Trip Report: Freezing Woman 7
This is my trip report for Freezing Woman 7 that took place November 20th–23rd, 2025 in Algonquin Park. Please read to the end for next year’s dates, a tale of terror, and some additional wonderful community events you might be interested in during 2026. We were fortunate to have the best weather ever for Freezing Woman! It was mild, and the sun even made an appearance! ☀️
Group Picture from Freezing Woman 7
Freezing Woman 7 was 4 days of fun, learning, connection, and community for 350+ of us. Freezing Woman has never been about numbers, but the growth and participation are great feedback. We also have the explicit feedback in. Thank you to those who took a few moments to complete our feedback survey - the results are now available.
I wrote this report to celebrate the people who helped make Freezing Woman 7 magical. Deep gratitude to the speakers, workshop hosts, activity hosts, and paid members who chip in to help cover costs. I also wrote this report to offer a glimpse into why we keep heading out into the cold, year after year.
We can all do things solo - camp, hike, create and that solitude is good for the soul. AND, community enhances things. It provides a circle of trust, a broad body of expertise to tap into, and potential for wonderful friendships.
Seasoned experts and first-timers may not otherwise meet. Freezing Woman is a place where we are all peers and equals for sharing and learning. This helps us all grow. It is also a space where many of us can find our "peeps." The friendships that form can last a lifetime of adventures.
I saw this spirit in action immediately this year. Upon arrival, a few people realized they had forgotten essential gear items. It happens to the best of us! In true community fashion, others rallied immediately to help out, ensuring everyone was set up and safe. While we strive to be fully independent - that is the safety net of the community.
Choose Your Own Adventure!
One of the hallmarks of Freezing Woman is the choose-your-own-adventure menu of activities. We had an incredible lineup this year. Here is a snapshot of the schedule we enjoyed:
Hikes: From the beginner-friendly Bat Lake and Hemlock Bluff to the strenuous but rewarding Centennial Ridges and Track & Tower trails.
Skills Workshops: We learned about essential knots, food dehydration, winter layering, hot tenting, the physics of a proper bear hang, and much more.
Lifestyle & Culture: We explored getting outdoors with kids, showcased Ontario Parks gems, and mapped our place in the natural world.
Food: We had campfire pizza making and of course, the communal meals like the newcomer welcome stew on Thursday, the Potluck on Friday, and more.
The Market: See below for my write up on our significantly expanded market including author book signings, the used gear sale, and maker fair.
The Highlights: Fire, Ice, and Legends
This year was filled with a number of moments that I will carry with me for a long time. And a few bumps along the way. 🤦♀️ 🤣
A brief, but fortunately quickly solved issue
We faced a little hiccup early on. The park water supply wasn’t potable initially. I reached out to the park, even though I was sure they already knew. Fortunately it was fixed by Thursday afternoon. We rolled with it. And thanks so much to the park for acting so fast. We really appreciated it.
A Moment of Terror
I am a very light sleeper. On Thursday night, in the wee hours, I heard my hot tent zipper jingle, and started going up slowly. The slow speed was very strange. I could hear Sheila, my tent buddy, asleep, so suddenly I was alert. I assumed it was someone mistaking the warming tent for my smaller hot tent, so I said “this isn’t the warming tent”. No answer. The zipper had paused, and the zipper pull had jingled as it was let go of.
I thought, OK, that’s odd. A bit rude for whomever it was to not respond. But whatever, I could see someone mortified and backing away sheepishly. Except a moment or two later, the zipper started slowly going up again. Alarmed, I grabbed a flashlight, turning it on and aiming it at the door to the tent. The zipper was a good 30 cm unzipped now. My pulse raced, my mouth went dry as I stared at the very noticeable gap, trying to make out any details in the darkness beyond while I tried to puzzle out what was happening. Time seemed to stand still as my mind raced with what would happen next.
I was startled as suddenly there was a snout and claws in the gap. Terror turned to amusement, and a bit of annoyance. I couldn’t tell precisely what kind of animal it was, but the confirmation it was an animal helped my racing imagination snap back. I know Mew Lake often has Pine Martens that patrol the campground, so that was my first thought.
I went to the door, zipped it closed, and unzipped the second zipper at the top of the tent door. I grabbed our firewood sling nearby, and leaned it against the lower zip and the door. I figured that would keep the critter from coming back in. Only about 40 minutes later, I heard surprise and alarm as Sheila said “Fur!”, and was trying to shoo whatever it was. The animal had lifted up the skirt of the hot tent, and pushed into the tent with us! She grabbed her flashlight, finally getting a good look at our invader. It was a raccoon! 🦝
She “battled” the raccoon, waving things at it, hissing at it, and speaking sharply for a few minutes. Unfortunately, it wasn’t working. The raccoon was very bold, and kept pushing back into the tent. I put my boots on, and went out and around to the side of the tent, and pretended to try and catch the raccoon. It ran away, ducking under vehicles to try to escape. I outsmarted it a bit, heading it off twice giving it a good scare before it left our campsite at top speed. I would absolutely never have hurt it of course. But I wanted it to feel afraid, for its own sake.
