Each year we give a yearly rundown of some of the biggest news while looking ahead to the next year. Join us as we portage to 2021!

Top 10 Most Read Articles in 2020

Last year’s top articles highlighted companies such as MEC, Nova Craft and Ontario Parks… this year at Traversing.ca, the most read articles were...

#10 - Gear Review: Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties

What’s not to love about space-age technology in your camping gear (especially for winter camping)?!

#9 - Trail Mix: Requiem For Mountain Equipment Co-op

2020 has been awfully rough for retail, and sadly we haven’t even seen the full impact yet. One business that has had a slow descent is Mountain Equipment Co-op and after it was suddenly sold to private U.S. investment firm Kingswood Capital Management, it will no longer be the co-op we knew and loved… so we wrote a little requiem to share a little of our heart-ache.

#8 - SAIL Closing 4 Stores In Quebec & 2 In Ontario

Canadian retailer SAIL hasn’t been fairing too well either and after the reality of the pandemic arose, they quickly announced that six stores would be closing in order to keep afloat.

#7 - Join Tori Baird And "Paddle Like A Girl"

We’re used to seeing Jim Baird appear in our newsfeed (and eagerly await the videos of all of his adventures), but this year his wife Tori Baird was amongst our most read articles instead. Tori kicked off her own business to provide courses “by women for women” to learn how to go on backcountry canoe trips. Kudos to you Tori and congrats on also becoming a Nova Craft ambassador!

#6 - Ontario Parks Releases Official QEII Camping, Canoeing & Campsite Map

After many years in the making, Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park (known as QEII) is getting closer to becoming a fully operating park. For years we’ve had a strong advocate from Brad Jennings at Explore the Backcountry (including his very own map of the area) but now Ontario Parks has released their own official map.

#5 - Paddle Maker 'Hunter and Harris' Announces They Are Closing

We were truly sad when we heard that Milan had decided to close his paddle making business Hunter and Harris. We will cherish our ‘Norseman’ paddle and admire his attention to detail as I’m sure all of the other paddle owners will agree. Best of luck in future endeavours!

#4 - Ontario Bans Crown Land Camping In Response To COVID-19

The Ontario government’s decision to close backcountry camping on crown land sure led to many online debates (many of the same debates return again now that Ontario is in lockdown). In an attempt to alleviate the already overburdened healthcare system (as well as prevent accidental exposures) many took it as an attack on an individual’s right to go camping when/where they pleased. While spending time outdoors is a must to keep physically active and to keep a positive mental attitude, there simply wasn’t room for people who got accidentally injured while out in the backcountry.

Sadly, after the ban was lifted, crown land also saw a huge uptick in visitors who also didn’t abide to the Leave no Trace methodology and social media was chock full of photos of all of the garbage left behind and green trees cut down for fires and makeshift shelters. Hopefully campers will be a little more diligent in 2021.

#3 - How COVID-19 Has Impacted The Canadian Canoe Industry

We still are incredibly thankful for the honest and heartfelt answers that canoeing businesses gave us when we asked them how they were fairing during the pandemic. Initially the outlook wasn’t promising. Stay tuned for our follow-up with the same businesses now that we’ve gone through an entire canoeing season.

#2 - 2020 Canoeing Photo Contest

One of our favourite things to look forward to each year at Traversing is looking at your photo entries. Year after year you never disappoint and this year saw some some rather creative entries as well.

#1 - Ontario Parks To Reopen Frontcountry Camping And Beaches

It really felt like a long time coming since frontcountry and backcountry camping was closed at the start of the pandemic. Once it was re-opened, it felt like one step towards normalcy again. When international travel was off the table in 2020, interprovincial travel became a huge trend! People were getting out in droves to explore places in their own ‘backyards’ and see what their province had to offer. Across Canada, anything related to camping that ranged from RV rentals all the way to fuel canisters were hard to come by. This pent up desire for the outdoors stressed many provincial camping reservation systems (including crashing a few. Alberta Parks’ reservations were up 5000%!!) and left many people angry or without Summer travel plans. Since this will be the new norm in 2021, hopefully things will go a little smoother.

So What Else Happened in 2020?…

We didn’t come out with many videos this year, instead concentrating on just enjoying each and every trip we took. We had the best intention of a great paddling season kicking off the year with a livestream (we hope to do more in the future!)…

We also wanted to bring some levity to the seriousness of the pandemic with our “Thumbs Down to COVID-19” which guest starred Kevin Callan, Preston Ciere and Marian Godfrey-Sonntag.

We also went on a solo trip to Algonquin and fought the winds to bring you this canoeing video…

Store Closures…

Along with the six SAIL stores closing and one MEC store, there were a few mom & pop shops that closed in 2020. Timbers Outfitters in Seaforth, Ontario and Higher Ground in Toronto closed (retirement) after being in business for 33 years. Thorncrest Outfitters in Southampton & Tobermory is for sale.