Building BASECAMP: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Cape Breton’s New Winter Refuge

In the fall of 2024, I started building a pitch for Parks Canada. The vision was to establish a temporary winter camping village on the backside of Franey Mountain—something inspired by The North Face’s annual winter basecamps out west. The concept was simple: a snowshoe- or ski-in-only destination that could serve as a jumping-off point for alpine missions, cross-country ski loops, snowshoe routes to White Hill, or just a unique place to spend a few nights off-grid.