I don't mind Opeongo so much anymore as long as I can get onto that western shore.  But having been on it 3 times now, I can can I'm done with it.  Like, I've payed my dues and earned my stripes on this trip and the Big Crow loop.

I agree that the 6am to 6pm style of tripping probably isn't for me anymore.  Shorter days are gonna be the way to go.

These are basically my in the field notes as I recorded them from my hammock each day and/or night for this epic 100km loop.  The route was from Oprongo, Happy Isle, Merchant, what would have been Red Pine Bay, then Lac La Muir, Hogan, Big Crow, Little Crow, Proulx, and back out Opeongo.

Day 1:
Opeongo was a bear but I made good time, making it to the site nearest my Portage by 5pm. Wind started from the south but waves from behind were still too much to be safe. I kept to the northern edges of short lines as much as I could. Once I got north of Bates Island, the wind changed to coming out of the east. That made the track along the Western Shore very difficult

Decided to stay there because my scheduled 2.5hr Portage would put me on my lake aroung 7:30pm. It was a G
Good site, and enjoyed kabobs for dinner. My hammock got wet in rain overnight. I didn't have the tarp quite right.

Day 2
I woke at 5:00, left at 6:30. It was a quick calm paddle to the 2235m Happy Isle portage. My longest to date. Other than being long, the portage was unremarkable. Happy isle was dangerous to be on. I ended up ditching one campsite before my next portage. I broke for lunch and to dry out stuff while waiting for the winds to calm. 90min total stop.

Quick 340m Portage to Merchant which I planned much better, hugging the western shore the whole way north to the Big Trout portage. The 1840m portage felt longer than the 2235m portage from the morning. Wind was straight into me on Big Trout. Landed at a site on a point exhausted at 6:30. I had a steak for supper but skipped the instant mashed potatoes. In bed by 9pm, feeling dismayed.

Day 3.
Woke once in the night. Stars were incredible. Woke at 5:30 and hit the water right away. Managed to get to the big island despite moderate wind and waves. Took the 2590m Portage into Lac la Muir. Met 2 park wardens on a campsite where I stopped for lunch. Asked them to call a water taxi for me at Friday 5pm at the Proulx Portage. Given the state of

I would take my hammock but bring very long straps to reach to more distant trees. (obviously that also means starting higher up too)

I've also hung my hammock with one end secured to the bottom of a tiny tree on top of a bolder that was head-height from the ground.

Disclaimer, Ive never been where you're going.

I'm considering a canoe cart for my kayak, after reviewing the other portages on my route.  It may be worth the extra distance considering it's one way and not three.

Even harder than heart attack hill in the north?

I went there a while back too and couldn't for the life of me figure out why people would portage half a k over paddling 2k.  But I guess wind does trump a lot of other considerations.  Kinda like the portaging 105m and adding 3k paddle to bypass the east narrows on Opeongo.

ATVenture wrote:

...I am glad you are not becoming 'tandem Lesta' or something like that...

Now that my oldest is about 9 she's been out with me a couple times.  She did two nights around Grand lake with me and we went up into Carcachu bay and toured the high falls / water park.  she was a champ the whole time and never asked once if it was time to go home, or are we almost at camp.