Algonquin Adventures / That feeling

**Posted by Bob** 4/19/2016 1:55 pm

Took this from part of another post and thought it deserves its own. How many others have gotten to a site, walked around it and thought to themselves, this isn't the place that I should be staying. Somethings giving off that feeling that bad voodoo could happen if I stayed. I've normally moved to other sites that have no vibe to them. As I'm normally tripping solo I tend to listen to that inner voice because a lot of the time that's the only voice a hear some days.
Anyone know the psychology behind this feeling or sensation of dread at certain sites?

http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakcamper · **Posted by Uppa** 4/19/2016 3:56 pm

I'd say it's just one more side effect of being out there alone. I've had a few occasions when I was certain something bad was about to happen - but nothing bad ever did. I've learned to suppress those thoughts because it seems like a slippery slope that would just lead to being more and more paranoid.

**Posted by hoser89** 4/21/2016 10:11 am

I'm no psychologist or anything but i would guess it has to do with your fight or flight response where you know there's stuff that can go wrong and you're just experiencing an increase in that response.

I've heard that it's a good thing when your brain goes through those kind of scenarios in your head. An example was given like, when you're driving and theres oncoming traffic next to you and you might think to yourself, what's stopping me from just swerving into oncoming traffic and hitting someone. If you're actively thinking about those situations it's your brain reassuring you that you don't want to do it, and crazy people who will do don't have that thought process happening. So it might be like that where you're thinking a bear might eat me, so i should be alert and ready to gtfo or fight at anytime.

Most emotions that might happen can be controlled, you just have to learn how. Tell yourself it's just your over active imagination and calm yourself down. Easier said than done though.

**Posted by Waboose Adventures** 4/22/2016 11:46 am

I know that feeling. It's true that it could also be from your own mind playing tricks on you.

Not an Algonquin-related story, but we read a trip report on My Canadian Canoe Routes about a site on Harry('s) Lake in Killarney that had a bear encounter. We had planned to camp on that lake for 3 nights and do day trips. We were on the island site, but during our explorations we stopped at a different site and it just didn't feel right. We got the creeps. We noticed there was a lot of animal activity on the site.

The others started wandering back and I was down by the rocks near the canoe when I noticed a super creepy drawing on a rock. Even my dog was acting weird. I wrote a bit about it on my blog. It's an interesting drawing and not sure the story behind it. I guess I'll never know!

https://wabooseadventures.com/2014/09/10/killarney-provincial-park-part-three/

**Posted by CanoeClaire** 4/22/2016 3:11 pm

This happened to me for the first time last summer. We had paddled through a swampy area on the way to the site. It was a really cool paddle but it was also a bit creepy. When we got to the site, we unpacked and had lunch. It was an overcast day at the end of our trip and both my husband and I had that heebie jeebie feeling from the site. It wasn't a particularly nice site and it felt "off." We decided to pack up and paddled hard for another 2 hours to make it to our car to head home one day early (we could have found a different site but it would have required taking one on a lake we weren't reserved for so we just headed out). We had had a wonderful trip and didn't feel like we needed to "prove" to anyone that we could tough it out.

I still feel good about leaving. Can't pin point what caused it but it was nice to be home and we have wonderful memories of site earlier on the trip.

**Posted by Peek** 4/22/2016 4:06 pm

@Waboose That carving/drawing in the rock is just plain strange and would probably weird me out too if I came across it.

I've had a 'That Feeling' experience myself, on Kildeer Lake in 2013.

I was originally booked at Blueberry Falls but changed my booking last minute on the recommendation that Kildeer would be a better campsite/experience. I was coming from Mallic Lake, so a lot of portages before I finally hit Kildeer. I got out of my boat and walked around the large rock campsite (both sites look identical, in a way). As I walked it over, I just wasn't feeling it. There was something off about the campsite, there really was but I couldn't figure it out. I didn't feel scared or in harm's way, just very uneasy. I decided to leave and push on Francis Lake. However while nearly at the portage to Francis, I thought that I was just being weird - probably too much sun so why go further - stay on permit. I turned around and paddled back to the rock campsite. I got out of the boat, stood still and looked all around. I couldn't, I just couldn't stay there and I don't know why. I moved on, but not just to Francis - all the way to Radiant (as the next night was for Radiant Lake anyway, I scored a day off) before I decided to make camp - 16 portages from Mallic and completely exhausted. I had a great time on Radiant but to this day I don't know why that site affected me. I've camped on nearly 150 unique backcountry campsites in Algonquin and this was the only one that gave off a sketchy vibe.

