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We've hiked the upper sections of the W.U. trail several times and ordered a new map this year, which just arrived. For fun, were comparing with the prior map and noticed some very disconcerting changes (errors?)
- on the new map, the entire section/trail linking Rainbow L. with Loft, East End, and Brown is missing (gone!). No line, no distance markers and no campsites indicated on Loft. Oddly, the single backpacking site at East End is still showing on the map (as a distant remote island, without it being on a hiking route). Strangely, the online reservation system lists Loft and East End as reservable. There's nothing indicating any change to the loops. This could cause a whole lot of problems if people are booking sites online, using the online map, if these lakes are being phased out.
Did anyone hear of Ont. Parks changing that upper loop?
(I have emailed Friends of Alg. Park, who prints the map to let them know).
Last edited by greenthinker (4/11/2020 12:35 pm)
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Thanks greenthinker, I really hope they don't decommission that section as it's one of my favourite areas on the trail. I love the north/western site on Loft and would be super bummed out if it were no longer a trekking/site option. I can't imagine why they would phase out a section, seeing as backpacking has increased in popularity. Fingers crossed that it's an error/oversight... Please let us know what you hear back.
Cheers,
Rich
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It's very strange, indeed. It's hard to imagine such a route change wouldn't be reflected in the online reservation system, or something that could happen by accident. The change of hiking campsites into canoe sites on Loft L. is really puzzling, as it wasn't just that a line somehow got left off. Hope it's just a printing error, but that's too bad for FOAP since they might have to absorb costs.
Last edited by greenthinker (4/11/2020 5:20 pm)
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That’s pretty messed up. This is a large part of the reason Jeff started making maps. He found the foap maps to be lacking and the friends themselves very lacking in making error corrections he sent them.
Last edited by Jdbonney (4/11/2020 5:40 pm)
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Just wondering if there are any updates on this? Assuming parks re-open this year, I'm hoping to at least squeak in a late summer or early fall trek and this section would be part of the plan!
Last edited by hiker72 (4/24/2020 11:44 am)
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Friends of Algonquin Park has not replied to my email. Given the online booking system show the sites as reservable (despite the map error), I suspect they aren't changing the route. Wouldn't make sense. Map error, likely, but I sure hope they fix that before distributing it to anyone unfamiliar with the route!
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i believe this is the area where several teens were lost last summer,,,
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That’s true. They were lost around rainbow lake which is just south of the intersection that has been removed.
Thankfully they were found after a few days and in good condition.
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That’s right. I remember the first time I hiked the WUT and temporarily losing the trail at a large pond area in that vicinity. May have had something to do with beavers. The spot I am thinking of is south of Rainbow on the 2nd loop.
Last edited by hiker72 (4/26/2020 7:55 am)
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I bet everyone who's done that upper loop knows that spot. It seems like you should go up a short steep hill (and there is a worn-enough path to suggest many folks try that), when really you have to make a sharp right, and follow along the edge of a creek. There's not a trail marker anywhere to direct you until you get very far along the creek.
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greenthinker wrote:
I bet everyone who's done that upper loop knows that spot. It seems like you should go up a short steep hill (and there is a worn-enough path to suggest many folks try that), when really you have to make a sharp right, and follow along the edge of a creek. There's not a trail marker anywhere to direct you until you get very far along the creek.
Yeah, that's it exactly! Another spot I got stumped on first time was heading west toward West Otterpaw Lake. There's a small creek (maybe Otterpaw Cr?) where the path appears to go straight over but then just ends . Upon looking closer at the map, I saw that the trail appeared to follow the creek north for a piece. It was then when I spotted a small piece of flagging tape on a tree a short ways up the creek, no doubt left by another hiker who encountered the same issue. Humbling...
Last edited by hiker72 (4/26/2020 3:04 pm)
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UPDATE: WUT map IS correct - changes to route.
Today, I received an email from FOAP: (emphasis in blue and bold is mine)
"Thank you for your interest in Algonquin Park and thank you for bringing this discrepancy to our attention.The 2020/21 Backpacking Map is correct (other than the random Backpacking site left on East End lake!), Ontario Parks staff have decided to remove that portion of the trail from the Western Uplands upper loop linking Rainbow to Brown hence the revision to the published map.The Ontario Parks reservation system should no longer have this portion of the trail as available and bookable I have reminded my Ontario Parks colleagues of this and expect it will be rectified soon."
I am without words. Well, no, I do have words: very unhappy. More pressure on the existing sites on that section of the loop.
Last edited by greenthinker (4/28/2020 12:05 pm)
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Wow, that is super unfortunate. I can't wrap my head around why they would do this. I've always enjoyed how quiet that section of trail is and it almost sickens me thinking I may never experience it again. Combine this with the per site flat rate mandate likely coming into effect in 2022 and solo hiking in Algonquin is becoming even less attractive. I'm thinking of investing some time and money into exploring Crown Land possibilities in due course considering the downhill and backward direction of Ontario Parks.
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Nothing good ever lasts. 
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