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August 2023: Cedar - Hogan - Radiant Loop
ACCESS POINT START : Cedar Lake (Access point 27)
ACCESS POINT FINISH: Cedar Lake (Access point 27)
# OF DAYS / NIGHTS: 6 D / 5 N | DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Moderate
TOTAL KM: 93.6 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 20 (15.4 KM)
Our summer trip in August of 2023 was the second leg of our Northern Algonquin experience. Evan and Ryan had not returned to Cedar Lake since the spring of 2016, and Rich and Eric (Evan’s Brother) had never been. This trip was going to be brand new for the later, with the section from Red Pine Bay to Radiant being brand new for the former. Ever since Evan did an 8 day loop from Cedar in 2015 (as far south as Lavieille) the desire to complete a similar but smaller loop through La Muir, Hogan, and Philips was strong. This trip would include many large lakes with long crossings (for Algonquin standards), some days of hard portaging, and travel down rivers of various sizes. From memory, we would hopefully be camping on some epic campsites with relatively low amounts of fellow trippers. What more could you want in a week long trip in the Algonquin interior.
We left on Friday night and headed up to the family cottage near Northbrook, ON. We spent the night repacking all the food and gear into the most manageable carrying arrangement. For some reason we had managed to pack 5-10lbs more food than normal.
We also enjoyed the hospitality while drinking several beer in the hot tub well into the night. We recalled fine memories of sitting in a hot tub at Wabakimi Outfitters before embarking on our week long trip in Wabakimi Provincial Park in 2019.
We went to bed relaxed and ready for our adventure.
We woke up at 4am, slammed some toast and coffee and hit the road half an hour later. It is approximately 4 hours door to lake, not including the obligatory stop at the Tim Hortons in Deep River. We were hoping to get on the water as early as possible to catch a calm Cedar Lake.
The final hour of the drive is spent on the access road to Brent, which always feels extremely long when anticipating a trip.
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Day 1 : Cedar Lake to Catfish Lake
TOTAL KM: 16.7 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 5 (3.6 KM)
Every time we had have been to Access #27 the volume of fellow trippers has been light. Part of the lure of the Northern part of Algonquin is the remote feel to the big lakes. We avoid highway 60 as much as possible in the summer months, and prefer to make the longer drives to find our solitude. With that said, when we stopped at the permit office off of HWY 17 we were told to find the warden at the put in. Apparently they were going to help us find a parking spot. This was completely unexpected, and had us worried during the 45 -50 minutes driving drive towards Cedar.
We rolled into the Cedar Lake campground and found it absolutely swarming with people. Every campsite was full, and the put in looked like a car dealership. We did spot at least one open parking spot, so we wasted no time unloading. We pulled the truck up by the dock on the beach and unloaded the canoes and gear neatly beside the dock. Within minutes of arriving, a white Ontario Park’s truck wheeled over, and the ranger asked us for permits. Apparently the interior was also quite full, with most lakes booked nearly solid from Cedar to Burntroot. We were directed to take the final parking spot (the other one was taken while we unloaded) and the rangers headed on their way. We finished unloading and were greeted by a couple who had recognized us from You Tube. Paul and his wife were headed up the Petawawa as well. Very nice people and a cool experience. That being said, with the news that the park was nearly full, it was now a race whether Paul knew it or not… Joking aside, we had our eyes set on a few campsites in the South end of Catfish Lake and we wanted to start hustling our way down there.
Eric and Ryan prepped the boats while Evan and Rich headed off down the road to see if the Algonquin Outfitters store was open. Evan wanted to see if Jake Pigeon was still working, and maybe see the boxcar remnants on the way back. This side trip ended up being a waste of time. The office did not appear to be open, and while walking the tracks we did not find the box car. We didn’t search very long though, as we had forgot to bring a map. 
We pushed off around 0900-0930, a little later than we had hoped, but the lake was still relatively very calm. It was a bright, beautiful day with a slight prevailing breeze blowing from the Northern arm of the lake. When the lake is behaving the crossing to the first portage is easy. Once we were a little over halfway on the crossing we noticed an aluminum boat angling to pass right in front of us. As the boat approached, it looked like it was turning directly into our path! This confused us and we wondered if somehow the driver had not seen us. What we failed to realize, and were least expecting, was another visit from a set of wardens! Rarely do we run into rangers or wardens on any of our trips, let alone twice in one day. They were friendly and after the obligatory life jacket, boating safety equipment, and permit check we talked about good fishing holes on Catfish. They also tried to prepare us for the calamity we were about to experience on the P715. There was a LARGE group of inexperienced campers that were squatting on the portage into the Petawawa. They were apparently holding permits for a lake 2-3 days travel further South but had yet to make it that far. We gathered that the rangers had already ticketed the parties involved, but were unable to really do anything about this roving band of off permit campers. The warden warned us to stay on permit, and to try to get ahead of the group as fast as possible, to avoid being displaced ourselves. I don’t know what we expected to see at the portage, but what we saw was not it!
As we approached we saw an inflatable dingy , 5-6 canoes pulled partly on to shore, and seemingly dozens of people milling about. There was a tent set up (partially?) between the portage and the end of the rapid and many people sitting in camp chairs all over the landing. This is the exact thing we hope to avoid on any of our trips, and not something we expected to see inside of 30 minutes. We noticed Paul and his wife, plus another couple further up the trail about to start their portage. We couldn’t land on shore with the mass of boats, so we just jumped out in the shallows, tossed on our bags, and carried the boats right out of the water, around the encampment, and on to the portage trail.