I felt badly as perhaps 30 minutes later I heard other campers speaking loudly to it, and one camper was even clanging pots together.
The little rascal came back again Friday night. It unzipped the zipper even faster, and was fully in our tent about a meter. That time, I lunged at it menacingly with sharp words, and gave chase. It didn’t bother us again that night. Fortunately, Saturday night it did not return so we could get a better sleep. This was the first time I’d ever had an animal come into my hot tent, so that was surprising and memorable! We talked about it as a group around the campfire, and weighed the merits of the approach I took, against other ideas. Clearly it has been acclimatized to humans, which is never good for wild animals.
The Stew and Newcomer Welcome
Thursday night’s Newcomer Welcome and Stew was a highlight for me. The stew turned out great, and meeting the new faces around the campfire reminded me why we do this every year. As a delightful thing, a fair number of the newcomers were from Hamilton. Who knows if the name will stick as the “Soo Crew” name seems to have, but I affectionately dubbed them “The Hammer Squad”. 💜
I later met some people from Montreal that came to Freezing Woman as well. That’s amazing! It’d be fantastic to welcome more people from Québec. And we’ll continue trying to rally people from Ottawa to nurture the local community there.
Community Gatherings
A massive thank you to the Soo Crew for organizing the Potluck again this year! It was wonderful to see everyone come together on Friday night. There is something primal and bonding about sharing food around a campfire.
The Potluck Dinner, hosted by The Soo Crew. Photo credit: Mary Banks
The Market
The Market: Friday afternoon was buzzing at the Lester Smith Community Centre. It was a joy to support regional makers and innovative gear vendors, including Lure of the North Outfitters (traditional winter gear), Boreal Outdoor Innovations (custom metalwork), Spirit Tree Paddle Company (handcrafted paddles), Headwaters Wilderness Program (wilderness education), Dash N Dale Custom Leather (beautiful leather goods), and more.
Author Book Signings: It was a privilege to chat with outdoor legends Kevin Callan, Hap Wilson, and Jill Heinerth as they signed books for eager readers.
The Polar Bear Dip
We had a bit of a curveball this year: Mew Lake was already frozen! It has been mild the last few years so we didn’t need to worry about this. But the ice didn’t stop us. We cut a hole in the ice so the brave souls could do their thing. For my part, I am firmly a “support human” during the Polar Bear Dip myself, holding a towel and robe, but I cheer for those that do take the plunge. 🤩
Photo credits: Jill Heinerth - closeups, and Cheryl Benstead - wide view of the lake
Legends of the Water
The keynote talks on Saturday were, simply put, legendary. We hosted Jill Heinerth and Becky Mason. The talks were incredible, and the feedback has been glowing. I know I really enjoyed them myself. And both Jill and Becky are fantastic people - so warm, friendly, and talented. They were excellent speakers too.
Leading up to the talks, I was admittedly nervous. Park staff had warned me their A/V system was broken, meaning I had to haul in and set up our own fully independent system. This meant setting up mixers, speakers, microphones, and projector on a very tight timeline. I wasn't entirely sure I could pull it off in time so we could have an environment worthy of such incredible speakers. Thankfully, the setup went smoothly, and the relief allowed me to fully immerse myself in the talks.
Becky Mason
Becky Mason shared a beautiful collection of personal stories from her family, recounting wilderness canoe adventures she went on growing up. It was touching to hear how her father challenged her and her brother, yet always maintained an unwavering faith in them.
Jill Heinerth
Jill Heinerth took us from the surface into the depths of the earth, underwater. Her work is very similar to being an astronaut, only underwater, on earth. What really resonated with me was hearing how she reinvented herself from a talented artist and graphic design business owner to a world-renowned diver collaborating on incredible science. She spoke candidly about facing misogyny and overcoming it, which was deeply inspiring. It was also wonderful to hear about the deep respect she demonstrates for Indigenous communities in her work.
A Moment of Deep Gratitude
On Saturday evening, we held a dinner at BongoPix Tavern in Whitney to honour the people who make this event possible—our speakers, workshop hosts, activity hosts, and volunteers. If you have not been yet, it is such an incredible space. With so much atmosphere!
The food was absolutely delicious, thanks to the incredible talents of Bongo and Andrea (fist bump to my name buddy). Their live music was fantastic too! To everyone who volunteered their time, energy, and skills: Thank You. You are the backbone of the event. Freezing Woman is not just about camping; it’s about givers acting in service to the community.
Photo credits: Cheryl Benstead, Mary Banks, Andrea Ross
The most wholesome thing ever!
