Hey Steve,

Here is a copy and paste from December 2015.

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Some of you know last year I made a New Years resolution to camp every month of the year in 2015. Well last weekend I finished it off with a not so winter December trip up the Basin Rd with SmedleyCo.

We met up in Barry's Bay and headed into the park via Paugh Lake Rd, which is just fine BTW. We booked our permits via the East Gate. Camped right at the Access Point on Basin Lake. I told the person on the phone (not naming names but most of you know his name) what I was planning to do. First, he said why are you camping there? Aren't you taking a canoe? This is something that some people have been told you cannot do now. I told him I never thought to bring a canoe because I thought the lakes were frozen. Nope! Damn it I was kicking myself for that one. Ah well he was just fine with us camping right at the access point, which is what we did.

Some pics:

View from Eggrock Look-out




Basin Depot Cabin




Tent site on Basin




A couple of these mooches around







Lots of Peek Porn in the area!!!

Crapper


Two hole crapper


Old stable


Root cellar


Two grave sites





Besides the Gray Jays, we saw a couple of Otters and heard wolves at night and again in the morning. We spent most of our time hiking and exploring up the Basin Road and along the Bonnechere River. We can confirm a few details of the area. There are no remains of a fire tower to the east of Basin Lake. There is no sign or trace of a campsite at Little Norway Lake. We can also confirm that the campsites at Buck Lake and the Hydro Line are crap! Also, the cart trail to Foys lake is a full size logging road complete with speed limit signs. There is also a tertiary logging road that leads to a huge well maintained but unsigned campsite along the Bonnechere River. This is where the Meanies stayed on their trip down the river.

Some more pics:

Basin Lake



Smedleyco looking for a fire tower east of Basin Lake



Unmarked campsite on Basin



Along the Bonnechere




Upper part of High Falls


Lower drop of High Falls
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Smedleyco searching for the Little Norway campsite




Attempted top down fire which was sort of a let down (I'll blame the crappy wood)



Made for a good grill for Jalapeno Appetizers



We ate well! Recorded a low of -8c. The lakes were icing up while we were there. I'm sure they will thaw again this week. What strange times. Might go for a canoe trip over new year. We will see.

Yes my car is just out of the picture frame. Lots of walks to do in the area. Lots of history. Next time I go, I'm going to try to walk to Clover. There's a nice unmarked road on the east side of the lake. Get Rory's book 'Walks of the Little Bonnechere' for more ideas.