Typically, I really like this portage. It is a nice warm up for the future portages of the day. It has just enough incline to remind you that portaging food and gear is not always fun, with an awesome waterfall to remind you that tripping is nearly always fun! Water levels had been high all year, so the falls were loud and violent. There is a well marked trail at the top of the falls to the right of the canoe rest. This is an obvious place to view the falls from the top. I also prefer to take a small side path down to the bottom of the falls to really give yourself the immersive experience. We couldn’t afford to linger long at the falls though. There was a steady stream of campers coming up the hill from Cedar, presumably on their 4th or 5th carry of the morning, based on the sheer amount of gear they had. We did not want to get caught up in another circus at the top end of the portage. We reached the Petawawa and were greeted by the other couple we had seen earlier from the lake. They were also shocked by the situation we had all just experienced and mentioned their plan to make camp on Narrowbag Lake. We wished them luck, and happily pushed off on to the Petawawa River.
This section of the Petawawa River, and the section after the P300, is wide and not overly interesting. You are paddling against the current, but you don’t really notice. On previous trips we had seen moose in this section, and also battled strong head winds in addition to the current. Neither of those things were experienced on this trip. Just a quiet paddle with the sun beaming down. The P300 goes around another large waterfall, with another trail at the top for viewing. It is much more difficult to traverse to the bottom of this set of falls though, so we didn’t bother. We met a French man and his daughter (we assumed) while on this portage. They were heading to Catfish as well, and were actually doing the same loop as us but over 8 or 9 days. We cracked a few jokes and, wished them good luck., We pushed off and took the lead in the great race to Catfish Lake!
Our next feature for the day was the P2345 and the dreaded “Unicorn Hill”. After having done this portage multiple times, we knew what to expect. As far as named portages go, this one is easier than “Heart Attack Hill” and “Stairway to Heaven”. The worst part about this portage is the distance you have to carry just to get to the bottom of the hill, and then the incline itself is more of a leg/lung burning incline over an extended period. The other downside is we are normally on day one of a trip, meaning we are carrying a week’s worth of food, booze, and gear. We single carried to the top, passing two more groups on their way down, and stopped for a quick breather . We noticed that the canoe rest at the top of the hill is no longer present, but the mosquitos certainly were. Once you crest the top of the hill, the portage becomes much easier. It is still over 1 kilometre to the put in, but the trail is wide and feels flat in comparison. While we rested and chatted at the put in the French pair joined us after the first leg of their double carry. They joked about how light our Kevlar boats are compared to theirs, and hydrated. We even let the Frenchman know that if he managed to find us later on Catfish, we would have a beverage waiting for him. The worst of the day was now over, so we prepared for an afternoon of mostly paddling.
We paddled the pond between the portages, and completed the P170. This portage is essentially an incline to the road, and then a decline to the lake. We saw some signage, I believe you can extend the P2345 on the south side and just walk the road over the bring bridge to the second half of the P170. Might be worth the effort of not having to load and upload the boats at the pond… and the walk would be flat. Food for thought.
As we were putting into Narrowbag we crossed paths with another two canoes leaving the lake. Man the interior was feeling a little too busy. We talked to the Dad and kids for a short period, mostly about fishing. Somehow we got talking about the Bay of Quinte (where we live) and he mentioned selling a trolling motor to a dairy farmer out our way. In a true example of small town living, we mentioned our friend’s name and sure enough, he had recently sold him a motor. Small world.
Evan fished the weed beds and narrows before the campsite, catching only a few Fallfish. We were going to stop for lunch at the campsite on Narrowbag (if open) but decided to push on and eat at the P80 instead. The campsite on Narrowbag looked poor with tons of weeds and lily pads at the shore.
We ate quick, and also fished the bottom end of the P80. Not even a nibble. Ryan and Evan told the story about how they became wind bound on this portage many years earlier and had wrongfully set up camp there. There used to be a built up firepit at that time, and it appears that the pit was removed and then hastily remade.
Note: This is not a campsite, the next campsite is on Catfish right around the corner.
We started our paddle on Catfish with hopes to be camping on Shangri La (preferably) or the campsite on the shore close by. We headed to the island with the Alligator remains. Evan had been to this island 3 other times, with the first time being fairly traumatic. Back in 2014, on the first day of a scheduled week long trip to Algonquin, Evan’s cousin Greg managed to step on an old metal spike sticking up from the ground when looking at the Alligator. The spike went through his shoe most of the way through his foot. This resulted in a painful night of Dr. Briden medical care, Whiskey, and painkillers. This was followed by a very long day of paddling, hiking, and driving to the Pembroke hospital. With that in mind, we were very careful when inspecting the rusting Alligator remnants on this trip. Only the metal parts are left at the spot, it is not as well preserved as the remnants located in the Southern bay on Burntroot. Pretty neat none the less and is still worth seeing. Just mind your footing!
Catfish Lake feels like two separate lakes. The Northern end is much smaller, with nice views to the NW and islands in the South. You access the Southern end of the lake through a narrow channel and then the second half of the lake really opens up. The Northern arm takes you to Lynx Lake and the Luckless Lake portage, but we have never been up that way. We passed by Turtle Rock, where Evan tried to troll per the ranger’s advice (nothing!), and as we turned the corner our destination came into view.
We passed a really elevated campsite on the left shore as we made our way South, noting it was empty in case we had to come back. We kept our eyes peeled for any movement or people on Shangri La Island. As we angled towards the middle of the lake, to swing the island on the right hand side, we saw our first sign of people. We were disheartened, but at the same time thankful that someone had decided to walk out onto the rocks for a moment, saving us more paddling! We linked up our canoes, checked the map, and decided we would return to the rocky, elevated campsite North of Shangri La.
