| Trip Reports » Otter Creek Loop » 5/02/2024 7:07 am |
Amazing. It looks miserable and fun in equal measure.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 755 » 5/01/2024 11:15 am |
Animoosh?
| Trip Reports » Kingscote Lake - April 2024 » 4/30/2024 1:42 pm |
A great read as always. If forgetting a water filter at a portage is the worst thing that happens to you this season, it'll be a pretty good season! I've always had a theoretical interest in checking out the Kingcote area, but every time I stare at a map of the area it just looks... unexciting. And no loops to be found. But I'll get there one day.
| Trip Planning » The low maintenance loop off North River » 4/27/2024 1:04 pm |
Anyone been through this area lately - as in the last year or three? My Spring trip has me spending nights on:
North River Lake
North Depot
Menona
Big George
Wabamimi
Merganser
.. which involves quite a few low maintenance portages and even some bushwhacking and logging road travel the way I'm planning it (If AlgonquinLakes is lurking, he'll recognize it as the trip we almost did together years back before I had to back out).
With the exception of a tiny little stretch between Clamshell and the start of the portage into Menona this is all new territory for me (which I'm excited about), so any info on the portages or any commentary on the lakes/campsites is appreciated. My intent is to bushwhack from Big George to the logging road north of it (looks to be ~150 meters) and then walk the logging road up to Wabamimi and bushwhack in (which is even closer). Then the next day I'll find the logging road again and follow it until it crosses the portage up to Merganser. Satellite imagery confirms the roads are there so I don't think this is going to be a problem, but if anyone knows anything relevant about this plan, I'm all ears!
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA #617 » 1/17/2023 11:41 am |
Misty?
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 594 » 7/13/2022 1:16 pm |
Big Trout
| Trip Planning » does site scout still work?? » 7/13/2022 12:46 pm |
I just fired up the reservations page and it's still working fine for me.
Note that it only ever worked for *new* reservations, not when trying to change an existing reservation. Is that perhaps what you're experiencing?
| Skills » How to paddle a canoe (no, this is not a joke) » 6/15/2022 1:00 pm |
Sorry, I thought it would be clear that the only way I'd ever be paddling a canoe is because there will be someone else in it with me! If I were solo then I'd be in my kayak, as God intended.
@PaPaddler: yes, I could Google it (and have). But there are a million resources and a million instructional videos, and I have no way of telling the good from the bad because I know nothing. So I turned to those who do.
@RobW: See, I don't think the paddle strokes are at all similar between a canoe and a kayak - which may well mean my canoe paddle stroke is just that terrible. What I dislike about paddling a canoe is that a) it seems to be an incredible amount of work compared to a kayak and b) making the boat go where it want it to go.
@MartinG: see above. You think there's any chance I'd be solo paddling a canoe? 
Why would I put myself through that? Would a kayak paddle even work in a normal canoe? I mean a normal length kayak paddle, a 220 cm. I imagine it's at least 30-40 cm too short.
@MooseWhizzer Dave: thanks, all of that is very helpful. As you say, it gets me thinking.
@solos: interesting that you're also suggesting a kayak paddle. I just assumed Martin was being... Martin. Most of the trip will be open water, and the river we're going down won't be super windy. If I can actually use my kayak paddle I'll feel about a thousand times better about all of this.
| Skills » How to paddle a canoe (no, this is not a joke) » 6/14/2022 12:50 pm |
Okay, so it seems I'm going to be doing a 9-day trip in Algonquin this summer... in a canoe. If there's anyone on this board who isn't already aware, I solo camp out of a sea kayak. I've rarely paddled a canoe, I strongly dislike paddling a canoe, and it's been years since I've so much as sat in a canoe.
But the "I hate" part comes mostly from being bad and inexperienced at paddling a canoe. So all you canoeists, please give me advice and YouTube links that will give me a chance of learning how to be somewhat competent at paddling a canoe. I don't want to hate this camping trip.
Thanks!
| Trip Reports » Wendigo to Big Bissett Lake, Spring 2022 » 6/14/2022 12:45 pm |
Great read and pictures Martin. You guys aren't messing around.
| Equipment » Packing » 5/19/2022 8:23 am |
Being a kayak camper, having my gear properly organized isn't something I can mess around with. Everything I take on a camping trip has a specific place, in a specific bag, and even how I put things in bags is pretty much consistent from one trip to another. My gear checklist is likewise broken down based on how I organize everything.
Which is to say No, I don't have this particular issue ;). Now finding all of my stuff can be a bit of a challenge. My water filters came in the house for the winter so they wouldn't freeze in the garage, as did my batteries, as did other random bits of gear... but I tracked everything down eventually!
| Trip Planning » When are the bugs coming this spring? » 5/06/2022 10:04 am |
MooseWhizzer Dave wrote:
You are too kind, Uppa, I really appreciate that offer. I think I'm gonna pass on it though, I'll have my hands full on portages as it is.
My plan is to dress for bugs, then later regret not taking you up on it, then writing a trip report that reminds everyone about your kind offer and my bullheadedness that declined your kind offer.
Hah! I've seen the phrase "cube of sanity" floated around when talking about bug tents, and it really can be the case. If I'm on a bug-riddled campsite and have no relief except by crawling into my tiny one-man tent, I very quickly start questioning my life decisions. I went years camping without a bug tent in bug season, but now that I have the NoBugZone, it's basically essential equipment for a late May or June camping trip.
If you change your mind, just let me know!
| Trip Planning » When are the bugs coming this spring? » 5/05/2022 8:07 pm |
It sure looks that way. I do have a bug shirt though. It gets hot as H, but that's kind of the way it goes. Serves me right for wanting to take a canoe trip. I guess the idea is to wear light-colored clothing, long sleeves, and prepare to become Purina Blackfly-Chow. I'm thinking the worst part will be on the thunderbox, where I'm a captive audience with exposed legs.
Maybe I'll catch a break and the wind will be ridiculous.
If you're anywhere near the Guelph area, you're welcome to borrow a Eureka NoBugZone from me. Even if I go camping the same weekend, I own two ;). No, I don't have a problem, you have a problem.
| Trip Planning » Barron Canyon Road » 5/02/2022 1:39 pm |
Yep, that's what I discovered! The moment the pavement turned to gravel was a hell of a shock, as I hit that first batch of potholes at 95 km/hour. But it's all passable even for a car (which I was in), just annoying. And once you get to the Sand Lake gate the rest is just fine.
| Trip Planning » Barron Canyon Road » 4/29/2022 7:04 am |
Ahh... nevermind. I see the Achray campground is actually opening today. If they're opening car camping then the road must be passable.
| Trip Planning » Barron Canyon Road » 4/29/2022 7:02 am |
Anyone heard anything about its condition? I'm actually supposed to be heading in there today, wondering if I might get a nasty surprise.
| Catch-all Discussions » Ice Out 2022 » 4/20/2022 10:29 am |
That's actually covered in the text right under the image you're looking at:
On average Lake of Two Rivers sheds its ice cover 3 days earlier than Lake Opeongo, Algonquin Park's largest lake, and the basis for declaring Algonquin Park's ice out (see Ice Out History below).
