Eco-friendly getaway expands near Woodridge

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This article was published 18/08/2019 (1706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A St Pierre couple have tapped into the burgeoning eco-tourism market with the opening of their very own off-the-grid getaway near Woodridge.

Janice Dumont rents out two different rustic lodgings, Bear Tipi and Tamarack Shack, on land she owns west of Woodridge, along Provincial Road 203.

Dumont and her husband, Daniel, purchased the 160-acre property in 2010, with plans to build themselves a cabin.

“There was nothing on it when we bought it,” she recalled.

The couple was told it would cost about $40,000 to run hydro lines to the wooded, unserviced property, so they decided their cabin would be solar.

A few years later they added a second cabin, for friends and family. The quaint 250-sq-ft structure has a covered porch overlooking a grassy field that Dumont said offers great sunsets.

“We’re totally off-grid, so there’s nothing in the way. You can see a million stars,” she said.

Last November, they decided to list the cabin on Airbnb, the popular lodging hub, where it became a hit.

“We wanted other people to experience it too,” Dumont said Monday, as she tidied the cabin between rentals.

A month ago, the couple unveiled a second option: a hand-painted tipi tucked into a small clearing a few hundred paces away from the guest cabin.

Dumont said she was surprised when her research showed there were almost no options in Manitoba for those wanting to stay in a tipi.

“I figured it’s a niche that’s missing here,” she said.

There was just one problem: the Dumonts didn’t know the first thing about tipi construction. A friend from St Pierre recommended they visit Roseau River First Nation over the Victoria Day weekend. There the Dumonts watched community members set up tipis as part of an annual celebration welcoming spring.

Dumont said she learned to burn only oak and poplar in a tipi fire bowl, to keep sparks down. They also learned tips for positioning and anchoring the tipi, which they ordered from Assiniboine Tipis, a company based in Lundar.

They added a winter liner for shoulder season stays, and a covered cooking shack for convenience.

The Dumonts spend their work week running St Pierre Garage. When the weekend arrives, they make the 45-minute drive to Woodridge to enjoy what nature has to offer, like the sandhill cranes that visit at dawn and dusk. Once they spotted two timberwolves while drinking coffee on their deck.

“That was a little nerve-wracking,” Dumont said with a laugh, noting it’s unusual to see anything larger than a coyote on the property.

Nature has also thrown challenges their way, like the time a groundhog nibbled through the guest cabin’s solar cables.

Dumont said she looks forward to retiring to the property, and wanted to get the ball rolling on rental income to make that a reality.

“I didn’t expect it would start rolling so well,” she said. Tamarack Shack is booked most weekends, and the tipi is catching on with visitors too.

Initially, Dumont thought the rustic lodgings would be used mainly by hunters and motorsports enthusiasts, but she quickly found they appealed to anyone looking for a weekend off the beaten path.

Some people just want to sit in front of a cozy wood stove, while others want a weekend of outdoors adventures, or a chance to watch birds and wildlife. The Dumonts groom a network of multi-use trails that can be used year-round by hikers, fat-tire bikers, and cross-country skiers.

What all guests share in common, Dumont said, is a desire to experience nature, with a few modern conveniences—like a television in the cabin—included.

Dumont tries to supply most everything a guest needs, including firewood and potable water, so guests only have to bring their suitcase and food.

“It’s camping, but everything’s here for you,” she explained. “You just come here and relax.”

For now, guests use the main cabin’s outdoor shower and wood-fired barrel sauna, but Dumont has plans to add a separate shower and sauna at the guest cabin.

Guests are left alone to enjoy their stay as they see fit, but Dumont said she enjoys greeting them when they check in.

She’s met several travellers who are midway through a cross-Canada adventure, including a fellow from France who was trying to visit out-of-the-way locales on his trip from coast to coast.