This campsite is very unique. There is a very small beach amongst the rocks at the bottom of the campsite. If you take the path into the trees you can get to the thunderbox if you take a left. You need to take a right and embrace your inner mountain goat to get to the main campsite. Once on top of the site you discover three tiers of campsite. The top, where there is a nice flat rock and limited tent area, the middle shelf where we set up our chairs and sat on the ledge all evening, and the bottom tier where a huge rock firepit is nestled. No matter where you are on the campsite you have a spectacular view of the lake, made even better by the elevation. We hung our 4 hammocks all over the site, basically anywhere we could find suitable trees. We sat in our chairs and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon / evening drinking beverages and watching canoes pass by. Evan named this campsite the “Eyrie” as we must have looked like a flock of birds perched up in our nest to the people paddling by. Dinner was our classic first night meal; marinated beef skewers, twice baked potatoes, and mushrooms. Like always, Rich had outdid himself on the meal, and with Ryan’s help, cooked it to perfection. It had been an interesting start to the trip. Not quite what we were expecting or hoping for but in the end we had made it to where we needed to be. We had found another excellent campsite to add to our inventory. Most importantly, we were set up perfectly to head out the next day to Red Pine Bay. Hopefully no one needed to use the Thunder Box in the middle of the night, it would be a steep stumble in the dark!
DAY ONE VIDEO:
To be continued...
Last edited by Evan Briden (7/04/2024 3:06 pm)
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Thanks for your report and your videos. I've enjoyed watching/reading them! I was surprised about your experiences at Cedar Lake, but I've never been there in the summer. Just in the fall usually at the tail end of Trout season or just after, and the area is pretty desolate by then.
Looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip!
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captainchaos2000 wrote:
I was surprised about your experiences at Cedar Lake
We have started over a half dozen trips from cedar, and this was by far the craziest we have seen it. After day one it felt more normal for the north end. Did pass quite a few people on portages, but still felt “remote” enough.
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Enjoyed this write up, sounds like a good start to the trip. Starting with that many people around will only make you enjoy it more as you get deeper into the interior! Hopefully the fishing is better in August!
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Day 2 : Catfish Lake to Redpine Bay
TOTAL KM: 16.9 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 5 (1.4 KM)
Woke up to a bright sunny morning, with a very calm Catfish Lake. Our plan was to paddle our way all the way through Burntroot and hopefully camp on our favourite campsite in the Park, the island site on Red Pine Bay. With the volume of people we had seen so far, and with several canoes passing us in the early morning, we didn’t want to waste too much time. We made bacon and egg muffins for breakfast, as well as several pots of coffee and were on the water around 0930. If the wind could stay mild today, we would make good time on Perley and Burntroot, plus we had very little portaging in store for us.
The South end of Catfish is dominated by a very weed filled bay with several islands to navigate. On previous trips we had paddled to the left of the final island, but on this trip we watched another group head that way and end up turning around. We elected to stay to the right of the island and were able to push through the lily pads and shallow/ muddy narrows for 5-10 minutes. This eventually opens into a small bay where the access to Sunfish Lake should be. I say should be, as we have never ventured South into Sunfish Lake and it honestly looks like an unbroken weed filled swamp to get there. Not quite sure where the water way is to get there… it might be more obvious to find coming North out of Sunfish?
We arrived at the Catfish Rapids P365 portage at the same time as the canoe we saw earlier. Two young lads were in the boat, and they were packed pretty light. We let them load up and take the trail first while we landed both of our canoes. When approaching this portage, and with the season's high water, you were required to paddle into the current of the rapids for 15-20 feet to even make the shore. The campsite at the rapid seems decent if you are camping in a tent. Not much in the way of openings or space between trees for multiple hammock campers. You would also get a little too much traffic in the busy season for our liking. The portage itself is straight forward and not difficult.
The section leading up to the second portage of the day is the narrowest part of the Petawawa we would be on. Lots of lily pads and a rough looking campsite. We didn’t stop, but it would not be high on my list of places to camp, especially with Burntroot as an option. The second portage of the day, the P425, was our longest for the next couple of days. This portage takes you around the Snowshoe Rapids, but it is far enough from the water that you don’t get a very good look at it.
We have been through this section many times over the years, and not once have we considered portaging into Norther Cuckoo, Macoun, or Plumb Lake. At some point we should add these lakes to the running tally of visited lakes… Plumb Lake might be a nice lake to visit. It should have very clear water, decent size, and only two campsites. It likely doesn't get much traffic, so the Brook Trout fishing might also be good… we will put a pin in this idea for a future spring. With that idea rattling around, we pushed right past the portage and carried the next two portages in quick succession. The P360 feels like something down the Nipissing. The river is directly to your left, never far out of sight, bypassing the small Cedar Rapids. There is one section on the portage that is a bit of a rock garden, finishing with a fern covered sink hole section right before the put in. With a little bit of care, you will emerge on to Perley with your ankles intact.
We have had some long afternoons paddling on Perley Lake in the past. This trip was nowhere close to those windy / white-knuckle adventures, but surprisingly it took us quite some time to complete the lake. We reckon there are a few reasons for this
- The lake itself is naturally split into two decent size sections, but the lead up of river before the lake, and the narrow bit before the P150 are deceivingly long. Approximately 5.5KM total to paddle the entire lake.
- The second campsite, on the sandy point between the two lake halves, is a perfect spot to stop for lunch when venturing from Catfish to Burntroot. Beach landing, elevated campsite facing into the prevailing wind… why not!
