CRAZY ABOUT CAMPING
COVID-weary Canadians flood parks
In the summer of COVID-19, Canadians are finding a new love of wilderness, flocking to the backcountry in record numbers while outdoor stores’ camping gear is snapped up faster than a plate of s’mores.
Demand for backcountry campsites in Ontario’s provincial parks is up 29 per cent from a year ago, while the National Capital Commission calls the influx of visitors to Gatineau Park in the summer of 2020 “unprecedented.”
The Twitter feed for the popular Sandbanks Provincial Parks in Prince Edward County hints at the frustration felt by staff … and visitors.
“There has been a lot of honking this morning. This is a four-way intersection; wait your turn in line,” park staff pleaded last Saturday.
Across the province at Bruce Peninsula National Park, staff say they’ve turned away more than 5,000 cars full of hikers wanting to reach the park’s ecologically sensitive grotto on the Niagara Escarpment since Aug. 1.
The boom has been good for retailers hoping to rebound from the weeks-long COVID spring shutdown.
“Our camping gear sales are up right across the board,” said Jason Yarrington, co-owner of Ottawa’s Trailhead Paddleshack. “Tents, sleeping bags and all the kit that goes with it like cook kits, cups, water purifiers …
“Dehydrated food has been absolutely bonkers. It’s 10, 15 times more than last year.”
Canoes, kayaks and standup paddleboards are sold almost as soon as their arrival is posted online, Yarrington said.
“You’re physically isolated on the water. It’s impossible to get closer than six feet when you’re paddling,” he said.
Bushtukah general manager Dave Morton said demand for travel luggage at his store had fallen through the floor, with customers opting for wilderness gear.
“We’ve seen a complete 180degree shift.”
And, even though Labour Day marks the traditional end of summer, the booming sales of outdoor gear shows no sign of slowing.
“Who knows what the fall will bring, but we’re already getting people asking about cross-country skis because they don’t want to miss out like they did on bikes,” Morton said.
OK, you’ve got the gear. Now where do you go? Ontario Parks says reservations for “front country” car-camping sites are up seven per cent from a year ago, while others for “backcountry” hike-in or paddle-in sites have jumped 29 per cent.
“We’re seeing a big rush to spend time outside,” said Sarah McMichael, a marketing manager with Ontario Parks.
“We still have some space, but the weekends are very busy. We’re encouraging people to look at booking mid-week or further into the shoulder seasons. Or maybe they have to travel a couple of hours longer than they usually would or consider going to a new park that they’ve never visited before.”
Parks Ontario has eased its penalties for cancellation, meaning spots in popular parks like Algonquin, Killbear or Killarney can come open at the last minute, she said.
Compounding the problem is that some parks have reduced capacity to keep visitors and staff safe from COVID-19, she said.
Nowhere has the problem of overcrowding been more acute than in Gatineau Park. Last weekend the NCC began closing its Meech Lake parking lots between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., drawing the ire of endurance swimmers who would head to the lake before dawn for pre-work swims. Last weekend, the road to Meech Lake was jammed by earlybirds seeking coveted parking spots.
The NCC said the overnight closure was necessary because staff had seen “multiple violations of fire safety guidelines, local noise bylaws and swimming guidelines.”
The NCC said it was too early to know if the temporary closure had any benefit and said it deployed police and conservation officers to direct traffic at peak times. The NCC plans to hold public consultations in the coming months to find a solution for the distance swimmers.
Trailhead’s Yarrington said Gatineau Park had been most affected by this summer’s rush into the wild. It’s close to Ottawa and offers an easy experience for hiking and paddling novices.
“Gatineau Park is taking the brunt of it. If you go to Meech Lake, it’s just a disaster now,” he said.
But, for those willing to go further afield, there are still plenty of spots to find solitude. Yarrington has been to Algonquin, Killarney and Samuel de Champlain parks and paddled on the Ottawa River.
“It was busier than normal, but it wasn’t unacceptable,” he said. “I’m happy to see more people out on the water. I love that fact that more people are paddling and taking to nature.”