When I returned to camp Saturday evening, I heard quiet voices from the warming tent. I went to say hello, and as I unzipped the door, I was surprised and delighted to see a packed house of amazing women knitting and crocheting together! I was exhausted, and only meant to stay a few moments, but ended up chatting with everyone for a while, savouring the delightful vibe. This was new for Freezing Woman 7, but I’m hoping it’ll be back next year. I’ll bring my knitting too! 🧶
The Knitting and Crochet circle. Photo Credit: Deborah Twigg
Sweet Sweet Sleep
With all of my official duties finally complete, I slept deeply Saturday night. I struggled to sleep Thursday, and Friday night. Though the raccoon invading didn’t help! I think I was also running through all the details over and over, hoping everything would go according to plan so that everyone would have fun. The A/V system set up for the keynote talks was top of mind for sure. 😴
Real Talk: Challenges Happen
I always try to be transparent in these reports because social media often only shows the highlight reel. This year, there was a bit of a mishap. My campsite mate, Kath called to me urgently on Saturday morning. The chimney for the wood stove in the warming tent had fallen over, resulting in a burn on the tent fabric. It was sad to see the damage to a new piece of gear. I told myself “I don’t have time to cry right now” - the show must go on. I learned from it and will ensure the pipe segments are very well seated, and the chimney is anchored strongly in the future to hopefully avoid this ever happening again. It’s just a thing, and can be repaired. I am especially glad no one was hurt!
Burn damage on the Mega Crew Hot Tent. Photo Credit: Andrea Ross
Gear Geekery
New gear this year:
I bought a Mega Crew (with my own money, no discount) from Lure of the North Outfitters thinking the tent might be that destination/ default place to go for Freezing Woman. I also have a new stove for it on the way too. Thank you to Boreal Outdoor Innovations for loaning me a stove for FW7 - my new stove I bought won’t be ready for a bit longer. While expensive, I am glad I have them for Freezing Woman, and other events, including the emergency response work I do.
The New Mega Crew Hot Tent rocked! It was so nice to see people hanging out in it, and it was a great space for the workshops. It was also a default place to go if someone didn’t have plans and wanted to find others to connect with.
New Knife Sheath: I’ve been seeking a trustworthy leather worker for a while to make a sheath for my knife. Lee-Anne from Dash N Dale Custom Leather made one for me, and it is amazing! Secure, accessible, and absolutely beautiful. I literally had goosebumps when I saw it, it is so beautiful and more than I could have hoped for.
I am sure I have forgotten many important things in my report. Please do reach out and let me know, as I’m happy to update it. Above all, I want to thank those who shared their knowledge, time, and effort to make Freezing Woman 7 the best one yet!
Find Your Peeps All Year Long
Freezing Woman is our largest marquee event, but the Ripples and Leaves community is hoppin’ all year round. You don't have to wait until next November to find this camaraderie!
We have curated a calendar of events to keep us connected through every season. If you are looking for that circle of trust, and wonderful people, come join us.
Dark Skies and Chai (December) ⭐️
The Vibe: Winter stargazing on Manitoulin Island.
The Plan: We head to a designated Night Sky Preserve for a unique camping experience. We’ll sip warm chai, watch the spectacular winter stars, and enjoy the deep peace of the island in December.
The Vibe: Intimate, cozy, and communal.
The Plan: We head to Killbear Provincial Park for a small-group winter camp. We trade the scale of the festival for the warmth of a single hot tent where we cook, eat, and laugh together. Perfect for experienced campers who love connection.
Sleds and Stories (February) 🛷
The Vibe: Backcountry soul nourishment.
The Plan: We sled our gear into Frontenac Provincial Park to set up a base camp. The focus here is authentic connection—gathering around the wood stove for storytelling, stargazing, and warmed hearts.
Lures and Loons (May) 🎣
The Vibe: Spring paddling and lake-to-plate skills.
The Plan: We head to the iconic waters of Temagami for a backcountry paddling adventure. The focus here is on demystifying fishing. We’ll cover the full experience—catching, cleaning, and cooking—so you can enjoy the satisfaction of a fresh shore lunch you caught yourself.
Snails on Trails (September) 🐌
The Vibe: Slow, mindful, and supportive.
The Plan: A beginner-friendly backpacking trip where the journey matters more than the destination. No land speed records here—just great scenery and a supportive community to help you learn the ropes.
The Vibe: Autumn colours and paddling partners.
The Plan: An intermediate flat-water paddling trip celebrating the beauty of fall. We form a "snake" of boats on the water and enjoy a choose-your-own-adventure weekend of exploring and relaxing.
And of course, save the dates: Freezing Woman 8 will be November 19th to 22nd, 2026.
It is the supportive and welcoming community that makes these events special. We would love to have you join the Ripples and Leaves community here.
See you in the woods! 🌲 —Andrea