- This lake must be the most perfectly aligned lake in the entire park to funnel the prevailing wind (and current!) directly into your face. Even on a calm day, like today, the whisper of wind could still be felt impeding our efforts.
- And finally, let’s face it! Most of the paddle you are anticipating the root cellar at Portal Rapids, and the majesty of Burntroot right around the corner!
We stopped for lunch at the aforementioned campsite, made the obligatory stop at the root cellar (the campsite was looking overgrown compared to past trips… not as pleasant feeling as before), and then pushed off on to Burntroot Lake.
Man, we love this lake. The lake feels much bigger than Catfish but is easier to paddle than Big Trout. There are lots of campsites, mostly on islands or nice windy points, that are so spread out you can still feel that deep Algonquin solitude. The lake is massive, but when crossing it feels more manageable due to the multitude of islands. They become navigational landmarks and havens from the wind that split up the paddle nicely. It doesn’t hurt that the landscape views are awesome too!
We did not see a single canoe on the entire lake until we were approaching Anchor Island. We had previously explored the Barnet Depot farm ruins (with the best alligator ruins in the park) and “Politician’s Cabin” site on a recent trip in 2021. We had no plans to venture down into that southern bay on this trip. However, we did want to try and stop at the anchor campsite on Anchor Island. We have been through this lake 3-4 times and every time someone was camped on this spot. We paddled South, hoping the lack of traffic on the lake was a positive sign to finally get to see this artifact. Sadly, we started seeing full campsites the further south we went, including several canoes circling the island we were aimed towards. We decided to not waste the energy to paddle over and be disappointed yet again, and we are not ones to ask someone if we can step on to their site. Looks like we will need to come back to this beautiful lake yet again!
We hugged the eastern shore with a new goal in mind… our favourite campsite in Algonquin. We paddled the narrows leading into Redpine Bay and found all the campsites already full… not a good sign! Why camp in the narrows when you could have camped on Redpine Bay? We swung around the final left-hand turn (which is completely covered in recent blow down) into the bay where Spiza Creek flows in Redpine. Gorgeous little spot, especially when the rocky face of the island campsite comes into view.
The hemlocks on the western shore are nice, but there are a lot of downed trees on that side now too. The bay just feels pleasantly calm and peaceful compared to the usual conditions on the much larger Burntroot. No smoke rising from the campsite, no boats on the shore or people sitting on the rock lookout… we were in luck. The campsite was empty and would be our home for the next two nights!
I might as well copy and paste my previous write ups for this campsite, and the events that transpired that night. Oh well, here it goes. The campsite is dominated by Red Pines, so perfectly spaced out that it is a hammock campers dream. Several large trees had recently been torn out of the ground since our last visit two years ago, but all are near the shore. The fire pit is one of the hallmarks of this site, and it was still as big and beautiful as ever. The amount of heat this pit can throw off is insane… making the perfect backdrop for a night of beverages and conversation. In typical fashion, we climbed to the lookout at the top of the campsite and sat with our legs hanging over the edge for quite some time. Enjoying the afternoon, having several beverages, and just feeling happy to be in Algonquin. We set up our camp, collected enough firewood to make a fire (the recent blowdown helped with this, usually wood is scarce) and prepared supper. Another magical night spent on the best campsite in the park.
After we had eaten, and before we were too intoxicated to paddle, we headed out to what we have now named “Deep Six Bay”. In November of 2022, Evan and Eric’s father passed away after a long battle with cancer. Richard Briden was a lifelong camper, mostly of the front country variety. Every summer had been spent travelling around Ontario spending weeks and weekends at various Provincial Parks. More recently Evan had been taking his dad out into the backcountry on trips with Evan’s daughter Olivia. It was awesome to relive old camping memories with his boys, while letting his granddaughter build new memories of her own. There was no better place in the world to lay Dad’s ashes to rest. With a two-boat procession, a few quite words, and a bottle of whiskey passed around, we laid Dad to rest. At least Evan won’t have to carry his father on any more portages… miss you Pop!
What we keep in memory, Is ours unchanged forever.
DAY TWO VIDEO:
TO BE CONTINUED...
Last edited by Evan Briden (7/22/2024 1:08 pm)
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Day 3 : Redpine Bay (Rest Day)
TOTAL KM: N/A | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): N/A
We do not often take rest days, but we decided to give ourselves one on this trip. It would be a nice way to add some buffer in case of windy days on big lakes, but in all honesty we just wanted to indulge a little too much and enjoy an extra day on Redpine Bay.
It was calling for stormy weather for this day and the next, so we woke up to heavy rain. Smartly, we had made a tarp shelter the night before, giving us a nice area to drink several pots of coffee and eat our breakfast.
The rain did not let up the entire day, putting a real damper on our plans to paddle and explore (pun intended). We played Euchre for several hours, collected firewood, attempted to keep a fire going, and generally just puttered around camp the entire day. We had hot dogs on squished, vacuum sealed buns for lunch.
For dinner we tried our new OTG freeze dried meals. The meals were given to us to try by the owner, and the small batch meals did not disappoint! The butter chicken meal was fantastic!
We attempted to keep ourselves and our gear as dry as possible, but after an entire day of driving rain we were starting to get pretty damp. We had never been on this campsite in the rain before, and boy does it ever pool the water into massive puddles.
By evening the rain had let up slightly, so we stood around the fire for a short while before retiring to the hammocks early. We will be back on the water tomorrow, with hopefully a lot less rain and wind!
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Thanks for sharing your Trip Reports. I'm enjoying reading them, (and watching the videos) One of my favorite area's of the park. Leaves me chomping at the bit for my own fall trip as I'll be in the same area.
