Looking for a short canoe trip in Algonquin south of Highway 60? Look no further than a spectacular trip from Smoke Lake to Rock Lake that our group of 6 did over 4 days in August 2018.

Day 1: Smoke Lake Access Point to Big Porcupine Lake
Upon arriving at the Smoke Lake Parking area, you actually need to cross over the highway to the Canoe Lake Permit Office to collect your camping and car permits before your trip. Park one car at the Rock Lake parking lot by running a shuttle with your second vehicle. The shuttle will take 50-60 minutes depending on traffic, construction, and wildlife-gawking tourists that stop in the middle of the road.

After the shuttle is set and you load your boats along the docks, head out on  Smoke Lake to the southern terminus. We paddled Smoke lake on a day without wind, and it took the better part of 1.5 hours to complete. We portaged the short uphill 240 meters into Ragged Lake. I would suggest here that if you have a long drive (over 4 hrs) to get to the park stay here for the night. Ragged has a plethora of campsites and they all look to be descent ones.

Continuing through Ragged we paddled into the swampy South Bay and to our next challenge: a heart-thumping uphill 590m portage into Big Porcupine Lake. Once this one has been completed head out of the bay into the breeze of the main part of the lake. Once we arrived we immediately looked for a campsite but this being August, the lake was almost completely full. Normally the extra paddle around looking for sites isn't such a big deal but with thunder and lightning approaching we were on a time crunch. We finally found our site at the last possible spot on the lake and quickly set up tents and tarps to prepare for the imminent rainstorm that of course didn't hit us!

Total travel time: 4 hours

​Day 2: Big Porcupine Lake to Kirkwood Lake

Booking later than I normally do for this trip my only option for night 2 was Kirkwood Lake. This would make today's journey a short 2 hour jaunt. Adult-only groups that want to push the pace could easily combine our Day 2 and Day 3 itineraries. As we were travelling with children and wanted a more relaxed pace we decided to try our Kirkwood.

To get there we had to portage an easy 200m from Big Porcupine to Bonnechere Lake. Bonnechere is home to a few charming campsites that would be great spots to camp on at some point. Paddling to the north end of Bonnechere, we took the right fork and found the 175m portage to Phipps Lake. What we found on the Phipps side of the portage is a creek that was too low to paddle. A portage extension through the grasses and wetland doubled the length of this portage until we could load and continue on. 

Phipps didn't look that inviting for camping and so we hopped over the 60 m portage to Kirkwood and found our campsite for the night on the island in the middle of the lake. What we didn't know is that this campsite had a name: Magic Island! We spent a beautiful afternoon there swimming a lap around the island, catching frogs and napping in hammocks. The magic ended however with a hard rainstorm over night that lasted a few hours. Luckily we all stayed dry but the rain sure tested out our gear.

​Day 3: Kirkwood Lake to Lake Louisa

The rain ended around 9:30AM and we set off in the boats around 10AM. The plan for the day was to tackle 3 portages and end up into the gorgeous Lake Louisa and score a good site for the night. Unfortunately the plan didn't quite unwind as we first thought.

The first portage of the day begins at the end of Kirkwood and carries on for an easy 715m, ending in Lawrence Lake. I was the first one to carry through here with a canoe on my head limiting my vision. I saw the lake and put down my canoe. What we couldn't see on the two maps we brought is this portage trail fork at the end: one trail leading to Pardee Lake and one leading to Lawrence. I had taken the wrong trail.

After paddling Pardee and realizing that we were not where we should be, we backtracked and did a 10m (more like 25m) hop over portage back into Lawrence Lake. We lost about 30mins with this mistake. One of maps was large-scale and the other small-scale and neither noted that there is a split trail.

Back on track on the boomerang shaped lake of Lawrence we quickly arrived at the 415m portage into Rod and Gun Lake. This portage in August of 2018 had a large tree down near the Lawrence Lake side on a hill. At the time it was difficult to get over the tree (the only option) with a canoe on (take my word for it) so make sure you have another set of helping hands nearby before attempting. Continuing uphill again, you reach the small lake and scoot across it to complete the last portage, the 515m to Lake Louisa. This 515m portage had two tree obstacles to overcome as of August 2018. 

Lake Louisa is one of Algonquin's gems. It is home to a number of excellent campspots and is a favourite lake of trout fishermen. This year we found an island site to call home for the night. With the breeze we dried out our wet gear and spent the afternoon swimming and playing bocce ball. Total travel time for the day was 3.5 hours.

Avery and West Peak are the tallest peaks on the Bigelow Mountain Ridge just outside of Stratton, Maine. These peaks are part of 2 popular hiking missions: The Appalachian Trail and the NorthEast 115er list. My goal is eventually summit all of the NE 115ers, a goal that will  take me decades to complete given the distance to travel to the areas to hike; especially the 14 peaks in Maine. As luck would have it my husband and I needed to travel through this part of the world to attend a wedding so we stopped to bag these two peaks en route. 

This trip did not get off to a good start however. Upon arrival at Cathedral Pines Campground in Eustis, Maine, we realized that after packing the car full of camping gear, hiking gear and wedding attire we had independently forgotten BOTH our sleeping bags. Seeing as though it was already dark and a thunderstorm was approaching, we hunkered down in our tent with multiple layers on along with towels and Gore-tex jackets thrown over top. We survived the cool July night albeit with much tossing and turning and general discomfort. This area of Maine is pretty sparse in terms of finding camping supplies but we did end up finding a store that we bought warm but short blankets for the rest of the trip.

After our chilly evening, we filled our bellies with hot porridge and coffee and set out for the Fire Warden's trail at 8:30AM. We found the trailhead at Stratton Brook Pond on our first try (other reports say it's difficult) and parked at the busy trailhead and set off towards the pond. This area is obviously a popular free camping area in the summer - we found many people sleeping in or beside their cars.

The Fire Warden's trail takes about 5miles/8km to ascend to the col on the ridge between the two peaks. It begins on a flat trail beside the ponds before turning into the forest for most of the remainder of the hike. The trail is marking with light blue blazes until the col where blazes turn white. The shade provided by the trees here is welcoming on a hot summer day. The trail ascends about 1000ft  before leveling off again further up. 1.6 miles in you reach the junction with the Horns Pond Trail and a trail register to sign-in for the day. 

​Continuing on a gradual up hill, you reach the Moose Falls campground complete with privy and a water spring. From this point on, the terrain significantly steepens.  For  about 600ft there is a section I will call 'The Staircase', where the trail follows steep rock stairs that is sure to get your heart pounding. Just when you're red in the face and covered in sweat you think "Are these stairs ever going to end?", the trail eases off a bit before hitting a Appalachian Trail camping area just before the junction on the ridge. Tent platforms and a caretaker's cabin can be found here. We thought we might see some AT hikers but instead the area was full of day hikers. It was only 11AM.

Once hitting the junction you can choose to take West Peak (0.3miles) or Avery (0.4miles) first. We chose to bear left to West Peak first. The mossy vegetation and well trod path lead up to a prominent rocky outcropping at the top of an obvious summit, complete with a summit cairn and sign. Beautiful views of Sugarloaf ski hill, the Crockers and Flagstaff Lake make this summit one to remember. It took us 3 hours from the Trailhead and 3000ft of climbing to get to this summit at 4145'. 

