Our condolences to family, friends and wilderness canoeists – George Luste

Loss of a Legend: George Luste, 1940-2015

Remembering an inveterate wilderness traveler

April 02, 2015By

George-luste

On a snowy February day in Toronto, I’m feeling inadequate standing at the podium in a high-school auditorium—not because of the 500 people in the audience, but for one larger than life man in the front row. Retired physicist George Luste founded theWilderness Canoe Symposium 30 years ago as a way for paddlers to share stories of their northern expeditions and to inspire new trips. The event has the feel of a latter-day Beaver Club—the exclusive gang of fur-traders who explored and mapped Canada in the 18th and 19th century and gathered to chat about it in wintery Montreal.

Following in the paddle strokes of explorers David Thompson, Alexander Mackenzie and Samuel Hearne, Luste spent 55 summers traveling Canada’s far north. He immigrated to Canada from Latvia in 1948 and made his first canoe trip in 1963, a solo journey on Ontario’s Abitibi River. He completed a Ph. D. at Johns Hopkins University before returning to Canada in 1971 for a professorship at the University of Toronto.

Canoeing was Luste’s passion. He paddled Canada’s iconic wilderness rivers—the Missinaibi, Rupert, Eastmain, Kazan, Nahanni, Coppermine, Stikine, and George—often in the company of his wife, Linda, and their children. What’s more, he was part of a group that made the first complete descent of the Dubawnt River in the Canadian barrenlands, pioneered many other multi-watershed routes, and was amongst the last to paddle Labrador’s Grand River before a massive hydroelectric project was completed at Churchill Falls.

Full Article – https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#search/googlealerts-noreply%40google.com/14c829842c123947

Ontario Endorses Northern Ontario Experiences – Trailhead North

Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario

Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario (CNW Group/Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation)

Tourism Experiences Promoted for the 2015 Season

TORONTO, March 5, 2015 /CNW/ – There is no better time than now to explore the great outdoors and tourism experiences in Northern Ontario. Through its current marketing campaign, the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) is encouraging visitors to “Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario” in 2015.

Working with tourism partners from Northern Ontario, the OTMPC campaign shares the endless, unique and awe-inspiring opportunities available in the North. A key piece of the marketing campaign is the distribution of 810,000 copies of the new Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario magazine. The magazine contains a distinctive ‘flip-the-book’ feature with half of the publication dedicated to activities across Northern Ontario’s regions and half dedicated to specific avid experiences such as angling, hunting, power sports touring and outdoor adventures.

The campaign is targeted at visitors from across Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and the United States. Northern Ontariowill be prominently featured at trade and consumer shows focussed on activities popular in the north such as fresh-water fishing, kayaking adventures and motorcycle touring. Urban areas of the North are providing travellers with ideas: visitors can enjoy a boat ride with beautiful scenery during the day, followed by a delicious culinary dinner and festival concert in the evening.

The magazine will also be directly distributed over the next few months to outdoor enthusiast subscribers of magazines such as Outdoor Canada, Maclean’s, Our Canada and National Geographic Traveler (U.S.).

Tourists are encouraged to visit www.ontariotravel.net/north to obtain more information on Northern Ontario tourism experiences and packages.

QUOTES
“With its stunning landscapes and unique tourist attractions, Northern Ontario has long been a special destination for those who have visited. We are lucky to live in a great province with so many cultural, historic and eco experiences at our fingertips and I encourage everyone to enjoy them all. Consider choosing Northern Ontario for your next adventure – it’s closer than you think.”
— Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

“The North is truly one of Ontario’s gems. The beauty of the landscape and the experiences both indoors and outdoors will have visitors raving when they return home. OTMPC is pleased to partner with tourism stakeholders to share all the possibilities that Northern Ontario has to offer.”
Ronald Holgerson, President and CEO, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

Northern Ontario is front and centre with the new campaign launched by the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation. Great outdoor products, cities, towns and attractions are all captured through thoughtful stories about why everyone should visit this part of our province. From fantastic fishing and hunting, touring experiences that are second to none and, of course, our nature and adventure product, the campaign is sure to entice travellers to the North.”
Carol Caputo, Chair, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation Northern Tourism Marketing Committee

