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  1. #111
    Senior Member
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    Awesome pics!
    Ah.... IF only a trip report.
    No signs,no fees,no rules,nobody. My kind of campsite.

  2. #112
    Chard's Avatar
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    Sep 2009
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    Toronto, Canada
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    Algonquin - Kiosk to Carl Wilson - Some Highlights

    Wednesday: We had a rainy departure from Kiosk although it had pretty well cleared up by the time we were portaging through to Mink. Found a lovely campsite on the north shore of Mink, two sites really. The main site was nice, wide open and high up off the water with a little sandy beach but what made the location so special was the little peninsula jutting out from the beach into the lake where a grove of mature pines made a perfect home for half a dozen hammocks. Definitely a five star camping spot.

    The fire ban was a bit of a bother. Besides a tragic absence of grilled fare without our usual shield of camp smoke we were driven into our hammocks each night at dusk. At least we got caught up on our sleep.

    Thursday: The next morning we woke up slowly and gradually broke camp. The evening before, a half empty propane canister convinced Jiblets to decide to paddle back to Kiosk and drive back into Mattawa to resupply. Attempting back-to-back camping trips does have it's logistical challenges. While there, he also wanted to pick up some salted minnows to entice the local trout. So as Jiblets pushed off and paddled west, the rest of finished breaking camp. We wouldn't be going far, only a single 440 into Cauchon, a few more kilometres down the lake into Little Cauchon. Worried that Jiblets would likely be returning late in the day, we opted for the first campsite on the south shore, a meager little shelf of a campsite at the base of a tall hill. Even the hike to the thunderbox was a scramble up the hill. All told, there was barely enough room for the five of us, but we made do.

    Friday: Our main challenge of the day was 1070m into Carl Wilson, but that proved to be fairly level and quite manageable. KeeWayKeno had gone on ahead to scout out a campsite for us. It seemed like a very long paddle into the wind as we worked our way down the eastern shore of the lake, but eventually we met up with KeeWayKeno on what was undoubtedly the best site on the lake. From a rocky, somewhat difficult shoreline the camp rose into an open clearing with more mature trees on the right and a stand of smaller ones up and on the left. This would be our home for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The weather was beautiful and hot and the order of the days were lounging, swimming and relaxing. For the entire weekend we had the pleasure of a couple of chipmunks around our fire pit.

    img_6110-1.jpg

    Sunday: Iguana joined the fray late in the afternoon, paddling around the bend to find me taking an afternoon swim. He brought in a wonderful Bacardi Breezer that tasted like a spiked creamsicle. Delicious.

    The major excitement of the trip came that evening. All afternoon we had been hearing the occasional boom of distant thunder and could see rain showers passing mainly north of us. Washing dinner dishes down by the lake at dusk I looked up and saw a single, very wide, somewhat intimidating cloud dominate the windward sky. It grew gradually larger and larger and, and as the cloud loomed over the far shore you could hear it coming like a freight train. A few drops of rain came and then the winds began to pick up and we had barely enough time to square away camp and sprint for our hammocks. The winds rose to a gale and brought with them thunder, lightening and driving rain as we battened down and climbed into our hammocks. Before climbing into my hammock back amidst the smaller pines I had lowered my tarp from porch to storm mode. I could see headlamps flickering busily under most of the other tarps. Tucked away in my quilts I could see KeeWayKeno's tarp off to my left, and down by the water, Jiblets and Keg's outfits. Both were in the teeth of the weather and were busy trying to survive. I was tempted to go out and check on everyone, but I was just so darn cozy. Besides, if there had been a serious problem, we would have known about it. I can't say how long the first storm lasted, but I awoke to another thunderstorm passing overhead in the middle of the night and the sound of a large tree crashing down back in the forest. Quite a night.

    Monday: We left Carl Wilson the next morning and made our way back to the portage. Iguana, Jiblets and Keg single carried over the portage and disappeared up Little Cauchon. KeeWayKeno, LuvmyBonnet and myself had to make more than one trip and credit due, LuvmyBonnet was amazing. A converted kayaker, he hadn't quite mastered the art of eliminating clutter by packing in large bags, but that may have been a blessing in disguise because each of his loads were that much lighter. Despite that he got all of his gear across the 1070m. As he was going back for his last load he told KeeWayKeno and myself to go on without him, which we eventually did, not without some misgivings. But if a guy wants to practice up for solo tripping, then solo the must go. We met up with Jiblets and Iguana who were waiting for us at the west end of Little Cauchon. Keg had gone on ahead to grab a spot somewhere along the northern shore and we eventually found him on the last of a string of four closely spaced campsites along a sweeping gravel beach.. In actuality it was a really nice site with a stand of nice mature cedars(?) and birch.

    We started setting up camp well aware that LuvmyBonnet was still unaccounted for. Eventually we spotted him paddling down the middle of the lake heading west, but the strong wind made him well out of earshot. We fired off a bearbanger to no avail. Iguana threw on a life jacket and with twin blades flashing, powered across the lake to him. The rafted up and floated, then floated some more and then just did more floating. Fearing that something was wrong, Jiblets zipped out to Iguana and LovemyBonnet, stayed a while and then paddled back. Apparently they were just chilling, letting the wind blow them back to shore. LuvmyBonnet explained that he had heard the bear banger, but it was impossible to locate the source. Lesson learned.

    Tuesday: Our last day found us back at our first campsite on the peninsula waiting for Keg who had to turn back at the portage to recover a forgotten yoke and taking in a beautiful sunset.

    Wednesday: The next morning almost the entire group packed up and got on the water early, leaving a slumbering Keg behind. He had made it quite clear that he wanted a more relaxing exit from the park.

    Paddle, portage, paddle, another portage and I was on Kiosk again. From there the car park and then Toronto by way of Orangeville.

    Last edited by Chard; 08-27-2018 at 20:41.
    Survival is about getting out alive, Bushcraft is about going in to live - Chard (aka Forest-Hobo)

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  3. #113
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    The woods
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    Sounds like a great trip.
    Must have been difficult without the proverbial evening fire and no "grilling"
    We'll catch up on meat cookin at the fall hang.
    No signs,no fees,no rules,nobody. My kind of campsite.

  4. #114
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Toronto Canada
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    WBBB
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chard View Post
    ...

    Wednesday: The next morning almost the entire group packed up and got on the water early, leaving a slumbering Keg behind....
    I know I snore but I've never chased an entire group from a campsite before.

    Good trip folks.

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