An online journal of our outdoor adventures
Killarney Provincial Park: Threenarrows Loop. September 9th – 14th, 2007 (Our first trip)
Our first canoe trip as a couple goes better than planned!
Gear: What we bring and what we now don’t bring on our backcountry canoe trip. And how we pack it all in.
Do you really need to bring a pillow?
Quetico Provincial Park: Attempted Sturgeon Lake Loop. September 12th – September 16th, 2009
Sometimes you just can’t find that portage.
Frontenac Provincial Park: An Easter long weekend that didn’t go to plan. April 1st – April 3rd, 2010
Aka the Frontenac Fail!
Algonquin Provincial Park: Nipissing River Loop from Kiosk. October 9th – 15th, 2010
Fall colours and the long winding Nipissing River.
Killarney Provincial Park: Great Mountain Loop from Charlton Lake. August 20th – 27th, 2011
A mixed bag of long portages, clear lakes, marsh, creeks, and a Tornado Watch!
Killarney Provincial Park: Balsam Lake Loop and a nice side trip to boot! July 7th – 13th, 2012
Plus a hike up beautiful Silver Peak!
Temagami Region: Attempted Chiniguchi/ Donald Lake Loop. June 8th – 10th, 2013
Our first (and last) June camping trip in northern Ontario
Algonquin Provincial Park: Hogan Lake Loop from Brent. September 21st – 27th, 2013
A late September trip into Algonquin’s northern interior
Quetico Provincial Park: Hunter Island Loop. September 7th – 17th, 2014
The ultimate Quetico trip!
Algonquin Provincial Park: Christmas at Mew Lake. December 25th -27th, 2014
Our first Christmas staying in a yurt at the Mew Lake Campground in Algonquin
Algonquin Provincial Park: Wind bound. September 29th – October 3rd, 2015
An attempted loop from Canoe Lake leads us wind bound for three whole days!
Killarney Provincial Park: The Big Loop from George Lake launch. September 10th – September 21st, 2016
A paddle around one of Ontario’s most popular and scenic provincial parks
Algonquin Provincial Park: Hogan Lake Loop from Canoe Lake. September 11th – September 19th, 2017
A warm fall canoe trip with one of the longest portages we have ever done
Christmas 2017. Yurting it in Algonquin at Mew Lake. December 23rd – December 26th, 2017
Christmas hiking in a winter wonderland in Algonquin Provincial Park
Paddling Big Creek in Essex County: A day paddle close to home in southwestern Ontario. July 14th, 2018
Nothing says summer in southwestern Ontario than paddling during a heat wave
Quetico Provincial Park: Agnes Lake Loop from Nym Lake. September 9th – September 19th, 2018
In search of pictographs while avoiding forest fires in what is becoming our favourite provincial park
Algonquin Provincial Park: Big Trout Lake Loop from Kiosk. September 7th – September 19th, 2019
Searching for remnants from the past this is our longest trip yet to Algonquin Provincial Park
Pinery Provincial Park: A weekend trip close to home. October 18th – October 20th, 2019
Car camping in one of southwestern Ontario’s most beautiful provincial parks.
Attempted Fall Trip in Temagami/Lady Evelyn Smoothwater. September 13th – September 19th, 2020
A rainy fall canoe trip makes us realize we need to update some of our gear
Attempted La Cloche Silhouette Trail in Killarney Provincial Park. October 16th – October 17th, 2020
Perhaps backpacking trips aren’t our thing?
Algonquin Provincial Park: Northern lakes loop from Brent. September 11th – September 21st, 2021
A trip with a mix of both the familiar and the new
Day hikes in Algonquin Provincial Park. We’ve almost hiked them all and here are our favourites
From less than an hour to up to half a day there are so many trails in Algonquin to explore!
Day Paddles in Algonquin Provincial Park – Canoe Lake & Rock Lake, October 2021
An unseasonably warm October as we paddle to explore some local history!
Paddling the Canard River in Essex County: A day paddle close to home in southwestern Ontario. July 10th, 2022
A morning paddle on a pleasant summer day
Temagami: Florence Lake Loop from the Montreal River access point. September 10th – September 20th, 2022
Our first successful canoe trip in the Temagami wilderness was also one of our most rewarding trips yet
Temagami: Maple Mountain, Lady Evelyn River & Wakimika Old Growth Forest. September 9th – September 20th, 2023
12 days of site seeing in the Temagami wilderness
Backcountry Balkwills 