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Trip Reports » Cache Lake Loop - June 11-13 2021 » 6/15/2021 9:48 am

Austin.M
Replies: 1

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Day 1: 1110m Portaging 6.12km total.
Cache Lake P760 > Hilliard P350 > Delano Lake 
Our day started rushed, waking up at 4:30am in the city as we had a few early morning clients to take care of before leaving for our first trip of the season.Arriving at Cache Lake around 3pm we had a wind free, easy paddle, and easy time portaging to our first site on Delano Lake which happens to be the only one on the lake. Upon first arriving it looked un-inviting but it grew on us. It is a small slightly overgrown site with poor water access but once we clambered up it wasn’t as bad as initially thought. We had a lovely evening cooking our steak and warming up some veggies on our camp stove, fishing (only catching small perch), watching the sunset, and enjoying a few beverages before heading to bed early knowing we had A LOT of portages for the next day (10 to be exact). 

Day 2: 4165m Portaging 12km total.Delano Lake P965 > South Canisbay P190 > Kingfisher P500 > Mohawk P845 > Little Mohawk P300 > Plough P365 > Cradle P50 > Bonnechere P175 > Phipps P60 > Kirkwood P715 > Pardee Lake 
We woke up around 5:30am to the sounds of loons yelling back and forth at each other along with the usual song birds. With the onslaught ahead of us we took our time eating a solid breakfast with lots of coffee before tearing down camp and battening down the hatches for (what I called) the “Portage Party”! We were at the first and most challenging portage for the day by 9:00am. It was 965m with 40m of elevation gain in the first 200m complete with two blow downs about halfway through, a great warm up. While being eaten alive by mosquitoes clearing the blow downs I was happy I ended up bringing my folding saw as it made quick work, regardless of the fire ban as it was worth the minimal extra weight. The icing in the cake though was the swampy put in at South Canisbay Lake which required about a 5-10m slog in almost knee deep stinky muck, avoiding spots of total impending submer

Trip Planning » Almost there » 6/14/2021 3:01 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 74

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Was in the park for the weekend and didn’t see people until day 3 of my trip on 2 lakes in from the access point. It was quite a treat as I’m sure we were for the mosquitoes!

Trip Planning » Almost there » 6/07/2021 1:12 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 74

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Kept this reservation by the skin of my teeth! Cache > Delano > Pardee > Cache from 11-13. Lots of portages but it makes up for the missed trips in the spring!

Trip Planning » Almost there » 6/07/2021 10:08 am

Austin.M
Replies: 74

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https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-could-move-into-step-1-of-reopening-plan-as-soon-as-friday-health-minister-says-1.5459287

Now we are looking at June 11th as a possible first day of step 1. Hopefully our overlords let us know sooner rather than later this week as I (and presumably many others) have reservations and rentals for this weekend. 
Fingers crossed for some much needed outdoor time shortly!

Trip Planning » Almost there » 5/30/2021 8:13 am

Austin.M
Replies: 74

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petey wrote:

From the 14th to the 16th now? The mad hatter's tea party is in full swing. What a confused man we have as a premier.

 
It is quite mind boggling (along with his salary for these shenanigans). The stay at home orders are still in effect but they opened up outdoor gatherings up to 5 people, outdoor sport amenities, golf, and recreational boating. Yet camping is off the table for even longer than initially promised. I also understand car camping is wildly different than backcountry and I enjoy both for different reasons. Regardless, we are in a much different situation compared to last year and more things were open last summer.

I should have realized by now that political promises don’t mean nearly as much as playground pinky promises.

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/29/2021 3:39 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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yellowcanoe wrote:

It is so disappointing to come to realization that I live in an idiocracy!

 
Time to start lobbying like the golfers and boaters, seemed to work out well for them!
I don’t understand the extended ban on camping since we have exceeded the percent vaccinated benchmark as well as cases and hospitalizations plummeting.
But that’s my opinion and might be biased based on multiple cancellations thus far.

Trip Planning » Almost there » 5/29/2021 2:49 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 74

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Well Douggie extended the camping ban until at least the 16th of June. That’s one way to implement his own opening plan…

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/29/2021 2:47 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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Seems like no camping until at least the 17th…

https://www.cp24.com/mobile/news/ont-extends-some-covid-19-orders-including-ban-on-recreational-camping-and-provincial-border-closures-1.5448156

3/5 of the trips I’ve booked have been cancelled… time to scrape the leftovers from the reservation site to hopefully book another!!

Sell and Swap » SOLD - Klymit Double V Sleeping Pad » 5/23/2021 3:10 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 0

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- Brand new, never been used Klymit Double V sleeping pad for two adults
- Lightweight at 2.7lbs
- Packable at 9in X 5in
- Inflated size 74in x 47in (similar to a twin size mattress) at 3in thick
- 1.6 R value
- Stuff sack can be used as a pump
- Patch kit included 

I ended up with two of these and the one that my girlfriend and I have used for multi-day canoe trips and car camping is amazing. Very packable, lightweight, comfortable, and easy to inflate/deflate, and provides plenty of space to lay on even with two people.

