds (feathered)

Large flock of snowbirds have arrived in the area with their brown and white plumage.  Heron still at the lake. 

July 6, 1899

From Bob Lyon's book, Touring the Past, A guide to Old mines, ghost towns and historic sites of North Hasting.  Quoted from Bancroft Times.
    A woman evangelist in an address the other day said: 'There is a man in this house who is untrue to his wife.  I am going to throw this hymn book at him.'  She raised the book as if she was going to thrown it, and every man but one ducked his head to avoid the book.  Then she blistered the dodgers and lauded the one true man.  It was afterwards learned that he was deaf and dumb.

Just to pick berries!

The following story, by Doreen (Townsend) Oakes, was recorded by Valerie Smith in her book, Harcourt's Sons and Daughters (2003).  This is surely true, but still incredible, since very few people these days would ever think of this 'journey' to get berries.
     "Every summer was a busy time doing down preserves.  We picked strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, rhubarb and cranberries.  A lot of time we found raspberries and blueberries on vacant farms and in areas where there had been previous log cuts.  Sometimes we left at dawn (from Harcourt), walked to Elephant Lake, took the row boat across Elephant Lake, up the York River to Benoir Lake, walked up the hill to Mason Farm, picked raspberries and blackberries.  We would  carry the heavy buckets back down the hill to the shores of Benoir Lake, pile into the boat and Dad would row the boat back down the lake system to Elephant Lake.  We would wearily pile out of the boat, get our buckets and walk all the way back home.  We would not get back until dinner time at night."

Power outage

If power is lost, Hydro One has a great hotline, 800-434-1235.  When you give your phone number, they can detail the number of residents without power and an estimated time of repair.  Very good service.

Ripples or riffles?

The narrows between Elephant Lake and Baptiste Lake is a well known area in the late winter since snowmobiles cross over an extended length of open water for excitement.
    Some people believe it is called the "Ripples".  But actually, historical maps and descriptions call it the "Riffles". 
     In the book Touring The Past, by Bob Lyons, he mentions a family moving to the "Riffles" in 1929 to try farming, but no roads.  And, one of the children "got some schooling by walking the four miles to 'the north school' at Highland Grove."  Could that have been along a concession road that is now called Clarke Rd?  But before there was a road?

Moose results

The one week of hunting moose with guns has resulted, in our area, of one bull calf and one adult bull being harvested.  Although the hunters reported many cows with calf, there were no tags available for them.  One bull moose tag was not filled.
     One large bear was reported in the area.
    Two weeks of hunting for deer start the first Monday in November.

Smart students, smarter teacher

This reference comes from Harcourt's Sons and Daughters.  Don Outram outlines an incident, early 1960's,  recorded by Valerie Smith.
    "Don recalls at one time they had a Miss Bierworth from Bancroft come to teach them.  She had a unique way to discipline certain classroom misbehaviour.  It appears each spring one student or the other would pick some wild leeks and bring them to school.  As Don recalls, "if you ate the leeks your breath would smell terrible, so the teacher would make you take your desk and workbook out in the hall.  Sometimes half the room would be out there.  One of the boys tried this trick on Miss Bierworth.  It did not work.  She went to her desk, pulled out a paper bag and took out a hand full of leeks.  She ate a piece and then passed the bag around to the rest of us to eat.  No one tried that trick again."

                    (Perhaps more meetings should have leeks available in the spring.)

Times change

An interesting piece of information from the 1939 Harcourt School register.
  
     "On November 12 our enterprising Board installed for School use  a new Marconi Radio which throughout the winter months and balance of the year proved to be a very interesting and inspiring teaching innovation.  All credit to a Board so progressive in outlook as to sponsor this newist of teaching aids for the improvement of an outlying District.  One result being in December Kennaway School showed the best percentage of attendance of all Schools in the area."

(from Valerie Smiths's book, Harcourt's Sons and Daughters, 2003)

That was 74 years ago.  Imagine what a 'progressive improvement' could be in 2087.

