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4/04/2022 11:27 am  #1


Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

Hi All,

Looking at booking our annual trip for mid-late July this summer.
This is a 4 day, 3 night trip. Our first day we typically start out early and our last day we typically aim to be out early.
We typically wake up and break camp early.  We prefer have as much time as possible to reach our destination and then relax if we get there early.

We were planning on starting out at Opeongo and getting water taxi to the North Arm.

We're debating between two loops:
1st loop would take us through Big Trout, Burntroot, down the Petawawa, to Hogan and then out through Proulx to Opeongo for water taxi back to Opeongo landing.

2nd loop would take us through Big Trout, la Muir, Hogan and then out through Proulx.

Just wondering if the 1st option is doable.  We're experienced campers and pretty experienced paddlers, we generally make pretty good time.  Wondering what the opinion of someone who's been through this part of the park before would be.

Trying to also decide on where to camp on each day.

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by breed85 (4/12/2022 11:07 am)

 

4/04/2022 11:37 am  #2


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

I've done Happy Isle to Canoe lake a couple times, You just have to arrange vehicles or get a shuttle, you have a couple route options depending on your time and how much ground you want to cover. 

 

4/04/2022 12:02 pm  #3


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

If you single carry the first option is very doable. You'll have a couple long days, some long portages, and not much time to relax on the trip, but still doable.

I see so many YouTube videos of people who blatantly camp off permit because they planned a route they couldn't keep up with, so if you're not sure about your capabilities, or if you want a bit more time to relax, you can always choose option #2 to be safe.

Or maybe a compromise between both options. Still head up to Burntroot but then come back down through La Muir to Hogan instead of looping through the Pet. It will shave a couple hours and a ton of portaging off the day, still letting you camp on Burntroot and Hogan on consecutive days.


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4/04/2022 2:02 pm  #4


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

I like the trippythings compromise route. You're not missing much besides a bit of river travel and a lot of portaging and still get to include Burntroot in your travel plans. 

 

 

4/04/2022 4:37 pm  #5


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

breed85 wrote:

Hi All,
...
Trying to also decide on where to camp on each day.

....

With Big Trout, Burntroot, Hogan, and La Muir there are lots of good camping options.  Can't go wrong with any of them.

I  wasn't a fan of the portages from Sunfish to Hogan but with a practiced crew your first route should be very doable.  Odds are the winds will be in your favour except maybe crossing Big Trout (but I'd guess you'd be doing  most that  in the morning).

 

 

4/04/2022 6:58 pm  #6


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

Wind was my biggest concern really. We've been wind bound previously after a storm.

There are 3 of us and we'll be taking a 3 man canoe.
We're experienced backpackers so tend to pack lighter than I think alot of canoe trippers do. It will all be single carry portages and the portages don't really "frighten" us.

We do enjoy lakes with nice campsites though which has me leaning more toward the 2nd route especially considering uppa's comments about not missing much on the pet.

     Thread Starter
 

4/05/2022 6:34 am  #7


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

I second the destination of Burntroot or at least Red Pine Bay then coming back through either Hogan or the option of Deer Yard/Hemlock which are pretty lakes.  Although a stop at Big Crow would be a nice ending.  Burntroot is a good option if the weather is favorable, Red Pine would offer some easier access if the weather is crappy.

We did an early water taxi and made it to Burntroot in one day - it's a long day but none of the portages are that difficult and with the three-man setup you have they should go fast.

 

4/06/2022 8:42 pm  #8


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

After further review, we've decided to do the 1st route.
Night 1 - Burntroot
Night 2 - Calumet
Night 3 - Big Crow (check to see if the ranger cabin is available).

Thanks for all of the great insight/helpful comments, much appreciated!

     Thread Starter
 

4/07/2022 6:31 am  #9


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

Don't know if you are fishing, but a trip down the Crow River to fish would likely be productive.  

Last edited by PaPaddler (4/08/2022 6:55 am)

 

4/07/2022 1:58 pm  #10


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

very small little sections of the river to be posting on here for all to see,, and would likely to be fished out quickly. 
  what ever happen to taking your rod and exploring.  there is too much info out there .  
       remember to practice  catch and release and fishing barbless will help to ensure the trout are not injuried.
   kill a bass and save a trout !!! 

