Monday 5 December 2011
Magnetawan River loop (2011)
Having done a portion of this loop 2 years ago I was ready to go for the full loop. Once again I had to go alone but I wasn't too concerned about that. Three years ago this seemed way too risky for me. I started at Wahwashkesh Lake dock. The wind was pretty much in my face till I reached Trout Lake. I found a nice site and I called it a day.
Second day I was on the water by 7:30 am and it started to rain, not too hard. There was no wind and paddling conditions were perfect. So I kept going till 6:30pm when I reached the unnamed lake between Wilson Lake and Miskokway Lake. I couldn't have predicted that I can get this far and this is the advantage of camping without reservations. I knew the lake is a bit different than the rest of the Magnetawan system( the water is blue but not very clear). Nice lake but the campsite not special.
On the third day I was planning to go all the way up to Maple Lake. Instead I had to stop at the first site on Bolger Lake, the wind making travel very difficult for me on Miskokway Lake. The wind was coming from North-East when usually blows from West. Good challenge though.
Last day I was up at 5:00 am and on the water by 6:10am. I was trying to avoid the wind and it worked fine for a while. On Maple Lake I stopped at a camping site to take a break. A nice butterfly came and was sunning himself on the canoe. After a while I was getting ready to leave when I saw a frog stalking the same butterfly. He was sunning this time at the water edge and the frog was inching his way up to the prey. I stood still waiting. But the butterflies have almost 360 degree vision and he got away before the frog got too close. On Wahwashkesh Lake I had to battle the winds once again, ending the trip tired but happy.
Second day I was on the water by 7:30 am and it started to rain, not too hard. There was no wind and paddling conditions were perfect. So I kept going till 6:30pm when I reached the unnamed lake between Wilson Lake and Miskokway Lake. I couldn't have predicted that I can get this far and this is the advantage of camping without reservations. I knew the lake is a bit different than the rest of the Magnetawan system( the water is blue but not very clear). Nice lake but the campsite not special.
On the third day I was planning to go all the way up to Maple Lake. Instead I had to stop at the first site on Bolger Lake, the wind making travel very difficult for me on Miskokway Lake. The wind was coming from North-East when usually blows from West. Good challenge though.
Last day I was up at 5:00 am and on the water by 6:10am. I was trying to avoid the wind and it worked fine for a while. On Maple Lake I stopped at a camping site to take a break. A nice butterfly came and was sunning himself on the canoe. After a while I was getting ready to leave when I saw a frog stalking the same butterfly. He was sunning this time at the water edge and the frog was inching his way up to the prey. I stood still waiting. But the butterflies have almost 360 degree vision and he got away before the frog got too close. On Wahwashkesh Lake I had to battle the winds once again, ending the trip tired but happy.
Muskoka River - South Branch
I was looking for an overnight canoe trip and this time I picked Muskoka River. Starting in Baysville I paddled all the way down to Fraserburg and then came back upriver looking for a campsite around Cooks Falls.
I could have taken the campsite below the falls but the people camping at the falls invited me to join them and I couldn't refuse. They were actually boat/canoe camping having a lot of stuff that I would never carry on a wilderness trip. I enjoyed their company and hospitality.
Next morning I headed back to Baysville dam finishing a nice semi-wilderness trip.
I could have taken the campsite below the falls but the people camping at the falls invited me to join them and I couldn't refuse. They were actually boat/canoe camping having a lot of stuff that I would never carry on a wilderness trip. I enjoyed their company and hospitality.
Next morning I headed back to Baysville dam finishing a nice semi-wilderness trip.
Eels Creek
Last year I hiked to High Falls following a trail close to the river and that made me return, this time with the canoe.
I parked at the South side of the route, at the parking lot on Northeys Bay Rd. Early morning and the parking lot was almost full of cars. The weather was just perfect and biggest surprise - no mosquitoes. Actually I had seen one, besides few flies(no black flies either) that weren't too bad.
En route I met many happy people with kids,some canoeing/kayaking, some hiking/camping. It was
not feeling too crowded though.
It took me 4 hours to get to Haultain Rd.(lunch included), the end of the route. Another 3 hours to get back.
Amazing area!
I parked at the South side of the route, at the parking lot on Northeys Bay Rd. Early morning and the parking lot was almost full of cars. The weather was just perfect and biggest surprise - no mosquitoes. Actually I had seen one, besides few flies(no black flies either) that weren't too bad.
En route I met many happy people with kids,some canoeing/kayaking, some hiking/camping. It was
not feeling too crowded though.