Northern Pike

Northern pike, (Esox lucius, Linneaeus) is a spring spawner, taking place after the ice melts in April to early May, with water temperature 40-52 degrees F.  Spawning usually during daylight on heavily vegetated floodplains of rivers and bays.  They swim through and over vegetation often no deeper than 7 inches. Eggs hatch in 12-14 days and remain attached to vegetation.  Often 6 inches long by the end of summer.  In Georgian Bay, a pike 18 to 31 inches is around 3 years old and weighs between 1.5 and 8.5 pounds.
     Early spawning, faster growth make the pike dominant over muskellunge when found together, keeping the muskie population limited.
                          (from Freshwater Fishes of Canada, Scott and Crossman, 1973)

High Falls (lower)

This dam is at the output of Baptiste Lake.

    "Surprisingly, a large part of Baptiste Lake is man-made.  The early logging company of Harris and Bronson built the first substantial wooden dam at the outlet of the lake in 1866.  The waters backed up to create LaVallee Bay, flooded Redmond flats, and widened the York River which joined Baptiste Lake to Elephant Lake on the north.  All this to drive logs in one huge lake system from Harcourt Township and the present Algonquin Park, to the lower York River and Bancroft."
(from, Touring the Past, A guide to old mines, ghosts towns and historic sites of North Hastings, by Bob Lyons, 2012)

Interesting to know what Elephant 'Lake' looked like before it was a body of water we see today.
Another High Falls exists on the York River as it comes out of Algonqin Park.

World War II

During World War II the I. B. & O (Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa railroad) carried German prisoners of war into Harcourt to to taken in to work at the Standard Chemical logging camp on the western side of Elephant Lake.
(from Valerie Smith's Harcourt's Sons and Daughters book, 2003)

History

This book by Valerie Smith (2003) is a wealth of historical information about Harcourt and the surrounding areas.  One copy is found at the Highland Grove library.  The author lives in Lindsay and attempts are being made to find how to purchase this book.

Public boat launch

The Municipality of Dysart et al lists a public boat launch at 5807 Elephant Lake Road.  There is a 911 sign that has 5807 and 5809.  Another sign says "Arch's".  This lane leads to the lake.  This photo seems to be the place.  It is not a concrete pad and a clear turning area seems to be difficult due to a series of docks on piles on the north side and vehicle(s) on the other side, close to a cottage.  Some have stated that a parking area is present and the municipality has

been asked about this.  Stay tuned.

Telephone problem

Last weekend and for 4 more days the Bell service to the island was out.  It was reported that a fisherman's boat near the old Elephant Lake Lodge struck some Bell equipment, perhaps due to low water.  Repaired on Friday.
     When telephone problems develop, a resident can determine if the problem is in the residence or outside.  Telephone lines run to the exterior of the cottage into a grey box.  The lower half of the box says 'customer'.  If you open this flap, a regular telephone snap in connection can be lifted out and a hand phone with a similar connection can be put into the connection.  If you have a signal, that means that the line running away from the residence is in good shape and the problem is inside the cottage.  If no signal, then the line service line is 'dead'.  Phone 611 for repairs.

Post Elephant Lake Lodge

Elephant Lake Lodge has become Camp Eden Woods for the last few years.  They have a web site with details for accepting campers.   www.campedenwoods.com.  and info@campedenwoods.com.

Conservation officer again

Once again the conservation officer travelled Clarke Road, this time finding a ruff grouse hunter in the area.   Small game license produced and everything was fine. 
     There have been lots of reports of moose and deer in the area.  Moose hunting starts next week and deer starts the first Monday in November.

Water levels in lake

Your email has been re-directed to our office for response as we are the lead office for water control at the Baptiste Lake dam. Our Sr. Operations Technician, Paul Shalla, is our contact for dam operations and water control and he can be reached via email to paul.shalla@ontario.ca or by phone at (613) 332-3940 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (613) 332-3940 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext.208. I have also copied him on this email so he is aware of your interest

Fire exemption from chief

Thank you Mr. Wingrove. I will post it on a blog I have for our cottagers. One question. I process maple sap in the spring on a firepit which is not in a shed. But sap flows well into April. Does the fire ban also apply to this activity. There are several cottagers that have small fires for this activity and this seems to be safe since the ground is extremly wet from the melted snow. The sites are always monitored during the process. Maybe there should be an exemption for this activity through municipal bylaw

There is an exemption, all it takes is a phone call to your chief and he will set everything up for you, we have a chef who smokes fish over outdoor fires and l call dispatch so if a complaint comes in l can phone him and there's no need to send trucks. If there is a burn ban on then no fires at all

 

 

Chief's response

From: "Bill Wingrove" <bwingrove@highlandseast.ca>
To: johnjamieson11@hughes.net
Sent: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 10:11:26 PM
Subject: Burning

‎If a call comes from 911 l will send a truck for a burn complaint and charge the person 410.00, if it comes over the phone l pass it on to your chief in Haliburton. We cover your area through agreement and that's why we only have jurisdiction through 911. There is no daytime burning until Nov 1st to April 1st.

