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| Trip Planning » Crossing algonquin park » 7/21/2018 5:43 am |
If you want to avoid Opeongo, instead of cutting down to Misty right away from Magnetewan, you might consider going through Bice, Queer, Tim River, Shippagew, Longer, Burntroot, LaMuir, Hogan, Crow Lake/River, Lavielle, Dickson and then over to White Partridge etc. That's what we did in a 12 day crossing. The Tim & Crow Rivers tedious at times, but no whitewater. Only a few killer portages, and wind consistently at your back.
MattJ
| Trip Reports » Travers Lake Access to Eustache and Back » 6/01/2018 6:14 am |
Gorgeous photos CJ, especially the peregrine! Eustache is a pretty special.
Matt in Ottawa
| Trip Reports » Al and Uppa's Bogus Journey - Clover Lake, part 2 » 6/01/2018 4:36 am |
Fun!
Fun to read while I'm in a comfortable chair and drinking coffee, I mean. Contrasts are nice!
Hilarious as usual AL and I'm very glad you guys did that trip. After a decade's worth of amnesia had set in, I honestly had ideas of doing that loop again someday (maybe clockwise for contrast?), and I know now that I never actually have to.
Great report,
Matt
| Trip Reports » Clover to Tarn... to St. Andrews... to Stratton. Day 3 (video) » 5/30/2018 5:49 am |
Bravo! Having noted on the thread about Clover that Drew barely makes a cameo in that video, it was nice to see him appear long enough in this one to give an incorrect update on the time. Nothing like finding out you're an hour later on a Hell Portage than you think you are!
We went through in mid-July, staying first on Little Tarn after a b.s. day of hacking through the grasslands of Pogonia. The Tarn->St. Andrew's portage somehow still had an abundant supply of blackflies to go with the expected mosquitos. Our day called for a return to our car at Achray and a relocate to Eustache. I remember stumbling into the office at Achray looking for more Muskol and the kid working there said, "Well we do have these aerosol cans of Off! Citronella." "That's not gonna do it," I said, "But gimme two."
-MattJ
| Trip Reports » Clover Lake: The Redemption, Days 1&2 (video) » 5/22/2018 4:51 pm |
I get it. You were edited out.
| Trip Reports » Clover Lake: The Redemption, Days 1&2 (video) » 5/22/2018 2:40 pm |
Nice video, Uppa, and a very timely spring trip report! Glad that you made it through that portage to Turcotte, and ultimately to Clover. That is one beauty site, isn't it?
It strikes me this is the kind of video you get when two solo paddlers travel together. Drew, I would describe your role as more of a cameo, Hitchcock was in his own movies longer than you were in this video. I will look forward to the AlgonquinLakes version.
Matt in Ottawa
| Trip Planning » Sawyer lake campsites » 3/28/2018 1:16 pm |
Unfortunately true that Sawyer sees a lot of use, it's easy to get to. But if you do end up there, the second last site (above the 0 in 440 on Jeff's Map) is far & away the best for a July trip: lots of tent spots, up on a rocky area with good views down the lake, nice rocks for swimming and sitting, a decent firepit. You could do worse.
Matt
| Trip Planning » Paddling across algonquin west to east » 2/20/2018 6:46 am |
That's a great trip, I did precisely the same trip with my brother a few years ago. Wind at your back on the big lakes, you get to a bunch of places most trippers don't see. You can find quite few trip reports here and on myCCR about the route.
But. 10-14 days worth of food onboard, solo "newbie" paddler, no ww experience? Are you sure it's a good idea as a solo trip? Maybe you'd be better off with a partner?
Matt
| Trip Planning » Jeff's Maps - Concerns » 2/14/2018 2:13 pm |
jeffreym wrote:
Mine didn't have spiral bindings and the cover was blurry, but I got 4 for the price of 3. 2 are still alive and two died hero's deaths on trips.
Holy! Now those are originals!
I'm testing my memory here, but I think there were just over 100 of those ever made. At some point a year or so later I bought a printer and spiral binder and started doing them myself.
I have one of those perfect bound ones too. Over the years I have razored out many pages and laminated them with extra thick plastic at Staples. Punch a hole in the corner and put a carbiner in them, indestructible & waterproof. And too heavy to blow away!
Matt
| Trip Planning » Clover Lake, Attempt #2 » 1/12/2018 5:39 am |
That's a terrific trip with all the East Side highlights (Barron Canyon, Carcajou Bay, High Falls) and hidden gems (Cork, Clover, Tarn, St. Francis). When are you going to go to High Falls then? On your long first day, or *after* you've climbed down from Marie? It's a bit of a detour either paddling up the toe of Stratton or scrambling over from High Falls Lake, and you'll want an hour or two for photos and exploring. Probably won't be swimming in May!
