I have to confess that I've never started a camping trip from the Shall Lake access point. To fix that, I have a trip booked starting there on Friday. Ignoring the fact that ice-out may not have happened by Friday, should I be worried that the access road will be undriveable? I've been hearing reports that the Rock Lake road is still snow covered so I'm thinking this road could be the same and I may need to change plans. I'm just in a car, not a truck or 4x4. 

Assuming it's driveable, will the permit office even be open or should I be stopping by the east gate? 

I've been dying to give their beers a try. There's nothing I'd love more than to have a beer in the back country but since beer comes in cans or glass bottles I never get the opportunity. When Pat's shows up in the LCBO or Beer Store I'll definitely be giving them a test run. 

You have nothing to worry about. At all. 

I keep my kayak on the docks at Paddle Toronto in the Harbourfront, so I'm out paddling in and around the islands regularly. But: I now have a dog and a baby girl, which means sooner or later I'm going to have to buy a canoe, as much as that thought pains me. And if I'm going to be buying a canoe maybe I should spend some time paddling one. 

So sure, I'm up for it. I don't own a canoe paddle but I'm sure the harbourfront folks will lend me one, if that's where you launch out of. And if you have a paddling partner and are still looking for company I'm happy to join in my kayak. I'll paddle slowly so you can keep up ;)
 

17th versus 19th. Huge differences. 

I'm impressed you're going to paddle from Rock to Louisa - are you expecting the portage to be flooded?  Joking aside, I'm also impressed you have room for your gear in a 10' kayak. Just a rear hatch I'm thinking yeah? Are you latching stuff onto the top or are you an ultra-minimalist? 

The yoke will definitely make your life easier. My design or something you cooked up yourself? 

@holycow: Dooooo ittttt. Come to the dark side. Also, thanks for the kind words!

 

Or you could just single portage to not leave your gear far behind... ;)

And yes, the absolute best thing about solo tripping is being on your own schedule. I book routes that I want to do, at the pace I want to do them, and spend my time however I choose. Sometimes that's wandering around with the camera, sometimes it's lying on a rock by the water's edge, thinking and doing absolutely nothing. I get up when I want, eat when I want, move camp when I want. I have to confess that I've turned down invitations to go camping with other people because I only have so many days I can spend in the park each year, and camping with others means less time out there by myself. 

I'm pretty sure no camping-scale filters will deal with blue-green algae, with the possible exception of any that use activated charcoal. While yes, blue-green algae is a bacteria, they emit toxins into the water that are water soluble, and your filter won't get the toxins out. 

They put the signs out warning that your filter won't work for a reason. 

Why do you need to loop back to the same access point? I guess I can get it would be handy if you've got your resupply waiting in the parking lot, but the Canoe and Opeongo stores are right on the water and give you lots of resupply options, assuming we're just talking about food here. And don't forget about the Brent store. If I recall correctly, with enough advance notice Algonquin Outfitters will take a resupply package there for you. In my case someone from this forum (JB) was starting a camping trip from Cedar a week before I was putting in at Opeongo, and dropped off my resupply at the Brent store for me. 

So now that I ignored what you asked, I'll at least offer a suggestion that lines up with what you asked!

How about out of Magnetawan? Take the Petawawa down to Misty (and beyond), come back via Moccasin/Rain, then head out again through Ralph Bice to Rosebary and around.