​After a quick snack, we descended back down to the col and junction and continued on to Avery. After a few scramble moves to get around the backside of Avery's first rock bump we continued on good trail to the actual summit. Here another summit cairn with sign will signify your accomplishment along with many views of the ridge. An old man-made brick square structure (supposedly an old fire tower base) can also be seen from Avery's summit. A plaque commemorating Myron H. Avery's efforts to extend the AT into Maine is also worth a read here.  We were lucky to hit this ridge on a sunny day - you can see for miles. Avery's summit is slightly less than West Peak's at 4088'. There is no advantage to do one over the other first in my opinion. 

Descending down the staircase and forested trail was fairly straight forward and before we knew it we were back at the ponds and out to our car. The totals for the day were:

Date: July 29th, 2018
Distance: 9.72 miles/15.65km
Ascent: 3022ft
Time: 6.5 hours
Map: Rangeley Lakes Region Trail Map
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Philip Edward Island is located in Georgian Bay, Ontario and is one of the world's largest freshwater islands. It's exposed granite, turquoise water, and and thousands of small islands make this a bucket list destination for any sea kayaker.  Our trip in July 16-19th, 2018 included a circumnavigation of the island, a multi-day route including over 50km of paddling.

Pre-trip:

Before the trip started we needed to collect a few essential items that include:
- The Adventure Map for Philip Edward Island, along with a map case, GPS, and compass
- Safety gear: SPOT device, paddle float, bilge pump, throw bag, whistle, PFD
- Sea kayak, paddle, and sprayskirt
- Camp gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tarp, camp chair
- Personal gear: clothes, toiletries, meds, hats, rain gear, camp shoes, boat shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, headlamp, and several small 10L stuff sacks
- Kitchen gear: stove, fuel, lighter, pots, bowls, mugs, cutlery, spatula, knife, dish soap and scrubbie, garbage bag, and food
- Toilet bag which includes: trowel, brown paper bags, toilet paper, hand sanitizer
- Camera, GoPro, etc.

Day 1: Chikanishing to Jaws Island

Our group decided to use the Chikanishing access point located 2km from the Killarney Park Office. Make sure to stop at the park office to pick up a parking permit for the duration of your stay. The cost is around $15/day per car.

After driving for most of the day, we arrived at the parking lot to find a excellent drop off and staging area. After unloading our gear and parking our cars, we spent some time figuring out the puzzle of how to most efficiently pack the boats and make use of the space. After everything fit we were ready to head down the 500m creek to the big waters of Georgian Bay. We had been given a heads up by another paddler returning from trip that the winds were up and the swells were growing. At the terminus of Chikanishing creek, we could hear the waves crashing into the rocky shoreline and feel the wind's strength increase. I'm sure we were wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. Our group of 4 were all experienced whitewater and flatwater paddlers, but had never done a sea kayak trip before. When we turned the corner and got a glimpse of the big water, the swells were over 2 feet high. Our mission, if we chose to accept it was to make the 700m crossing over to the Philip Edward Island (PEI). We accepted the mission and began to cross directly over. Alternatively, some groups paddle downwind to Crossing Island, and then continue over to the north shore of PEI, while others turn around and wait out the wind if it's too unsafe.  As we began to paddle into the open water I couldn't help but feel nervous at first as the bow of my boat crashed down in the troughs of waves and my sprayskirt got blasted with water. It didn't take long however to realize that sea kayaks were made for this type of travel and they are both confidence-inspiring and stable even in rough water. Before we knew it we had reached South Point and turned the corner. We got to a small campsite on Jaws Island about an hour after we had set-off and set up camp and had a lovely evening watching the sun set behind the LaCloche mountains in the distance.

Day 2: Jaws Island to Hincks Island

Day 2 started with excitement and anticipation as we woke to find that the winds from the day before had dissipated and the sky was cloudless. After a quick breakfast we packed up (trying to remember how we had packed the boats the day before) we jumped in the boats and set off. It didn't take long to realize that after plotting our UTM coordinates from the GPS onto the map that travel in a sea kayak is FAST. We we averaging 5km/hr and by no means were we trying to break any speed records. 

The south shore of PEI is the real gem of the trip. Spending time exploring bays and various islands is really what this trip is all about. The setting is incredible and this is where you should plan to spend the most time. The Fox Islands are pretty incredible and are worth a visit. 

We had made our way to Hincks Island in just over 4 hours after leaving camp. In hindsight I wished we had done some more meandering and exploring but the thought of the wind changing direction and picking up was always in the back of our minds. Hincks island is home to several campsites so we claimed one and set up camp. We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in the cool clear water, napping, and enjoying the view.

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Day 3: Hincks Island to Collins Inlet

​Our third day on began entering Beaverstone Bay. The vibe of the trip switched as this area was a route for motorized craft moving up to the north channel. The clear blue water transitions to more traditional tannin stained tea coloured freshwater. Paddling in this bay is easy going and goes by quickly.

Turning left at the northeast point of the island we found ourselves in Collins Inlet; a narrow channel flanked with granite walls. The lodges around Collins Inlet weren't worth a stop so we continues on to Mill Lake where we stopped to have lunch.  We considered camping here for the night and explored this lake looking for campsite options. After an hour or so of paddling it was evident that this Lake was not used as a destination to camp. My advice would be to skip right over this area.

We continued down to the narrowest point of the channel and began looking for campsites. We found two side by side on the island, not on the map just before the second cabin property after Mill Lake. It's important to note that not all campsites are marked on the map and some of the better sites are the ones not marked. After a longer day we made camp and watched numerous motorized craft pass by, imagining what the fur traders life was like that used this route 400 years ago.

Day 4: Collins Inlet to Chikanishing

Day 4 was a short day including a 3 hour paddle along the rocky shores and paddling over the waves of boat wakes out back to the parking lot. We tried to find the pictographs supposedly along the rocks in this section but could not find them. Navigation is easy here as you have many marine markings to follow out to the western entrance. We felt a sense of accomplishment as we completed the circumnavigation of the island. A fantastic place to sea kayak!

Tips for Sea Kayaking PEI:
- Make sure your canoe or sea kayak has a good spray skirt
- Make sure you know how to take a GPS coordinate and plot it on a map before you go.
- Allow for 3 full days to circumnavigate
- Skip over Mill Lake
- Camping is sub-optimal : not much flat ground, tent sites often on exposed rock, often not small sites
- Majority of campsites do not have an outhouse or kybo. Campsite often had shallow ground to dig into so we implemented the poop bag: A trowel for digging a 6" hole, toilet paper and a brown bag to put the used TP in, and hand sanitizer to clean your hands afterwards. I often take 2 small sticks to create an "X" over the area I used to dig.  No one likes to see your used TP on the ground. Ever.
- Blueberry bushes were found on every campsite. 
- Massassauga Rattlesnakes are a poisonous snake found on PEI. We did not see one, but had our eyes peeled everywhere we walked.
- Tent stakes were not very useful. We had to use rocks to anchor our tent down most nights.
- Take breaks every 2 hours. We found that if we didn't our bodies really felt it. 
- If I were to return to this area, I would spend all my time on the south shore exploring the islands and bays there. 
- In July, mosquitoes came out in hoards at 9:30PM every evening. If you make sure you are in the tent by then and you can avoid the nuisance.
- Fishing - apparently supposed to be good, but our two guys came up unlucky.
- Consider a longsleeve high UV sun shirt as your upper body clothing. The UV is high!
- Bring your thickest or most comfortable sleeping pad
- Bring numerous small carabiners to clip things to the deck of your boat
- Be on the look-out for camp spots.  Not all the sites are marked on the map, and the ones on the map aren't necessarily always the best or most often used sites
- Hatches are theoretically supposed to be leak-proof but in rough water that flows over your bow or stern let in a small amount of water into both hatches
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Any lingering questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below!

