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I'm thinking of a very short, one night trip out of Rain Lake next summer and am considering a couple of different ways I could do it:
a) full loop through Hot/Islet/Weed/Wee/Way/McCraney; or
b) there-and-back to Islet, with a hike up to the Stammer Lake lookout on the Western Uplands trail.
Has anyone ever done either? I've read the Wee/Wee/Way portion can be tricky, how bad is it, really? Is the Stammer Lake lookout worth a 4 km hike each way?
Thanks in advance!
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I haven't done either but I've looked into both options. For details on the WWW route see this thread , especially Barry's photos. Basically it will depend on water levels -- if they're high it'll be doable, if they're low there might be an impenetrable margin of mud between the navigable water of Weed Lake and the terra firma of the the Weed-Wee portage.
From what I've seen in blog posts etc the Stammer Lake lookout isn't one of the better ones in the park, the view is narrow and a bit obscured by branches, so do it for the hike more than the destination.
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We've discussed the WWW section a couple of times.
It's an annoying slog through small, smelly bogs. Would make for an "interesting" day trip, with nothing to carry, but for a "canoe route" it's a waste of time and energy.
The "there and back" straight to Islet would be much nicer choice. You could do a paddle over to Weed and see the nice part of that lake, without the aggravation.
There and back to McCraney would be another option. One long portage that used to be a tote road, and is pretty darned flat.
Barbara
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Haha, it sounds like WWW really is "that bad". Thanks for the advice and especially that photo. While I enjoy a challenging portage, I have my limits.
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The crazy thing about the WWW route is that I don't recall the actual portages being anything bad. The effort put into finding a way to get to the water from the "end" of each portage is a bit of a challenge.
And those stinky bogs...ugh. Every time you put your paddle in the water, you stir it up and the smell is atrocious.
We did it as a daytrip from McCraney to Islet, and it's an experience now on my "never again" list.
Barbara
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I did a good portion of the Western Uplands trail this September. Did not find the lookout at Stammer Lake to be anything spectacular. The trees and vegetation really obstruct your view, and the lake itself is kind of swampy. That being said, I'd take any excuse to hike a trail in Algonquin, and particularly a less traveled one such as this section.
Last edited by Buckshot3390 (12/01/2015 8:33 pm)
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Hi John,
I hiked the Western Uplands trail in 2014 and agree that the lookout at Stammer is not spectacular and may be a disappointment as a destination point. Having said that, I love that section of trail from a hiking standpoint. If you decide to enjoy the walk for what it is, I would recommend trekking the extra km or so to Stutter lake as it's a neat spot, plus there is a nice little waterfall just before it. I have attached a link with pics of the journey, including shots of Stutter, Stammer and the waterfall. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Rich
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