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2/18/2020 4:20 pm  #1


Best Five Day Route

I've got five days this summer for a bit of a longer trip. I've looked at a bunch of different options, but I thought I'd throw it out here for some ideas as well. If you were doing a five day trip, what would it look like? It doesn't particularly matter where it starts and I can probably fit in a sixth day if need be. Any advice is appreciated! (and I should add that I'll likely be solo, usually single carry and I don't mind longer days). 

Drew

Last edited by AlgonquinLakes (2/18/2020 4:49 pm)

 

2/18/2020 4:37 pm  #2


Re: Best Five Day Route

I guess it depends how much distance you want to cover each day.  Here are 2 memorable 5 day trips from the last few years.  

Access #3 - Queer L
Queer L - Shippagew via Tim river
Shippagew - Grassy Bay/White Trout
Grassy Bay - Misty via the Pet
Misty out to #3

Access #1 - Biggar
Biggar - Maple
Maple - Manitou via Maple cr/Kiosk
Manitou - Kakasamic
Kakasamic - #1

 

2/18/2020 4:44 pm  #3


Re: Best Five Day Route

Well I have a 4 night 5 day solo set for the summer Drew.

I landed on.

Out of Brent.

Night 1 - Calumet
Night 2 - Burntroot
Night 3 - Philip
Night 4 - Big George

Haven’t paddled 3 of those 4 lakes so that was one of the reasons I went with that route.

Last edited by ShawnD (2/18/2020 4:45 pm)


We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it.
 - George Washington Sears
 

2/18/2020 6:30 pm  #4


Re: Best Five Day Route

Mike's Access #1 option sounds awesome. My wife, buddy and I did a loop from Access #1 to Lorne, Fassett, Manitou, North Tea and out several years back and really loved the area north of Manitou/North Tea. Fassett Creek was especially beautiful. Super quiet. Shad Lake is a cool little detour if there's time. I read somewhere about the northern site there being haunted but the only scary thing I found was how far away from the water it is - odd. I checked out the thunder box and confirmed the site hadn't been used in a very long time (yeah, I know, kinda sick for me to do that). Anyway, it's a great route...

Cheers,

Rich

 

2/18/2020 9:44 pm  #5


Re: Best Five Day Route

My only advice is take the 6th day. If you got it. Use it.

 

2/19/2020 12:08 pm  #6


Re: Best Five Day Route

Plenty of good options with 5-6 days to work with. A lot of it is just going to come down to what part of the park you feel like exploring this time around.With that in mind, I went and checked "The Count" section of your website to suggest a route that would get you somewhere new, and it seems you've never been on Biggar or Three Mile, or the nice and very-lightly-visited lakes north of North Tea. 

In an effort to save you the extra drive, I'll suggest the Kiosk access point instead of Kawawaymog. Up Maple Creek (I know you've been - this time bring pants) to Maple, west to Three Mile, to Biggar, across North Tea into Lorne, Kakasamic and Fassett, down Fassett Creek to Manitou and then back to the access point. 

That ticks off I think 7 lakes you haven't been to (or at least don't have listed on your website). Not a super strenuous trip, although Fassett and Maple creeks can both be a slog, but it's going to be summer - relax and go swimming!


 

 

2/19/2020 2:00 pm  #7


Re: Best Five Day Route

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'd been focusing in on the northwest corner as well, so I'm glad to see so many people have good loops up there. In fact the route I've been thinking about the most is the exact one Uppa suggests, only I was looking at it in reverse (mostly because I didn't want to start the trip with six portages).

Thanks again, and if there are any other memorable five or six day trips out there that you've done let me know!

  

     Thread Starter
 

2/19/2020 2:40 pm  #8


Re: Best Five Day Route

Planning any rest days or do you like to move every day?

Last September I did Misty > White Trout x3 > McIntosh starting from Mag and going through the Pet on my way in to White Trout. A couple long travel days but I was double-carrying. Assuming you don't want 3 nights on White Trout, going up to Big Trout and/or Burntroot would be a nice extension.

I'm guessing you're familiar with all these lakes and you won't be crossing off anything new for your list, but it's a nice option nonetheless with a bit of river travel, big lake paddling, nice campsites, the beauty of grassy bay etc. all in one route. Plus, all portages are <1k


edit: For your viewing pleasure. Still haven't found time yet to get the full trip report up on my site



 

Last edited by trippythings (2/19/2020 2:42 pm)


Trip Reports & Campsite Pictures
algonquinbeyond.com
 

2/19/2020 2:50 pm  #9


Re: Best Five Day Route

AlgonquinLakes wrote:

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'd been focusing in on the northwest corner as well, so I'm glad to see so many people have good loops up there. In fact the route I've been thinking about the most is the exact one Uppa suggests, only I was looking at it in reverse (mostly because I didn't want to start the trip with six portages).

Thanks again, and if there are any other memorable five or six day trips out there that you've done let me know!

  

I'll be in the Manitou/Fassett area mid July Drew. If that lines up with your dates and you see 3 guys ( 2 in a canoe and 1 in kayak) come on over and say hi..   
 


We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it.
 - George Washington Sears
 

2/19/2020 3:38 pm  #10


Re: Best Five Day Route

AlgonquinLakes wrote:

In fact the route I've been thinking about the most is the exact one Uppa suggests, only I was looking at it in reverse (mostly because I didn't want to start the trip with six portages).

  

I almost reversed the direction myself, but as I have only the vaguest memories of my trip downstream on Fassett Creek, I was hesitant to suggest you go up it. 

 

2/19/2020 4:05 pm  #11


Re: Best Five Day Route

Agree with Uppa - the trip downstream Fassett Creek is amazing - although I don't recall the current being overly strong it may still be a bit of slog going against it...

Last edited by hiker72 (2/19/2020 4:08 pm)

 

2/20/2020 3:11 pm  #12


Re: Best Five Day Route

Hi Drew … have you done any loops out of Opeongo put in ?  A lot of 5 day routes our of that lake .. 

 

2/20/2020 5:05 pm  #13


Re: Best Five Day Route

Dead_Weight (DW) wrote:

Hi Drew … have you done any loops out of Opeongo put in ?  A lot of 5 day routes our of that lake .. 

 
Haven’t done a five day. What would you suggest?

     Thread Starter
 

2/20/2020 6:18 pm  #14


Re: Best Five Day Route

Uppa wrote:

AlgonquinLakes wrote:

In fact the route I've been thinking about the most is the exact one Uppa suggests, only I was looking at it in reverse (mostly because I didn't want to start the trip with six portages).

  

I almost reversed the direction myself, but as I have only the vaguest memories of my trip downstream on Fassett Creek, I was hesitant to suggest you go up it. 

Had a very nice trip down Fassett Creek last July and the current wasn't significant enough to make more than 30 minutes difference.  Then again my view might be distorted as the day before I did North tea to shad in 35°C (and 35 lb more than I should have).

 

2/21/2020 11:00 am  #15


Re: Best Five Day Route

When we went through the Fasset creek area it was late Sept/low water season.  There was a small swift to paddle up shortly after exiting Manitou, but no major current.  That being said, I would not recommend going through that area in low water season unless you enjoy a good slog.  On Manitou, campsite 43a on the PCI has a big sandy beach with a great campsite behind it. 

 

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