Allen Mountain is one of the 46 peaks that stands higher than 4000 feet in New York State. Standing at 4347 feet, it is one of the Adirondacks most isolated mountains. As a mountain on infamous ADK 46er list, it is normally hiked by hikers pursuing the goal of ascending all the high peaks.

There are two normal approaches to summit this mountain and I have done both. The first is from the Flowed Lands camp spot (a 23km/14.3 mile hike with 4100')  which I first hiked back in 2012, or from the Upper Works road which we chose to do on this day March 31st, 2018.
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Allen Mountain Stats from Upper Works Road:
Distance: 30km/18.6miles
Total Ascent: 4062 feet
Time: 10.5 hours (March 31st soft snow conditions)
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Within a few minutes of leaving the parking lot you cross the Hudson River over a rickety metal bridge. Soon after, you will hit Jimmy Lake. Commonly crossed in the winter months as a shortcut, we decided on March 31st, 2018, that the water pooling on the top of the ice meant that we shouldn't chance it and take the 0.5km/0.3mile detour around the lake to get to the other side. Soon after you will pass the turnoff to the McAdam's Fire tower hike and then you travel on flat trail passing a few lakes on your right. At the 4km/2.5mile mark, you get your first glimpse of Allen when passing a small swamp. 

Marching along flat trail, one begins to handrail the Opalescent river on the right. Eventually you will come to a newly constructed bridge crossing (after the old bridge was destroyed by flooding in 2011). Crossing the bridge, you finally begin to gain your first bit of elevation for the day but only a couple hundred gradual feet. At the 8.5km/5.3mile mark you hit the turnoff junction to the herd path. This turn off is fairly obvious with signs pointing towards Allen (right) or Marcy (left). Only .5km/0.3miles later, you cross a gravel road and see a clearing turn right here and head towards a second register that signifies the beginning of the true herd path towards Allen. From here it is 6km/3.4miles to the summit. The trail immediately begins to rise and the terrain crosses a few small streams and brooks. The rolling terrain continues until reaching the Skylight brook. From here, the terrain consistently climbs heading upstream along Skylight brook. 

As your heart begins to beat rapidly, the sounds of the Skylight brook fade as the trail trends to the right. All of a sudden it hits you. The Allen brook drainage and the beginning of the steep slidepath. The terrain here rises steeply for about 1500' meandering in and out of forested areas and up and over downed trees. The trail trends on the right- hand side of the slide and in the winter climbs over snow and ice in the open areas. The icy areas may require the use of crampons and ice axes, so come prepared. In the summer, red algae can cover the exposed rock making passage slippery. Be warned!

Finally reaching the top of the slide, your body has now broken into a total sweat and you welcome the relief of entering the shady forest trees once again. Thinking the summit may be near, the final 500ft of climbing is very steep and will make anyone's heart pound hard. You know you are near the end when the terrain finally flattens out for a moment before making a final short rise one last time to reach the summit proper. Both times I have been on Allen there has been a summit sign and a protected treed area to enjoy a well deserved break. Today we had a special reason to celebrate summit success on Allen: My husband Glenn's 46th summit finish! He is now a ADK 46er!

No time to linger on this hike... another 15km/9.3miles await you on your descent and way out. The steep slide section requires attention and precise footing as does the brook crossings in early spring. Soft snow requires the use of snowshoes and skis could be uses for the first leg to the Opalescent bridge and back if conditions allowed. By the time you return to your car you will have known you have completed another good day out in the Adirondacks! Allen is the most isolated peak in the Adirondacks and can't be combined with any other peaks. The challenge is the long approach combined with a steep ascent making for a long-ish day depending on what time of year you chose to tackle it. Good luck!

Pukaskwa (pronounced Puk-a-saw) National Park is Ontario's only Wilderness National Park located on the shores of Lake Superior south of Marathon, Ontario. It protects 1878 square kilometers of land and 133 kilometers of rugged shoreline along Lake Superior's coast. The Coastal Trail, which spans over 60km along this shoreline, is a fantastic backpacking trip for the prepared backcountry traveler.

The trail encompasses sections of sandy driftwood covered beaches, moist moss covered mixed forests, and slippery lichen covered rock. The trail offers several scenic viewpoints and amazing camping in the small coves that are created by the landscape. Trail walking speeds vary from easy (on flat dirt trail) to difficult (wet boulder gardens and uneven terrain). Temperatures on our trip in early August ranged from lows of 5-10C and highs of 18-25C. This trail is characterized in other blogs as rugged and not to be underestimated. Although parts are rugged, I didn't find the terrain to be overly difficult. In comparison to the popular West Coast Trail located in Pacific Rim National Park, there are many similarities but I would affectionately call Pukaskwa the "little sister" of the West Coast Trail.

Our group of seven included Alpine Club of Ottawa friends that ranged in age from 38-71. All of us have previously completed multiple remote marked trail and trail-less backpacking trips in the past (check out my other backpacking trip reports). We all have extensive experience hiking the Adirondack 4000 footers, which are 46 technical hiking mountain summits in upper New York State. We did not find this trail particularly challenging based on our prior experience. There were sections that demanded your attention but there was also easier walking on well-defined trail.

To prepare for your hike: 
1. Download the park trip planner here
2. Reserve campsites by calling ($9.80/pp/per night) starting March 15th: 1-877-737-RESERVE (1-877-737-3783)
3. Book boat shuttle if going to the end at North Swallow through Keith McCuaig mccuaigmarine@shaw.ca 
4. To check out my packing list for the trip click here.

Pre-trip: Saturday August 5th, 2017 - Hattie Cove to North Swallow
Getting to the park is your first step. Located a 4 hour drive away from Thunder Bay or Sault-Ste Marie airports, you will need to budget in a travel day before and after your trip. We arrived at the park at 1PM, and checked in at the park office. The park will provide a 20 minute backcountry orientation. This should be review for all backcountry travelers with a few tips thrown in specific to the park.

We had time to waste before our ferry arrived so we checked out the park's visitor centre and did a short hike up a lookout nearby. It was evident that this park is used mainly for backpacking but also for coastal sea kayaking/canoeing trips as well.