It took me 4 hours to get to Haultain Rd.(lunch included), the end of the route. Another 3 hours to get back.
McEwen Lake
I was ready to go canoe camping again, bug season or not, this time solo. But I picked a route that I was confident I could complete. And that happened to be canoeing to McEwen Lake and back in 2 days.
I started on Little Wren Lake with the rain coming down steady and pretty hard. I had a feeling it would
not last but I couldn't just wait it out. By the time I was paddling Black River - Upper Marsh - it stopped.
And never rained again for the rest of the trip.
I portaged down to Lower Marsh (after seeing the moose crossing the river) and I decided to paddle it the whole length and take a hike down to Black Lake.
After taking few pictures I turned around and following a short paddle, portage to Horse Lake. Next was McEwen Lake,with the best site on the lake.
After setting up camp I went down to the South-West side of Dan Lake, in the process meeting the only
other campers in the area (going for Horse Lake). I came back and hiked the portage to Three Island Lake, you see I had to keep moving to get away from all the friendly bugs.
Back at the camp I started a small,smoky fire, had dinner and turned in at 7:30pm. I slept till 6:00am next day, which turned out to be a glorious day. Nice area, will be back sometime.
I started on Little Wren Lake with the rain coming down steady and pretty hard. I had a feeling it would
not last but I couldn't just wait it out. By the time I was paddling Black River - Upper Marsh - it stopped.
And never rained again for the rest of the trip.
I portaged down to Lower Marsh (after seeing the moose crossing the river) and I decided to paddle it the whole length and take a hike down to Black Lake.
After taking few pictures I turned around and following a short paddle, portage to Horse Lake. Next was McEwen Lake,with the best site on the lake.
After setting up camp I went down to the South-West side of Dan Lake, in the process meeting the only
other campers in the area (going for Horse Lake). I came back and hiked the portage to Three Island Lake, you see I had to keep moving to get away from all the friendly bugs.
Back at the camp I started a small,smoky fire, had dinner and turned in at 7:30pm. I slept till 6:00am next day, which turned out to be a glorious day. Nice area, will be back sometime.
Poker Lakes
Since it was the first overnight canoe trip of the season I decided to keep it simple. So I picked the Poker Lake loop. My friend and I started around noon from W. Bentshoe Lake. Once we portaged to Poker Lake we had the whole area for ourselves.
We picked a very slow pace, being afraid that we will get to the campsite too early. Even so we got to our campsite on Cinder Lake around 3 p.m. We had plenty of time to check the North Bay and East Bay of Cinder Lake.
During the night we had a loon concert, some frogs for awhile and a distant owl. It felt really good to be again in the middle of it (peaceful nature).
The next day we packed and we were on our way by 8:30 a.m. Muck Lake wasn't too bad but it slowed
us a bit.
We stopped on a day use site on Upper Crane Lake. The weather was so good these two days, I was not ready to get back. But we eventually did around 2:00 p.m. when we met the first people since yesterday.
We picked a very slow pace, being afraid that we will get to the campsite too early. Even so we got to our campsite on Cinder Lake around 3 p.m. We had plenty of time to check the North Bay and East Bay of Cinder Lake.
During the night we had a loon concert, some frogs for awhile and a distant owl. It felt really good to be again in the middle of it (peaceful nature).
The next day we packed and we were on our way by 8:30 a.m. Muck Lake wasn't too bad but it slowed
us a bit.
We stopped on a day use site on Upper Crane Lake. The weather was so good these two days, I was not ready to get back. But we eventually did around 2:00 p.m. when we met the first people since yesterday.
Nonquon River
May 21 forecast was predicting a very nice weather, and it didn't disappoint indeed. By 8:30 a.m. I was on the water. I parked on the side of the road on Scugog Line 12 and I went downriver up to River St. in Seagrave.
That took me 1.5 hours with a leisurely pace. Going up back to the parking spot took another 2 hours (lunch included).
After a short break at the bridge I decided to continue upstream to Old Simcoe Rd. (2hours). Going back took another 1.5 hours.By this time I was completely satisfied with the outcome of the trip. All day I met just three kayaks and one canoe, this place is quite relaxing.
That took me 1.5 hours with a leisurely pace. Going up back to the parking spot took another 2 hours (lunch included).
After a short break at the bridge I decided to continue upstream to Old Simcoe Rd. (2hours). Going back took another 1.5 hours.By this time I was completely satisfied with the outcome of the trip. All day I met just three kayaks and one canoe, this place is quite relaxing.
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