When it's cold, I use a thermarest or one of the closed-cell foam sleeping pads under my sleeping bag in my hammock.  It's not the easiest, but it works.  I've been sleeping in a hammock since 2010, I believe.  I use the Hennessey A-sym zip hammock - one issue that could matter is your height - tall folks struggle to find a hammock that suits them.  I've never used an underquilt - I like it cold and I've slept in snowy conditions but I never felt I needed an additional under layer with the insulated pad.

I've been finding those balloons for years in the field - usually while hunting deep in the forests of Pennsylvania - and they are a constant reminder of how easy it is to be wasteful.  The plastics to make it, the rare gas to fill it and the loss of all of it for what?

The Fish-ON maps are fantastic - I believe they must use imagery acquired very early in the season since the deciduous trees are not leafed out but it is after ice-out.  The roads of logging operations are easily visible from above in those conditions but by June most of the surface features would be hidden by the leaf canopy.

Thanks for sharing your approach and story.  It's always interesting to visit these types of locations...I've come across many a depression or visible foundation in the forests from a century or more ago as our predecessors eked out a difficult existence.  Our path has been made so much easier because of their efforts.

We had a racoon do a tightwire act to access our pack one night on Burnt Island Lake.  They enjoy white bread.

I've related the story previously of my first trip to Algonquin when I was roughly 10 years old in 1977 where a similar mistake befell us.  We camped on the elevated Hayes point site on Lavieille in mid-May.  Rainy day coming in over the Dickson-Bonfield, cold, hungry & tired.  The first few days were rain and wind but the wind shifted the second night and one of the four canoes that had been tied to a tree along shore went for a float sometime overnight.

We noticed it missing in the morning and made a plan for the remaining three canoes to fan out over the lake to search.  That afternoon one of the canoes comes upon two guys with a motor on their canoe coming out of Thomas Bay who said they saw a canoe down at the far end of the bay.  That thing had floated over three miles in the breeze!

Technically, since I wasn't the one who didn't tie the canoe, it wasn't my mistake.  My mistake was taking a 17 foot aluminum Michicraft canoe (75-80 pounds) over the Dickson-Bonfield in my late thirties.  Remarkably stupid.  

The numbering is messed up...the first half-dozen or so were on one or two threads.  I'd say stick with 897 since it's been that many since we started counting!

Cork Lake, southern bay.

@ Bo - I expect all of the folks who were airlifted out of Kiosk will have to wait until the roads are repaired to get their stuff.  Their personal insurance may help with the temporary costs of rentals.

Nature is awesome.  Kudos to our paid and volunteer personnel - rewarding work to help others in need.

Technically, you are littering by leaving something unattended on public land.  Nobody in their right mind would issue a citation for the behavior as it is a somewhat common practice and they would have to wait for you to come back to the 'scene of the crime' to apprehend you.  Officers have much bigger fish to fry than a smart stasher.

Walk 50 or 100 meters into the woods and stash the cache and you will be fine.  Typically the risk is human intervention messing with your stuff and not animal intervention. 

Beautiful scenery and nice account of a walk in the woods.  It's remarkable how few people actually travel off the beaten path and designated trails - so much to see, experience and learn!  Thank for the post!