Our ferry picked us up right at the visitor's centre at Hattie Cove at 4PM. The boat is impressive - 2 x 250 HP motors, interior seating, stern deck, and a bow platform that can be lowered. Our Captain Keith was a great source of local information and was a likeable guy. He drove at 30 knots and it took us 1.5 hours to reach our destination at North Swallow. Alternatively, you can choose to get ferried out early in the morning and start your hike right away.

As the bow platform lowered and we prepared to disembark, I felt like we were troops landing in Normandy on D-Day. That thought quickly faded as we noticed the park had left us some obvious creature comforts: Parks Canada red chairs on the beach! 

Campsites: All campsites are adjacent to beaches (or rivers) and are clustered in groups. They are marked with sign posts (however not numbered - which would be helpful). They all have a full size outhouse, a bear cache for food, and a firepit with grill. Other blogs have mentioned problems with rodents in the bear caches. Although I could see how they could get in, we didn't have any issues on our trip with rodents getting into our food.

Day 1 Sunday August 6th, 2017: North Swallow to White Spruce Harbour (11km)

We left camp at 8:30 AM and started the trail crossing the North Swallow Brook. We were surprised to see the well-defined trail as we had heard that some navigational work/trailfinding may be necessary. The trail isn't marked with standard trail signs, but rock cairns are present when trailfinding may be tricky (ie on rock). We never once got off route the entire 65km.

Footing on Day 1 was the most challenging, with the trail comprised mainly of uneven rocks, roots and moss at all angles. We gained and lost elevation a few times during the day, but nothing more than 100m at a time so it felt manageable. The forest provided a welcome reprieve from the sun as it beat down on us in the exposed rocky sections. We found out early that the exposed bedrock can be slippery with any moisture from water, moss, wet mud, etc.  We fell in love with the trail immediately as it seemed that every 20 minutes offered a view of inland lakes, cliffs, and Lake Superior.  

We ate lunch at Simons Harbour and arrived at camp at 3PM, enjoying a quick swim in the 11C water in the protected shallow cove. Our swims were quick, but we appreciated the dunk anyway. White Spruce Harbour (WSH1) is a well protected campsite with warmer water and is recommended.

Day 2 Monday August 7th, 2017: White Spruce Harbour to Fisherman's Cove (10.5km)

We set off at 8:40AM and began our day on a easy section of flat trail to White Gravel Beach. There was little to no elevation gained between White Spruce and White Gravel. Leaving White Gravel you travel inland for 7km with the highest elevation gain on the entire trail. There is little to no water to filter during this section so it is recommended that you have full water bottles before embarking on this segment.

The inland forest section did rise in elevation, but I found it quite gradual and therefore not difficult. This section offered very few scenic views and at about 5km in, it begins to descend down to Fisherman's Cove. We stayed at FC2 and I believe that this was the BEST campsite on the entire trek. It's a cozy private site with perfect swimming spots. We arrived at the campsite at 1:30 PM, making for a short day on the trail.

Thunder boomed around us during the evening, but we never had a drop of rain. That was until the middle of the night when a storm finally hit us straight on and rained on us for about an hour. 

Day 3 Tuesday August 8th: Fisherman's Cove to Fish Harbour  (13.75km)

We woke up to wet raindrops on the tents, but no rain falling.  We ate a quick breakfast and were on the trail again by 8:30 AM. Almost immediately on the trail, it started to rain and drizzle on and off. This continued all morning.  Within a few hundred meters of starting today's leg, we had to take off our boots and wade through a thigh-high river. Luckily the basin was sand and we could walk quite easily through it. Nothing like starting the day off with wet feet and pants!

The first cove after Fisherman's was a shoreline walk on large round boulders. This particular morning the rain had made footing treacherous and we all were silent as we focused intensely on every step. It would have been very easy to slip here and I can see why rescues could happen quite frequently. I brought the SPOT satellite device to activate assistance if needed, which luckily we didn't.

We continued to Nicols Cove, where we met our first humans. A couple with a dog were heading out to Fisherman's Cove. Coincidentally, they were also from Ottawa and knew some mutual people! Heading back through some forest, we came to Dampier Cove and then heard voices and a boat as we rounded the corner into Oiseau Bay. Keith, our ferry driver, was parked at the beach with local Pic River natives who were there to visit a trapper cabin (not on the map). They offered us muffins and watermelon which we graciously accepted and then had a great chat and a group photo!

It was still drizzling off and on, but blue skies in the distance gave us hope. We walked off the beach and started hiking inland onto a sand bar for 500m. The remainder of the day was on flat forested easy trail. We crossed what looked to be a brand new cedar bridge that appeared out of no where and then had to wade across a bay before reaching our destination for the night: Fish Harbour. We arrived at 4 PM.

We stayed at FH1 (which was a nice site), but if I were to do it again I would stay at FH3. Fish Harbour is not protected and this night was the coldest of the trip as a result. We met a sea kayaker who was staying at a site beside us who was interesting to talk to. We also found a bunny rabbit in our outhouse! This campsite is the bomb for sunsets!

Day 4 Wednesday August 9th: Fish Harbour to Willow River (12km  longer route)
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We left Fish Harbour at 8:30AM and began our day with some of the most awesome terrain on the trip. Rock scrambling! Starting through a cliff section, we scrambled down and across a rocky outcropping. I think this is the section people refer to having to 'pass your pack up' but as all of our group had rock climbing experience, we zoomed through this section without a thought of taking off our packs. It was super fun and I wish there were more sections like this! This scrambly section was followed by a picturesque section of shoreline rock, which we were happy was dry as we passed over it.

We followed some easy forested trail from cove to cove. We saw two girls packing up at a site at Morrison Harbour (wouldn't be my first choice for a campspot). We continued around Shot Watch Cove, scanning for Pukaskwa Pits (rocky circular ruins) that were created by natives some time ago. From this point north the trail is full of blueberries. We feasted on the first patch we saw, but later realized they are everywhere and can be easily consumed with barely a step off the trail. A welcome snack!

Just before the Willow River, the trail proposed two options: the direct forested route or the longer coastal route. We chose to do the longer coastal side trail en route to Willow River. This section was worth the extra effort: beautiful coastal views and more rock scrambling. Just before we got to the Willow River suspension bridge we met some rude hikers who were camped at our site WR1. They were booked into WR2 that evening, but seemed unwilling to move. After we crossed the suspension bridge, we popped out onto the beach and saw two Park Wardens. Apparently a hiker had broken a toe and needed evacuation. They were checking permits...but we didn't have ours as the park office had told us not to bother to bring it! They interrogated Deb for a bit wearing guns and backpacks! I guess they figured we were legit being in a large group and not ducking for cover. We had to tell them we were booked into WR1 and so the took it upon themselves to move the other group to WR2 as per original bookings. We waited 20 mins for them to move their stuff and arrived at camp at 2:30. WR1 was worth the wait - great site! We also saw a single woman staying at WR6 (not a recommended site) and another couple who were still moving onto Morrison that day. The north end of the hike is much more populated than the south end. Willow River seems to be the turning point as some hikers will start at the visitor's centre and return on an out-and-back trip.

WR1 and WR2 would be my recommendations for this area. We had warm water in the shallow sandy bay to swim in -  especially when the air temperature is at 25C!  That said, there was a feeling in the air that evening that the weather was changing again.