**Posted by Tripper** 4/22/2016 5:15 pm

The only one I can remember giving me a bad feeling is the site on Gibson with the lumber camp remains. The weird thing is is that I never stopped at the site, I just observed the site from the middle of the lake as I paddled past. I read a trip report from here about someone having the same feeling who stopped at the site to explore it.

**Posted by Methye** 6/19/2016 12:55 pm

Site on the east end of LaMuir lake on the beach gave me the creeps. Stopped there for lunch once before heading to Hogan.
Lawrence, east end on a point, gave me an uneasy feeling; took the one closer to the portage to Rod and Gun.

**Posted by APPaul** 6/19/2016 3:47 pm

Tripper, I have had the same feeling on Gibson Lake in general, but also remember looking at that site and thinking "nope". Something about the whole area gave me the creeps. My wife also found the area weird. We stayed in the Highview cabin that night and that area gave me the creeps too, but not enough to move on. At Highview it just felt clostrophobic I think.

**Posted by tentsterforever** 6/19/2016 4:00 pm

If you want creepy, try the site closest to the sproule portage in opeongo's
south arm. Site hadn't been used in a very long time, with no breeze at all, trees creeked, branches snapped, sun did not penetrate, although there was no overhead tree. Leeches galore along the landing, an owl flew off further into a very dark hemlock stand.... Lots of broken branches in the fire place which had been there a long time, yet we had difficulty lighting them. Shivers ran over my back. We MOVED, sandwich clamped between teeth, back onto open water.
That was the only time I ever felt uncomfortable.

**Posted by BivouacBradley** 6/20/2016 11:56 am

I've definitely had that feeling before. Got it really bad on Little Otterslide one night, on three different sites. I think it had a lot to do with the sites being a mess (fallen trees and what not) combined with it being right before sunset so everything seemed dark and gloomy. Ended up grabbing a site on the island only to have a bear or moose go crashing through the bush behind my hammock just as it got dark. Had quite the uneasy sleep that night but did not see any sign of my visitor after that.

**Posted by Shayne74** 6/20/2016 6:18 pm

You guys have to stop posting these stories! LOL! My first solo coming up next month. Already nervous enough Ha!

**Posted by ahubbs** 6/24/2016 6:05 pm

I've been there as well, I was on the easternmost site on Lake LaMuir a few years back and I was totally creeped out for some reason. It was a poorly maintained site with a lot of Moose Poop that was sort of low and swampy. I can't explain the sensation but just didn't feel right. I think Uppa is right just a symptom of being alone, I don't think I would have felt that way if there was someone else around. I've had the same sensation in the fall hunting as well in early November, just too quiet. Maby it's just a primal instinct from out hunter/gatherer days, its possible that there is a reason but we just can't comprehend it anymore.

**Posted by Methye** 6/24/2016 9:26 pm

Same site! East end of lake La Muir! Weird.

**Posted by ahubbs** 6/25/2016 1:40 pm

That is Weird, I didn't read the entire thread before posting its interesting that someone had the same feeling in that location. I've gotten the same feeling paddling across mud lake just further east of the campsite between LaMuir and Hogan. I find that area fairly remote, I was there for the opener this year for about 4 days and didn't see a soul until I was paddling out on the last day. The Lake Trout don't seem to mind though

**Posted by Peek** 6/29/2016 7:47 am

LOL weird.. that beach site on La Muir (the former Otter Camp) served me well back in 2011.

It's funny how different sites give different feelings to different people. But I've now heard from more than a few people that Gibson Lake is just a creeper. Haven't been there yet but plan to be in September. I guess we'll see if I make it back.

**Posted by solo_lesta** 7/27/2016 5:02 am

On night 4 of my first solo, I stayed at one of the 4 island sites on Booth. As i set up camp, I had the feeling i was being watched. I felt like the Blaire Witch and her pet bear were right behind me all the time. Then I spotted the source of the problem. The previous user of the site had bundled lots of 4' long sticks together and stood them up like a 10-legged tripod tied at the top with some ragged-looking hay wire. I'm sure it was just a way to keep some kindling dry for the next user, but wow did it ever creep me out.