Tradition is king at Ontario’s Stokely Creek Lodge.
words :: Lisa Pottier // photos :: Colin Field
A storied cross-country ski lodge, just north of The Soo. Five 40-something friends, seeking downtime and connection. A forecast of crisp, sunny days—and a promise of cozy evenings. We were sold.
Stokely Creek Lodge. We’d only heard whispers of stories. The internet said it would be laid-back and welcoming; the photos we could find seemed to confirm. We hoped for the best, booked our room and made the seven-hour drive, on clear roads fueled by laughter.
From the moment we arrive, we feel we’re entering a magical world. Abandoning our vehicle in the parking area, we load our gear onto trailers pulled by snowmobiles then walk ten minutes through the woods. As we crunch along the path, I’m filled with curiosity, wondering what stories lie ahead for us.
We round the final corner and I’m taken by my first view of the main lodge: With greyed cedar shingles, bright-red window frames and a nearby stream, it’s the kind of rustic accommodation that says, “Welcome. You’re home.”
Although a few private chalets dot the property, we’ve chosen a dorm room in the lodge, and we pile like students into our simple space with its mezzanine and single bathroom. The room is smallish, and although we don’t feel squished, we’ll definitely get to know each other very well here.
Before dinner that first night, we take time to explore. We peek through doors to discover room after room with walls covered with old photos and maps, then follow hallways to find two saunas, finally settling into a lounge room with comfortable corners, choosing a spot beside the open fireplace to hang out with our bottle of wine, books and yoga mats.
For the next five days, we leave our adult worlds behind: no computers, no to-do lists and no decision-making beyond which sauna to choose and which trail to take. It’s pure relief: a rare chance for a freeing adventure, the kind of short window in life where each day is an opportunity to connect with your deep self.
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Stokely is an all-inclusive lodge; guests eat together in a common room three times per day (unless you choose a packed lunch for the trail), with a buffet breakfast and set menu each night. Sit with your friends or join a table to make new ones. It really feels like a community here.
And most guests choose a week on the calendar and stick to that routine, returning year after year. Co-owner Sue Byker says only 30 to 40 per cent of their guests are like us, experiencing our first-ever trip to Stokely: “Everybody knows each other quite well. In particular, the week they come. They return each year to reconnect with friends they met here.”
Sue and her husband, Gaylen, purchased the lodge along with another couple 16 years ago after decades of annual visits, making the decision then to “keep it Stokely.” Sue says, “When people buy an organization, they often change it so much that it isn’t it anymore. We’ve really been careful.” They’ve renovated and upgraded over the years, but keeping the character and the energy is always the goal. “When we bought it, my daughter said, ‘Don’t change anything. Not even that picture on the wall!’”
“Don’t change anything. Not even that picture on the wall!”
We feel that appreciation for yesterday, in both the lodging and the people. And, as we eventually find ourselves in long conversations with our fellow guests, we see how easy it would be to become a regular visitor. There’s a familiarity here—a familial, communal pride for a well-loved home away from home.
Just the act of leaving your vehicle behind and immersing yourself in the place is a welcome removal from reality. In the parking lot we noticed a wide variety of cars, from old Subarus to Land Rovers and sports cars, but here in the lodge, we’re all just skiers in winter lounge clothes. I love how it feels like an inclusive, judgement-free circle.
We quickly fall into a routine, exploring the more than 90 kilometres of trails each day. Stokely has it all: gentle to steep inclines, easy to technical trails, frozen lakes, endless woods—and warming huts equipped with wood stoves, which warm our frozen butts. Our group of five is composed of a strong-willed beginner, a free spirit in her element and three not-so-confident intermediate skiers, determined to complete every trail in the network. We each find our way to the viewpoint on Lake Superior, a quiet place for a deep breath and broad smile, appreciating just how special this location is.
The layout of the trails makes it easy to adventure a few times a day with the lodge or clubhouse as home base. We choose separate paths, then regather for lunch. Some hit the sauna, others repeat their favourite rolling loop trail. And there’s still time to enjoy a book in front of the fire or book a massage.
Our last night coincides with many others’, and after dinner the community—our community now—is rosy with wine and jovial enough to share toast after toast of gratitude to our hosts, to new friends and to this place. A place filled with history and charm, one that feels like a second home, one that we agree we have to visit again. We make plans to return at the same time next year, to pick up just where we left off.
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