Algonquin Park Canoe Camping

Nope. Not us. Our extended family! These four braved the bugs, wind, rain, and poison ivy to go camping Aug. 8 - 11th. It was epic. Aster, a school chum, Caitlin and Jean-Luc were off. Jordan had popped in for a couple of days, home on the bus Friday, back on Sunday. He took their photo.

I watched the lightning radar just as they were on their way! There is no cell service in the park. It is a strange feeling, knowing we cannot contact them! 

They were quite prepared, as they are very experienced canoe campers. Maps by Jeff are amazing! You can purchase these detailed maps created by another experienced camper. The maps even warn of poison ivy patches in camp areas.

 

The Algonquin outfitters do a really cool thing. You can have the company take your canoes to the launch spot for you. Then, you can have them take your car to where you finish, and they pick up the canoes. It is a wonderful modern take on such an experience, in my mind. Not that I have ever camped, but I have canoed a lot in my time, and I know how tricky it is to haul on those sore muscles. 

I looked it up online, and found several people who have done this route: Achray, through Barron Canyon, to Squirrel Rapids. This is the video JL took at their campsite! 

 Tuesday we were visiting Jordan in Kingston! Our Kingston trip!

Trip over (Saturday => Tuesday), Caitlin kindly texted to say they were back in cell phone service. By then we were home, too. 

They stopped in Renfrew to recharge the car and grab lunch! Happy Campers! Then, they headed home, safe and sound. Muskoka chair photo-op!

The photos and videos trickled in. Everyone took photos. It was great fun. I absolutely adore Muskoka rocks, flora and fauna.

 I'd love to visit Big Falls in the park, but that won't happen! This was epic. Aster took a flying leap! Twasn't a skill I knew Aster had managed! 

At home, this is what we had. No sound, just a light show. Ah, nature is grand.

Algonquin Park Canoe Camping

 I live vicariously. Our Ottawa kids were canoe camping in Algonquin Park on Sunday. They rented a canoe, and had it dropped off at their launching point. Then they canoed along the lake, portaged, canoodled down another lake and found their camp site. 

You can buy fabulous maps: Maps by jeff.com  Caitlin tells me they are wonderful. All the things NOT on regular maps: hiking trails, warnings of poison ivy, locations of easy, medium and hard hikes, etc. 

Loaded up, and on their way! 

Isn't it beautiful?! You can see the kayaker down in the water.

"A quick stop at Barron Canyon Lookout trail before we get to the canoe launch site."

JL took a video:

They paddled and portaged, and made it to the camp site. Next they had to create their camp.

The living room!

Fire pit and cooking station

Hammock tents for Jo and Aster

A panoramic of the whole camp site:

This is the path from the camp up to the thunder box.

This is the thunder box! Caitlin saw a bear amble by it, but it was a good bear, didn't smell any food, and off it went. Caitlin wrote that she thought the wind and rainstorm kept it home.

Morning coffee in the kitchen! The blue barrel holds their food and toiletries that the critters like.

They forecast a storm Tuesday/Wednesday. Algonquin Park is near Huntsville, just in case you aren't familiar. It is an iconic park. Natural, and wild, with no cell phone coverage! Caitlin told me, just before they left, that she was looking forward to turning off electronics. It was cold overnight, colder than anticipated. 

 

After packing up Wednesday, canoodling and portaging back to the car (2 1/2 hour adventure), they had fast food in Renfrew and arrived home in the dark. Showers all around and then to bed.

Muskoka Trip – Part 8 home sweet home

We decided on going through Algonquin park on the way home. I wasn't thrilled, as we would be late in the morning to see moose. The bugs are bad, too. However, JB wanted to do this.

Gravenhurst

What was the train station is now the bus station. I think!


Our kids were camping in Algonquin this week, at the other end of the park (Achray). They came home early because the bugs were so bad.

There were no moose, of course, not with this construction.
Algonquin Park construction from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We saw moose back in 2010.




We saw the park plane.

A pit stop at the park office.


Back on the road...



This is the problem in summer, lots of trailer traffic.


I guess I'll read about this in the local paper! An OPP car, and van.

Muskoka Road Trip 2019

• Our vacay – a road trip Part 1
• Trip to Muskoka Part 2 – the turtles
• Trip to Muskoka – Part 3
• Muskoka Trip – Part 4 Bala
• Trip to Muskoka – Part 5 Bala Falls dam update #52...
• Trip to Muskoka – Part 6 Gravenhurst Hotel & Marke...
• Muskoka Trip – Part 7 Bala => Port Carling => Ross...