First Family Trip To Algonquin

Kearney Lake

We don't make a habit of camping on the Victoria Day weekend. This could be for many reasons: the weather can be awful; the bugs can be bad; the parks can be crowded; etc. This year we decided that we really wanted to camp for the long weekend. We made a decision a few weeks before the weekend but decided we would check the weather before booking anything. I don't mind camping in terrible weather but I'm not sure how much fun it would have been for the kids. A week after we made the decision to camp we checked the long range forecast. It looked decent so we decided we should go. My wife and I were really hoping for an interior trip but when we checked the parks close by there weren't a lot of sites left. We decided this would be a great opportunity to take the kids to Algonquin for the first time. For whatever reason, they were not excited about the Algonquin backcountry. We decided to compromise and do some front country camping in Algonquin. This way we could take the kids to see the park but they would also be excited to go.

We looked online at the Ontario Parks Reservation page and discovered (to no one's surprise) that the best sites were all booked. We're generally not too picky about sites and noticed that there were some non-reservable campsites on the water available. We decided on Kearney Lake but had some alternatives in mind just in case. My wife was a little apprehensive about just showing up and hoping to get a site on the long weekend. I showed her some maps and the number of sites available. This combined with the fact we would be arriving early Friday seemed to set her mind at ease.

Friday of the long weekend was a P.A. Day for the kids so we left Friday morning and were on our site before noon. The weather was amazing. The sun was shining, the temperature was in the mid twenties and it didn't look as though there was anyone in the campground. Our site was perfect. We stayed at K238. It was certainly one of the best sites in the whole campground.

Home for the Weekend

We setup our site and discovered there was a boil water advisory for the campground. My first thought was "We should have brought the Katadyn Base Camp Filter. My second thought was to bike to the Pog Lake Campground and see if there was a boil water advisory there. It turns out the water there was fine and the bike ride was only about 400 metres, although biking with 10 litres of water in one hand (and not the other) created an interesting balancing situation. Physics and free-body diagrams came to mind. Later it occurred to me that perhaps we should have check the Ontario Parks Alerts page before we left the house. In the end it didn't matter. Everything worked out just fine.

While I was sorting out the drinking water, the kids were checking out the beach. There was a nice sandy area for playing and the kids even ended up in the water. Brrr. Ice out in Algonquin was about three weeks prior to our visit.

In the Water 

Beach Visitors

Time for a Dip

Running Along the Beach

Once the kids were cold from being in the water they decided they wanted to bike. We biked around the campground and then biked across the highway to the Pog Lake campground. We saw some nice big sites right along the water. Pog Lake seemed busier than Kearney Lake.

The next morning we put the canoe in the water and paddled the lake. We found a swampy area on the south east corner of the lake. We followed it towards the highway as it narrowed. We lifted over a couple of beaver dams but the path narrowed so much that it was going to be a tough go. We headed back to the lake paddled around until we came to the north west corner. As we neared we could hear the sound of water flowing. We discovered that it was the sound of a stream emptying into the lake. Our son really likes to explore streams and waterfalls so he and my wife got out and headed upstream to see what they could find.

Up a Creek

Our daughters and I stayed in the canoe and all took turns paddling the canoe around by ourselves.

Hanging Out

We didn't stay for too long but my wife and son were very keen to come back and explore further. We paddled over to the portage leading to Pond Lake so we could check it out. We made it a couple of hundred metres in before we realized the ground was too muddy for the footwear we were wearing. We did manage to find some scat that looked like it could be from a wolf. The girls were quite interested in having a look.

Checking out Some Scat

We headed back to our site for some lunch, then packed up and headed for the Lookout Trail. The trail was only about 2 km, but it was a bit of a climb to the lookout. The black flies were out in full force (much more so than at our site) but they didn't seem to be biting much. We enjoyed the view, found the geocache at the top and headed back down.

Glacial Erratic

View from the Lookout

On the drive back to our site we spotted cars pulled of to the side of the road. We figured that meant there was a moose close by. Normally I would have kept on driving. I'd much rather see moose as I'm paddling or along a portage than next to the highway. However, given that none of our kids had ever seen a moose I decided we'd have a look. Our three year old was very intrigued. She was very good about being quiet. She really didn't want to scare it off.

The Kids' First Moose

We spent the rest of the day paddling around the lake, doing some fishing and enjoying being outside. After dinner my son wanted to paddle down the creek that divides the campground in two. I didn't think we'd get very far given how shallow it was at the bridge but once we lined that section it was pretty good. We pulled over some beaver dams, went under the highway and eventually decided to turn around. We had a great time exploring.