Higgs Boson spotted

     Several reports by cottagers seeing a Higgs boson resulted in several scientists and religious leaders visiting the area to search for the 'god' particle yesterday. 
    The particle is very elusive and difficult to see or trap.  They advised that approaching the boson should be done very carefully since it is very energetic and has the ability to change its form into something totally different, often massive.
     Don't call 911 if you find the boson.  Please notify the authorities or a religious leader.

Hunter's moon

      The Hunter's moon is Friday, Oct. 18.  The moon will rise right at sunset and persist through the night to sunrise.  Since it creates great lighting, apparently it allows night time hunting for aboriginals.
      The Harvest moon, Sept. 19 this year, is defined as the full moon closest to fall equinox, Sept 22 this year.  Thus, by definition, the Hunter's moon is the first moon past the Harvest moon.
      The Hunter's moon should allow you to see deer and moose on the road slightly better.  Make sure you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle in case of an accident. 
       An aside to fisherpeople.  According to moon folklore, Oct. 4-18 are the best for fishing.
       An aside to ATVers.  If stopped by a conservation officer, you should have a licence plate and be able to prove insurance and ownership if stopped outside your property.

Asian long-horned beetle

     Canadian Food Inspection Agency has found this pest's presence around Pearson airport in September.  The beetle attacks hardwood species, especially maple, but also enjoys elm, birch, poplar, and mountain ash among others.
     Larvae burrow into the trees and leave dime-size holes when they emerge as adults about 3 centimeters long.  The larvae feed on the green inner bark and the exit holes leave the tree weakened and unhealthy.  Death occurs in a few years.
     The beetle flies only short distances and the transport of cut wood is the main mechanism of transport.
     The department of Agriculture declared this pest eradicated in late 2007 after 30,000 trees were removed in the Vaughan-Toronto border.  But the present infestation seems to be new and not related to the past problems.
     (information from the Toronto Star, Oct. 3, 2013)

     So, don't transport cut firewood from any area to your cottage!  There is lots of local wood.

Spring bear hunt?

       The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters are advocating the restoration of a spring bear hunt to target boar (male) bears.  This is in response to several attacks on humans.  Boar bears become more predatory as they get older and agressive to humans, sows and her cubs.  Trapping and relocating bears usually results in bears returning.
     The hunt generates about $40 million in revenue for rural communities through licences and outfitting.
      (information from The Peterborough Examinator, Oct. 3, 2013)

Ministry visit

       The Ministry of Natural Resources from Minden came in Clarke Road to the island.  The conservation officer was checking for possible dumping of sand on beaches, bow hunting for moose (new to our unit 57 this year), and ATVers wearing helmets.
       They can be contacted at 1-877-TIPS-MNR.

Burning dates

Perhaps a problem for the people who make maple syrup outside a building in the 'old' traditional way.  The sap always runs in the month of April.  Actually, a firetruck probably could not access the 'open' fire on our cottage road. 

Spot the deer?

This is new

This year the tops of the soybeans, leaves, have been nipped off.  It seems that the deer have discovered a new salad to enjoy.  First time this has happened in 4 years.

Burning bylaw

A visit to the Highlands East municipal office has discovered that violating the daytime burning bylaw can be expensive. If the fire department is called out, the cost is $410 per hour per truck. It is difficult to respond to our area in less than an hour, which means over an hour per truck.

Maximum colour

This last weekend in September and Oct 1 have the maximum amount of forest colour and lack of leaf fall.

Land registry

     A question was asked about the land registry office and how to access information about property.  A credit card is all that is needed to find 'lots' of information through their computerized system.  A Book of Wills is also available to check out property that has been passed on due to death.  Files of deed are also available for viewing by the public.
    Over the next few weeks this blogsite will describe in some detail about exactly how to use the system.
     Easements and right-aways, always a headache, may be slightly elucidated, but they are difficult.
     Contact me if specific information is requested.

Starting up

This site will look at the interesting activities, events, locations, climate, etc. around the lake.