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

**Posted by breed85** 4/26/2017 3:37 pm

ATVenture wrote:
None of the roads on the west side are listed on the advisory page so everything should be good to go except MAYBE Brent/Achray?

FWIW, I spoke with Chris from Algonquin Base Camp (we are renting canoes from him for our early May trip) and while speaking with him I asked about the Magnetawan access road.
He mentioned that it was still deep with snow and no one had been down.
He also mentioned that he had been speaking with the Park Warden and the warden was going to be trying to go down today? (maybe tomorrow; short term memory). But as of right now the road wasn't open.
He mentioned the forecast is warm and that it should melt the snow fairly quickly.

**Posted by ATVenture** 4/27/2017 6:54 am

A quote from the advisory page
"Brent Road Expected to Reopen April 28, 2017"

Last edited by ATVenture (4/27/2017 6:55 am)

**Posted by PhillyPhilster** 4/27/2017 9:16 am

ATVenture wrote:
A quote from the advisory page
"Brent Road Expected to Reopen April 28, 2017"

Great news. I will be testing that road to Wendigo Access point in less than 22 hours from now!!! Getting very excited

**Posted by ATVenture** 4/27/2017 2:39 pm

Today was a super hot day in the park that's for sure! I did lots of hiking and exploring near the Kearney access points.

Magnetewan : Still snowed in approx. 15KM before the access.
Tim River : Road is in great condition. No snow/washouts at all.
Rain Lake : Lots of snow has melted but its still not passable and won't be tomorrow.

I talked to them at the permit office today and apparently I knew more about the road conditions than the warden did this morning. They will be cancelling all reservations for Mag and Rain access points today. I think they will still issue permits for Rain lake but you'll have to portage about 3KM to get into the access point.
The warden and a ranger were out on the Magnetewan Road this morning. I don't know yet if they could even make it to the lake in 4x4 or not. Last I heard from them they were a few KM passed the beginning of the snow clearing blow down. That was at 10:30AM and they still weren't out by 2PM so that's not exactly great news.
Rain and Mag will most definitely be accessible by Monday though and permits will be issued as soon as they are. I'm assuming people in trucks are going to be breaking up the snow all weekend long which will speed up the melting A LOT.

**Posted by Catto9** 4/28/2017 12:52 pm

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

**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)