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Thanks for sharing your Trip Reports. I'm enjoying reading them, (and watching the videos) One of my favorite area's of the park. Leaves me chomping at the bit for my own fall trip as I'll be in the same area.
We did a trip to Gilmour Lake at the end of Sept 2023... the views were stunning on Cedar. We were lucky to have a warm and sunny weekend so the kids were able to swim every day on the beach.
Best way to end the camping season!
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Day 4 : Redpine Bay to Hogan Lake (Parks Bay)
TOTAL KM: 17.4 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 2 (1.4 KM)
We woke up on day 4 to a chilly August morning, with plenty of moisture in the air. Thankfully none of it was falling in liquid form. The wind was still up, however nothing like the day before. It could possibly be a problem at some point during our day though. None of us had travelled the route from Redpine to Radiant through La Muir and Hogan before, so we were all excited to start our day. We quickly broke our fast, packed up our soaked hammocks and gear, and started the eastward journey.
We quickly arrived at the first of only two portages for the day. The P740 is essentially a steady but shallow uphill climb out of Redpine and finished with a steep descent into La Muir. At this point in the trip our bag weight was greatly reduced, and we really hadn’t portaged hard in several days. We had no issue single carrying this portage.
Lake La Muir is a very pretty lake. The shoreline on each side is high hills, with a very remote feeling to the lake. The sun had yet to really show itself this morning, so once on La Muir the amount of fog was high, but the temperature and visibility were low. Shortly after rounding the second point on the north shore (the campsites all looked nice) a non-prevailing wind started to pick up into our face. The fog lifted and we slogged our way towards the large beach on the eastern shore. We wanted to stop at the campsite to check out the beach and maybe find some remnants of the “Otter Camp”. As we approached we could see that the campsite was still occupied, foiled again!
We passed into the narrows, paddled the bay, and started paddling the small channel before the last portage. This section, even in the season’s high water, was shallow and very muddy. Beaver mud we call it. The smelliest muck you ever did sniff. The mud started only inches below the bottom of the canoes, and you could stick nearly your entire paddle in before reaching a solid bottom. Not much of a chance of capsizing, but the thought of floundering in that mess horrifies me. As we approached the portage we noticed a canoe coming up hard and fast behind us. We had only seen two canoes headed in the opposite direction on La Muir. The only explanation was people leaving the campsite beside the beach. If we had been 20 minutes later we could have explored the beach!
The P660 thankfully starts with one of the nicest docks we have seen in the park. We quickly unloaded and moved the gear and boats off the dock and down the boardwalk to allow the other campers to land as well. We spoke briefly with the two trippers; Evan quickly recognized the “Kayak Camper”. We single carried the portage, which is flat and wide for most of the length with a steep bit of downhill towards the end. With yesterday’s rain some of the boardwalks and rocks were slick, especially one particularly steep downhill section. The “Kayak Camper” (using a tandem canoe on this trip) passed us ¾ of the way through, and boy was he moving. They appeared to be packed light, and speaking with them at the end of the portage they were heading to Philip Lake. Good thing, as we were not going to win the “race” with the pace they were setting. We still needed to stop for lunch! Always neat to see fellow You Tubers out in the bush.
Once the last portage of the day was complete we entered a winding bit of marsh before Hogan. This section lasts for almost a kilometer, and as we approached the main body of the lake we realized that the head wind had been building while we were protected on the portage and creek. It was an awesome sight to finally emerge onto the lake, but there was also a menacing feeling to it. Hogan is a large lake, with a towering cliff on the southern shore. On a bright sunny day, I bet it is spectacular to behold. On this day, we noticed the rolling black waves crashing into our bows more than anything else.
We set our bearing toward the large island with multiple campsites near the south shore. We were able to head in that direction while keeping the waves at a 45-degree angle. The going was slow, but we were able to safely cross and pull into a campsite on the top of the island to have lunch. We walked from the landing over to the main part of the site, which had a rocky beach and a great view of the cliffs. It looked to be a well-used campsite during the spring fishing season… plenty of “furniture” and a large fish cleaning station. An absurd number of ropes and strings tied between trees was a bummer… we tend to cut most of these down if we can reach them. While standing on the beach, eating our bag lunches, we watched the wind increase and start to create the occasional white cap. We took some time to discuss the line we were going to take to make the next crossing past the bay on our right. The plan was to not let the two boats get too separated in case we needed to perform any emergency recoveries.
We slowly crept around the point, and finally turned towards Park’s Bay. As the lake narrowed towards the bay the head wind, and more specifically the wind gusts, diminished to a more manageable level. We first set our sights on the campsite on the right-hand side, on the narrow point. It looked promising from a distance, but as we approached it looked less appealing. The shore is steep, and the campsite did not look to be ideal for four hammocks. We bobbed around in the middle of the bay for a few minutes, taking an inventory of the other campsites. No one else was on the bay at this point, so we had our pick of the litter. We settled on the final campsite right before the narrows to Gipsy Bay.
The campsite was excellent. It almost had the same feel as the Welcome Lake campsite we have enjoyed a few times. The water is shallow and leads to a sandy beach. The campsite is spacious around the fire pit with lots of good hammock spots. The only downside of the campsite was the amount of widow makers, and recently downed trees spread out through the area. This really rattled Rich, who chose to set up his hammock well off the beaten path. Eric and Evan swam for a bit when the sun finally decided to show itself. From the beach, there is a trail that skirts around the shore to the right. This trail leads to the large rock point, where we sat listening to the loons calling out as the sun went down. For dinner we made up a makeshift baking sheet (with the campfire grill and plenty of tin foil) and made naan bread pizzas. They turned out better than expected, but not as well as the pizzas we made on the French River in pie plates. We sat around and listened to a comedy special before heading to bed. 
