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| Trip Planning » Bug Report? » 5/11/2023 3:31 pm |
I came back Tuesday from a North Tea/Biggar/Three Mile loop and had a few mosquitoes around but no black flies. With these warm temperatures I expect they'll be out very soon though.
| Equipment » life straw tumbler mug » 4/13/2023 3:47 pm |
Similar to Shaggy, I use a Lifestraw on a bottle for extended paddling days/hot weather as a supplement to a gravity filter at camp. The Lifestraw is ok, but it can't easily produce the volume I can get from a gravity filter.
| Equipment » Tent colour? » 11/13/2022 11:58 am |
I have a brown tent, and a grey tent. However I'm not too worried about visibility as my canoe is bright red, and my tarp (if up) is orange. So I guess I'm saying the tent colour doesn't have to be bright if some of your other large gear is.
| Trip Planning » Which river would you take from Cedar to get to Luckless Lake? » 6/24/2022 1:30 pm |
On the Luckless to Nipissing portage - it's been a few years since I did it, but other than the length I don't remember anything difficult about it. A fair chunk of the portage follows an old logging road.
| Trip Reports » Wendigo to Big Bissett Lake, Spring 2022 » 6/01/2022 9:19 am |
I could totally do this trip........in my dreams!
Or perhaps my nightmares - judging from some parts of your trip description.
Good on you guys for doing this old route. I totally agree that the Park should be reopening areas like this.
I really enjoyed reading this!
| Trip Planning » When are the bugs coming this spring? » 5/15/2022 10:27 am |
Came out on May 12 from the Booth-Dickson-McKaskill loop. Black flies were out at various times but weren't biting till the 11th and even then only rarely. I didn't need a bug shirt when I came out on the 12th. A local cottager I spoke to at the Shall Lake parking lot thought the black flies had been limited by the very high temps (it was 28C when I left Shall Lake). Unfortunately I'm sure the near term forecast for cooler temps and rain will bring out the biting hordes.
| Equipment » Satellite communicator » 4/08/2022 4:25 pm |
MEC has a $100 off sale on Garmin Inreach Minis. I just checked and they still show them in stock.
| Equipment » Favorite Online Camping retailer? » 2/23/2022 10:36 am |
Adding to what Uppa said, Altitude also occasionally gives free bonus credit to members. I just used a $15 credit, in addition to the member discount, to buy some equipment. 
| Equipment » Kayak paddle for canoeing?? Recommendations? » 2/15/2022 7:00 pm |
goneagainjon wrote:
Many thanks Thamesman!
Maybe a dumb question - I can't paddle my Souris River canoe backward from the bow seat when soloing as there is an aluminum thwart in the way...do people just remove this temporarily while soloing?
Interesting, looks like Souris River changed their design of the Prospector. The interior of mine looks like the current Quetico 16 model - ie with no metal bar preventing use of the bow seat to solo.
| Equipment » Kayak paddle for canoeing?? Recommendations? » 2/15/2022 4:12 pm |
We have a Souris River Prospector 16, and when I turn it around to solo, I often use a 240cm paddle I got on sale a few years ago at MEC. I wouldn't say it gives me a lot more speed, but it does provide much better control on windy open water. I agree with MartinG, a little longer paddle would probably be better, but I couldn't justify an expensive carbon blade, and the 240cm I have is adequate.
| Trip Planning » 12-night loop from Canisbay - route options. » 1/20/2022 3:14 pm |
Having watched your videos I think you would like the Madawaska between Hogan-Philip-Radiant with 3 caveats: 1) I did it from Hogan last June and water levels were a bit low (had to walk my canoe through a number of gravelly swifts), 2) the Radiant end of the 3565 portage is just a cut riverbank with no portage sign visible from the river if you're going upstream, 3) you may hear logging trucks on the road parallel to the river. Overall though, I like all of your "epic" route options!