Day 5 Thursday August 10: Willow River to Chigamiwinigum Falls (9km)

We woke up to rain falling on our tents and were reluctant to get out. It had been raining for hours and everything outside was soaked. For the first time I threw on my rain gear and for the first time we didn't leave until 9AM. It was only 15C when we left and only rose to 18C today.

Our route today was the first time we headed inland for the entire day. This section is on easy forested trail. It drizzled all morning on us so the rocks were again slippery and there was mud everywhere. We had to watch our footing. Everyone in our group of 7 had slipped and fallen on some of the rocks at some point during the past 5 days. Even with our modern boots and experience hiking tough terrain, the coastal trail can be hazardous.

We made it to Hook Falls by noon and checked out the falls from viewpoint. We continued on down the White River, checking out more of the rapids and falls. Having to take the portage trail to our CHF1 campsite, we found it a good site for larger groups. CHF2 is very small. Both campsite are at the base of rapids and we met a father-son duo doing some camping and fishing there. 

We arrived at 1:30PM and set up our soaking wet tents. We also set up a tarp as it was still raining. We retreated into our tents after we ate lunch, napping and reading all afternoon while listening to the sound of the rain on the tarp and our tent flies.

Early to bed we went today again due to the damp chill in the air. In hindsight this section went by so fast that we could have pushed on, but it's hard to know that when you are booking campsites months in advance.

Day 6 Friday August 11th: Chigamiwinigum Falls to Hattie Cove (8km)

Our original itinerary had us also doing the Mdaabi Miikna Trail today. We were supposed to add this trail as an extension to the coastal trail and stay at PH2 before heading out on the Saturday. However, when we woke up it was still cloudy and threatened of rain. We voted at the trail junction and the vote was 5 people wanted to hike out and 2 people wanted to continue. I think we were tired of being wet and didn't want to spend another afternoon in a wet tent reading. Why do that when you can walk out and get some real food? 

The 8km hike out to Hattie Cove is mostly flat and easy. A long boardwalk (underwater when we were there) helps you cross the marsh at the end of Hattie. We arrived back at the visitor's centre around 11AM and headed to the town of Marathon for lunch! It remained cloudy and rainy so we were happy with our decision! We had completed the coastal trail!
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Totals: 65km with 1922m of total ascent
For a .gpx file of our track click here.

The Welcome Lake loop in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park is a fantastic 40km flatwater canoe tripping loop. Reservations are recommended for this backcountry loop as campsites are numbered on many of the lakes. The trip is better done slowly in 4-5 days but could be done in 2-3 days if you want to push the pace. This loops involves a significant amount of portaging: 7.8km of the 40km loop is portaging. If you double back on portages like we had to on this trip, the distance jumps to a 55km loop! Loops also have advantages: no car shuttles!

The Rock Lake Access point is the starting point for this trip. It is located 8km south of Highway 60 around the 40km mark of the park (near the visitor's centre). Here, register at the park office along with the crowds of car campers. Our group included 4 adults and 2 children ages 6 and 8. We took 5 days and 4 nights to complete the loop and paddled it from July 28-Aug 2, 2017.

Day 1: Rock Lake Access to Penn Lake (10km or 3 hours)
After obtaining your park permits, drive down to the parking lot and load your boat in the small creek. We began our trip here around 1PM after driving to the park in the morning. Bear left on this creek to the main Rock Lake and enjoy the views for which the lake is named. Follow the right hand side of the lake into a small narrow at the south end and portage the 375m around a dam to Penn Lake. We paddled over half way down this lake and settled into our campsite for the night. Penn Lake offers several beach and rocky shored campsites along it's narrow shape. 

Day 2: Penn Lake to Welcome Lake (6-11km, or 4 hours)
Leaving Penn Lake we entered into a small creek before reaching our first portage of the day of 295m. This portage was an unexpected surprise for us as it included a couple sets of waterfalls and small rapids. Side trails from the portage take you to the waterfalls and other scenic viewpoints. Check them out!
Jumping back into the boats, continue through a creek paddling through some weak beaver dams and before you know it you are at the 2170m portage. This portage, although daunting in distance is fairly flat and wide. Two-way traffic can pass with ease and includes a 100m section along a dirt road! The only technical section was 3 steps on planks to get across a small creek. This portage was easier than I expected, and I did it twice! The ending of the portage brings you to the beautiful sand beaches of Welcome Lake. This circular lake is not large or deep, but is home to many amazing beach camping spots and sandy swimming shorelines! An Algonquin gem for sure.

Day 3: Welcome Lake to Lake Louisa (11km - 15km or 5.5 hours)
​Exiting Welcome Lake we passed through a creek that connected us with Harry Lake. A short paddle through Harry re-assured us that we made that right decision to stay on Welcome Lake the night before. There was only one campsite on Harry that looked decent for a buggy July stay. We continued through a second creek that connects to Rence Lake that included a large beaver dam obstacle astutely built across an old bridge foundation. After hauling over the dam and paddling a few minutes across Rence Lake, you paddle into a creek with a perfect canoe parking spot for unloading your boat at the 320m portage!

A short paddle through Frank and Florence Lakes will bring you to the long 1725m portage to Lake Louisa. This longer length portage has to be the easiest long portage in the park. This portage is very flat, very wide, and includes another short section on a dirt road. I don't think I have ever carried a canoe longer! Ending in the gorgeous Lake Louisa was the icing on the cake. We stayed on one of the islands in this lake and enjoyed awesome swimming off rocky shores, successful lake trout fishing, and an amazing campsite!

Day 4: Lake Louisa to Rock Lake (9km-15km or 4 hours)
The morning paddle down Lake Louisa was stunning. This lake is one of Algonquin's best kept secrets. Louisa has multiple amazing campsites, crystal clear lake waters, and picturesque landscapes. It took over an hour for us to paddle down the lake but we loved it all. What we didn't love is when it ended and the 2895m portage began. That said, what we found out was this this portage was ALL downhill or flat. Again, a long but easy portage in this direction only. I did have to double back on this one and the hills going the opposite direction would make this portage unenjoyable to say the least. Finishing the almost 9km of portaging (after doubling back) is definitely sweat producing, hunger inducing and completely satisfying. We paddled out to ever busy Rock Lake full of all sorts of traffic: Motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and SUPS.  We chose an island site for the night and soaked in another amazing summer night in the park. Alternatively, you could paddle out the final 3km back to the parking lot and end your journey here.

Day 5: Rock Lake to Rock Lake Access (3km or 45mins)
We ended our trip on the morning of Day 5 and were in the parking lot by 10AM. 

After paddling in the park for more than 25 years, this was my first trip south of Highway 60 and I was pleasantly surprised by the great campsites, easy but long portages, and beautiful lakes. I will planning more south of 60 trips in the near future!

Have any questions? Leave a comment below or contact me via my contact page.

Nepal had been on my bucketlist for over a decade before I finally booked a trekking trip in 2016. The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world and Nepal has most of the highest peaks. After months of consulting with friends and doing countless hours of independent research, I chose to employ Nepal Vision Treks for my trekking group of 6. We signed up to do the 21 day Everest 3 Passes Trek, but had to change our itinerary due to conditions and illness. This Nepali based company either met or exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend them. For tips on travelling in Everest Region read my blog here. Here's how our trip unfolded from October 11th to 31st, 2016.

