Polar Bear Express

[SandraC]

Hi all! Remember the TV Show "GREEN ACRES"? Well, dh is Oliver and I am Lisa. "Darling, I love you, but give me Park Avenue!"

Well, after all the vacations I've planned, I'm thinking of tayloring one for dh. THE POLAR BEAR EXPRESS from Cochrane to Moosonee. (he's a lumberjack! LOL)

Tell me about it? Who has gone? Details and Reviews? THANKS! S

 

[tigercat]

Sandra we haven't gone on this although if we had the time and money I know my dh and Bizzibee's dh would love to take it. They have taken the train from the Sault to ahhhhhhh the name escapes me I'll have to get back to you. It was a 7 hr. trip up they then stayed overnight and made the trip back down the next day. They loved it, though Bizzibee & I and my dgrdd stayed at a hotel in the Sault. They had planned to do it again in Sept. of this year but I'm not sure it is going to happen.
tigercat

 

[mickey65]

My parents used to live in Cochrane and one time while I was up there visiting we went on the Polar Bear. It was a very exciting and a beautiful ride. I like living in Eastern Ontario, but there is nothing quite like the Northern Ontario countryside. the trip is about 180 miles I think, and takes you to the breath taking tip of where fur trading once took place. You will have the option of taking the canoe taxi over to the Island of Moose Factory. If you enjoy nature then you will love this excursion. It is a real experience, one that I wil always remember!

 

[SandraC]

WOW! Mickey65 ~ you might have just talked me into it! It's been a trip dh and I have been chatting about for years. Few things keep me away ~ bush bugs, my kids are young, bush bugs, the loooong drive up north (mind you, my dad lives in North Bay and we would visit him on the way up), bush bugs, that canoe taxi (think I drowned in another life, scared in open water) and bush bugs. But this is really up dh's alley! HHHUUUUMMMMM! MORE DATA PLEASE! S

 

[mickey65]

LOL Sandra The bugs are not that bad...but that is coming from someone who grew up in Northern Ontario and spend lots of time in the bush

Are you thinking of a one day trip, or a longer excursion? There are several packages that are 3-5 day excursions in which you travel towards James Bay more, visit the Island, walking tours of the Cree villiages and more!

I went on the one day tour, but it was still amazing!

Polar Bear Express to Moosonee: All aboard the Polar Bear Express for a remarkable four hour trip across the tundra line into the far reaches of northern Ontario. Although you are not likely to spot any polar bears at this time of year, wildlife is abundant in this untouched wilderness, so keep an eye out for moose, bears and beaver (HEY! you could have a REAL beaver tail
)
And this time of year.......the leaves are absolutly gorgeous! I would go again if I had the chance......my parents are no longer in cochrane though...they are in Trenton now.

If you have anymore questions let me know and I will try to help!

 

[SandraC]

BEAVER TAILS! LOL! Don't tell PETA, but my dad is in the fur biz. He works for a company that works with trappers and the Ministry of Nature Resourses ~ he says he works in Canada's SECOND oldest profession LOL! So I grow up with lots of beaver tails and other tails around the house. He lives in North Bay, so I would drive the 3.5 hours to visit him for a night, then I think Cochrane is about 4.5-5 hours drive from North Bay. We drove though Canada MANY years ago and I remember northern Ontario's vast wildness ~ it's fab! We were waxing and waining between PEI and Polar Bear Express. DD says she doesn't want to go to the NORTH POLE ~ LOL ~ guess she's got a little LISA from Green Acres in her too! LOL! I actually LOVE being OUTSIDE ~ so this could be a plan. I have been thinking, planning, doing vacations since our 1998 WDW trip! S

 

[Dave in the Frozen North]

Well slap me with bug spray and call me a Moose SandraC!

I've been absent from the boards for many months. First time I pop onto the boards and what do I see but a message title: "Polar Bear Express"! I've not only gone -- I live here! I can hear the sound of the Polar Bear Express toot tooting into the train station a few blocks away so I am likely in a position to give you a bit of the lowdown and steer you in the right direction if you are truly interested in a visit to our neck of the woods. I'm a born and bred Cochranite happy to give out info to anyone interested in boosting our local tourism economy.

But since all the info I can give you would be FAR removed from anything Disney, drop me an email direct, and I'll be pleased to respond directly so we keep the space reserved for Mickey Mouse instead of Mickey Moose!

That being said, are you SURE you wouldn't want to go a few hundred miles in the opposite direction and see Walt Disney World?

As Mickey65 says, if nature is your bag, then come. Black flies and squitos are usually down to a minimum by late July/August so don't worry. You will hopefully see enough wildlife to keep you happy. We had an adult Lynx visiting in my backyard last Friday (can send a great pic to you if you like) checking out my garden and my cat as a potential kitty appetizer. The next day, as I was biking down the back road past a georgeous pink-purple explosion of a sunset I was escorted by a honking flock of Canadian Geese coming in low to land in the lake behind our place. So yeah, it's a nice place to visit if you are into that kind of thing.

Now in February, when the snow banks are higher than my house you DON'T want to talk to me!!

Dave in the Frozen North

P.S. - My offer to send info to anyone else interested in the Polar Bear Express in summer, or a snowmobiler's paradise in the winter is open to anyone.

 

[SandraC]

THANKS DAVE! Nice to have you back! I'll gather my questions abd email you soon! THX S