| Trip Planning » Early Stages - Trip Plans for 2022 » 12/10/2021 12:18 pm |
On your May/Sept trip question re: Galipo campsites. I was there at the beginning of October this year (in and out from Pen/Welcome). Water levels were very high, almost spring ice out conditions judging from the vegetation under water. In terms of campsites, the West Galipo site is on the portage, has a poor firepit, and the portage put in and take outs are steep. Lots of deciduous trees so might not be a lot of leaf cover in spring - but on the flip side lots of trunks for hammocks. South Galipo is definitely the nicer site, but it's small. Nice flat spot for 1 tent/hammock, or 2 in a pinch, with firepit offering great views over the lake. You can probably fit some hammocks on trees off the path to the thunder box. I think Peek was there not long ago and might have some input. I didn't fish, but there was a family of otters on Little Galipo so there must be something there. One caution - the 5m portage at the end of North Galipo is really a liftover and then 50m or so wade along the channel heading northwest. Even with high water it was too shallow for me to paddle. Hope this helps - I really enjoyed your Nippissing trip videos!
| Trip Planning » Bug report 2021 » 6/28/2021 11:28 am |
I was in the Brent area last week if that helps. A few black flies still around, some deer flies, but mainly mosquitoes. As long as it was windy, my campsites were almost bug free. Out of the wind however, eg on portages and small rivers, the bugs could be ferocious.
| Trip Planning » Favourite lakes/sites from access #17 in August? » 5/22/2021 6:57 pm |
Ryan Lake has in the past been closed due to the same blue green algae problem as Dickson. Looks like it may have been reopened - but people are probably leery of booking it due to its past history.
Here's a previous notice on the closure:
https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/2017/2017-03-14_algae_bloom_dickson_lavieille_ryan_lakes.php
| Trip Planning » Lockdown extension? » 5/21/2021 6:05 pm |
I have a reservation starting June 3 and just received this "maybe yes, maybe no" email from Ontario Parks:
Dear reservation holder,
This email is regarding your upcoming reservation with Ontario Parks.
Ontario recently announced a reopening plan, Roadmap to Reopen, a three-step plan to safely and cautiously reopen the province and gradually lift public health measures based on the provincewide vaccination rate and improvements in key public health and health care indicators.
Step One of the roadmap may begin after 60 per cent of Ontario’s adults receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and if public health indicators, such as hospitalizations, ICU occupancy and new admissions and case rates indicate the province can safely move to this step of the roadmap.
As part of Step One, Ontario Parks will be reopening overnight accommodations.
You have an overnight reservation between June 3-June 14, 2021, however, we don’t know the exact timing that the province will move to Step One. Therefore, we are writing to notify you that your reservation may be cancelled as a result of public health measures if we have not entered Step One at that time.
If your reservation is affected, you will be notified in advance of your arrival date, and your reservation will be automatically cancelled. You will receive a full refund. If you wish to cancel your reservation arriving anytime up to June 30, 2021, Ontario Parks will provide a full refund. Reservation and penalty fees will not apply.
Currently, Ontario Parks remains open for day use and continues to provide facilities and services to support local and safe activities like walking and hiking. Please check www.OntarioParks.com for a list of available activities.
We know how much our customers love spending their vacation and leisure time with us, and we look forward to welcoming our overnight campers back to park spaces when it is safe to do so. The safety of our visitors and staff will always be our top priority.
| Trip Planning » Reservations for 2021 so far. » 5/11/2021 4:22 pm |
Can anyone share why breakfast dehydrated meals seem to have disappeared from every vendor? Mec. Sail. Altitude etc. Nobody has egg or egg scramble meals like they used to. Just curious.
Harvest Foodworks has scrambled eggs (note:I haven't tried their eggs but have been happy with some of their other products).
https://harvestfoodworks.com/product/scrambled-eggs/
| Trip Planning » Trips before May 21 cancelled by Ontario Parks » 4/23/2021 10:45 am |
Just received an official cancellation notice for my May 14-20 trip. Notice said:
"This email is regarding your upcoming reservation with Ontario Parks.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19 and support Ontario’s provincewide COVID-19 response, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will be extending the temporary closure of campground and backcountry campsites and roofed accommodations, like cabins, yurts and cottages at all Ontario Parks to align with the provincial stay-at-home order up to and including May 20th .
As a result, your reservation has been automatically cancelled, and you will receive a full refund with no penalty. There is no need to contact Ontario Parks to receive your refund. Please allow up to ten business days for your refund to appear on your credit card statement.
We understand that these cancellations will affect your plans. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your continued patience and understanding during these challenging times.
Please continue to visit OntarioParks.com and Ontario Parks social media channels for the most up-to-date information.
Sincerely,
Ontario Parks Reservation Service"
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