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I'm considering my first winter trip in the Park and have a couple of starting point questions:
1. What type of sled/harness have people used? Is it absolutely necessary to spend $500 to $1,000 or can one McGyver using tobogganing sled and rope? Are runners necessary to have on the sled?
2. I've heard that Big Pines parking lot is usually plowed, does anyone know if that's accurate?
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My pulk harness is waist belt from my dry bag, rope and pvc pipe. All in including sled about $40. Works good enough for us.
No idea about big pines lot. Sorry.
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Yes Big Pines is typically plowed. Many (not all) of the Hwy 60 hiking trails are plowed. While I don't know if the park technically approves of it, I have parked overnight at the day hiking trail parking lots for years.
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Thank you both! Glad to see that a simple sled set up can work.
Shayne- why the pvc pipe? I gather there must be an advantage to having the ropes remain more or less rigic?
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You may want to give the Park a call and confirm it is plowed this year.
This is a cut and paste from The F.O.A.P. website.Ontario Parks Plowed and Unplowed AreasAs snow accumulates and is not plowed by Ontario Parks, some park facilities become impassible and thus closed to vehicular traffic. This snowplowing list contains plowed and unplowed areas along Highway 60 from west to east as of December 23, 2020. Check back for updates as winter's snow deepens.
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Yes. The pipe keeps the sled in place on decents so it doesn't run you over. Crossing the pipe as they are helps keep the sled tracking straight while on route.
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I also did a similar DIY pulk using a Pelican tobaggan from Canadian Tire (was cheap). I also used PVC to give it some rigidity and did a harness system like Shayne. Works really well!
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Thanks you Rob! Very handy. John I was wrong, although it has been in the past, Big Pines is not currently plowed This is probably a result of active logging on the Sunday Lake road and moving the Dog Sled Trail access to the Sanitation Station parking lot.
Rob wrote:
You may want to give the Park a call and confirm it is plowed this year.
This is a cut and paste from The F.O.A.P. website.Ontario Parks Plowed and Unplowed AreasAs snow accumulates and is not plowed by Ontario Parks, some park facilities become impassible and thus closed to vehicular traffic. This snowplowing list contains plowed and unplowed areas along Highway 60 from west to east as of December 23, 2020. Check back for updates as winter's snow deepens.
- West Gate - plowed
- Western Uplands Backpacking Trail (at km 3 of Highway 60) - plowed
- Whiskey Rapids Trail - trail closed, gate closed at Highway 60
- Tea Lake Dam Picnic Area - plowed, but closed at Highway 60 with barricades
- Tea Lake Campground - not plowed
- Hardwood Lookout Trail - not plowed
- Canoe Lake Access Point - plowed
- Smoke Lake Access Point - plowed
- Arowhon Road - plowed to Mizzy Lake Trail parking lot, but road closed to public travel at the winter gate just north of Highway 60
- Peck Lake Trail - not plowed
- Algonquin Art Centre - plowed
- Source Lake Road - not plowed, closed at Highway 60 with barricades
- Minnesing Ski Trail - plowed
- Canisbay Lake Campground - closed at Highway 60 with barricades
- Cache Lake Access Point - plowed
- Track and Tower Trail - plowed
- Hemlock Bluff Trail - plowed
- Highland Backpacking Trail - plowed
- Bat Lake Trail - plowed
- Mew Lake Campground - plowed
- Two Rivers Trail - plowed
- Lake of Two Rivers Campground - closed at Highway 60 with barricades
- Lake of Two Rivers Picnic Ground and Beach - plowed
- East Beach Picnic Ground and Beach - not plowed
- Trailer Sanitary Station (at km 35.6 of Highway 60) - plowed [RV flushing activities not available in winter]
- Kearney Lake Campground - plowed to campground gate
- Pog Lake Campground - plowed to campground gate
- Lookout Trail - not plowed
- Big Pines Trail - not plowed
- Rock Lake Road - not plowed
- Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail - plowed
- Visitor Centre - plowed
- Beaver Pond Trail - not plowed
- Opeongo Road - plowed to winter gate at Cameron Lake Road
- Leaf Lake Ski Trail - plowed
- Algonquin Logging Museum - plowed
- East Gate - plowed
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So if my destination was Rock Lake, it seems like my best move would be to park at Pog Lake and ski through the camp ground to the bike trail?
