MANITOULIN—Many nature enthusiasts love the outdoors in winter—ice fishing, snow shoeing, even camping—but few can capture the beauty, serenity and even the harshness of the season, as videographer, Ben Beauchamp can.
Recently Mr. Beauchamp came to Manitoulin Island, spending three days camping along the Lake Huron shoreline, filming the experience for his thousands of YouTube followers to enjoy (16,000 views since posting it six days ago). He made it very clear, on the video and the phone interview that followed, how grateful he is to a cousin who lives on the Island who arranged everything for him, and to the property owner who allowed him to camp here.
For someone who spends so much of his time alone in the wilderness, the 25-year-old is warm and personable. Happy to talk about the two things he’s most passionate about: nature and capturing it all on film. He’s been posting videos on this channel since January 2022, steadily building his following to the point where he can now call this his full-time job. With over 13,000 subscribers, advertisers are noticing and it’s paying off.
“I’ve had a handful of video channels over the years,” Mr. Beauchamp explained. “I used to make snowboarding videos. One of the first videos I ever made, I was about eight at the time, my neighbour and I filmed ourselves jumping out of the low branches of a tree, then we would put it in reverse and make it look like we were jumping up into the tree. That was like state-of-the-art technology. We were the coolest kids in school the week we posted that video. But this channel, with my camping videos, I was still in college when I started it. I’ve been working towards making a living at this for years now, and it’s only been very recently that I’ve reached that point. I’m doing this full-time. It feels ridiculous to say, it’s been a dream of mine for so long. It doesn’t feel real.”
Besides his YouTube subscribers, his Instagram followers bring his numbers up to over 20,000. “It’s an interesting thing to be chasing your dream. In the last few years I’ve worked all kinds of odd jobs, just to be able to camp in my free time. To people who are chasing a dream, I’d say, ‘it’s worth it. Go for it.’”
To date, all of Mr. Beauchamp’s nature videos are of Northern Ontario, because of access and affordability. When asked which spot he finds most beautiful, he said, “The Steel River canoe route, a trip I did in 2023, it’s right at the north shore of Lake Superior. The land is so rugged, with crazy elevation changes, and big rock faces. Just stunning country up there. That was my first solo trip. I was out there for 10 or 11 days. I just fell in love with that area. So, I would say the whole north shore of Lake Superior, that’s the most beautiful country that I’ve explored personally.” Perhaps a trip back to the Island in summer will change his opinion.
Armchair travelling seems to be a thing now. What about armchair camping? For those who are not outdoor adventurists themselves, it is possible, in the comfort of your own home, to experience the beauty of nature, hear the crackling campfire, see the star filled sky at night and listen to the trees rustling in the wind. Mr. Beauchamp’s YouTube videos give you all of that. They are visually appealing, and he always has something to teach you. And for the outdoor adventurists, you can view his videos to get an idea of where your next destination should be.
Mr. Beauchamp’s Manitoulin camping experience was enhanced by the generosity of his cousin’s neighbours, providing him locally sourced foods to eat, bear bacon and venison sausage, along with his cousin’s sourdough naan. He was given a local author’s history book to read, one which referenced the very spot upon which he camped. He was hoping to capture the harshest of winter conditions but his first day here was 12º C. As the days progressed, “It was absolutely freezing! The tarp was weighed down with snow and the condensation from my breath turned to water that dripped on my sleeping bag. It was pretty miserable,” he said, laughing, then added, “I really loved Manitoulin Island. The scenery is beautiful… but the people are truly amazing as well, very sweet and generous, unlike anywhere else.”
Check out ‘3 Days Alone on a Remote Island Beach’ by Mr. Beauchamp and enjoy winter camping on Manitoulin Island from the comfort of your own home.
by Margery Frisch
