Sunday, January 07, 2007

What is your favorite Alonquin route?


One of the things I enjoy almost as much as the trips themselves is choosing the route. Over the last few years Gerry and I have spent many cold winter evenings pouring over the Algonquin route map dreaming up new challenges for the warmer days to come.

Gerry and I have decided on the route changes perviously discussed here. and on our return route will be doing the low maintenance portage routes. These routes will take us out of Robinson Lake to the east too Junco -> Hayes -> Macoun -> North Cuckoo before we rejoin the Pettawawa. This will add about 5500 meters of portaging to our return route, but will also quench out thirst to see something new on every trip.

With all of the planning we have done it has me wondering about the favorites routes of others?

So I am asking what Algonquin route is your favorite and why?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

perviously -> previously

here. incorrect punctuation

too Junco -> to Junco


With all of the planning we have done it has me wondering about the favorites routes of others? ->confusing question.

Otherwise pretty good!

Mrs. Stromnecker
P.S. I will cover the use of the words to, too and two at a later time. This is two time consuming!

Jim said...

For the record, when I asked for help in the spelling/Grammar department I was hoping someone would offer help in the form of a website or software. I find it a bit offensive that you only come here to comment on the structure, but never on the actual content of the blog.

I appreciate your efforts, but since you seem more interested in "teaching me" then you are the content of my blog I respectfully ask you to stop posting comments unrelated to Algonquin or canoe trips, as this is what this blog is truly about.

It is not that I do not accept criticism well, as I strongly believe it is one of the best ways for a person to learn. But your comments have a strong condescending tone that does not sit well with me. Furthermore, it leads me to think that your comments here are less about helping me, then making you feel good at my expense

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cavers,

I am sure that Mrs. Stromnecker would like to comment on your blog but she just wants to help you write first. An educated man such as yourself should be able to figure out which two (to, too or two) to use. We all need to take the patience to spell correctly. I look forward to reading her synopsis here soon.
George and I are pretty old now, we have been all over the park but our favorite spot now is heading into Pen lake, Clydegale. We like it because the portages aren't long but george can still do some fishing. We may be looking at our final couple of years up there.

May

Jim said...

May,

I could not agree with you more and I am proud to say I have recently started an adult online English course as a result of what has taken place here.

In many ways, I should be thanking Mrs. Stomnecker for pushing me to take action on something that I had ignored far "too" long, but I can't help feeling that it is not all good will on her part.

At the end of the day, addressing this will benefit me in ways that far outreach this blog, so to you Mrs. Stromnecker I say thank you!

Jim said...

Mrs. Stromnecker,

I have changed my mind and withdraw my request for you to stop posting comments about my spelling/Grammar.

I just ask that you keep any criticism constructive.

Thanks again

Pema said...

Hi Jim!
Thanks for the link.
I'm still an Algonquin Newbie. I've only been in less than 10 times - but hey, I've only lived in Ontario for 2 years ;)

My favorite route was a trip a friend and I took late last summer:

Entry at Rain lake.
Portage to Hot Lake and then Islet Lake.
First night on Islet (fishing was amazing - lake trout for dinner).
Portage to Weed lake and then McCraney lake.
Second and third nights on McCraney. Fishing wasn't so good but there were nice little rivers to explore during the day and the swiming was nice.
Last day portage back to Rain lake. I'm sure 1800m isn't far for you but it damn near killed me!

Looking forward to lots more trips in this fine park in spring/summer '07.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pema/371296920/in/photostream/

Jester said...

Hi, Jim!

I'm from Cleveland, OH but have been paddling and backpacking in APP since 1983, some solo trips, many tandem journies and many group trips of 4 to 6 people.

As my health has changed my favorite trip has actually changed as well. I can no longer do the more rugged portages of my youth but I still have kept at it.

My favorite trip might still be the very first which was a loop out through Joe Lake, the Oxtongue River, Tepee to Thomson from Canoe Lake. Check the topos before scratching your head over the Oxtongue River reference.

I took the second day to portage from Littledoe to Burnt Island Lake and then the fun began as the wind was behind me and rather than paddle until I had reached the mid point of my time off, I looked at the maps and found Sunbeam Lake and chose to make a loop trip through Sunbeam where I camped on a large island in the western half. These days I would not be able to make such an adjustment as the permit system is much more "set in cement".

Paddling back from Sunbeam through Astor Pond, Willow and Bartlett I camped on Thomson at the same spot which had been my first campsite.

I paddled in a way that was really fun. When I wanted to stop, I stopped as I had no one else to ask and that made the first trip a great memory. When I sat at portage landings to listen to the breeze I could stay as long or as short as I wanted, leaving only when others arrived across the lake to push me on.

I saw others who had lugged large tents suited more for car camping, heavy coolers and loose gear, not properly packed and they were groaning at a portage that would take 10 minutes or less while I was enjoying my trip with a borrowed Duluth pack, a fanny pack worn backwards and a Mad River Compatriot solo canoe rented from Algonquin Outfitters.

I used up a few bandaids on my blisters and had some orange rip stop tent repair tape on my thumb when I reached Canoe Lake again. A couple saw my stubble, the obvious deshevled appearance and the orange tape so I suspect they thought I had been out for quite a while when they asked, "How far have you gone?"

As I have written elsewhere, my answer that day remains unknown to me but I have since realized I had traveled farther than at any other time in my life and I no longer measure distances with tools or number of portages or kilometers.

So, while the fun of last September's paddle out to Big Trout was great, the trips down the Petawawa, through White Trout and on north to Red Pine Bay, Burntroot, Hogan or places south of the highway have been full of great experiences, maybe it is that first trip that got me hooked on Algonquin.

-Jester

Anonymous said...

I've done loops up through McIntosh, across to Big Trout, down the Otterslides and Through Burnt Island - starting and finishing at canoe lake. The portage from Tom Thomson to Ink lake is a punishing 2.3kms. Ouch. Last year we only had a weekend and paddled up through the Joe Lakes, spent 2 nights on Burnt Island and then back. It was lovely. This year we're heading up to check out Sunbeam. We've spent so much time doing loops, that we've never seen that lake. Hoping for some good fishing.