Looking for $170

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/21/2021 9:08 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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Jdbonney wrote:

Austin.M wrote:

I have a trip planned for June 11-12-13th. It has been hard enough to get a reservation but harder to keep them these days! If they stick to the 14th that will be trip number 3 cancelled!!!

 
You might be ok. Hopefully all goes well and they are able to open a bit earlier.

 
I feel like you’re right. As someone mentioned we should hit the 60% marl by this weekend (hopefully) and then the 2 week countdown is on!
Looking forwards to my first overnight trip of many this summer and fall. Hopefully everyone else’s plans aren’t impacted too much!!

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/21/2021 6:43 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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I have a trip planned for June 11-12-13th. It has been hard enough to get a reservation but harder to keep them these days! If they stick to the 14th that will be trip number 3 cancelled!!!

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/17/2021 3:09 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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kokko61 wrote:

I know the feeling Austin, got my cancelation today also. That is number three for me. Waiting to see what will happen with my June 6th reservation. 

 
This is number 2. I have a June 11th reservation and hopefully they make a favourable decision for outdoor activities starting June 2nd. For the sake of many small businesses (including my own) being able to use outdoor spaces again would be a huge relief on not only peoples’ mental and physical health but also on the wallet!

FINGERS CROSSED!!

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/17/2021 11:04 am

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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And just like that I got my cancellation email. Someone from Ontario parks must have been reading this discussion!

Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/17/2021 10:17 am

Austin.M
Replies: 76

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Evan Briden wrote:

TripperMike wrote:

MartinG wrote:

You guys are all nuts camping will be opened on Monday!

ONparks and FOAP seem to have the same confidence as Martin.  Both are suggesting that they may be opening this Friday.  

My reservation for the 21st - 24th has still not been cancelled or refunded by Ontario Parks. I am obviously not expecting them to open, but I would appreciate if they would give me back my money they have had for nearly 5 months.... orrrr just open the Parks!

I would not expect them to open and assume the website has yet to be updated as it still says reservations up to and including May 20th have been cancelled (even though it also says info is up to date as of today and the stay at home extension says otherwise). They have been very slow in the past to update that info on their site and it will always tell you it is up to date as of "today".
In the FAQ it says to allow 10 business days for a refund to post on your credit card account after the reservation is cancelled. 
I have yet to receive a cancellation email and my reservation is still active on my account so I hope I didn't cancel my canoe rental and schedule myself back into work for no reason or I get my money back shortly!

Equipment » Opeongo Tree Tent » 3/08/2021 10:56 am

Austin.M
Replies: 14

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GordK wrote:

 Austin - I'm guessing price = quality kind of thing.  Which would be important in this system I expect.  Was laughing at the guy drinking a beer in the Amok hammock.  I was picturing the amount of abuse he would be taking from less comfortable friends.

Unfortunately, sometimes price doesn't always equal quality but I have no reference to this product although once people purchase and abuse it I assume we could find some reviews. It does seem interesting and wouldn't mind trying it but maybe not buying it... I would gladly take some trash talk drinking a beer in a hammock than sleeping on the ground! 

Equipment » Opeongo Tree Tent » 3/06/2021 10:03 am

Austin.M
Replies: 14

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It seems like an interesting product but the price seems high comparative to other set ups (in my unprofessional opinion).I really enjoy hammock camping when solo and use a lightweight double hammock with a separate bug net, tree straps (not rope which will damage trees), lightweight sleeping bag, under quilt, and tarp when expecting rain (which set up well can provide better coverage and access to getting in during a storm). I have also never found a shortage of trees to hang from. The entirety costing around $175 of not especially high tech gear, it’s fairly light, compact, and I sleep wonderfully swinging gently in the warm evening breeze. I do understand that some people enjoy sleeping flat but also don’t enjoy sleeping on the ground and this solves that problem and provides more vestibule space. An alternative that I’ve heard good reviews of, is half the price (although out of stock currently), and is almost a hybrid of this product and a traditional hammock is Amok Draumr.

https://www.amokequipment.com/products/draumr-hammock
 There doesn't seem to be a right or wrong way to set up just all personal preference and experimentation!

Trip Planning » 100km 5 Day Solo Loop » 2/05/2021 7:32 pm

Austin.M
Replies: 5

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Thanks for the advice! I like the long day format, keeps my mind busy while I’m alone and the work helps get me tired enough to ease the night time anxiety.
I have considered the weather, I did have to extend a 3 day trip by one day last year from being windbound. I might switch up my route or possibly add a 6th day and shorten the days so that if I do get bad weather I have the route flexibility to catch up instead of just go home. Unfortunately bad weather is hard to predict 6 months ahead of time! I liked the route but I can see what you’re saying about being around 60.
Again, thanks for the input it’s giving me a few more things to consider.

Board footera

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