Algonquin Adventures / Dividing Lake early Aug

**Posted by Marko_Mrko** 9/06/2021 8:37 am

5 days from Access 14b via Dagger and Minkey Lakes into Dividing Lake. Went along the low-maintenance route through Loader Lakes into McGarvey and North Grace.

Made it to Louisa, then back to Dividing Lake via the 2600m portage, bypassing the Loader Lakes.

The Loader Lakes portages (I like to think of them as the Three Sisters) were pretty unmaintained. The 1050m was very very wet with 5 or 6 blow-downs - we cleared three and went around the rest. The entrance to the 300m portage was completely overgrown, and the exit of the 700m was also fairly untamed. By comparison, the 2500m was a veritable highway. A few blow-downs, but overall very easy to travel.

Saw a single party on Louisa the entire trip.

I really like this part of the park. Very accessible from GTA, but very remote. The logging road from 14 to 14b is in good condition - the rear struts on my Odyssey are gone and I had no problems. Parking is just before the bridge at 14b.

Cheers
Marko

**Posted by goneagainjon** 9/07/2021 2:14 pm

Marko, thanks for the interesting report on a less used part of the park...I drove the logging road from 14 to 14b maybe five years ago...when I got close to 14b there was a huge 20 foot gap in the road preventing further travel...almost like a bulldozer had driven through and destroyed the road...that said, I don't recall seeing a bridge...I'm wondering now if a bridge was built in that spot...I do recall there being a stream there...what do you think Marko? Did you fish at all?

**Posted by Marko_Mrko** 9/07/2021 4:07 pm

Great to hear someone using it!!

There used to be a bridge over the creek just before 14b Dagger access. It was destroyed 8 or 9 years ago. I would just go over the creek, then portage to Dagger.

They built a new bridge this year. However the road past it is very tough, so you should still park just before the bridge and portage the 300m to Dagger Lake.

In terms of fishing, they should be speck lakes, but fishing in Aug is shoddy at best. We caught lakers in Louisa at 50-60' down using lead core line. there are some in North Grace, but not as good. Louisa is 200' deep at the West end, great fishing there.

I did hear rumors of high mercury levels in Louisa, can anyone confirm?

M