Day 1: Arrival Day
We arrived in Kathmandu after approximately 28 hours of travelling and crossing 10 time zones. We were greeted at the airport by a driver for the company and taken to our 4 star hotel named the Apsara Boutique Hotel. The hotel offered climate controlled rooms with modern bathrooms, free wi-fi, and continental breakfast. Just outside the main doors is a courtyard with a restaurant offering lunch and dinner options. We met with the company liason Chet who welcomed and greeted us and sat down to chat about plans and Nepal customs on tipping, etc.

Day 2: Kathmandu City Tour and Welcome Dinner
Our group of 6 was picked up by a van driver and city guide. We were taken to 3 sites in Kathmandu: Monkey Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, and a Cremation site.  Each site offered insight into the Hindu and Buddhist religious sites and a window into the tolerance or harmony found between these two beliefs. The city guide was a wealth of information on Nepalese customs and was proud to show off his city to us.
That evening were taken for a 'Welcome Dinner' with our trekking guide. This included Nepali dancing and band playing, as well as a typical Nepali dinner. A great way to start the trip!

Day 3: Fly to Lukla (2810m) , Walk to Phakding (2610m)
Up early to head to the airport, we were able to leave items for storage at the hotel for free. Ensuring our bags (daypack plus duffel) were no more than 15kg, we arrived to the airport and head through security and checked in our bags. Headed to Lukla on Sita Air, on a Dornier 14 seater plane. Temperatures were around 20C, we trekked from Lukla mainly downhill to Phakding. Encountering porters and mules for first time, we had our first glimpses of life in the Khumbu. Our first tea house 'Hotel Beer Garden' offered 2 single beds in a room (wood bed frame with a foam mattress 6-8") with an attached bathroom.

​Day 10: Lobuche (4910m) to Everest Base Camp (5365m) to Gorek Shep (5180m)
Woke up early today and was on the trail by 7am. The long line of hundreds of trekkers was overwhelming. We were bundled up with more layers and mitts heading to Gorek Shep. The trail here starts off flat and then rolls up and down 4 times over glacial till. Arrived at Gorek Shep at 10:30am, and got our bags into our rooms. After eating lunch, we left at noon to basecamp. Taking 2.5 hours to get there and 1.5 to return, we hiked over some rolling terrain up onto a ridge and then down onto the glacier. Some of our group members had some AMS symptoms: insomnia, nausea, vomiting, headache, disorientation, and cough.  Heading to basecamp, you are surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains: Pumori, Nuptse, and Everest. This day, as with everyday of our trek, was sunny with blue skies. We took the mandatory photos at basecamp, drank in the views, and turned around and returned to Gorek Shep. At these altitudes, our pace is as slow as a crawl, and we are having to push our bodies to do anything. We stayed at the Yeti Hotel.

Day 11: Kala Pattar (5545m) to Dzongla (4830m) 
Woke up at 4:45am to be ready for our 5am departure for our hike up Kala Pattar. We started in the dark, but soon after the sun rose and our headlamps were no longer needed. Out of our group of 6, only 3 made it to the top. One thing that most people underestimate about trekking is that you move so slowly so you have to wear more layers. It sounds ludicrous to wear a big down puffy jacket at -2C, but when you walk like a 90 year old you need it. After a late 8:30am breakfast, we returned to Lobuche for lunch, and then continued on a stunning trail to Dzongla in the afternoon, arriving at 4:30pm. We stayed at the Green Valley tea house which had a fantastic food.

​Day 12: Dzongla (4830) Rest Day
Today, instead of getting up at 5am to do the Cho-La pass, took an unscheduled rest day. And this time I mean a REAL rest day. Our group members for the most part had picked up a cold virus, and that combined with the effects of altitude was draining our energies. It was amazing how good 4830m felt after being at 5180m at Gorek Shep. Our guide accepted our group decision and planned accordingly. Thankfully the rest day was warm and sunny and we were able to sit outside and read. The food at this teahouse was also very good, so that was a bonus for staying an extra night. Thankfully the rest day helped store some much needed energy for our 12 hour Day 13.

Day 13: Dzongla (4830m) via Chola Pass (5420m) to Gokyo (4800m)
The alarm went off at 4AM and we were eating breakfast by 4:30 and on the trail by 5AM. For 3.5 hours, we ascended both rock, snow and ice to reach the 5420m Cho-la pass. This ascent was my favourite hiking section of the entire trip and I'm grateful we were able to summon the strength to do it. Descending the steep loose rock on the other side, we ascended 100m before a long valley descent down to Thangnak. We stopped for lunch there 6.5 hours after we started. At this our colds were draining us we were all coughing and blowing incessantly-there was never complete silence as someone was always coughing. We wolfed down some much needed calories and then headed out for the final 2 hour hike across a glacier to Gokyo. We stayed at the Gokyo Resort at 4800m.

Day 14: Gokyo Rest Day (4800m) and Gokyo Ri (5360m)
Today our group was suffering. Our colds had sunk into our chests and we were all exhausted. Only one of our group members was healthy enough to attempt Gokyo Ri. He went up to the summit with our assistant guide. 4 of our group members walked around town for the rest day where as the 6th member stayed in bed. We all had naps, and visited the very yummy Gokyo Bakery. The beauty of the Gokyo lakes is outstanding. A beautiful setting indeed. Our group made a decision that instead of going over our planned Renjo-la pass back to Namche, we would head directly south via Dole back to Namche. Again our guide was flexible and accommodating with our change of plans.

​Day 15: Gokyo (4800m) to Dole (4200m)
Today our 'Coughing Canadians' group descended down a beautiful valley to Dole. We passed by Gokyo lakes 1 and 2, and passed through a few villages before our final destination. At first our group was disappointed that we didn't go up the Renjo-la pass, but we quickly reversed our thoughts with this spectacular valley. In Dole, we stayed at the Lakeside tea house. Temperatures dropped below zero overnight and we woke up being able to see our breath in our rooms. 

Day 16: Dole (4200m) to Namche (3440m)
Today our group's energy was low. Although the trail today started off descending, we had a 1.5 hour hike up before lunch. The ups at this altitude should be easy for us at this point, but because we all had terrible cold viruses, it was difficult. At the top of the climb, we all coughed for 10 minutes straight. Luckily the trail for the rest of the day was mainly downhill. We returned to 'The Nest' at Namche and enjoyed a hot shower.

Day 17: Namche (3440m) to Phakding (2610m)
Re-tracing our steps down from Namche, we crossed the 5 suspension bridges and struggled with the slight undulations upward along the trail because of our cold viruses. We had forgotten how busy this corridor is: many porters, mule trains, and trekkers coming and going. Sharing the narrow trails is always challenging with the constant traffic.

Day 18: Phakding (2610m) to Lukla (2840)
An easy 3 hour hike up to Lukla, we were in a state of melancholy that our trip was coming to an end. Re-tracing your steps back to our starting point arrived for lunchtime in our tea house 'The Nest at Lukla'. We spent the afternoon shopping in Lukla and preparing tips for our trekking staff. The porters and assistant guide stay in Lukla to begin another trek and do not return to Kathmandu with the group. The only exception is the head guide. We celebrated that evening and said our goodbyes.