DAY FOUR VIDEO:
To be continued...
Last edited by Evan Briden (9/06/2024 8:16 am)
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Day 5 : Hogan Lake (Parks Bay) to Radiant Lake
TOTAL KM: 25.8 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 5 (6.5 KM)
Day 5 was going to be a bit of a wild card. We have never been through this way before, and any time you see a 3+ KM portage on the map it makes you take a second look. On top of the big portage, there are two more portages over 1 km in length, as well as two small carries under 200M. By this point in the trip the food and booze weight was drastically reduced. We were more worried about the condition of the Little Madawaska River than anything else. We have had some long, draining days paddling various rivers in the park. Usually, the worst of those days are on rivers with tons of waggling, oxbows, and alder. We were not expecting any issues with water levels, but between the two large portages the river was waggly, it had oxbows, but hopefully it did not have boat stopping alder.
No better time than the present to find out. Evan woke up early and made pancakes for breakfast. Pancakes are always a delicious camp meal, but they are super messy and time consuming to make. It is also one of the worst mornings to be on dish duty! We didn’t have much lake paddling today, but we did have a nice prevailing wind in the morning. If the wind stayed like this all day the paddling on Philip and Radiant would be even easier!
We hit the water, swung around the point, and entered the narrows into Gipsy Bay. Be careful in this section, there are a fair number of logs and dead heads just below the surface. We stuck to the middle of the channel and avoided any collisions. We had a nice leisurely paddle through the bay, wind assisted up to the first portage of the day. We carried the P200 without issue and entered the Little Madawaska River. After a short paddle we arrived at the P100, and the group had two different ideas on how to handle this obstacle. Ryan and Rich climbed over the rocks on the shore and carried while Eric and Evan lined the boat to avoid the portage. Neither was difficult, and we finished in roughly the same amount of time. There are advantages to not having to load and unload the boat, but ultimately the risk of slipping on a submerged rock and falling is far greater. It is fun to get into the rapids though… risk and reward, I guess!
Once around the second portage we had a very short paddle on the river leading up to the second longest portage of the day. The P1480 is not hard but is long enough to feel the canoe on your shoulders. We were heading downstream now, so the elevation was slowly dropping the entire length of the portage. While finishing a big boardwalk we came around the corner and met a woman with a dog. We assumed the canoe we saw at the takeout was hers, as she did not have any gear with her. She must be on her way back on a double carry. We also met a man on the downstream end of the portage, who wasn’t tripping with the woman from earlier. Three different groups all on the same portage, reasonably deep in the park. Again, we rarely see this many people on our trips. The park was busy this week! We finished and no fish were caught on either end of the portage… no luck in that department all trip! There is a nice section of the river leading up to Philip Lake. The river is wide and doesn’t have many twists or turns. It meant a nice relaxing paddle, assisted by the current, looking for any signs of wildlife.
Philip is a nice lake. You exit out of the river grass to an awesome view down the lake. It almost has a Northern Ontario feel to it. The shoreline is flat and predominantly evergreen. All the campsites except one are on nice rock points. We passed close to the Northern campsites, and both looked worthy of a future night spent. We had brought canoe sails, purchased on Amazon, to use on a day like today. We unfurled the bright orange sails and attempted to use them all the way down the lake. Once Rich and Eric figured out the best way to hold them, they worked well. They need just a little more tether to be super effective though. We were not really in a hurry, and we had never sailed before, so it was fun in its own way. We spotted a beach on the far shore, so naturally we made a b-line for our lunch destination. This campsite reminded us of the beach site on Harry Lake before the creek into Welcome. It is right at the end of the lake with the river on the right-hand side. The beach is nice, especially for such a small lake. The campsite itself is nothing special, almost like a good river campsite. There is a small firepit in a little clearing but not much else going on. We hung the water filter and had our lunch while waiting for 4 litres of fresh water.
Back on the river, feeling refreshed! We quickly made it to the second last portage of the day, another one-kilometer trek. When we put in at the portage, we ran into a young boy carrying what looked to be a summer camp issued pack. He was a talkative fellow too! Told us about the group he was with, where they came from and where they were going. He seemed to really be enjoying himself. We wished him good luck and started the carry and within minutes we passed the rest of his group plus the guide. Whenever I see groups like this in the park, I wish I had had the opportunity to take part in Algonquin summer camps as a child. This portage is as easy as a one-kilometer portage can be. The trail follows an old road for the entire length, so the footing is excellent and there are no obstructions to speak of. We are still headed downstream so around the halfway point you start descending, but never too steeply. As soon as you start the portage you just need to make sure you take the road to the right, which should be obvious given the direction you want to travel. You will know you are approaching the end of the portage when you cross an active roadway. The put in feels like something on the Nipissing. A grass bank with a steep drop into the dark tannin laden water.
This next section was one of our biggest question marks on the day. Approximately 5 KM of river travel, but it could take longer than expected if obstructed. This section was a really nice paddle though. With the current pushing us we made excellent time. Though it waggles, it feels less repetitive than sections on the Nipissing, actually giving you the feeling of progress! There is a section where you see a rock face on the right side which reminded us of paddling the Madawaska between Cache Lake and Head Creek many years ago. When the river stops bending constantly you are roughly half way, with the second half being substantially straighter. Looking at the map we were expecting a campsite on river left, right before the portage. As we approached, we could hear rushing water and paddled right past the take out without seeing a campsite (Note: The campsite is actually down the river past the portage a ways...just not very clear on the old Jeff’s map). We landed, and while hydrating before our big portage we met another solo lady who was just finishing her carry. She had air pods in, which seems like such a good idea while solo! Without someone else to talk to, being able to listen to a podcast while portaging would be more enjoyable. Unless you are freaked out about being alone in the woods, not being able to hear an animal approach… stop delaying, time to put the canoes on our shoulders and walk!