The next morning we had a quick bike ride to Whitefish Lake. We discovered when we got there that Whitefish Lake is a group campground meant for large groups. The beach looked great and when we arrived there were about a dozen canoes just leaving. We biked back to our site then headed for the Visitor Centre. It was amazing how busy it was. That being said the displays were great and we spent quite some time there. The kids (and adults) were curious to learn more about the park.

After the Visitor Centre we headed back to our site so our three year old could have a nap. Our son decided he wanted to further explore the creek we had paddled the night before. So off we went. Again, I didn't think we'd get too far so I didn't bring any snacks, water, a map or a camera. Next time I'll know better. We paddled and paddled and paddled. There were lots of lift-overs, some downed trees and some tight spaces but we managed to make it all the way to Whitefish Lake. Our son's draw, pry and cross draw strokes improved a great deal, but even better he started to know when to use the strokes.

The creek meets Whitefish at a meandering river that runs from Pog Lake to Whitefish. As we moved from the creek to the river my paddling partner asked if we could take the portage to get back. It had been a tough, lengthy slog. The portage would be much quicker.

Not having looked at a map, I wasn't sure which way to head where the creek met the river. We paddled up river and ended up at the dam that leads to Pog Lake. We opted not to portage into Pog Lake. So we turned around and headed downstream to Whitefish Lake. The lake was very picturesque. At the one end of the lake there was a narrow passageway into another section. Over the narrow passage was a bridge; presumably the Rail Trail. We located the beach we had seen in the morning and managed the 1175 m portage without any issues.

When our youngest awoke from her nap she wanted to go for a bike ride. My wife and other daughter stayed at the site and painted while the rest of us headed for the Rail Trail. I thought it would be fun to bike to Whitefish Lake and check out the bridge. It was a cool looking bridge and we were not disappointed. We stopped to look in the water. We saw a few fish, then in the distance spotted what looked like a beaver swimming towards us. We were very quiet and watched as it got closer and closer. We confirmed it was a beaver and it looked like it was going to swim right under us. Just before it got to the bridge it noticed us. It tried to turn and swim the other way but the passage was too narrow. Frightened, it smacked its tail and dove. It was so neat for us to see this beaver up so close. Too bad I didn't bring the camera.

We went back to the site dinner and then paddled the lake as the sun was setting. What a great day of adventuring.

Messy Dessert

Shoreline

Paddling at Dusk

Sunset

The following day was our last day so we did a bit of everything. We biked around the campground. Then we paddled to the creek at the north end of the lake. Both our son and my wife wanted to explore further. They made their way upstream and found the remnants of an old concrete dam. We headed back to our site, had lunch and packed up. By the time we were ready to leave it was almost 2:00 (checkout time). We were among the last to leave the campground. 

On the way out of the park we had enough time to hike the Spruce Bog Trail. It was a hot day and the sun was beating down on us while we were on the boardwalk. It was a little reminiscent of being on the Serengeti.  

Leading the Way

Spruce Bog

We had an amazing trip. We were able to see and do a ton and there is still so much more for us to explore. We're all really excited to go back. One of the things that surprised me the most was the writing the kids did. We never asked them to but whenever something interesting or exciting would happen they wrote about it in their journals. I'm sure our son wrote more in the four days than he did at school the week before. Cleary he was inspired!

Five Fabulous Days at Arrowhead

After last year's visit to Arrowhead Provincial Park we decided that we had to go back. We thought it would be nice to stay in the park so we booked one of the park cabins. The cabins are pretty incredible. They come equipped with beds for 5 people, a dinning table and five chairs, a propane fireplace, mini-fridge, microwave, kettle, coffee maker and BBQ. Most of the cabins seemed to be less than 100 metres from the vault toilets. We stayed in the pod of cabins closest to the comfort station. The walk to the comfort station was less than 250 metres. In the comfort station there was a dishwashing room where we could do our dishes and get water. Talk about luxury camping!

Cabin at Night

Upon our arrival we checked in and proceeded to the parking lot for the cabins. There were toboggans at the trail head leading to the cabins. We loaded up a couple of toboggans and walked the less than 100 metres to the cabin, unloaded and did a couple more trips. We unpacked and setup our home away from home for the next four and a half days. The kids just loved the cabin. To them, this was the most luxurious place ever. 

