Hello fellow trippers!
Ice out nears in Algonquin Park and everyones fever is building! I personnally will be in for the trout opener and I'm itching for open water!
But for now the ice remains; and quite a bit of it! I just returned from a 4 night stay in the Mew Lake campground (winter camping)
Beautiful!
Il have a full blog posted ASAP for all of you!
Sam B :)
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Trip Log #3- Oxtongue River Trip 2010 (6 days)
This was my first trip of the season with Wendigo and I was so excited to get ready to go.
Though this would be my third trip of the year (2 with my family before this one); it would be the first of this intensity; and I knew the first steps would be a challenge.
But I had been here before and was ready for it; so we picked up our guide, Wyatt from Northway and hit the water.
Day 1- The Ghost of Drummer Lake!
Trip Route: Cache-Tanamakoon-Sheriffs Pond-Little Island-Kootchie-Smoke-Canoe-Sam-Gill-Drummer
The day was quickly warming up as we paddled our trio of Nova Craft Canoes towards Tanamakoon Lake; we would have to fill up our Nalg's often.
We made quick work of the Cache-Canoe section and stopped for meet sandwiches while we watched the sea of tourists on Canoe Lake.
We departed after an hour or so (quite a leisurley lunch) and deked through the opening bay;dodging canoes.
We paddled quickly over towards the 455 to Sam Lake (I've wanted to visit this one forever!) the portage has a large grass hill at the beggining but other than that is not bad. (little mucky)
Unfortunately Sam Lake is not very glorious; just a small marshy pond really. Oh well! We traveled another easy portage into Gill Lake before taking off onto the 1765m to Drummer, where I had stayed once before.
This portage is extremely rolling; going constantly up and down. In the hot weather me and my friend Dexter decided to just get it over with and absolutely sprinted the final 250m to Drummer where we quickly shed all but our boxers in pursuit of a relief swim.
It was a rewarding feeling,; and for the second time we we would spend the night at the Drummer Lake shelter, which I believe was originally built by Taylor Statten Camps. .Derek and I decided to go find a grill; and pursue the Northway folk lore of the Drummer Lake ghost' (supposedly there is a hermit or ghost on Drummer)
Though after stopping at both campsites all we found was a spare grill, no sign of a ghost.
Too bad really.
After a dinner of carrots;hotdogs and mashed potatos we set up our tents (cause the last time we stayed there were leaks in the shelter) and hit the sack.
Day 2- Adventures on the Oxtongue!
Trip Route: Drummer-Gill-Sam-Canoe-Tea-Oxtongue R-Oxtongue R-Twin Falls
We awoke to drizzle on Drummer and cooked a light breakfast of eggs and bacon before departing back to Canoe Lake.
When we reached Canoe it looked as if rain was looming and it was very blustery (1-2 foot waves)
But we had a long day; so we paddled down the river into Bonita and Tea Lake before stopping for a long drink. We had a lot of river travel ahead.
It began to clear up as we traveled along the Oxtongue;
Just after the 1st portage there is a small swift to paddle before you continue.
There are may swifts and 2 full rapids along this route; and also several fallen trees over the creek; so if you are not fond of this kind of tripping I would not recommend this route.
We continued through several more swifts and a few fallen trees before a rapid (with a portage around it) that looked quite feasible. We ran it with success and only one bump.
The rapid is very easy and I would reccommend running it as a little joy ride along this lengthly river.
We then paddled the seemingly endless Oxtongue down to the Twin Falls portage which has 2 surprisingly nice sites on it. We staked our claim on one and collected firewood before a great swim at the base of the rapids.
After dinner we took to the tents because of the numerous mosquitos.
Another great day of tripping behind us.
Two photos of Twin Falls.
Though this would be my third trip of the year (2 with my family before this one); it would be the first of this intensity; and I knew the first steps would be a challenge.
But I had been here before and was ready for it; so we picked up our guide, Wyatt from Northway and hit the water.
Day 1- The Ghost of Drummer Lake!
Trip Route: Cache-Tanamakoon-Sheriffs Pond-Little Island-Kootchie-Smoke-Canoe-Sam-Gill-Drummer
The day was quickly warming up as we paddled our trio of Nova Craft Canoes towards Tanamakoon Lake; we would have to fill up our Nalg's often.
