Thank you for choosing the Spirit Point Lodge for your Wilderness First Aid and First Responder training needs! We look forward to hosting you! Please read this document carefully to ensure that you are fully prepared for your course. Your course begins and ends at the Spirit Point Lodge, in South River, ON, Canada If you have paid for lodging, please feel welcome to join us the night before your program. The course starts at 8:00 am on the course start date.? It is crucial that you be on time for the beginning of your course.?
It is your responsibility to get yourself to and from the course location. If you are arriving by public transit, there is a taxi service in South River that can take you the final leg of your journey. “Call Me a Cab” 705-386-0006. (Approx. $45.00) *We recommended phoning ahead. Your course finishes between 4:30 and 6pm on the course end date. All meals from breakfast on the first day to dinner on the last day will be supplied. Dinner for those arriving the evening before is not provided, so make sure you eat in town first or bring a snack with you to tide you over until Breakfast the next morning. As a convenience, dinner on the last day will be provided “to go” so people can begin their travels more immediately and can eat en route.
What should I bring for my Program?
You will need outdoor clothing appropriate for all weather conditions in the area. Courses often run in the shoulder seasons of April/May and October/November. You will see weather of all kinds during those timeframes! Please bring rain gear as well as warm clothing (there can even be snow these times of the year) and be prepared to spend several hours outside at a time. We ask that students bring a small daypack, re-usable water bottle and a headlamp/flashlight.
In addition you will need a sleeping bag (or sheets and blankets for your bed), towel, pillowcase, soap, shampoo, personal toiletries and a set of separate shoes or slippers for the lodge, dining hall, and classroom to help with the tracking in of dirt and to keep your feet warm (slip-on and/or insulated boots are not a bad idea as well).
For the classroom, it is asked that you bring a pen/pencil and a sturdy writing pad for taking notes. *We ask that all students bring an old pair of pants and a long-sleeve shirt that may be cut, stained with theatrical blood, torn, and dirtied during real-to-life simulations (style and sizing is not so important – you may want to hunt for these items in a thrift store like Value Village or the Salvation Army).
WiFi & Phone Access
There is some limited & somewhat unreliable WiFi access for those with laptops and WiFi-enabled smartphones around parts of the campus. Cellular access this time of year if very limited if available at all from the campus. If you have a cell phone, you may be able to use the signal-booster in the dining hall to make calls and retrieve messages. This does not work with all smart phones. If you do not have a cell phone and need to make an urgent call, please ensure that you bring a calling card, and you will be able to use the land line to make an outgoing call.
In case of emergency, the number to leave with those back home is 705-571-2089. Cell phone access is available by driving 10 minutes down the road to the town of Trout Creek, where you should be able to get 5 bars. This helps for those who need to have daily contact with home by telephone. Otherwise, email is the easiest way to communicate from our Green and off the grid program locale.
Pets
We regret that we are unable to accommodate pets at Spirit Point. The owners of Spirit Point have a few friendly dogs that live in their home here, and they will be outside from time to time. Please make alternative arrangements for your pet(s) during the time that you will be staying with us.
Meal times are as follows
Breakfast 7:30-8:00 Lunch 12:00-1:00 Dinner 6:00-7:00
Please remember to be in touch with us regarding any dietary concerns so that we can accommodate allergies or food sensitivities. We need to hear from you no later than 10 days prior to the start of your program so we can ensure that our catering staff have the ingredients they need to make your dining experience a delicious one.
If you have any questions, please email contact us by email at: mike.spiritpoint@hotmail.com
See you soon!
Directions to the Spirit Point Lodge
Spirit Point can be found nestled on 8 acres of private land with a secluded lake; the pristine valley acts as a thoroughfare for wildlife en route to and from Algonquin Park. Access is available from both South River and Trout Creek via Hwy 11 Canada Ontario.
South River Access Directions (from the South)
Travel HWY #11 North and exit at the Mountainview exit. As you come off the exit ramp turn left onto Mountainview and drive until it ends at a T intersection. Turn left and proceed into South River (about a 3 minute drive). Once in South River, turn right at the only traffic lights onto Ottawa Ave. Follow this as it winds out of town. You will then cross the causeway over the South River, at which point Ottawa Ave. becomes the Chemical Rd.
Travel approximately 22 km on Chemical Road, then turn left from Chemical Road at the Project Dare/Wendigo Lake Expeditions sign, if you look carefully, you will see a smaller Spirit Point sign as well among others. This gravel road is known locally as the “2.2” Travel for approximately 6km (2.5km) past the Project DARE / Wendigo Lake Expeditions entrance driveway. Then you will turn right onto Mink Lake Road (formally Tyne Lake Road and look for Spirit Point’s sign on the corner) Travel approximately ½km on Mink Lake Road and take the first driveway on your left, turning at the large Spirit Point sign. Please park where the cars are grouped.
Trout Creek Access Directions (from the North)
Travel on HWY #11 to the Trout Creek turn off at Hemlock Rd. In Trout Creek turn onto Main Street, travel 1km, turn right onto Forestry Road. Travel 11km’s on Forestry Road. Turn left on Tyne Lake Road, travel ½km turning in the first driveway on your left with the large Spirit Point sign. Please park where the cars are grouped.
For those participants arriving by public transit, a taxi service in South River can take you the final leg of your journey. Call 705-386-0006 for Peggy or Clint @ “Call Me a Cab”. It is recommended to inquire in advance to arrange your ride in.