The P3540 should be downhill. It looks straight on the map, following the river the entire way. We were trying to be positive even though it is over 3.5 KM long and the weather was warm. We single carried this portage and only stopped once or twice to rest briefly. The portage is indeed downhill, with good footing for most of the trail. It would not be very enjoyable heading in the opposite direction though. The first section is the nicest as you can see and hear the river rapids to your left. Around the ¾ mark the portage crosses over a road and descends towards the river.
The carry from the road to the end of the portage was the worst section. The downhill incline is the steepest and as you approach the river there are boardwalks and standing water all around you. We found plenty of mosquitos waiting. After three kilometers of sweaty hiking, the last thing you want is bugs hammering you with a canoe on your head while hoping the next bend in the trail is the last! Eventually we made it back to the river, with another steep, grassy put in. The largest portage of the trip… no, the year … was now done. Completing big portages always gives you a real sense of accomplishment.
The current in this section of the river is deceivingly fast. Rich and Ryan put in first, and immediately got swept into the alder on the right shore. They fought their way out and were instantly around the corner. Eric and Evan tried to enter the river a little more gracefully but also managed to get driven into the alder in identical fashion. There were also some interesting moments when rounding some of the bends in the river further downstream. There are logs and trees that reach out into the river occasionally. Normally this would not be an issue, picking your way around or under as required. The problem we had was the amount of speed we were carrying. It made picking lines more difficult and riskier. You round a corner, see the obstacle, and need to decide instantly on the best course of action. There was one tree coming out of the left shore that looked like you could get under it, but there was a branch dipping into the river. Just past that was a log protruding from the right shore. As we approached, we realized that under the tree was not possible, and if we avoided the tree on the righthand side, we would hammer into the log. We had to vigorously back- paddle to remain stationary against the current to pick our way around the obstacles. We passed under the old rail bridge and before long we emerged on to Radiant Lake. After spending much of our day on a tight river, or with canoes over our heads, it was nice to see the open water and feel the wind on our faces. Surprisingly, it was still at our backs, what luck!
The plan was to try and get one of the beach campsites on the far shore. The lake is large enough that you can’t quite see if the campsites are occupied or not from the river mouth, so we set sail again. The paddling was easy with the wind at our back. It did cross out minds that we may not find a campsite on the East end of the lake and might have to fight our way back. The first two campsites from left to right are quite close together. Once campsite was clearly taken, and the other was free. Good to know, but we prefer not to be within earshot of other groups if we can help it. The best campsite on the lake, with the amazing beachfront, was also occupied. We angled further down the lake and kept our eyes peeled towards the final campsite. Thankfully, no boats or movement were seen, and we landed on to the rocky shore. The campsite is perfect for hammock campers and would also work well for large groups of tents. The trees are widely spaced with plenty of level ground throughout the expansive site. The view across Radiant Lake is excellent and would give us a fantastic view of the setting sun. A few downsides of the campsite are the tiny firepit and the rocky beach. We sat sunbathing, drinking, and swimming at the beach, but it would be easier on the feet if it was sandy like other spots on the lake. Radiant Lake is amazing for swimming, with the shallow, sandy bottom that extends out tens of meters into the lake.
Up to this point we had completed the trip plan without any significant issues or setbacks. We were set up nicely to get back to our vehicle by tomorrow if we chose to, or camp with our permit on Cedar Lake for our final night. We sat around the fire after supper and collectively made the decision to wake up early and push to the truck and skip the last night. The weather was calling for rain the following day, and no one was looking forward to sitting under a tarp, staring across Cedar Lake towards our way home. Once the decision was made, we all relaxed realizing the trip was essentially over. We drank the remainder of our alcohol (which might make waking up earlier a wee bit harder) and the rest of our desserts while watching the sun set. For dinner we had one of Rich’s staple meals, his world-famous dehydrated Sheppard’s Pie! Nothing sticks to the ribs more than a steaming bowl of taters, beef, and gravy! Hopefully the rain would hold off the next day, or at least start long after we had broken camp!
DAY FIVE VIDEO:
To be continued...
Last edited by Evan Briden (9/06/2024 8:40 am)
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Day 6 : Radiant Lake to Cedar Lake (Brent Access)
TOTAL KM: 16.8 KM | # OF PORTAGES (DISTANCE): 3 (2.5 KM)
The group woke up earlier than normal on our final day. Sleep systems and hammocks were packed away immediately after waking to avoid having to pack in the rain. The wind was down, and the air was very damp but thankfully the rain had not started yet.
We made the morning coffee and decided to make more hot oatmeal. If you want to get on the water quick, this is the go-to! We even added in walnuts, peanut butter, and dehydrated fruit. In short order we were fully packed up and ready to paddle home.
We also started making our obligatory lunch/dinner plans for our drive home… the group settled on Boston Pizza in Pembroke rather quickly.
With thoughts of pizza and beer on our minds we pushed off on to a calm and foggy Radiant Lake. Thankfully the lake was not whipped up like yesterday! We paddled the North shore, passing the other campsites as those groups started stirring for the day. As we entered the Petawawa River we could hear the spring on the right shore as we approached. We all had full bottles, or we would have stopped. After being in the woods for nearly a week there is nothing more refreshing than ice cold spring water. As the river widened (eventually feeling like one long continuous lake) the expected rain started to fall. It did not take long for the rain to soak us all, which is not overly refreshing on a chilly morning! By the time we reached the first portage of the day we were all extremely content with our decision to leave the Park today.