Day 19: Lukla to Kathmandu
Mornings in Lukla are a buzz of air traffic activity. Helicopters and planes are arriving and departing every 5 minutes. At the airport, we found a weigh scale and decided to weigh ourselves. Most group members lost between 2-5kg of weight, mainly muscle atrophy. We waited in the Lukla airport for about an hour, and then as soon as our plan arrived jumped on it quickly. The turnaround time for flights is about 8 minutes. The 25min return flight was easy and we returned to our Apsara Boutique Hotel to enjoy lunch and a long hot shower. That evening, we had a 'Farewell Dinner' paid for by our trekking company. Our company liason joined us for dinner as well as our head guide and we debriefed our trip, giving him all positive feedback despite being sick and exhausted.

Day 20: Kathmandu
We spent the day today shopping in Thamel and enjoying the Diwali festival. One thing to look up before you go to Nepal that could add to your trip are the different festivals. We enjoyed this cultural celebration that included street dancing, mandalas, marigold flower garlands, and parades. Shopping in Thamel can require full attention as cars, motorcycles, and pedestrians all use the same narrow lanes. Masks or buffs can be an asset to those people sensitive to air pollution, or to those who have lung disease or lung viruses. Shops include jewelry, scarves and blankets, knock-off and real outdoor gear, t-shirt and cultural clothing, a supermarket, and cultural souvenirs.

​Day 21: Fly home
Our company provided transport to the airport for our departure. After 21 days, I am very please with my choice of trekking company. They met or exceeded every expectation I had, and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Great job Nepal Vision Treks!

Looking back, despite some bad luck with illness, we got what we wanted out of our adventure: to plant our eyes on some of the tallest mountains in the world, test our physical capabilities at altitude, and to immerse ourselves in a new culture. Nepal is an amazing country to visit- the Nepali people are genuinely friendly, the scenery is stunning, and culture is amazing. A bucketlist dream fulfilled, and one that I am very grateful for.

A video on our trip is coming soon!
Check out my blog on Tips for Travelling in Nepal

The North Brother Mountain is located in Baxter State Park, Maine. Although in the shadow of it's more popular sibling Katahdin, the North Brother is worthwhile to to do for a few reasons. Firstly, at 4151ft, the North Brother is on the NorthEast 111 peakbagging list and for anyone interested in completing the 111 (115) peaks over 4000ft in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  Secondly, it's a great hike for those not interested in the crowds or steep scrambly elevation gain on Katahdin. This is a great hike for a beginner mountain hiker.

Before the hike, we camped at Katahdin Stream Campground. It is home to 12 lean-to's, 9 tentsites, and 3 group sites, and the nicest smelling and clean outhouses I have ever used. Reservations are strongly recommended. That said, this campground can be busy as it is also home for Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hikers that will or have completed their 3500km journey at the summit of Katahdin. The first day we arrived we heard lots of cheering and hoots of joy as the finishers rolled in.  Meeting the ranger on the first night, she warned us of bear actitivity and encouraged us to put our food in our car. Of course we did, but I woke up to my food being attacked by mice overnight. They had got into the car! Be warned as I lost about half my food.

The drive to the Slide Dam parking lot from Katahdin Stream Campground took about 10 minutes. Elevation at the parking lot is almost 1200ft, so were were looking at a 3000ft ascent. Our plan was to ascend the North Brother via a loop over Mt Coe and the South Brother. Unfortunately it had rained significantly overnight and our group of three wasn't interested in climbing a wet slide and not seeing any views. Our mission was to summit the North Brother as one of our group members was completing her final peak of the NE 111(115) list. We chose to hike the Marston trail.

The trail can be characterized by going up 3 big steps. It starts on a flat dirt path and then gradually ascends about 1000ft before the first junction towards Mt Coe. After turning left, the trail flattens out again and travels alongside an Unnamed Pond with a short lookout. For us, it was the best lookout of the day as low-lying cloud hung over the summits. After hiking around the pond the trail heads up again another 1000ft and then flattens out once again in a wooded saddle. Here, there is a final trail junction to head over to South Brother. Turning left to North Brother, you meet the last part of the ascent. The final up is a mainly above the treeline and over some boulders to the summit itself. In a few areas, you will have to scramble (using hands and feet) to get up and down these sections. 

Our summit day was not a pretty one as there were no views above the treeline. Stuck in a cloud and in the rain we carefully placed each footstep on the slippery rocks and finally saw the summit marker itself. As our group member Deb reached the summit, Mike and I blew up balloons and opened up a big sign for Deb's big moment. Standing on your 115th peak must have felt incredible, and I hope to one day feel that same sense of accomplishment.

We returned down the same way we came and finished the hike in 5.5 hours. We ascended a total of 3193 ft and hiked 13.1km. We were back to the campground in time for a late lunch and warm up of soup and tea! 

Mount Katahdin is located in Baxter State Park in the State of Maine. It stands at 5267ft and has 2 prominent peaks: Hamlin and Baxter. Both of these tall eastern peaks are on the NorthEast 111(115) peakbagging list and so our hike was to summit both peaks via a loop on September 20th, 2016. Our Plan A was to ascend the Helon Taylor Trail followed by a traverse of the famous Knife Edge Ridge then summit Baxter Peak at 5267ft and then continue on a saddle over to Hamlin Peak at 4756ft and then down the Hamlin Ridge Trail. This route is the classic way to summit Katahdin as a day hike and we are all have a background in rock climbing with exposure and are comfortable in that environment. There are other ways to get to Katahdin's summit and you should pick the route that is right for you.

Our group of three tent camped at Roaring Brook Campground the night before the hike. This campground is home to 9 Lean-To's, 10 tent sites, and 10 bunkhouse beds. Reservations are strongly recommended. The campsite has clean outhouses and a small brook as a water source (better to bring water in). After waiting for a sunny weather window for 3 days, we woke up at 5am to the unexpected weather change of rain. In fact, it had rained hard all night and we woke up with our spirits dampened. Poor weather such as rain, wind, and low-lying clouds were NOT optimal conditions for hiking the famous Knife Edge Ridge. We had to make a Plan B.

We decided to try to loop in the opposite direction as planned, hoping that the weather forecast would hold true and that by the time we got up on the ridges we would be able to do the Knife Edge. Starting just behind the Ranger Cabin, we took the Chimney Pond Trail up to Basin Ponds. The trail is rocky but has been engineered well for drainage of water. I decided to take off my gaiters an hour into this hike. 

Heading onto the Hamlin Ridge trail, we started to gain elevation and quickly. Rocky boulders started appearing and the rock was wet from the overnight rains. As soon as we crossed the treeline, we entered into a cloud and began our scramble up some boulders. Reaching the Hamlin Peak summit marker 3 hours and 3600ft later, our bodies were dripping of sweat. The humidity levels were definitely high today.

