I have spent a large part of my life in the forest. I was born in northern Quebec, spending my summers learning to fish at the family cabin. As a boy, I had the opportunity to visit Labrador with my father on several occasions. After moving to Saskatchewan, I spent eighteen summers guiding on and exploring Lac La Ronge. During this time, I also frequented the Sulphide/Mekawap lake area , visited the Lower Foster River system, flew into MacIntosh Lake, travelled the wide expanses of Reindeer Lake, and camped in dozens of tiny lakes on the periphery of La La Ronge. These years also afforded me the opportunity to visit a number of other lakes in north central Saskatchewan, as far north as the border of the Northwest Territories, with a friend who owned a two-seater Piper Super Cub on floats. I also made six trips back east, five to Lake of the Woods, and one to the Red Lake area of northern Ontario.

In my time, I have seen allot of water, and trudged through many forests. Out of all the lakes I have visited, Lac La Ronge has always been my favorite. My choice could be partially sentimental, as my three children, Tisha, Kayla, and Kyle literally grew up on its shores, but a large part is due to the sheer beauty the wide expanses of this historic body have to offer. Massive open bays; rugged rock outcroppings; thousands of islands; huge areas of open water; winding narrow channels; Lac La Ronge has it all. I still yearn to cruise its waters and I often reflect about the many “secret” places of beauty I had the good fortune to discover in the many years I was able to explore it. I’m not saying all of the other wilderness locations I have travelled weren’t beautiful – Lord knows, almost everywhere in the Boreal Forest is simply gorgeous! – But, Lac La Ronge has always had a special place in my heart, until…..

Last summer, early in July, my wife, Velda, and myself visited Forest House for five days. As a “seasoned” bush guy, I expected to see and experience the Boreal Forest “status quo” – a nice little lake (not close to the maginifcence of La Ronge); a comfortable lodge and cabins, (been to many lodges – stayed in many cabins); some pretty scenery; and, of course, everything else the Boreal Forest has to offer (but nothing that I hadn’t seen before). Without a word of a lie, the second we walked across that last little portage, finding ourselves on the shores of the little unnamed lake Forest House is located on, I was awestruck and inspired.

It is as if God said to him/herself, “I’m going to place something spectacular in northern Saskatchewan! – thousands of lakes, rivers, rapids, waterfalls, trees, cliffs, birds, animals, and all kinds of plant life – BUT! – in the middle of it all, I’m going to create a tiny little jewel,…..  so perfect,…..  so inspiring,….. so awesome….. that anyone who is lucky enough to travel there, will instantly know they have found their own “piece of heaven”, – LET THERE BE FOREST HOUSE!”. 

The little lake is absolutely gorgeous! – always calm, pristine, and beautiful. The lodge and guest cabins are magnificent – absolutely a marvel, featuring unparallelled craftsmanship. Nothing “tacky” here – no wooden sidewalks between cabins – nothing “manufactured”, or out-of-place. The organic flower and vegetable gardens are an almost impossible feat to accomplish so far north – fantastic!  The view is everywhere! – the lodge and cabins are located on a steep incline – to the east, all one sees is the lake below, dotted with tiny islands, and a wide expanse of sky – to the west, the Boreal Forest in all her glory. The food, gathered from the organic gardens, and the forest itself, coupled with fine cuts of meats, fresh baked breads, and homemade honeys and syrups, rivals fine dining anywhere. The hospitality is second-to-none, with a staff who want to be there and are eager to share their love of this “piece of heaven” with you. Velda and I were profoundly impressed by all of this….. BUT – the one thing that had the deepest impact on our souls, our spirit, and our psyche was the Boreal Forest that surrounds Forest House.

The growth here is so lush, so vibrant, and so diverse. It rivals that of tropical rain forests – an amazing thing, given that this forest is only “awake” for a small part of the year. For the most part, the forest floor is carpeted with deep, soft mosses – this was the norm for the hiking trails we followed – weather conditions allowed us to cover only a fraction of the territory we wanted to cover – BUT – we had two things going for us: 1). even in the most inclement weather conditions, the lake is calm and a sense of serenity always surrounds you – 2). the abundance of wildflowers, lichens, and mosses is so prolific, even an hour or two of exploration within minutes of the lodge reveals a myriad of awe-inspiring discoveries.

The Forest House Boreal Forest is like its own little separate Eco-system within the vast forested areas throughout the rest of northern Saskatchewan. Velda and I have never seen anything quite like it. Five days was much too short a stay for us. When it was time to leave, we were in agreement – our experience was profound, inspiring, and above all, surreal. This is a magical place and we will do everything we can to be able to go back.

As I think about our visit to Forest House, I am faced with a new revelation in my life – even though I still deeply love my days at, and everything I experienced on Lac La Ronge, there is a new place I love even more….. God’s tiny little jewel we mortals call Forest House.

Zane & Velda Hrynewich

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