We made quick work of the Cache-Canoe section and stopped for meet sandwiches while we watched the sea of tourists on Canoe Lake.
We departed after an hour or so (quite a leisurley lunch) and deked through the opening bay;dodging canoes.
We paddled quickly over towards the 455 to Sam Lake (I've wanted to visit this one forever!) the portage has a large grass hill at the beggining but other than that is not bad. (little mucky)
Unfortunately Sam Lake is not very glorious; just a small marshy pond really. Oh well! We traveled another easy portage into Gill Lake before taking off onto the 1765m to Drummer, where I had stayed once before.
This portage is extremely rolling; going constantly up and down. In the hot weather me and my friend Dexter decided to just get it over with and absolutely sprinted the final 250m to Drummer where we quickly shed all but our boxers in pursuit of a relief swim.
It was a rewarding feeling,; and for the second time we we would spend the night at the Drummer Lake shelter, which I believe was originally built by Taylor Statten Camps. .Derek and I decided to go find a grill; and pursue the Northway folk lore of the Drummer Lake ghost' (supposedly there is a hermit or ghost on Drummer)
Though after stopping at both campsites all we found was a spare grill, no sign of a ghost.
Too bad really.
After a dinner of carrots;hotdogs and mashed potatos we set up our tents (cause the last time we stayed there were leaks in the shelter) and hit the sack.
Day 2- Adventures on the Oxtongue!
Trip Route: Drummer-Gill-Sam-Canoe-Tea-Oxtongue R-Oxtongue R-Twin Falls
We awoke to drizzle on Drummer and cooked a light breakfast of eggs and bacon before departing back to Canoe Lake.
When we reached Canoe it looked as if rain was looming and it was very blustery (1-2 foot waves)
But we had a long day; so we paddled down the river into Bonita and Tea Lake before stopping for a long drink. We had a lot of river travel ahead.
It began to clear up as we traveled along the Oxtongue;
Just after the 1st portage there is a small swift to paddle before you continue.
There are may swifts and 2 full rapids along this route; and also several fallen trees over the creek; so if you are not fond of this kind of tripping I would not recommend this route.
We continued through several more swifts and a few fallen trees before a rapid (with a portage around it) that looked quite feasible. We ran it with success and only one bump.
The rapid is very easy and I would reccommend running it as a little joy ride along this lengthly river.
We then paddled the seemingly endless Oxtongue down to the Twin Falls portage which has 2 surprisingly nice sites on it. We staked our claim on one and collected firewood before a great swim at the base of the rapids.
After dinner we took to the tents because of the numerous mosquitos.
Another great day of tripping behind us.
Day 3- Onward to Ragged Lake!
Trip Route: Twin Falls-Oxtongue-Bush-Park-Ho-Bo-Snow-Greenwood-Sha-Wan-Da-See-Fen-Hilly-Small-Bluebell-Mik-a-do-Be-Na-Norman-Smoke-Ragged
I awoke to a quick granola breakfast before we took off; finishing the portage and continuing along the Oxtongue.
We ran the Split Rock Rapids but I would not recommend running it if you do not have some experience.
We then bushwacked across the highway and through a bog into Park Lake; there was no time to waste as we had a handful of blacklines to run through.
It was hot again; and I'm sorry to say that my memory is failing me on the details here. Just a fog of hard work.
All of those black lines were just terrible. Fallen trees everywhere and not much more than a goat path to follow.
The final portage is the only exception; it was fairly well maintained; but still rolling.
We arrived at Smoke Lake exhausted after the following :
a 215, 1060, 170, 165, 1425, 530, 735 and 2800m all blacklines.
I wolfed down one of the Cliff Bars my mom had sent me to camp with and we set off into a now cloudy Smoke Lake. Clearly there were storms brewing.
We quickly paddled to the beachy landing for a 240m portage to Ragged.
It starts with a large hill but there are dug out stairs and the portage is only 240m.
The other side is also large and has a beach; but no time to stop to enjoy the beauty; we had to beat the rain!
Luckily; there was an open campsite close to the portage; the first point site available on the map. Its a rocky point; with a decent landing of the side away from which you'd paddle by. We set up the tents before we got firewood and then covered our packs.
As we were collecting firewood it began to drizzle on us.
The rain got harder but no matter!
We finished cooking the TVP chili and wolfed it down.
I was cold; and hit the tent early.