Cabin Interior

Kitchen

We played a few games then heated some chicken fingers on the BBQ. We got the kids ready for bed and then I strapped on the skis to do some exploring. The weather was just perfect. It was a little below 0ºC and there were huge snow flakes falling from the sky. It was a beautiful winter's evening. I skied the East River Loop (Winter Map) and came upon Stubb's Falls. I figured this would make a great destination for us at some point during our stay. I headed back but rather than turning off to go back to the cabins I kept going. I passed the Big Bend Lookout and went as far as the connector to the Roe trail. Based on my short ski there would be lots for us to explore together with more day light.

The following morning we had a bit of a slow start. The youngest member of the family had been up sick much of the night. She seemed to be feeling fine during the day so we decided to do some exploring. We all skied to the Big Bend Lookout. The weather was great. It was sunny and quite warm.

En Route 

Riding in Style

Big Bend

Looking West 

Time for a Snack

After skiing we went back to the cabin and had some lunch. Everyone wanted to try out some tubing but the hill was not open. So a couple of us decided to give the skating trail a try. It was Friday afternoon so the crowd wasn't huge but it was certainly starting to build. The trail is 1.3 km in length with a couple of gentle ups and downs. It winds it's way through the beautiful forest. I couldn't imagine a cooler place to skate.

Great Skating Practice

Taking a Break

After skating our son wanted to do some skiing so he and I skied to the Bunny Loop. We had a great ski. It's great to see the kids wanting to be outside being active. We returned to the cabin and started the fire so that we could start cooking our dinner. While we were cooking the snow started coming down in huge flakes. It didn't seem like it was going to stop. It didn't take long for the items on the picnic table to be buried in snow.

 That evening I skied the Arrowhead Lake Loop and Beaver Meadow Trail. The fresh snow continued piling up making for an absolutely incredible outing.  

We had a slow morning at the cabin the next day. Our youngest daughter was still not feeling 100% so she decided to have a nap. Our older daughter wanted to play outside in the snow and our son wanted to ski. The snow was falling again and it was a great day to be outside. Since we hadn't had a chance to visit Stubb's Falls our son and I headed in that direction. The park looked amazing. The trees were just covered in snow. It was Saturday so there were all kinds of people out on the trails. It was a great site. We reached Stubb's Falls and took off our skis and made our way to the bridge.

Stubb's Falls or Bust

We Made It

Going Down

The Falls

The Bridge

The view was great and the water was loud. At some point we'll have to bring the rest of the family. We made our way back to the cabin and found the girls outside playing. We played for a bit and then headed inside. We had a relaxing afternoon and evening then got the kids ready for bed. I then skied the Lumby and Lumby North Loops as well as Roe. I think I preferred the North Loop a little more, perhaps because of the streams and the hills.

Th next morning I skied the Homesteader trail. The trail was challenging due to the climbs, but coming back down was exhilarating. The trail was so picturesque. I was the first skier of the day on the trail and I had beaten the groomer. The fresh snow from the night before made for great conditions.

Climbing Up Homesteader

As a result of the fresh snow the tubing hill was open. I rushed back to the cabin to grab the rest of the family. We headed to the hill and all had a chance to go for a ride. The ride was very fast and quite long. We made our way back up the hill and waited in line. As we neared the beginning of the line the park staff had to shut down the hill since it was too icy and too fast. The kids were a little disappointed but were excited to have had a chance to try it out. 

We had noticed that there was an opportunity to try skijoring (being pulled by a dog while on your skis) in the afternoon. It happens quite regularly at the park and we were lucky enough to have a chance to check it out. We watched how it worked and even had a chance to try it. It was pretty cool.

Skijoring

We skied back to the cabin and upon our arrival our older daughter decided that she wanted to go skating again. We couldn't convince everyone to go so I hung back at the cabin with the other kids while my wife (and daughter) went skating. While at the cabin we played some games and eventually our son asked if we could ski. Our youngest daughter who was still under the weather didn't want to leave so I told our son he could ski alone if he wanted to. He strapped on his skis and made his way around the cabins and he skied to the skating rink. He was happy to have some independence. I got our pasta dinner sorted out and waited for everyone to return. It was a very busy day and everyone was very tired.

There was one trail that I still hadn't skied so I headed for Hardwood Hill. It was a great ski. There was a lot of climbing to the top of the hill and the descent was great. It's too bad the trail is so short, but it would be any easy one to do two laps of if you had the time.

On our final day we packed up all of our belongings, loaded up the sleds and headed for the van. Although we were all packed we weren't quite ready to leave yet. We made our way to the Birches parking lot and I skied with the older kids while Sarah snowshoed with our youngest, who seemed to be feeling much better.

