Adventure #3: A Fall Trip to Algonquin to Close Out the Season

The weekend after Thanksgiving, as the weather was starting to get chilly, Michelle and I, once again, decided to load up our gear and head out for one final canoe trip before the season ended. We got together mid-day on Friday, October 12th, planning to head up to Rain Lake in Algonquin and follow a route involving 8 different lakes and lots of portaging. By the time we got to Rain Lake, after turning around once for forgotten paddles and a mishap with getting our permit from an office that was supposed to have been closed but wasn't,  Michelle and I arrived at the lake by around 4pm (much later than we had planned, but what can you do). We quickly unloaded the vehicle and loaded up the canoe at the dock before setting out on the lake, trying to get as far as we could in daylight. We decided to stick to our original plan of camping on Casey Lake for the first night, despite our delays.

As we progressed through Rain Lake, the sun began getting lower and lower. We had enough daylight to find the portage, carry half our gear to the other side, and make it part way back down the portage before the sun completely disappeared on us. Luckily we had fished out our headlamps before heading back down the portage, so we were prepared for the darkness. We quickly gathered up the rest of our gear before walking the approximate 1275m one last time. As Michelle and I are not the strongest of people, nor do we have the lightest of gear, we opted to double carry all of the longer portages, only single carrying one of the shorter ones. I forgot to mention that it had started to drizzle while on Rain Lake, meaning not only did we have the dark to deal with, we also had rain. Regardless, Michelle and I ventured further, loading up the canoe to make it to our campsite on Casey Lake, which we were smart enough to have located in the daylight after our first gear load across the portage. This was Michelle's and my first time paddling in the dark and it was kind of exciting, but a little spooky.

We got to our site around 8pm, opting to set up our hammocks and tarps before making dinner to ensure that we'd be protected if it started pouring. This was the first trip that she and I were using our hammocks with one another so setting them up in a formation in which we could still be close to one another was a learning experience that took a bit of time. We discovered that tieing the head of our hammocks to the same tree and the foot of our hammocks to different trees, in a triangular formation, was the best option. As this was also only about the second time her and I had ever used our hammocks at all, it took us a while to find three trees that provided the appropriate amount of hang space. Once our hammocks were finally hung, we then made a little tarp shelter over both of our hammocks, combining both of our tarps so that we had room in between that was still protected from the rain (I wish I had taken a photo of our setup, but I forgot! Oops).

Once our setup was finally complete, we got to boiling our water for dinner to make some Backpacker's Pantry meals. The entire time we were eating, mice kept coming out to try and see if we had food for them. It started with one, and quickly become four, all sneaking around us from different angles and sides. Did I mention how much I dislike mice??? I was creeped out, but luckily I finished my meal quickly and was able to curl up in my hammock for the night. I was slightly chilled all night, but it was definitely manageable.


The next morning when we woke up, we finally got a chance to see what our site truly looked like as we had only seen it in the dark. It was a nice site, but it was open on about three sides as it came out into a point. After making breakfast which consisted of an AlpineAire meal for me and instant oatmeal for Michelle, we packed up all our gear and headed out in the canoe towards our first portage of the day to Daisy Lake. Once again we double carried across the approximate 1185m. We stopped for a breather before paddling Daisy Lake to the Petawawa River, encountering portages of about 135m, 450m, 805m, and 410m, before making it to Moccasin Lake where we would camp for the second night. Luckily this Saturday was reasonably warm, but not too warm that we were sweating, plus the sun was out, making it a decent day. We struggled a bit with all of the portages, being ready to call it a day long before we had reached Moccasin Lake, but unfortunately not having the option as there were no campsites along the Petawawa River stretch. We pushed through though, having spotted some wildlife along the way to cheer us up.

Originally, Moccasin Lake was fully booked, so Michelle and I were supposed to have portaged out to a different lake that was not on our route just for the night, and then portage back in to head home on Sunday. Luckily, however, we lucked out with no one showing up for their site on Moccasin Lake, so we chose to stay there instead as we were exhausted. We had just enough time to set up our hammocks and tarps again and eat dinner before it began getting dark. We then decided to call it a night and go to bed fairly early as we both needed the rest to paddle the next day. The next day was sunny and decently warm and we, once again, ate breakfast and loaded up our gear before heading on our way back to our vehicle. We travelled from Moccasin Lake to Juan Lake with a 185m portage, Juan Lake to Jubilee Lake with a 450m portage, Jubilee Lake to Sawyer Lake with a 550m portage, and finally Sawyer Lake back to Rain Lake with a 310m portage. We made decent time this Sunday, making it back to the vehicle at the end of Rain Lake by around 2pm.

All in all, it was a good trip, that provided us with a lot of lessons for future canoe trips next season. I would definitely do this route again, although I think I might need to be in better shape first so that I can single carry the portages instead, cutting down on my time. Overall, when our double carrying is factored in, Michelle and I would have portaged approximately 11km over the three days and two nights from October 12-14th! Upon arriving home, I also discovered that I had broken my big toe, something I was shocked to uncover as I never felt it whatsoever on the trip. Perhaps my adrenaline masked it? I certainly felt it the days following the trip though. I know for next time that Blundstones just won't cut it for that much portaging- hiking boots are definitely necessary! Since the trip, you'll be happy to know that I have in fact purchased a pair of hiking boots that I will be wearing next season. Let's hope they protect my feet a bit better! My biggest recommendation for the more strenuous trips is to reward yourself with good food at the end. Michelle and I chose to stop for some pizza on our way home, and that was one of the best decisions we made and one I plan to make in the future haha!

                                                                     Until the next adventure,
                                                                                           - Megan