Another successfull day of hard work!
Day 4- Back to redlines!
Trip Route- Ragged-Big Porcupine-Little Coon-Whatnot Lake-McGarvey-Lemon-North Grace-Louisa
I awoke to a dripping campsite; the ground covered with battle scars from last nights rain. We cooked up a quick breakfast and then took off for the 'Devils Staircase'.
On the way there, first as we had just left the site, and again just before the portage we met up with 2 different Northway trips. It was nice to see some familiar faces, especially friendly ones! But it was time to continue our day.
The portage is worse than you would think considering its short length; but I'd done it so many times it didnt bug me anymore. Its just alot of uphill the whole time.I personally think its worse that the 'Double Devils Staircase' between the Whatnots and Little Coon, but each to their own opinion.
Either way we crossed over the 590m with no problem and paddled around the optional 395m that cuts through a large point.
We made quick work of the easy 230m portage into Little Coon Lake; a lake I've wanted to camp on for a while.
But not today; as we pushed off the grassy put in of the 230m and crossed the small lake to the 'Double Devils Staircase' which is really just a short very difficult hill followed by an average Algonquin Portage, altho it does roll some.
So don't worry; once up the initial hill your troubles are over.
We arrived at the mucky end to the 930m and crossed the tiny Whatnot Lakes to the rocky 425m into McGarvey.
We stopped on the first site on McGarvey, which has a sandy landing that has a stair case up to a cosy site.
The site has two tent spots but on a hot day you would cook with little tree cover on the main site.
We made ourselves so mac & cheese before continuing on our day.
We paddled the rest of McGarvey to the 810m into Lemon Lake; which is unmemorable along with the 165m out of Lemon.
North Grace is a beautiful lake; we stopped to fill up our water before continuing to a vast portage landing for a 1460m to our destination for the night; Louisa Lake.
This portage was not hard; just a little long and pushed off into the lake to find a campsite.
The first point site going this way was taken; so we headed for the two clustered islands across the lake.
You could see a buoy that clearly had something to do with the trout studies on Louisa. We took the island to the left; a decision we did not regret. Though the landing was a little rough; the site was a gem.
It had a vast expanse of tentsites and a small beach for swimming ..
To cap it all of there was a perfect sunset directly infront of us.
What a great end to the day
Off the front of our island site on Louisa.
Day 5- An encounter with some friends.
Trip Route: Louisa-Rod and Gun-Lawrence- Pardee- Harness- Head
The night had been quite cold, my summer sleeping bag was no match for the sudden dip in temperatures, but I like it cause its so small and light. My warmer one was on my cot back at basecamp at Wendigo.
Early (around 5) in the morning I was awoken by Logan getting out of the tent to watch the sunrise; but after a cold night I just wanted 2 more hours of sleep.
At 7 we were all up and cooking breakfast.
We departed for the first portages of the day a 510m into Rod and Gun and a 470m into Lawrence which are both average Algonquin portages. There is a steep hill at the Lawrence end which would be more difficult going the other way.We made quick work of both.
The 145m into Harness after the 10m portage into Pardee has a side trail into a part of the rapids; that when you strap a lifejacket to your bum you can ride down. We took a break to do this; it is quite fun.
After a half hour we continued across Harness to the final portage of the day; a 1035 into Head Lake. This portage has a nice landing at both ends and is actually what I would consider a nice walk; other than going the other way there is 1 very large steep hill. (about 15-20m in length)
We paddled the creek into Head where we took the second site on the right shoreline (the first point site) I'd never stayed on this site before; but it is now my favorite.
The point has great swimming.
Just as we had dried off we saw a familiar canoe in the distance.
Actually 3!
Northway!
We stopped and talked for a good hour before they continued on their trip; it was a nice, unexpected visit!
After Northway left we started on dinner and had a few rounds of tea biscuit dessert.
We stayed up late in the night; talking about the success of the trip.
And finally close to 12 we were off to bed.
Day 6- Back to camp!
Trip Route: Head-Cache
I awoke to a calm crisp morning just before 7 am and washed my face in the lake followed by a quick oatmeal breakfast and paddling to the Head Lake portage.
We walked the mucky portage and made use of the dock at the end before paddling back to camp.
Another tripping success!
PS- sorry for the lack of photos! I didn't make nearly enough use of my camera!
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