Triplogs / Triplog#36 / Days 3&4 / Days 5&6
Lake Opeongo(IN) - Merchant L - Big Trout L - Hogan L - Big Crow L- Lake Lavieille - Dickson L - Lake Opeongo(OUT)
Day 5 - Tues. September 12th
Temperature Readings:
7am: 4.6°C
1pm: 16.5°C Overcast
7:30pm: 14°C
One of my more memorable moments on Big Trout Lake
I crawled out of bed around 6:30am, it was quite cool, dawn approached, and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful morning, there was heavy mist. I felt a quickening in my blood, I would paddle the morning lake! I ducked back into the tent, Joan was stirring, "Wanna, come for a paddle?", I asked. "No, you go on ahead", Joan replied. I was sorry to see Joan pass up the offer, but another side of me was excited to go alone. I spent the next 20 minutes with camera in hand, taking pictures and waiting to see if Joan would change her mind. The sun rose into view, the mist rose along with it. It was time. I flipped my canoe over, geared up, pfd on, bailer kit, paddles, camera, etc.
Ok, the canoe hull wasn't the prettiest,
but the morning sure was!
The colours that morning were picture perfect
I put the canoe in the water and boarded her....Off I went. Oh the joy of a silent sun drenched solo paddle. It was like Algonquin Park had just been born, and I was there to witness the miracle of its birth. It was such a beautiful morning, I almost shed tears, I just never get enough of such an event..to marvel at such silent beauty.
I paddled on, my destination; the old Mclachlin Depot on White Trout Lake. Our Island was very close to the narrows that lead to White Trout Lake, so I wasn't going too far away. I had a pleasant and slightly chill paddle through the narrows, as the sun had yet to breach the ridge protecting the narrows. It was around 8:15am, when I came around a bend and the remains of the depot farm came into view. Then that the wind woke up. I dug my paddle in, the wind continued to rise. I gave up..too easily I must admit, but decided that it was better to be safe than sorry, I was in an empty tandem canoe(paddling backwards), and if the wind really took off, I'd be blown all over the place, and I had someone back at camp depending on me. I turned around and headed back. I had wanted to paddle by the cliffs too, but even though the winds weren't strong, I decided to continue to play it safe.
Paddling the mirror-like waters as I entered the narrows
White Trout Lake
As I headed back, I passed an empty campsite..time for a stop-over. The campsite had an interesting aspect to it. It had a large rock outcropping ending in a point, along with a rock landing, protected for the most part from the main waters of the lake, but not necessarily the wind. It was sculpted to perfection. I explored the campsite, which had a gentle slope to it, it was not too big, and lots of trees behind the fire-pit area. The campsite was highly exposed to west wind...not ideal for September! I got back in my canoe and headed for the narrows. As I paddled through, I had the chance to observe a few Mergansers swimming by. I hadn't seen much wildlife so far this trip, and it was good to have a close encounter. As I approached Big Trout Lake, another canoe came into view. It was coming through the narrows, and as we passed we exchanged morning greetings. Yes, indeed it was a beautiful morning. It was the senior couple that had made us look like old people on the portage. They were departing, their canoe filled with gear. I arrived back at camp at 9:30am. Joan had seen me coming, and had coffee AND breakfast made. Bless her! I described my journey and was sorry to she had missed it. Joan remarked that she could tell I wanted to go solo. I guess she knows me better than myself, sometimes.
A picturesque landing at
a White Trout Lake campsite
Our campsite on Big Trout Lake
The rest of the day, we relaxed around camp, again it was breezy, I relaxed in my hammock a bit, we both had a refreshing swim, as the water was cool but not yet un-comfortable. It was another perfect vacation day in Algonquin Park, that is until after lunch, when it clouded over. As the afternoon wore on, the sky became heavy overcast, then by 3pm, it started to rain. It was a light rain, more a sprinkle than anything else. It continued to sprinkle on and off..it was more showery sprinkles than anything, but it put a damper on the mood, the mind heavy with the uncertainty if it was going to pour rain or not. Dinner that night was beef stroganoff, re-hydrated store bought stuff. With a bit of pepper, it flavoured up an otherwise bland meal. More red wine lightened the mood. We had a short fire that night, as our supply of fire-wood was running out. We didn't leave much wood behind for the next occupants, sometimes it happens. We went to sleep the usual time, around 10pm. During the night, we were awoken to gentle rainfall many times off and on. We were moving the next day and hoped the rain would be finished by morning.