Last edited by swedish pimple (4/07/2022 2:11 pm)

 

4/12/2022 11:07 am  #11


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

breed85 wrote:

After further review, we've decided to do the 1st route.
Night 1 - Burntroot
Night 2 - Calumet
Night 3 - Big Crow (check to see if the ranger cabin is available).

Thanks for all of the great insight/helpful comments, much appreciated!

Well the ranger cabin was available for our last night so, that'll be a new first for all of us (staying in a ranger cabin).
Now, just need to wait 3 months!

     Thread Starter
 

4/12/2022 12:37 pm  #12


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

breed85 wrote:

Well the ranger cabin was available for our last night so, that'll be a new first for all of us (staying in a ranger cabin).
Now, just need to wait 3 months!

Be ready to do some clean up at that Cabin... we were there in 2020 and it was heavily used and abused it seemed. 
Also, enjoy the spring to the left of the cabin ... small trail near the shore... go in 20-30 meters and you will see it. 
 

 

4/12/2022 5:24 pm  #13


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

 yes,, the cabin is a dirty mouse shit hole,,  i would not even bother,, 
    walk to the very large pine tree and look for da trail.  i would go twice the distance as mentioned above, look for cement blocks?  the spring needs a tune up.. the lid is gone and the box is rotted away,, good water, and good luck.
      sounds like a make work program for the mighty "friends of algonquin " crews  l.o.l.

Last edited by swedish pimple (4/12/2022 5:25 pm)

 

4/12/2022 7:35 pm  #14


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

Ha, well this has me second guessing the cabin!

     Thread Starter
 

4/12/2022 9:35 pm  #15


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

I think that the cabin is good if you are travelling in the shoulder seasons.  It would be nice to have a wood burning stove during the cold sub zero nights in early spring or late fall.  I stayed in the cabin during a trip in mid July and was very happy to cross the lake and stay at the campsite at the mouth of the Crow River for my second night on Big Crow and sleep in my hammock.

 

4/13/2022 7:30 am  #16


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

If you have never experienced a cabin before I would still give it a go. It is a very cool experience to stay in one in the middle of the park. Weather becomes a non factor and to have the option of a woodstove to get it nice and cozy is great! No setup or takedown, just dishes and a quick clean before you leave. Just be prepared to do some sweeping and general cleanup when you arrive. But all in all I think you would still enjoy the experience. 


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7/26/2022 1:10 pm  #17


Re: Opeongo-BurntRoot-Hogan-Proulx

Did the trip this past weekend.
Wind on Big Trout on Friday caused us to not make it all the way up to Burntroot, but instead, Red Pine.
Due to a friend's rolled ankle, we ended up going to Hogan on Night 2 and continued on to Big Crow cabin for night 3.
The route would have worked in a perfect world, but the wind and the injury caused us to change plans. It wasn't very busy on any of the lakes, so didn't feel too bad about camping on different lakes (we never put anyone out of a campsite that's for sure).
We likely won't be planning out such long days again in the future in an effort to avoid having to change our route on the go.

Big Crow cabin was not near as bad as what I thought it was going to be based on posts above. The deck was recently done (within the last year, maybe 2). The Maine common room inside and the cabinets and table were all painted this year. Aside from a sweep it was pretty tidy. My two friends slept in the one room I slept in the other they said they heard a mouse I heard nothing. There was a mouse trap left in the cabin but we didn't set it up, we saw no evidence of mouse scat.
As it was a cloudy/rainy day it was perfect. We took the table and chairs out to the deck to play cards and dice when the weather was nice and we were able to get up quickly and packed to be on the water for 6am and made it back to Proulx portage just before 830am and ended up catching the taxi back an hour earlier than our scheduled pickup as they were dropping off another group.

Aside from wind it was a pretty great trip!

We saw the MOE float plane land and drop off a canoe (and maybe some gear) to a site on Happy Isle.
I then got a GREAT video of the plane taking off again as the pilot saw I was taking a video and gave us a nice low and close "fly-by"!

     Thread Starter
 

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