5 Into The Wild

Temagami

            In an earlier post I had mentioned Temagami, a gorgeous piece of crown land. It is not patrolled like public camping sites or provincial parks. You’re alone with whatever and whomever you take with you. Daniel Trask, a man from Waterloo, Ontario fell in love with Temagami, just as I had. In high school he was said to be an expert partier and socialist, and continued on later to bar-tending and construction work. It was against his parents’ wishes, and completely out of the blue when he left to Temagami, he had been there before, but this was the first time he’d venture alone. According to an article I’ve read from Explore Magazine all he left behind was a note saying “So I go to Temagami not knowing where I’m going”. He was gone for ten weeks before returning, and apparently he had transformed to a reserved, intense 28-year-old.He had become an expertise camper, and just before the winter came he decided to venture into the woods one last time.

            Daniel Trask was officially considered missing on November the 3^rd, 2011. It was known he was in Temagami, as his car was still parked in the area. Many search parties were sent out to find him, but he was never spotted and he left no traces to be found. It wasn’t until May 18^th, 2012, that pair of men’s large snow pants were found, inside out. It was confirmed they were Trask’s. It is assumed that he might have slipped into the freezing water, and to avoid hypothermia, he took off his freezing clothing as quickly as he could, leaving his soaked lime-green snow pants inside out. Since then his body has still not been found, and I assume it never will be.

Daniel Trask
1983-2011

 This story is heart breaking and frightening all at the same time. 

A great reminder of Mother Nature's power over even the greatest and most ambitious campers.