| Catch-all Discussions » ice out 2019 - too early to discuss? » 5/09/2019 3:44 pm |
AlgonquinGuy wrote:
Hold on to your butts...
Algonquin Park just tweeted: We are continuing to monitor conditions and ice seems to be deteriorating faster than expected. Keep monitoring our website and social media accounts for potential updates.
Oh FFS. If I changed my route and start date (it was Monday) for no reason I'm going to be really pissed off.
| Trip Planning » Little Osler or Osler » 5/09/2019 1:53 pm |
To the best of my recollection (and someone with a better memory will come along soon I'm sure), the campsites on all the lakes between Erables and Nadine are okay at best, and most of them are downright lousy.
I stayed on Osler for the same reason you're talking about. I have no memory whatsoever of the campsite I stayed on, but a video I recorded on Nadine has me saying all the Osler campsites were crap. I remember not checking out the two northern sites on Little Osler (after Heart Attack Hill, side trips were not on the menu) so perhaps one of them is nice.
| Catch-all Discussions » ice out 2019 - too early to discuss? » 5/09/2019 9:50 am |
I thought I'd check the online reservation system to see what day it allows bookings.. but it doesn't seem to be aware of the change. I can start a trip in the interior on the 13th through the site - that's dumb of them.
Anyway, I just called and rebooked for the 15th. This is the fourth time I've changed my route and the third time I've changed my start date - hopefully this is the last time!
| Trip Planning » Leaving a food stash behind - good idea, bad idea? » 5/08/2019 11:16 am |
If nothing else, I can probably stash a nalgene with some whiskey in it. That's probably the only way I'll have something left to drink by night 6 ;)
| Trip Planning » Leaving a food stash behind - good idea, bad idea? » 5/08/2019 9:54 am |
@dontgroandaddy yeah, that's pretty much what my mindset would be, for sure. I think the stress of worrying about whether or not I'll have food to eat probably outweighs the weight savings on the portages. Guess I'll lug it all with me!
| Trip Planning » Leaving a food stash behind - good idea, bad idea? » 5/08/2019 8:46 am |
I called the park and spoke to someone, they didn't see a problem with it - so the 'rules' part seems to be answered (not that I even realized I should ask that!).
My real question was more about whether or not it's a good idea. Meaning, if I've done a proper bear hang, should I reasonably expect to find my food where I left it when I come back four days later? Or is it just as likely to be chewed up, or missing entirely?
| Trip Planning » Leaving a food stash behind - good idea, bad idea? » 5/08/2019 7:28 am |
Well if it's not allowed I certainly won't be doing it (not sure I would regardless), but that section seems pretty vague. You could read it that we're all breaking the rules every night when we hang our food.
Storing of wildlife attractants 3. No person shall maintain or store potential wildlife attractants, including food or beverages, food preparation or storage equipment, cooking devices or utensils, garbage or recycling products, scented products or any other item in a manner that is likely to attract wildlife without the written authorization of the superintendent, which may be granted if the superintendent is of the opinion that the otherwise prohibited activities will not cause a threat to public safety. O. Reg. 347/07, s. 3.
| Trip Planning » Leaving a food stash behind - good idea, bad idea? » 5/08/2019 7:11 am |
My Spring trip is shaped in such a way that I could conceivably cache a few days' worth of food and pick it up on the way back, saving me portaging that weight in the meantime. I've never done anything like that before, and I'm wondering if it's terribly wise to hang a food bag that's going to stay there for days.
Opinions? Advice?
| Equipment » Solo Stove or Trangia? » 5/07/2019 4:11 pm |
I have a Bushbuddy, which looks pretty much identical to the solo stove. It's been the only stove I've taken for the last 3-4 years of tripping. The best wood to use isn't really twigs - thicker wood that you've cut into lengths will burn much longer, and you avoid the 'constantly feeding' scenario as a result. I've had few issues with finding wood or keeping it burning, but in truly miserable conditions I haven't bothered trying in the first place, I just dig into my snack food.
So the twig stove has been my primary - and only - fuel source for years and I have no horror stories to tell. But this year I'm adding a pocket rocket and a small fuel canister to my kit (for shoulder season trips) just in case. The twig stove will continue to be what I use 99% of the time.
| Catch-all Discussions » ice out 2019 - too early to discuss? » 5/07/2019 3:03 pm |
The flyover is scheduled for tomorrow to assess the remaining ice conditions.
| Trip Planning » "Heart Attack Hill" portage » 5/07/2019 7:20 am |
The 'official' Heart Attack Hill absolutely deserves its name - it's a brutal climb. But if I had to give an award for the suckiest portage in the park, it would be the 4425 between Tarn and St. Andrews. An ascent that continues pretty much non-stop for two kilometers is... not fun.
| Trip Planning » Solo Lesta is back. » 5/06/2019 2:56 pm |
Welcome back! Big lakes and big portages, for that matter. Looking forward to the first new Lesta video in years!
| Catch-all Discussions » ice out 2019 - too early to discuss? » 4/30/2019 7:18 am |
I don't think there's any chance of the park opening this coming Friday, sadly. I'm sorry for anyone who was planning to head in this weekend.
| Trip Reports » Mark in the Park Episode 7 (Video) » 4/30/2019 4:28 am |
Relax, i wasn't trying to belittle anyone. It's exactly as Uppa has interpreted...sheesh. Martin, if you behave yourself I'll see what i can do to set you up with Markus, you're clearly enamored with him..lol
@Martin: my apologies for giving Swift the benefit of the doubt. He's left no doubt that he doesn't deserve it.
| Trip Reports » Mark in the Park Episode 7 (Video) » 4/29/2019 3:44 pm |
Then I have no idea what point you're arguing, so I'll move on!
Edit: to be clear, I'm not sure you're arguing the point I thought Swift was making in the first place, which I read as appearance versus reality. But perhaps I'm misinterpreting his post.
| Trip Reports » Mark in the Park Episode 7 (Video) » 4/29/2019 3:34 pm |
I don't imagine he meant anything mean Martin. You have to admit, Mark doesn't exactly look like the grizzled backcountry veteran you might imagine based on his trip history. If you ran into him on the street would you think "There's a God among men"? ;)
| Equipment » Swift Cruiser 16.8 - opinions? » 4/26/2019 5:44 pm |
@Eddy: many of my replies in this thread are tongue in cheek. Camping isn't a race - that's just silly. But I put a lot of time and effort into figuring out how to portage a kayak properly, which meant designing and building my own yoke, and thinking very carefully about the gear I bring and how I pack it. The result is that I'm faster on the water (kayak v canoe, not a superhero trait) and only marginally slower on portages (the packing up/unpacking time on either end, not the actual portage time - I single carry).
On the whole I think I'm faster, and less susceptible to wind conditions than any solo canoeist out there - and likely many two-person canoes as well.
The kayak Achilles heel is a lot of short portages in succession, where I'd be spending more time getting organized on either end than the portage time itself - like the stretch from Radiant to Lavieille via the Petawawa and Crow rivers. 19 portages with tiny little paddling stretches between many of them. That route would try my patience, no doubt.