I really look forward to the video, and to AlgLakes' trip report.
Jealous,
Matt in Ottawa
| Where In Algonquin? » Where in APP #207 » 12/13/2017 12:16 pm |
That's a funny one. More than one paddler has looked at that and said "How the hell...?"
Matt
| Trip Planning » Sec/Mallard/Pretty Lake - Easy Fall Trip with Dad? » 10/08/2017 6:46 am |
Hi Steve,
Yes, you can walk to both of the sites on Number One Lake. I've camped there twice when arriving after the Sand Lake permit office was closed. It's not well-marked but you can see the portage sign from the road, and there is room to park a vehicle or two.
Matt
| Trip Reports » Trip Report: My failed trip » 8/04/2017 9:27 am |
I really appreciate you sending that somewhat humbling update. No matter how much background intel you have, sometimes the circumstances on the ground conspire to push us in other directions, particularly on solo trips. A "flat unmemorable" portage can disappear in blowdowns, especially on a low-maintenance route. Anyway, if you got home safely, you won.
Here's to next year's Guthrie/Clover trip!
-Matt in Ottawa
| Trip Planning » Lower Spectacle - Clover - St. Francis Lakes » 7/26/2017 6:48 pm |
Just took the time to go back and re-read Mark's complete report of going through here, very thorough! He gives better detail than I did on the campsites & portages. And Bob McElroy's link will really help you (he posted while I was typing my previous message). Forgot about their hike to the top of Tarn cliff, which I had also enjoyed reading before.
Good luck!
-Matt
| Trip Planning » Lower Spectacle - Clover - St. Francis Lakes » 7/26/2017 3:37 pm |
Hey Uppa,
Did a variation on your trip 10 years ago.
Lots of info out there on Lower Spectacle (shallow lake, sites maybe not so great?).
The loop through Guthrie/Clover/Tarn can be a challenge, mostly because of low water, and then the big portage back to St. Andrew's which you have no illusions about.
What might make it a bit easier this rainy year will be the water levels. When we went through, it was VERY tough to make our way through the upper end of McDonald Creek, and to find the portage to Turcotte. Like, using cattails to pull ourselves along, thinking more than once that we had missed the portage. I expect you'll have enough water this year that it won't be as confusing. The portage itself is unmemorable, except maybe for muckiness.
We stayed first night near the cabin on Guthrie, which is a good historic site. One of the western sites on Clover which we checked out at lunch is very nice, up high with a good view of the lake.
Travel from Clover to Little Tarn was difficult in 2007, as Pogonia and Grasspink were essentially dried up, so there was additional portaging through the tall grass near shore. We spent our second night on Little Tarn, where the site was small but serviceable, a bit steep if I recall. Tarn itself has those great cliffs at the eastern end.
We started early from Little Tarn, and despite the steep portage, made it back to Achray in time to drive up to Eustache for another couple of nights.
St. Francis is a nice enough lake, the site has a rocky shore, decent firepit, and room for a tent. It's a favourite for a secluded trip, since it's a dead end. Portages from St. Andrew's are flat and easy.
I know Peek's been through this route more recently, and has photos of the Guthrie cabin.
I think you've made a good impulsive choice, given the wet year.
-Matt in Ottawa
| Trip Planning » Little Billings to Branch Lake - Low water issues? » 5/04/2016 2:18 pm |
Hi CS,
This may not be all that useful since it's not recent, but I figured I'd offer since you may not find many who've been that way. In July 2008 (a rainy week) my brother and I came through there. The P2395 was pretty clear and level, it doesn't follow the N. York much. On the river, the going wasn't particularly tough, no mudflats or spots where we had to drag. Pretty marshy. We made it from Little Billings to the Kingscote access point in about 4 or 5 hours, the end of a two-week trip so we weren't pushing it.
If you're thinking of coming down from Little Hay to Billings, however, those portages were a nightmare, with blowdowns and constant bushwhacking to one side or the other of the river/creek to find a trail. Luckily there was that drainage to follow or it would have been a very tough time navigating.
Afraid I can't help you with Hay->Big Mink! (You do mean outside the Park, right?)
-MattJ
| Trip Planning » Figure 8 route » 4/11/2016 11:58 am |
Not sure how many days you're planning, but here's a short one out of Shall Lake (Access #17).
Crotch->Shirley (possible out and back to Ryan/Shrew even McKaskill if you're ambitious)->Bridle->Farm.
Then Booth->Godda->Mole->McCarthy Creek and back. A very nice 5 to six day trip where you can return to your vehicle in the middle and only minimal backtracking.
-Matt
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