Day 6 - Wed. September 13th
Temperature Readings:
6:35am: 11.6°C Drizzle
8pm: 11.2°C
The Landing(On Big Trout Lake): the start of the 2590m portage
It was moving day, and it was also a wet day. There was a very light drizzle, when we packed up our tent, and ate a quick breakfast under the grey depressing sky. We were headed to Hogan Lake, and as such, meant several hours of paddling and some portaging too. We loaded up the canoe and hit the water by 9am. Our course took us directly across Big Trout Lake, heading east, for the bay that was the location of the portage to Lake LaMuir. The sky was grey and the water had a greenish-grey cast to it. There wasn't much wind, but the water was rough, and the occasional sprinkle of rain came down upon us as we paddled...We had been through alot worse. I noticed two canoes to the North , that looked they were heading south down the length of the lake. Joan spotted another canoe in the South. Everyone it seemed, was taking advantage of the gloomy yet benign weather. By 9:35am, we landed at the portage. It was difficult to spot the trail signage, and we didn't notice it, till we were almost on top of it. The marsh grasses in the water hid an excellent dock landing, and the bushes onshore hid the portage sign.We loaded up, and headed off down the 2590m trail. Not fifteen minutes into the trail, I began to notice widespread destruction. For the first time, I had a chance to observe the aftermath of the severe storms that struck Algonquin Park during July of 2006(2 months previously). One person was killed and some people were injured. It was quite severe from what I had heard. Now, walking along the trail, I came across dozens of trees, that had been felled by natures' fury. Surprisingly, the trail had been cleared of all obstructions .There was much evidence of Park staff's efforts to clear the trails of all the tree damage and fallen debris. My compliments and thanks to Park Staff, you folks rock! I want your job! Sure it may be hardship, hard work, but to be there, day in and day out...heaven.
Storm damage along the portage to Lake La Muir
Despite the length of the portage, I found it to be a pleasant trail to walk along. It was well-worn, heavily treed(despite areas of recent destruction), and it passed through a marsh. The trail also had boardwalks that were all in good repair. The difference in elevation from Big Trout to La Muir is one meter. Luckily, there were no surprises, and I found the portage to be very smooth and level. The perfect trail to imperfect weather. Actually, the cool damp weather is perfect for portaging, I just don't like walking in the rain much, especially when on vacation, when I want sunny days. It did rain off and on while on the trail. I found the water on Lake La Muir to be very clear, and quite drinkable unfiltered, as I drank almost a litre of it, while we rested at the end of the trail. We had completed our first pass by 10:40am. It wasn't until after 1pm, that we finally launched on to Lake La Muir. It was nice to get back on the water, and the lake was almost a perfect mirror of the one we left behind. Grey waters with a grey sky, and some chop in the water as well.
The put-in at Lake La Muir
As we paddled out from shore, we spotted a bull moose on the South shore. It was our first moose of the trip. Of particular interest, was the rack of the moose. We were quite a distance from the moose, well over 120m out on the water, when the moose heard us and fled into the forest. It was the rack of the moose that drew my eye. It was bright orange. It looked as if the moose had shed its velvet that morning, the bone, still bright with the loss of velvet and blood-stained. With the moose gone, I turned the canoe around and paddled north. It was a long paddle, across Lake La Muir, buffeted by choppy waters, but protected from wind as we paddled(Easterly) along the North shore. It was after 3pm, when we reached the portage into Hogan Lake. We unpacked the canoe and had a long rest and late lunch. It was almost 5pm by the time we completed the 685m portage, and loaded up the canoe and were on our way again. The 685m portage is another well worn path, with an excellent dock at the La Muir end. I also found the trail to be very mossy, and rich with fungi. It is somewhat rough in a few spots, but its lack of length was the real blessing. I spotted ATV tracks along the trail near the La Muir end. This was a nasty surprise, as I personally dislike the vehicles, and would consider it a crime against Algonquin Park, for one to be used within The Park. I Imagine and hope that it was Park staff on official business. We were both becoming cold and tired from more than six hours of paddling/portaging and the exposure to the weather. As we paddled through the tall reeds of the creek that leads into Hogan Lake, it began to pour rain, Well it at least we didn't have anymore portaging to do...we just had to find a campsite and get dry! The whole time we were paddling in the rain, I keep a lookout for moose. This was a very moosey spot and I was eager to spot another one...perhaps a closer encounter? The rain intensified, and as we emerged from the creek onto the shallows of Hogan Lake, I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye. To the South, at the forest edge was a cow moose and her calf. The pair were standing there, ears twitching, sniffing the rain(or us?), waiting and watching. There wasn't time, the rain intensified, becoming a deluge...we were starting to get to that point where you just can't get any more wet.
A lone island in Lake La Muir, with nesting birds
The well worn trail to Hogan Lake
I steered us towards the first campsite, the westward facing site on the large island in the West end of Hogan Lake. The rain had died down to a drizzle by the time we landed at the campsite. It was vacant(Thank God!). We quickly set up the tent and tarp, in the rain, as it started again. Fire was out of the question, all the wood in the vicinity was wet, I was wet, Joan was wet, we were tired. Once the tarp was up, the stove was fired up and Kettle chili was heated up(dehydrated), along with some hot tea for Joan and coffee for me. By 9pm, we had dried off, changed cloths and warmed up. We hadn't seen anyone else since the canoes on Big Trout Lake that morning, the rain finally stopped and we went to bed shortly after 9pm. During the night, it continued to rain on and off.