Winter Power Outage Prep: The Haliburton County Cottage Owner's Ultimate Survival Guide

There is nothing quite as peaceful as a winter night in the Highlands. The snow dampens the sound, the stars over the lake look impossibly bright, and the fire is roaring.

But that peace can turn into panic the moment the hum of the refrigerator stops and the lights go black.

In the city, a power outage is usually a minor inconvenience. In Haliburton County, where temperatures can plunge to -30°C and "down the road" means 15 kilometers of winding, unlit asphalt, an outage is a survival situation. Whether you are riding out a storm in Dysart, Minden Hills, Algonquin Highlands, or Highlands East, the rules of the game are different here.

Here is your ultimate guide to preparing for, surviving, and protecting your property during a winter power outage in cottage country.

A snow-covered cottage in Haliburton County with stacked firewood

The "Haliburton Factor": Why This Is Different

Before we talk gear, we need to talk geography. You are likely on the Canadian Shield, surrounded by trees laden with heavy snow, serviced by overhead wires that run through dense bush.

• You are last on the list: Hydro One does an incredible job, but prioritization is a numbers game. Hospitals and dense urban centers come first. If you are at the end of a private lane on a frozen lake, you need to be prepared to wait 72 hours—or longer—for restoration.
  

• The Access Issue: If the power goes out during a blizzard, the plows might be pulled off the roads. If you are on a private road, your snow removal contractor might not be able to get to you. You must be prepared to be snowed in.
  

• The Freeze Factor: Unlike insulated suburban brick homes, many cottages (even winterized ones) lose heat rapidly. If you are on piers or have a crawlspace, your plumbing is uniquely vulnerable.

Heat: The Top Priority

When the furnace fan dies, the clock starts ticking.

The Wood Stove is King

If you have a wood stove, you have a lifeline. However, it requires maintenance:

• Fuel Quality: Ensure you have a substantial indoor supply of seasoned hardwood (Maple, Oak, or Beech). Softwood burns too fast; wet wood creates creosote (a chimney fire risk) and provides little heat.

  
  

• Chimney Care: When was your last sweep? You will be running this stove hot and 24/7.
  

• Ignition: Keep boxes of wooden matches or a butane lighter. Electric BBQ lighters are useless when the battery dies.
  

Passive Heat Conservation

If you don't have a wood stove, or to supplement it:

• The "One Room" Rule: Do not try to heat the whole cottage. Choose a central room (preferably with the wood stove or south-facing windows), bring in mattresses and sleeping bags, and hang blankets over the doorways to trap heat.
  

• Cover the Glass: Windows are giant heat leaks. Close the curtains and tack up blankets over them at night.

Water Systems: The Hidden Danger

In the city, water flows even when the power is out. In Haliburton, your well pump needs electricity. No power means no water, and worse—frozen pipes.

Protecting the Plumbing

• The Emergency Drain: If the outage looks like it will last days and the cottage temperature is dropping, you may need to drain your system to save your pipes. Know exactly where your low-point drain valves are.
  

• Antifreeze: Keep 2–3 jugs of plumbing antifreeze (the pink stuff, not car antifreeze) on hand. If you can't heat the bathroom, pour this into toilet bowls, tanks, and sink traps to prevent them from cracking.
  

Water Storage

• The "Flush" Reserve: As soon as the lights flicker, fill the bathtub if you still have pressure. This gives you buckets of water for manually flushing the toilet.
  

• Potable Water: Keep 4L of drinking water per person, per day.
  

• Melting Snow: In a pinch, you can melt snow on the woodstove for flushing the toilet. Do not drink snow water unless boiled heavily, as it can contain environmental contaminants.
  

Light & Power: Beyond the Flashlight

Darkness in the country is absolute. You need to see to work.

• Headlamps over Flashlamps: You will need your hands free to carry wood, haul water, or start the generator. Equip every family member with a quality LED headlamp.
  

• Batteries & Power Stations: A small portable power station (like a Jackery or EcoFlow) can keep phones charged for days. This is vital for checking Hydro One updates.
  

• Generators:

  • Standby: The gold standard, but requires maintenance (oil changes/spark plugs).

  • Portable: If using a gas generator, you need fuel stabilizer and fresh gas. NEVER run a generator in a garage, under a deck, or near a window. Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer in outage situations.

  
  

Portable generator outside a snowy cottage in winter

Food & Cooking

Without a working fridge, food spoilage is a risk—but you have a freezer right outside the door.

• The "Snow Fridge": Pack a cooler with your perishables and bury it in a snowbank. Crucial: Secure it with bungee cords or heavy rocks. Raccoons and foxes do not take nights off just because the power is out.
  

• Cooking: You can wrap potatoes in foil and cook them in the wood stove coals, or warm soup on top of the stove.
  

• Camp Stoves: Use propane camp stoves outdoors only. Do not bring them inside for heat or cooking due to CO risks.

  
  

Connectivity & Safety

Cell service in the Highlands is notoriously spotty and often relies on towers that have limited battery backups.

• The Trusty Landline: If you have a copper landline (not internet-based/VoIP), keep an old-school corded phone handy. It will often work when the power grid is down.
  

• Radio is Vital: When cell towers fail, radio prevails. A battery-powered or hand-crank radio is essential.
  

  • Canoe FM (100.9 FM): The local voice of the Haliburton Highlands. They provide excellent, hyper-local updates on road closures and warming centers.
    

  • CBC Radio One (93.5 FM in some areas): For broader regional news.
    

  When You Aren't There (Remote Monitoring)

  The scariest outage is the one that happens when you are back in the city. If the power fails on Tuesday and you don't arrive until Friday, you could walk into a flooded, frozen disaster.

  • WiFi Monitors: Devices like Temp Stick or Govee alert your phone if the cottage temperature drops or power cuts out.
    

  • The Keyholder System: Technology fails. You need a human backup. Have an agreement with a year-round neighbour or a property management service like ourselves who hold a key and can check your property if the Hydro One app shows a prolonged outage.
    

  • Automatic Shut-Offs: Consider installing a "Water Cop" or similar automatic valve that shuts off the main water supply if it detects a leak or freezing temps.
    

Your "Haliburton Emergency" Contact List

Tape this inside a kitchen cabinet door:

• Hydro One Storm Centre App: Download this before you lose WiFi.
  

• Municipal Offices: (Dysart et al, Minden Hills, etc.) – Save their road department numbers.
  

• Local Propane/Oil Supplier: For emergency refills (though they may not be able to deliver in a storm).
  

• Insurance Policy Number: Just in case.
  

Stay Warm, Stay Safe

Surviving a Haliburton power outage is partly about gear, but mostly about attitude. With the right preparation, an outage doesn't have to be a crisis—it can be a memory of playing cards by lantern light while the wind howls outside.

Did You Find This List Helpful?

If you enjoyed this near the initial post day, you've found it in time to sign up for an additional resource to make cottage life easier. A printable check list version with additional notes will be made available in the January 2026 issue of The Cottager's Compass. You may be able to find it in the archives if you've signed up after the fact, but only for a limited time.