Final Ski

Checking out the Squirrel in the Bird Feeder

We made our way to the Mayflower Warmup Hut (with heated washrooms) and had some lunch. While the kids finished up I grabbed my skis and skied Hardwood Hill again. It was right next to the warmup hut and it seemed to be calling my name. I had a great ski and the kids were just finishing some snacks when I returned. The next step was to get everyone ready for the ride home.

What an incredible trip. There was so much to do. We brought lots of games and things to keep us busy but we hardly needed any of it. We didn't even really get to snowshoe! Staying in the park was such a great idea. We didn't need to drive anywhere. It was very easy for some of us to do one thing, while others did something else and having that home base within the park made it seem like the park was our backyard. We could come and go as we pleased. If you haven't tried winter 'camping' I'd highly recommend giving the roofed accommodations a try.

First Ski of the Year: Kawartha Nordic

We were excited by the first bit of snow that arrived on Tuesday. Somehow the snow just makes the kids (and kids at heart) want to get outside more. The kids were really happy to be able to play in the white stuff. The good news is that we had some snow. They bad news was that there was just barely enough to cover the grass and it was capped by a thin layer of freezing rain. It was great for playing in around the house, but clearly there wouldn't be any cross-country skiing close to home.

After the snow I saw the following tweets:

Our #xcski trail grooming operations in #GatineauPark are underway! #Ottawa #Gatineau https://t.co/8bradNZxQ9 pic.twitter.com/EpEnDdPjsF

— Gatineau Park (@NCC_GatPark) December 29, 2015

We will have 8km of groomed, but not track set, cross country ski trails open tomorrow 9-5!! Let the ski season begin! #xcski

— Arrowhead Prov Park (@ArroPark) December 29, 2015

How desperate was I to ski? Would I be able to convince the family to drive for three hours so we could ski? Can you tell I was desperate? I decided to sit on it for a day and to my surprise the next day I came across this tweet.

Trails open today at 10am 8km open no track set https://t.co/sttCLO9BuV

— Kawartha Nordic (@KawarthaNordic) December 30, 2015

What a treat! There was skiing a little over an hour away. We made plans for a day trip to Kawartha Nordic on New Year's day. The kids were excited for a last minute adventure.

As it turns out the weather was great. The temperature was -3˚C but it felt like -6˚C in the wind. Once we got into the woods we didn't notice the wind at all. We were also pleasantly surprised to see that there were only about half a dozen cars in the parking lot when we got there.

Upon our arrival we made our way into the WOODfine Cabin to get setup.

WOODfine Cabin

The cabin has two floor with a wood stove on each floor. When we arrived the fires were going but they likely hadn't been going for too long as it was still quite cool inside.

Lower Floor WOODfine Cabin

Upper Floor WOODfine Cabin

We used the brand new flush toilets (in the new heated building). It's so much easier getting kids to use the toilet when they know that they aren't going to freeze to the seat.

Heated Washrooms

Nice Looking and Warm

We got all geared up and we were off.

I was amazed by the conditions. There was a good amount of fluffy snow, the trail was well groomed and track set. There were a few thin spots but nothing too bad.

The kids all had a blast. They were keen to ski, ski and ski some more. At one point we suggested that perhaps we should turn around. They wanted no part of it. 

Eventually we convinced them that we should make our way back to have some lunch. We were actually worried that they would keep going until they were tired and then we'd have to make our way back. It's no wonder they wanted to keep going. The weather was perfect, the trails weren't very busy and the forest was very peaceful.

We made our way back to WOODfine Cabin with no issues and enjoyed our lunch. After lunch we played some games and read some books. I asked who wanted to go out skiing again and only our six year old daughter was up to it. So she and I headed out.

I was blown away at how much better a skier she was compared to last year. Last winter it seemed as though every outing was a challenge. She wanted to go back. She'd fall down and wouldn't want to get up. There's no way she would have gone out a second time last year. I couldn't believe the change that somehow occurred from the end of last season to the beginning of this season. She was loving it! I was loving that she was loving it! We skied out to the sugar shack and back. 

Practicing Her Snowplough at the Sugar Shack

On the way back she said "We should go skiing again before schools starts". That a girl! This might be a tall order to fill given that it's Friday and school starts on Monday, but it's the thought that counts.

Overall we had an amazing day. We spent much of the day outside being active and connecting with nature. What better way could there be to start the new year?