The P800 looks like it should be an easy portage from a cursory glance at the map. The portage is on the left, where the old railway bed lies. Nothing beats following old roads or especially old tracks. However, this is not the case. This portage, though not long, is tiring and technical. There is a steep climb up the rail bed over very loose gravel, and then you immediately hop off the tracks back into the bush. The portage feels narrow and is littered with rocks. You find yourself stepping up, down, on and around these rocks nearly constantly. This was made even more tricky due to the persistent downpour. We made it to the upstream end after a frustrating portage and Evan realized his error. In 2015 he had completed this exact portage and came to the exact same realization this time… you can avoid the worst of the portage by just following the tracks! We have never completed it this way, but once you put back into the river you will see a massive train bridge to your right. On the shore, on both sides of the bridge, are what appear to be put ins. Granted, they are very steep descents down from the tracks. It also looks like you can just keep carrying the tracks all the way to the Big George Lake portage. You could then just use that put in which has a more forgiving incline. I don’t know how long the portage would be if you chose that route… but it would be a nicer carry that is for sure. Maybe we will remember to try this the next time we find ourselves paddling up the Petawawa!
The stretch of the river before Surprise rapids is very pretty. There are islands and channels to paddle through before you reach the large pool below the rapids. We did need to take care paddling through the narrows though. With the high-water conditions there are submerged boulders that we managed to smack the hulls into. Maybe the next group will avoid these, given the fresh white paint we graciously left to mark the wrong path! In low water these would be more obvious and could be more easily avoided. The portage is to the right of the rapids and while paddling to the takeout the view up the rapid is very nice. I am sure there is someone skilled enough to run this set, but I would advise against it. The rapid continues around a corner, likely why it is called Surprise Rapids. The bottom is very bony with many jagged rocks along the final ledge before the pool. At our skill level, this rapid would be a boat killer. Excellent segway! A gorgeous Nova Craft rental canoe lies destroyed at the bottom end of this portage! Someone had a really bad day, lost a damage deposit, and hopefully walked away with a lesson learned.
The P650 starts with a steep incline with large flat (and slippery) rocks. Towards the top of the hill is a campsite which I would not recommend. The portage trail runs right through it, and there is not much level to be seen. It would make a nice little spot to stop for a shore lunch though. This portage is much easier than the P800, with only the occasional dip and climb. There are still wet rocks to walk over and around but they are less intrusive and jagged. The plan was to try and find the historical grave marker when back on the river, but it was still raining so we opted to just push on. It is a straight stretch of river to the final portage of the trip. The banks are steep on both sides and occasionally we passed what appeared to be small waterfalls. On the North shore of the river there is another spring that you can hear before you see it.
As you approach the final take-out you can really feel the current working against your progress. The Cedar Lake Rapid runs down from the left and pushes a substantial amount of water at you. The takeout is on the right-hand side, and quickly takes you up the bank to a narrow trail. For the first 50-75 meters you follow this narrow trail right, with a steep drop off to your left down to the river. Make sure your footing is good, and don’t let the wind push you and the canoe off balance. It would be a tough tumble to the rocky shore before, with only a few scattered trees to stop your fall. After this section the trail heads into the woods and follows the river at a safer distance. You can hear and see the Cedar Lake Rapids as you hike, which is always a nice treat. The portage is one kilometer long but is about as easy as a kilometer portage could be. We passed several groups… or maybe one big group, as they made their heavily laden first carry. They had so much gear with them, and even more left at the takeout on Cedar! Eventually the trail ends at two spacious campsites right beside the dam where Cedar Lake empties into the Petawawa River. Both campsites would be a good place to stay if they were not right beside each other and on the main highway to Radiant. They are wide-open campsites with little to no privacy so both the aforementioned points would make these emergency use only for us. The campsite right at the put in also has an outhouse onsite… though I would be hesitant to use it. I walked over to get some video footage of the dam and the outhouse building but the stench was overwhelming. The door had been left open, but it could still gag a maggot.
The final portage was complete, with only one more big lake crossing left before our summer trip was finished. When planning the trip, the two crossings of Cedar were obviously a concern. Especially this Westward paddle from the P1000 back to Brent. We were extremely lucky on this day though. At some point during the final portage the rain had stopped, and the wind was nonexistent. We didn’t waste the good conditions, paddling as quickly as we could to the gap between the two large islands. There is a nice point campsite on the leftmost island, and another beach campsite on the island on the right. If we had chosen to stay our final night, we would have been aiming for one of these. We swung between the islands, took a bearing to the access point, and paddled straight across Cedar. The lake was like quicksilver… not 100% mirror but a beautiful, rippling silver. What an excellent final memory to keep from an awesome trip.
We got everything we needed from this trip. We finally linked Burntroot to Radiant through Hogan, got to spend five nights on excellent campsites / lakes, and overall had some beautiful weather. It is not a real camping trip without some rain, but other than a dodgy paddle on Hogan we had excellent paddling conditions. The Park was busier than we are used to, which took away some of the allure, especially on day one down to Catfish. We are glad people are getting out into nature to enjoy the finer things in life, but if this trend continues, we will need to push even farther north to find the solitude we yearn for. It is also becoming harder to find canoe routes in the park that are new to us, but without a doubt we will keep coming back to the beautiful jewel that is Algonquin Park.
DAY SIX VIDEO:
Last edited by Evan Briden (9/06/2024 8:48 am)
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