Snow midway up our minivan’s tires was not how I expected our summer weekend to start. But we were determined to find the quintessential summer camping experience and no amount of getting lost, getting stuck, or being cold was going to stop us. – Story by MEC staffer Jess
When the first new camping and paddleboard products arrived at MEC in early May, it was our first chance to get some photos of the stuff in action. We’re not ones to shy away from mixing work with pleasure, so why not combine shooting photos with a weekend camping/paddleboarding trip? We grabbed some friends, loaded up a minivan with gear and food, and made a pact that summer was nothing more than a mindset: if we wanted a summer camping trip, then regardless of snow, rain or overnight frost, a summer camping experience we would have.
But standing behind the minivan, trying to shove it out of a particularly soul-crushing snowy rut, I realized that we might really be pushing the season. We’d picked Conkle Lake Provincial Park for its beauty as much as its predisposition for sunshine, but it was starting to feel like we could be paddleboading on a frozen lake.
Getting stuck on the way in (and for some people, getting lost) left us feeling a bit deflated when we reached the park. We set up our tents in the dark and waited for the last set of headlights to swing into the campsite. Finally, everyone arrived. Bundled, head-lamped, and tired. We reunited around the fire, and broke the seal on the box of wine.
Let the summer begin.
Setting the scene
Our summer-seeking couldn’t have happened without our location. Conkle Lake was not a place any of us had ever been before, and the majority of us had rolled in when it was dark. But when we woke up, Conkle Lake – remote, calm, green and wild – did not disappoint.
We had it all at Conkle Lake: the trees, the beach, the lake, the view. Even Stanley, our resident camp dog, was in awe of it all.
That said, all of the beauty in the world can’t negate overnight lows of 3°C. We made it tolerable with the right combo of merino, handwarmers, and clothes shoved into our sleeping bags, but we knew that seeing our breath in the morning meant there was going to be a particular briskness to the air and a line-up at the fire pit for the always-boiling pot of water.
Blankets around you or a dog on top of you are a couple of strategies to stay warm.
Memories frozen in time
Drinking our coffee, surrounded by trees and looking out on a glass-smooth lake made it pretty hard to believe that the water could possibly be that cold. It looked so calm and welcoming. We grabbed the boards to attempt a lake venture.
Oh, it was cold. As in, who knew that water could even possibly feel that frigid and still be a liquid?
We opted for a new plan: hold the paddling, we’ll stick to the beach and take photos for now.
When the afternoon sun kicked in, hints of summer started to happen. We shed the fleece blankets and set up the slackline to see what all the hype’s about – to confirm, it’s about core and nimble feet – and played a game of cards where no one was totally clear on the rules. Our resident camp dog, nine-month-old Stanley, tackled his first-ever swim, which prompted us to rethink on our previous swearing off of the water. Bryan paddled from one edge of the lake to the other and Noel skipped a rock that travelled for like, 20 hops.
Ah slacklining. An elusive mastery of balance, speed, agility. And actually, the tautness of the line is fairly important too.
As the sun dipped behind the trees, a campfire seemed like the best way to welcome the night. We sat around eating sticky s’mores, picking soot out of our quinoa, and muttering “white rabbit” while trying to remember who won Season 16 of Big Brother. It felt like an August or September camping trip, just with an extra layer of merino.
We found it
Our existence in this tree-lined, mountain-enclosed space seemed almost solitary, like we’d stumbled into the camping world’s best kept secret. Though were still one week out from the park’s official opening – and it was chilly enough for my mug to freeze to the picnic table overnight – we managed to find summer at Conkle Lake. All it took was a weekend away with a group of friends, day-long campfires, morning loon calls, and a bit of dirt under our nails.
The getting lost, getting stuck and being cold was worth it. We’d found summer.
To get set up for your own summer camping excursion, check out the gear that supported our adventure.
