Algonquin Adventures / So when does the ice-out prediction conversation start???

**Posted by ATVenture** 4/29/2017 10:43 am

Catto9 wrote:
Magnetawan access road is open and clear! That's according to the folks at Canoe Algonquin, I haven't been down it myself.

I caught a 3LB brookie out of Magnetewan at sun down yesterday believe it or not!!

**Posted by Catto9** 4/29/2017 5:42 pm

ATVenture wrote:
Catto9 wrote:
Magnetawan access road is open and clear! That's according to the folks at Canoe Algonquin, I haven't been down it myself.
I caught a 3LB brookie out of Magnetewan at sun down yesterday believe it or not!!

Nice! I hope to do the same on Thursday!

**Posted by Kurt** 4/30/2017 10:57 am

Achray is freshly groomed and good to go, probably the best ride in I've had in years...

**Posted by ATVenture** 4/30/2017 2:18 pm

Todays catch!

**Posted by andrewr0520** 5/03/2017 1:36 pm

Any updates on Rain Lake access? I'm scheduled for a Tuesday arrival and hoping for the best!

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/03/2017 5:01 pm

They say it's still closed but its good to go now! Many people have been using it. They only let 4WD vehicles into Magnetewan for the park opening but I made it in with my compact car no problem.

**Posted by andrewr0520** 5/04/2017 6:31 am

ATVenture wrote:
They say it's still closed but its good to go now! Many people have been using it. They only let 4WD vehicles into Magnetewan for the park opening but I made it in with my compact car no problem.

Haha that sounds great! I guess the question is, are they issuing permits at the Kearney office?

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/04/2017 6:41 am

andrewr0520 wrote:
ATVenture wrote:
They say it's still closed but its good to go now! Many people have been using it. They only let 4WD vehicles into Magnetewan for the park opening but I made it in with my compact car no problem.
Haha that sounds great! I guess the question is, are they issuing permits at the Kearney office?

Yep, they would have given you a permit on the first day, but you would have had to portage a couple of KM to the access point.

**Posted by andrewr0520** 5/04/2017 9:05 am

ATVenture wrote:
andrewr0520 wrote:
ATVenture wrote:
They say it's still closed but its good to go now! Many people have been using it. They only let 4WD vehicles into Magnetewan for the park opening but I made it in with my compact car no problem.
Haha that sounds great! I guess the question is, are they issuing permits at the Kearney office?
Yep, they would have given you a permit on the first day, but you would have had to portage a couple of KM to the access point.

Well I'm not canoeing, I'm hiking the upper loop of the Western Uplands. I arrive Tuesday, but the park has told me if the road is still closed, I can change my reservations.

**Posted by hiker72** 5/04/2017 8:23 pm

Sounds great Andrew, I love that upper loop! Are you doing the whole loop or taking the portage shortcut from south of Brown's Lake to Ladyslipper? I can't wait to get some hiking in myself at some point this year....

Last edited by hiker72 (5/04/2017 8:24 pm)

**Posted by andrewr0520** 5/05/2017 7:00 am

hiker72 wrote:
Sounds great Andrew, I love that upper loop! Are you doing the whole loop or taking the portage shortcut from south of Brown's Lake to Ladyslipper? I can't wait to get some hiking in myself at some point this year....

I'm doing the whole upper loop....Weed Lake, West Otterpaw, Brown, then out. Hopefully the road is accessible!

**Posted by ATVenture** 5/05/2017 7:15 am

andrewr0520 wrote:
hiker72 wrote:
Sounds great Andrew, I love that upper loop! Are you doing the whole loop or taking the portage shortcut from south of Brown's Lake to Ladyslipper? I can't wait to get some hiking in myself at some point this year....
I'm doing the whole upper loop....Weed Lake, West Otterpaw, Brown, then out. Hopefully the road is accessible!

If worst comes to worst tell them you want to backpack from where the road is closed. It will only add 2km at most onto your trip, and there's lots of room for parking. As a matter of fact, the part of Rain Lake road that's just where the closure was is a part of the old rail bed that the backpacking trail runs on for the first few KM so you could probably park there and instead of hiking down the actual road to the access point you could just stay on the old rail line and meet up with the trail?
I seen yesterday or the day before that a few Jump Off Sites were booked at Rain Lake, so obviously they either drove in or hiked in.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/05/2017 7:17 am)

**Posted by andrewr0520** 5/05/2017 8:35 am

ATVenture wrote:
andrewr0520 wrote:
hiker72 wrote:
Sounds great Andrew, I love that upper loop! Are you doing the whole loop or taking the portage shortcut from south of Brown's Lake to Ladyslipper? I can't wait to get some hiking in myself at some point this year....
I'm doing the whole upper loop....Weed Lake, West Otterpaw, Brown, then out. Hopefully the road is accessible!
If worst comes to worst tell them you want to backpack from where the road is closed. It will only add 2km at most onto your trip, and there's lots of room for parking. As a matter of fact, the part of Rain Lake road that's just where the closure was is a part of the old rail bed that the backpacking trail runs on for the first few KM so you could probably park there and instead of hiking down the actual road to the access point you could just stay on the old rail line and meet up with the trail?
I seen yesterday or the day before that a few Jump Off Sites were booked at Rain Lake, so obviously they either drove in or hiked in.

Awesome, thanks for the advice! I did the lower WU and the Highland trails last year, and was planning a Highlands trip if this one got rained out. But I really wanted to explore the upper WU loop. So hopefully they acquiesce!