Any better ideas?
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That's probably your best bet. You could go down the Kearney-Whitefish portage directly to Whitefish Lake then trek across the ice toward Rock. A bit shorter than following the campground path over the dam to the rail trail.
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That probably is shorter, but knowing nothing about how thoroughly the Madawaska system freezes, I think I'll stick with the rail trail (which I would love to see in winter in any event). Thanks!
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for years I've used a regular wood, well waxed 6' toboggan with a tank and bungees! a quick, expedient brake is simply a piece of rope tied with a dozen or so overhand knots and left long enough to reach from the back to the front + a couple of extra feet. You let it drag behind so it can bunch up under the sled if it slips back, or you can pull it under the sled and tie it to your haul line for descending slippery slopes
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Also important to note that for this year the park has opened up only a handful of designated access points for winter camping. You no longer can park in any plowed spot and venture off anywhere you want to go in the back country. You have to reserve and I think you're limited to:
-Minnesing Trail
-Mew Lake Airfield
-the 2 Backpacking trails
-the art centre parking lot
-one other that I can't recall off the top of my head.
I really hope this is a covid related thing and that in the future we can continue to use the entire back country for winter and not be restricted to a handful of places that will soon be overrun. Man I remember when you used to be able to go to Mew Lake and literally be the only people there. The airfield was a total hidden gem but now everyone knows about it...such a shame
Have fun!
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I called the Park and they asked me to drop my gear at Pog, but then park at Kearney (which is plowed).
Annoying, but seems like I'll only need to hike along 60 for about 1 km?
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Hey John,
Parking at Kearney isn't so bad. Directly across HWY 60 from the west driveway into Kearney is a summer bicycle trail going through Pog. It takes you directly to the dam across the Madawaska (you said you weren't comfortable taking the Pog portage directly to whitefish). You just need to cross the HWY to the bicycle trail. No need to walk along 60. Be aware, walking the rail trail all the way to Rock can be a very long long slog if the snow is deep.
Cars parked across 60 at the Kearney driveway. My toboggan is on the bike path.
Rail trail
Winter hot tenting
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I really hope this is a covid related thing and that in the future we can continue to use the entire back country for winter and not be restricted to a handful of places that will soon be overrun.
I have had a little back and forth communication with the Park about this and although they have not said this is permanent, they have not said in any way that this is a temporary measure.
Right now I am waiting to hear back from the Park Superintendent but expect to go much higher up the chain before I get a straight answer. I have also asked when the public consultation was on this policy change.
All I can suggest is to write the Park Superintendent and your Member of Parliament expressing your displeasure about the current policies.
Below is a copy and paste of what started it all from The Parks official FaceBook page
I had posted
How do we get a permit for the areas not listed and for those areas not along Highway 60?"
Thier reply.
"Hi Rob,
Thanks for checking. Currently, that is the complete list of winter access points, all of which are located along highway 60. We are taking all feedback into consideration as we move forward. Keep an eye out for additional backcountry camping opportunities in the future.
Thanks!"
I replied with the following.
Is winter camping accessing Algonquin Park from a location not on the above list currently allowed?"
Thier reply
The listed access points are the only currently permitted points of entry in winter. We welcome feedback if there is another point of entry you would like to see considered in the future. Thanks!
Next week when things are back to whaever normal is in the workplace right now and people are back at thier desks I will pick this up and see what happens.
Last edited by Rob (12/30/2020 6:30 pm)
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Total BS! Government drones who have no appreciation for how people have historically enjoyed APP in winter. This policy just caters to the glampers at Mew lake and the Airfield.
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