​Donning our shell jackets, the cloud we were in was windy and drizzling water vapour on us. We descended down some slippery rock boulders onto some small ball bearing type rocks. These rocks if stepped on incorrectly will sit you down on your butt before you know it. Crossing the saddle, we lost approximately 400ft of elevation gain hiking through gravel paths and alpine scrub.

We continued on over to Baxter Peak, the highest point on Katahdin at 5267ft by ascending 900ft of rock steps to the summit. In some places red rock stones the size of a nalgene bottle create a path upwards and is easy to walk on. The grade of the ascent is manageable, especially after already ascending 3600ft. The summit sign on Baxter Peak of Mt Katahdin cannot be missed. It's a large sign and great for photos. Unfortunately today there were two compounding problems. One, we had no views being in a cloud, and two, there were about a dozen AT thru-hikers finishing their epic 3500km journeys with beer and wine to boot. AT hikers ascend the Hunt Trail from Katahdin Stream Campground. Luckily we were able to squeeze a quick summit pic in with our group amongst the crowds. At this point, we had hiked 10.5km and ascended over 4500ft. We sat down and had a lunch break beside a large rock cairn.

Looking over to where the Knife Edge is supposed to be, we saw nothing but cloud. One of our group members had done the ridge before and knew that under these less than ideal conditions, our goal of doing the Knife Edge Ridge was not meant to be on this day. Instead, we decided to descend the Cathedral Trail, a trail that descends right off Baxter Peak and connects with the Chimney Pond trail we started on to make a loop.

Killarney Provincial Park is one of Ontario's best protected wilderness backcountry areas. It is a 645 square kilometre wilderness is primarily used by canoe trippers and backpackers wanting to explore its rugged but beautiful landscapes. The famous Group of 7 artists frequented this area and are largely responsible for its protection. Exposed white quartzite outcroppings, blue coloured lakes, and pine shorelines are all part of the experience in Killarney. 

Below is my trip report from a 5 day flatwater canoe trip I did in August 2016 with 4 adults and 2 children (aged 5 and 7). We did a loop in the east side of the park that started in Bell Lake, and continued through Three Mile Lake, Balsam Lake, David Lake, Clearsilver Lake, and Johnnie Lake.

Day 1 (August 22): Bell Lake to Balsam Lake (2 hours)
Driving north off of Hwy 637 on the Bell Lake Road, be forewarned the next 9km will involve some rough driving on a mixture of gravel and pavement of various quality and smoothness. Arriving at Bell Lake, park in the main lot and take a quick walk on a path over to the permit office. For more information on backcountry fees, click here. If you need to rent a boat, Killarney Kanoes is right next door.

Putting in on Bell, paddle past the lodge and campsites through a narrow section into Three Mile Lake. Both of these lakes would be suitable for trippers with a long drive the day they start. After about 1.5 hours of paddling we reached our first challenge: a 30m portage! This portage is very interesting as there are two ways of doing it. The first is a normal mud path, the second is an old concrete path with railway type steel tracks. Either way the portage is extremely short and easy.

Balsam Lake is home to some very nice sites. The lake is long and narrow and most sites are private. We stayed on site #116, on an attached island, backing on to a bog with interesting flora and fauna.

Day 2 (August 23): Balsam Lake to David Lake (1 hr 40 mins)
Paddling toward the portage, we weaved through some islands to find the bay that held our portage trail. In Killarney portages are marked with a small palm-sized yellow plastic portage sign. The 665 meter portage starts with a steep hill before flattening out and finally trending downhill again to the lake. We found some other canoe trippers having difficulty with the hill here. As fit experienced canoe trippers, we had no issue with it. 

Paddling onto David, we knew that many visitors like to stay on this lake for 2 nights in order to do the hike up Silver Peak. That was our plan too, so we wanted to grab the first site we saw. We paddled out and saw that many sites were already taken. Note: We tried taking a shortcut around the island with sites #99 and #100 on it, but you can't. You have to paddle around it. We found home on site #102. 

Site #102 is on a rocky point, has great swimming, views, and loads of quartzite rock. The only downside is the the outhouse is a bit of a walk away from the main tentsite. The kids had loads of fun on this site building with the rock, checking out the wildlife (see snapping turtle photo below left) and great swimming.

Day 3 (August 24): Silver Peak Hike Day (5 hours)
A very popular day hike, Silver Peak brings you to the highest point of land at 539m. We began our hike day by paddling to the end of David, portaging a very short 200m portage and paddling about 25m to the beginning of the David-Clearsilver Lake portage. We left our canoes here and walked about 600m down the portage where an obvious junction got us onto the hiking trail. The next junction on the map looks like you need to go right, but in actual fact you keep walking straight. The trail is well marked being part of the LaCloche-Silhouette backpacking route. The trail is wide and flat until you get to the left turnoff to the Peak.

The junction to the peak is again obvious with a large downed tree and some log stools someone created and left behind. Once you turn left here there is a 300m (900ft) climb to the summit. Starting on a dirt path, the trail soon become rocky and rooty. Some scrambling (using hands and feet) may be required in some sections. If the rock is wet, it will be very slippery.

Passing over brooks, through rocky hallways, and up to the white quartzite summit. There are actually 3 summits lookouts. The one with the old firetower cement remnents is the best one for views. On a clear day you can see much of the park, Georgian Bay, and even the smoke stacks in Sudbury.

On our return an afternoon thunderstorm rolled in so we were glad we packed our raingear as well as our lunch and water for the day. We returned to our campsite on David for a second evening.

Day 4 (August 25): David Lake to Johnnie Lake  (2 hours)
The morning of Day 4 didn't start off so great as an overnight rain storm had left us with wet gear to pack up. We packed up and set off towards the end of David to a 200m portage, back in the boat for a 25m paddle, and out again to start the 980m portage. The first 600m of this portage is overgrown and full of puddles while the second half is flat and wide. Note the small right hand turn to go down to Clearsilver Lake. If you miss this turn you'll end up on Bell Lake!

Clearsilver Lake is gorgeous. The blue-green colour of the water is stunning. Short and sweet, this lake has only one campsite. I would definitely come back to it in the future. The second portage of the day was a flat 830m portage to Johnnie Lake. Portaging a canoe through this 830m can be tricky so pay attention to the trees (think slalom!). 

Johnnie Lake is beautiful. We canoed a short 10mins to site #65. We ate lunch here and set up camp. Having a few anglers in our group, they all had success on this lake. Swimming from this site is second to none, with a steep dropoff rock right on the site. The kids had great fun exploring around the site as well on some hiking trails.

Day 5 (August 26): Johnnie Lake to Bell Lake Parking Lot
Leaving site #65 on Johnnie Lake, we paddled through the winding narrow lake to a large beaver dam. Portaging on the left, we unloaded and loaded gear over what we think is the shortest portage we've ever done: 25m. 

A short 5 minute paddle after, there is a 300m portage landing you back in the parking lot where your journey began. After all was said and done, this was a fantastic trip for the beginner canoe tripper, family tripper with young children, or one that wants a relaxed itinerary. As this was my first experience in Killarney, it is one that I will remember fondly due to it's beautiful lakes, exposed quartzite rock, and LaCloche Mountains. I will surely return in the near future to either the same section or possibly a different part of this gem of a park.