Algonquin Adventures / Campsite Theft

**Posted by RCShevalier** 6/26/2017 12:19 pm

I was wondering if anyone has ever experienced theft in the park. If you go for a day paddle away from your site, whether on the same lake or not, do you leave your gear at the campsite or take it with you? Any bad experiences leaving gear on one end of a portage trail?

**Posted by PaPaddler** 6/26/2017 1:17 pm

There have been a few threads over time on this matter and a couple of incidents of theft but it is generally the small, expensive stuff that is lifted (like a nice fishing rod but not a tent). Personally, we tidy up the camp and most of the portable, valuable stuff is in our possession when day-tripping with very little concern for the majority of the gear left.

The problem with packing everything up is when you get back, someone else might be camping there! Usually, the further into the interior you go, the safer your things will be. I still wouldn't leave a nice little GPS laying on bench around the fire...common sense on that sort of thing.

When it comes to portages, similar common sense - if you leave something valuable and portable, maybe stash it in the brush instead of right next to the water in the open.

Last edited by PaPaddler (6/26/2017 1:18 pm)

**Posted by RCSpartan** 6/27/2017 5:28 am

There is a special place reserved in hell for anyone who steals from the APP interior. If anyone was ever seen stealing from my campsite...well, things would probably play out like the canoe chase scene in the Last of the Mohicans. Ha.

**Posted by Peek** 6/27/2017 9:10 am

I've wondered/worried about this myself while on day trips. The small and expensive stuff comes with me at all times, but I've been gone for several hours a couple lakes over before, which provides ample time to disassemble my camp and take the remaining gear.

I agree with RC - it takes a special kind of a$$hole to pull something like this anywhere, but especially the interior.

Last edited by Peek (6/27/2017 9:11 am)

**Posted by CanoeClaire** 6/27/2017 11:02 am

I've never considered this. We always hang our food before we go but we pretty much leave everything else behind (tidied and put away but still at the site).

From a thief's perspective, wouldn't you be risking much more serious charges than theft if something went wrong? For example, if you stole someone's equipment and they were injured or worse because they didn't have access to survival gear, would there be additional charges?

**Posted by RCSpartan** 6/27/2017 11:18 am

@CanoeClaire we're the same in terms of leaving our campsites.
I go to back country APP to get away from the daily city stresses with people I've come to trust with my life. I'd rather hope I can rely on someone at a campsite across the lake in the event of an accident than fear they may steal from me. Unlike when I'm in the city, I feel comfortable letting my guard down in the Park and I hope that never changes.

**Posted by breed85** 6/27/2017 11:29 am

We will leave items at site.
I always consider that everyone else in there is in the same position as you are and although there is a chance, I think the likelihood of someone stealing something is small. They gotta be pretty gutsy and know you're not around the corner, etc...
Although I suppose it will only take one instance for me to change this philosophy...

**Posted by dontgroandaddy** 6/27/2017 1:25 pm

I just hang the food sack, button things up in case it rains or gets real windy, and that's that. Generally speaking we're encountering ethical people, but even if someone were tempted I rely on our mutual desire to not add weight to portages. That said, I do get a little "phew" of relief when I return to the site and find everything as I left it....so there's trust in your fellow camper, and then there's relief of trust well founded.

**Posted by RCSpartan** 6/27/2017 2:06 pm

Not surprised to see others who share these same levels of trust and who are comfortable leaving their campsite unattended.
Curious, when and what lakes are people camping on this summer in the Park? Also, any cool new gear you plan on bringing in?

**Posted by kenny** 6/27/2017 3:29 pm

As mentioned above we hang our food and put everything we can inside our tents, out of site out of mind. For those of you that have camped or plan on camping at the campsite that borders Cradle and Bonnchere you do have people coming through your camp to take the short cut instead of the portage on the north side of cradle. We experienced this a few times with the people asking if we didn't mind, which we didn't. So if camped there you might want to keep that in mind. We would be gone for 3/4 of the day and come back and camp would be as we left it, mind you not much was left sitting outside the tent.

**Posted by trippythings** 6/27/2017 7:22 pm

It's crossed my mind before, but I've never been worried about it.

1. Who wants to add weight/gear to their trip?
2. You're in Canada. Good old friendly Canada where "sorry" is the second most used word behind "eh". And especially considering the type of people that go to the backcountry, unlike an urban city like Toronto. I don't think I've ever met 1 single unfriendly person in the backcountry.

But then again, I don't really have any expensive gear, so maybe I don't give it as much thought as other people.

RCSpartan wrote:
Curious, when and what lakes are people camping on this summer in the Park? Also, any cool new gear you plan on bringing in?

Clydegale in July. Bonnechere, Kirkwood, and Head in September. And Sunbeam, White Trout, Burntroot, Big Trout, Otterslide in either August or September. Of all those lakes, I've only camped on Head and Otterslide before (I've camped all around those areas, just never those specific lakes).

I'm also waiting for a custom paddle to arrive right now (my first paddle purchase), which I'm really excited about. Going to pick up a Bahco folding saw to try and up my wood game (I've never brought anything to process wood, I just try and collect larger twigs/branches). Picked up a new stainless steel cookset as well. Will probably get a cheap pair of binoculars or a monocular. And still deciding if I want to invest in a proper tent this year or push it off. It will probably be the most gear I've ever purchased in one single season lol.