Northern Ontario is a vast and inviting region with a diverse and dynamic tourism economy. We are so pleased to have the opportunity to work with OTMPC and our sub-regional partners on this important campaign featuring the Northern experiences that resonate with consumers.”
David MacLachlan, Executive Director, Tourism Northern Ontario

“The best thing about the famous Canadian wilderness is that it’s closer than you think. Just two hours north ofToronto, you will find some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the nation, from iconic Algonquin Park in the east to sparkling Georgian Bay in the west. Head to the Explorers’ Edge region of Ontario to experience this province’s seriously great outdoors in a thousand spectacular ways.”
James Murphy, Executive Director, Explorers’ Edge

QUICK FACTS

  • Visitors can obtain Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario magazine from an Ontario Travel Information Centre, by calling 1-800-ONTARIO, at SAIL stores throughout Ontario and by download.
  • To jointly market the North, OTMPC works in partnership with Regional Tourism Organizations (RTO) Tourism Northern Ontario and Explorers’ Edge, and Northern Destination Marketing Organizations.
  • Visitors are encouraged to share their Ontario tourism experience on Twitter using the hashtag #DiscoverON.
  • Tourism is an important economic driver. 2012 figures indicate that tourism supported over 359,400 jobs and generated$28 billion for Ontario’s economy.
  • Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation is an agency of the Government of Ontario with a vision to positionOntario as a preferred global destination.

LEARN MORE

  • Learn more about Northern Ontario adventures and experiences.
  • Enter the Great Canadian Boreal Forest Adventure Contest.
  • Learn more about OTMPC, its programs and partnership opportunities.

If you do not wish to receive electronic messages regarding OTMPC news, please e-mail otmpc.news@ontario.caindicating “unsubscribe”.

SOURCE Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

Image with caption: “Explore the Possibilities in Northern Ontario (CNW Group/Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation)”. Image available at:http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150305_C4345_PHOTO_EN_12867.jpg

For further information: Lydia McCourt, Corporate Communications Manager, OTMPC, 416-314-6590,lydia.mccourt@ontario.ca, 10 Dundas Street East, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2A1

Ontario Sunset Country – part of the Trailhead North Community!

Great Accommodations in a Wilderness Location

Wildflower alongside hiking trail - Sioux NarrowsIn Ontario’s Sunset Country, you will discover a great choice of accommodations located in a wilderness location. For the fishing party or the family on a summer vacation, the region has a wide variety of lodges and resorts to choose from. You can go to a drive in facilityand this gives you the option of bringing your own boat. These locations also offer boat rentals if you would rather go that route. For something different, why not try a boat in resort or lodgewhere you take a boat to a more remote location on an island or on the mainland down the lake. For a true Northern Ontario experience, then you should consider going on a fly in fishing trip. Here you will board a Canadian bush plane …….

Learn More about Ontario Sunset Country

Trailhead North – Path of the Paddle Association – we welcome you to the water trail experience!

New General Manager to coordinate development of all-water route between Thunder Bay and Manitoba

December 8, 2014

The Kenora Daily Miner and News recently published a story on Carrie Nolan’s hire as General Manager.  From the article: “Thunder Bay resident and accomplished canoeist Carrie Nolan brings a wealth of on-the-water experience to her new position as general manager of the Path of the Paddle Association. Association chairman Ed Shields referred to Nolan’s 15 years of experience in administration and paddling in a Dec. 1 press release announcing her hiring. “Carrie’s experience includes managing her own canoe tripping company, paddling 9000 km across Canada, guiding for Black Feather Wilderness Adventures on such rivers as the Nahanni as well as teaching and program directing in higher education for many years,” Shields stated. “Her education and experience, combined with a passion for paddling and appreciation of Northwestern Ontario will serve her well in this new role. Carrie believes that ‘Canada is what it is because of its’ waterways’ and is thrilled to be working on the development, sustainability and stewardship of this incredible water trail with the Path of the Paddle Association.” To see more, please click on this link:

http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/2014/12/08/new-general-manager-to-coordinate-development-of-all-water-route-between-thunder-bay-and-manitoba