‘We live here and we love it,’ says Ryan Walker, who traded life in southern Ontario for snow-covered trails

Ryan Walker loves cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking.

In fact, he moved from his native Hamilton to enjoy northern Ontario outdoor winter sports.

Now he resides in Goulais River and is employed as the outside facilities manager at Hiawatha Highlands Ski, Snowshoe and Bike.

“The Sault and area is where I like to be because of its access to nature,” Walker told SooToday.

“Lake Superior Provincial Park was a big draw. My wife and I did a lot of back country camping and canoeing there but then we decided to move north.

“Instead of spending our free time and our vacation time driving up here to enjoy the outdoors we decided we’d move here, live here and love it.”

The couple left successful careers in Hamilton to experience what the Sault has to offer outdoor enthusiasts in both summer and winter.

Walker’s spouse, Shana Shipperbottom, worked in labour relations while he worked in developmental services providing care as a residential counsellor.

After moving to the north, the two established Forest the Canoe in November 2020.

Based in Goulais River, the business offers canoe and kayak tours, hiking tours and overnight camping trips for beginners in summer.

Walker is well-trained for his role at Hiawatha Highlands.

He moved to the Sault seven years ago to take the adventure recreation and parks technician program at Sault College.

“I wanted to go back to school and live a more nature-based lifestyle and work in the outdoors.”

He graduated in 2020 and through his studies he became the manager.

“I love the Sault. I access the nature we have here every chance I get, whether that’s being on the water in the summer or hitting the trails in winter.”

Managing the trails at Hiawatha is a huge responsibility.

“Groomers are out working on the trails overnight,” Walker said.

“In general, they aim to have the trails groomed, ready and set up by 8 a.m.

“I coordinate with our grooming staff to see what needs to be done on the trails.”

The Highlands offers five trails for skiers, snowshoers and fat bikers to enjoy, including:


The Red Pine (10 km)
Pinder (10 km)
Crystal Creek (10 km)
Kinsmen lit trail (2 km of lighted trails)
Mabel Lake (10 km)

Usually the lights come on at the Kinsmen lit trail around 5 p.m. and they close at 9 p.m.

“I shut the lights off at 10:30 so that people don’t get caught out there,” Walker said.

The Mabel Lake trail usually opens in January or February.

It’s a 6 km loop that starts down at Connor Road and then you have another 4 km loop.

“It’s a difficult trail with some hills and turning and it’s for more experienced skiers,” Walker said.

Hiawatha Highlands employs approximately 20 paid staff.

The Highlands include several owners and operators including the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club, the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority (SSMRCA), Kinsmen Club of Sault Ste. Marie, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and private landowners such as the Steinberg family and Mockingbird Hill Farm.

The Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club will be hosting the Ontario Cup Jan. 16 – 18, 2026.

“We expect over 300 racers. It’ll be great for the racers and it’ll bring a lot of folks into the city, staying in hotels, enjoying the trails, checking out the bike and ski shops,” Walker said.

The type of snow that falls makes a big difference.

“The light fluffy snow we’ve been having so far has a lot of air in it, so what we’re doing is a little bit more work to actually compress that air out,” Walker said.

“Light fluffy snow doesn’t firm up as nicely as snow with moisture in it. We definitely love working with heavy wet snow in large amounts like what we dealt with last year.

“At this time we’re still creating a base for the trails. We’re not getting the ski trails in 100 per cent race shape yet.”

Regardless, the trails are being well-used by skiers.

The Highlands had sold over 1,200 season passes as of Dec. 15, Walker said.

Trail users who want to try out non-motorized winter sports don’t have to own their own gear. Rentals of cross country skis, snowshoes and fat bikes are available.

“Now that we have the snow, we’ve seen the door to the Highlands office opening pretty steadily. We’re happily welcoming people for the season,” Walker said.

For more information on the Hiawatha Highlands, click here.

For more information on the Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club, including the upcoming Ontario Cup, click on the club’s website.