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Looks like Grand/Stratton etc will be good for canoeing by the weekend for sure. ;-)
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Sections of open water on some lakes are a good sign but the temperatures expected over the next few days are not conducive to rapidly melting the remaining ice. The Lake of Two Rivers forecast is for a low of -8 tonight, -6 on Wednesday night and -5 on Thursday night. Seasonal temperatures are not expected until Friday or Saturday. The policy these days seems to be to not issue any interior permits until the park is almost completely clear of ice and I would not expect that to happen until sometime next week. We're hoping to start a trip on Friday, May 6.
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Based on today's MODIS imagery, it looks to me like the east end of the park is mostly open, including Radiant Lake, as is the Galeairy-Rock-Clydegale corridor and almost all of the southern panhandle, with Califlower being the southernmost lake with any ice. Elsewhere pretty much all rivers seem to be ice-free, along with scattered lakes throughout the park such as Ragged, Shippagew and Grassy Bay.
In the roughly 1.5 hours between today's two images, it seems the dusting of snow over the lakes just south of Hwy 60 melted away, which is good news for solar penetration of the ice. It also looks like there was some movement on Cedar, like a chunk breaking away from the main ice sheet, and perhaps a slight advance of the open water front line at the north end (main inflow) o McCraney Lake.
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At Lofty.......
I'll be in the blue and white solo pack canoe........dressed in every piece of wool winter wear I own lol
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As encouraging as the sat images are, it's hard to believe Friday will be a go given these stubborn overnight lows. -5 C this morning--are you kidding me?? Warm up already!! And of course I had to go and book in on the north side where melting is, of course, at its slowest. So if changing the plan, where to?
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I wouldn't rule out the weekend just yet, by the looks of the satellite images Dickson has opened up, one good blow and we could be set, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Saturday I just hope they let us know as soon as possible once things open up. I think in this case no news is good news if it was obvious that the 29th wont be possible I think they would push the date back and that hasn't happened yet.
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I have noticed in several posts peope saying Friday the 29th as they day they open things ( ice conditions allowing of course), but its actually the 28th. I know somewhere it was mentioned someone from the permit office said the 29th but if you read the official notice, which is still up on the park website, and then read down two paragraphs, you see the bit about refunds. Reading that, you see they state 'refunds are given up to and including the night of the 27th.' If the park was sill closed on the 28th, they would have said refunds are given till the 28th.
Just thought to mention it, of course the actual date is dependant on conditions, but if ice was clear and you wanted to go on the 28th, you could.
Moonman.
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I just called as we had a reservation for tomorrow. Lady on the phone said no interior permits until May 4th.
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Sigh. Ah well, I wasn't exactly looking forward to snow-covered portages anyhow. I think I'm just going to forgo an immediately-after-ice-out trip and rebook for May 9th. After mother's day, so my wife doesn't murder me.
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On the up side the posting does say "tentative" meaning they could open up before then. I remember in 2013 it was about 10pm when they posted the Park would be open the next day after an all of a sudden quick melt after a slow spring.
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The ice is a problem but it also sounds like the roads in the the interior are also barely/not at all navigable.
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I just tried to rebook but Ontario Parks Reservation Service says April 29 still the official date. Advised me to call back later or I would have to pay cancelation fee as it not official yet. I'm guessing it will be but if your going to call may be better to wait until this afternoon.
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cancelling 29th and 30th now with full refund
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I got "the call" about an hour ago letting me know about the delayed opening, and then called up the reservation number to re-book. Interestingly while everything else says May 4th, the guy I dealt with at the reservation number said it's actually May 3rd.
I rebooked for May 9th so it doesn't matter to me, but it might affect some of your plans!
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The girl who left the message for me said the revised opening date was May 6, but the FOAP site shows the 4th. Haven't called back yet 'cuz I don't know what to do. Been trying to get out for first of the season fishing with my bro'-in-law for 3 years now, but I'm heading out on my solo trip on the 14th and there are too many arrangements in place already on that one (including shuttle) to re-book it. If we delay until next weekend (the only viable option given my limited time off work) I'll be doing back-to-back weekends with no decent time in between to unpack, sort and re-pack for solo arrangement. That pretty much means this weekend I have to ultra-organize everything. Man, I am desperate to get out there--becoming less and less focused on anything else and increasingly impatient with the city around me!
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First, just let me say " Waaaaaaaaaa, sob, sniff".
Ok! Now I have that off my chest, I'm going to re book for next w/e. A question for the more experienced anglers....... Is it worth it to go up this w/e and fish along the Hwy 60 corridor? I don't mind a night of car camping if that's all there is. Dying to get out and stretch the canoe along Algonquin waters