As it turns out many others decided that it would be a great day to get out. As we ate our lunch we watched as more and more people just kept arriving. It was nice to see so many families out.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures. We used our camera that went for a swim in Killarney last summer. There's a bit of residue on the inside of the lens.

Morning Paddling on the Bay of Quinte

Bay of Quinte in the Morning

Normally by this time of year I've long since swapped the canoe for my hiking boots. The canoe would normally be hung up in the garage awaiting next summer's adventure. This year I decided to leave the canoe on the floor in the hopes that I would use it a little more in the fall.

I have not been disappointed.

Although autumn is a tough season to find the time to get outdoors, due to busy kid schedules and a shrinking number of day light hours, I have been managed to get out more. I had a good routine of loading the canoe onto the car the night before I planned on going out. I would get up early in the morning and do an hour's worth of paddling before heading off to work. This strategy worked well for much of October. I managed to get out in the canoe at least once per week. The trouble I was running into is that I had less and less light in the mornings. I don't mind paddling in the dark but it's a lot nicer if you can see what's out there.

Sun Sandwiched Between Horizon and Clouds

Thanks to the time change this past weekend and some very warm temperatures I've managed to get out a couple of times this week and I'm hopeful that I can get out again next week. Could a December outing be possible?

I know that my canoeing days are numbered for this season but I sure am enjoying making the most of the days that are left. The fresh air and the serenity mixed with a bit of exercise first thing in the morning have been great additions to my morning routine.

Set aside some time to get outside. You won't be disappointed!

Sandbanks in the Fall

The outdoor activities that we do seem to come to a grinding halt after Labour Day. This is not because of the weather (we had an unbelievably nice September this year) nor is it entirely about school starting. Obviously with school starting we have much less time to get outdoors, but with the start of the school year comes the start of so many other activities.

The kids had a P.A. Day on the last Friday in September. This seemed like a great opportunity to for a camping trip. We decided to book a site at Sandbanks Provincial Park from Thursday to Saturday (a birthday party kept us from staying the entire weekend).

We arrived to an absolutely stunning evening. The sun was warm, the sand soft and it felt as if we had stepped out of the rat race and back into summer. By the time we had arrived at the park the office was closed so we would have to check-in the following day. We headed to our campsite and got setup. Our site was so close to the beach that it was covered in sand. The kids had a great time playing as we got things organized. By the time we were done the sun was about to set so we walked the 30 metres to the beach to take it all in. The kids had a blast playing in the sand, running up and down the beach and taking pictures of the beautiful sunset. Much to our amazement was only one other group on the entire beach.

Playing on the Beach at Sunset

Once we were done at the beach we had a lot of fun getting settled into our tent. It was an adventure to prepare for bed. Everyone found their warm clothes and got bundled up in anticipation of the cold night ahead. We read some stories then settled in for the night. I love that we're all still in the same tent. Bedtime is such a precious time for us to be together.

I awoke early the next morning in order to get to work. Somehow it seems like less of a chore getting ready for work when you're in such a picturesque location. I also felt as though we were cheating the system. We were camping on a week night in September. Score! I went to work and found myself thinking a lot about what the rest of the family was doing all day. As you might imagine they spent a lot of time playing on the beach, splashing in the water and even doing some swimming.

Beautiful Day for a Swim

Sand Castles

Out for a Swim

It was great to return to the park and see everyone having a great time. We played on the beach some more then headed back to our site. The kids played at the site while we prepared dinner. The food was delicious, as it always seems to be when cooked over a fire.

After dinner we cleaned up and headed to the beach. There were a lot more people on the beach this time around. Perhaps a result of the stunning sunset.

Picnic Table at Sunset

We headed back in the dark and got the kids settled in for the night. Once they were asleep I headed out to get some night shots. It felt like I had been gone for a long time but when I returned to the tent I realized it was only 9:30. The early fall sunsets sure make it seem much later.

The Beach at Night

The next day we decided to spend some time paddling up the Outlet River. The wind was really blowing but it was from the North East so there were no waves on the beach. We paddle to the mouth of the river but the combination of strong current and shallow water meant that we had to line the canoe through the shallow section. We paddled the length of the river and made it to East Lake. When we got to the river the wind and the waves were coming right across the lake at us. We made our way back to the shelter of the river.

Great Looking Site on the River

We paddled back to our site, had some lunch, packed up and headed for the birthday party. We had such a great time and need to do this more often. I'm hoping we can sneak in another fall trip this season.