Total Kilometres: Approx. 115 kilometres (this does not include two side trips)
Total Portages: 32
Total Portage Length: 21.501 kilometres
Longest Portage: 2.945 kilometres (David Lake to Great Mountain Lake)
Average Daytime High: 22.25 Celsius
Average Nighttime Low: 16.08 Celsius
Route: George Lake – Freeland Lake – Kakakise Lake – Carlyle Lake – Johnnie Lake – Ruth-Roy Lake – Johnnie Lake – Clearsilver Lake – David Lake – Great Mountain Lake – Fish Lake – Howry Creek – Gem Lake – Howry Lake – Cat Lake – Van Winkle lake – Rocky Channel – Little Bear Lake – Plunge Lake – Leech Lake – Murray Lake – Carmichael Lake – Grace Lake – Carmicheal Lake – Nellie Lake – Helen Lake – Low Lake – North Channel – East Channel – McGregor Bay – Baie Fine – Artist Lake – Muriel Lake – O.S.A Lake – Killarney Lake – Freeland Lake – George Lake
Maps Used: Friends of Killarney Park Map 2014, Jeff’s Map Killarney & the Georgian Bay Coast
Killarney Provincial Park. Almost every backcountry camper has heard of this gem of a park located in the near north in Ontario. Many sections of the park are dominated by ancient mountains of snow white quartzite that are older than the Rocky Mountains. Scattered throughout the park, Killarney’s lakes have much variation, some rich with wildlife and waterlilies, while others are crystal clear and acidic, a reminder of how industry can have a lasting affect in our environment.
Our route covered 12 days, with the first and last days being half days. We started at the main access point in the park, the George Lake launch, and paddled and portaged approximately 115 kilometres in a counter clockwise loop. We paddled east as far as David Lake, north up to Little Bear Lake, west to Baie Fine, and finished back at George Lake. A couple of day hikes added to our trip made for the longest and most exciting Killarney trip to date!
DAY # 1: George Lake launch to Kakakise Lake
Weather: Showers in the afternoon with light showers in the evening. High: 22 Celsius Low: 20 Celsius
We arrived at the George Lake launch in Killarney Provincial Park at 12:15 pm, picked up our permit, and launched the canoe off the beach. The winds on George Lake were calm, unexpected as there was forecasted winds. Many people were out on the water enjoying the above average temperatures on SUPs, canoes, and kayaks. As we continued west on George Lake, Killarney’s geography revealed itself with snow white quartzite of the Killarney Ridge to our left, and pink granite to our right.
While continuing our paddle, we looked behind us to the west and saw that the clouds were rolling in. The first portage at the eastern end of George Lake was a mere 80 metres and included a dock. This luxury would soon be a thing of the past. A dam was also located at this portage.
Freeland Lake is the complete opposite of George Lake as it had water lilies, water shield, and a couple of beaver lodges. Reaching the end of Freeland Lake we had a decision to make…Do we attempt to paddle Kakakise Creek in hopes that the water level is high enough to paddle, or do the 1,975 metre portage? We decided to try the creek and we were glad we did. A lot of sharp turns through watershield and pickerel weed slowed us down, but we were fortunate that it was just deep enough to float the canoe. The only obstacles we ran into were four beaver dams that required a lift over which was no big deal at all.
As soon as we entered Kakakise Lake the rain caught up to us and it poured! Time to get out our the rain gear and paddle to the first available campsite. We chose site #7 which was a large heavily used site with a tall ridge behind it. Right across the site on the lake was an island. We quickly put up the tent, while between showers we put up our tarp for a shelter and to dry our damp clothes. Tonight was a quick supper of Mr. Noodle with some dehydrated carrots and broccoli from our garden back home. We were in the tent a little early tonight as we didn’t have a fire. Tomorrow we will be hiking “The Crack”, a popular lookout that is part of the 78 kilometre La Cloche Silhouette Trail.
Wildlife Sightings: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Loon, Red Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, American Crow, Northern Raven, Wood Duck, Turkey Vulture, Black-capped Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, People.
Remember to: No remember to for today! Yeah!
DAY # 2: Kakakise Lake to Ruth-Roy Lake
Weather: Mainly sunny with wind. High: 24 Celsius Low: 14 Celsius
After the weather front went through last night the winds picked up and at 11:30pm last night we got out of the tent to take down the tarp as it was flapping in the wind. The winds continued in the morning but fortunately they were not as gusty.
Cooler this morning we decided to wear our long sleeves. Breakfast was a quick one of honey granola with rehydrated apples and dried cranberries as we have a big day today! We grabbed our day bag, hopped into the canoe, and paddled over to the La Cloche Silhouette Trail to hike “The Crack”. The Crack Trail can be accessed by canoe in the backcountry, and is part of the 76 kilometre La Cloche Silhouette Trail. If you are not doing either of these the hike to The Crack is also accessible from the road via a parking lot followed by a 7.1 kilometre trail. Though the trail is ranked as “moderate” the last climb to the top of this trail is ranked as “difficult” as you will have to scramble up some rocks. For us the hike started out fairly easy but got steep quite quickly and we soon realized that we were overdressed as we began to sweat. Climbing over rocks we reached the lookout at the top and the view was clear and beautiful as we gazed over some familiar lakes including O.S.A Lake and even Georgian Bay!
We returned back to our site on Kakakise Lake around noon and it was time to take down the tent, pack up, and continue on to our next site. Paddling to the western end of Kakakise Lake we met our first real portage of the trip, a 940 metre into Carlyle Lake which was easy going. On Carlyle Lake we were lucky enough to have the winds at our back that continued as we entered Johnnie Lake. Cottages are a common site along the shorelines of both Carlyle and Johnnie Lakes and we wonder if our rope we left on Johnnie Lake back in 2012 is hanging up in one of them.
Tonight’s destination is Ruth-Roy Lake which is accessed via a 90 metre portage out of Johnnie Lake’s western end. We have never visited this lake before and we were glad we did as we had a backdrop of the Killarney Ridge right in front of us at our small and cozy site.
The waters on Ruth-Roy Lake are crystal clear and pretty much devoid of life due to a low pH acidity. If you venture into the backcountry in Killarney you will most likely run into a few lakes that appear so blue and so clear you may initially mistaken them for being pristine. One of these lakes, Nellie Lake, is so clear it reminds one of a swimming pool. The reason for Nellie and other lakes being so clear was from acid rain falling from the sky between the 1940s and 1970s due to smelting operations in Sudbury. With tighter environmental restrictions today things are looking up and some lakes are slowly returning to their historic pH levels. The lakes with the inert white quartzite on the bottom have the hardest time recuperating.
Tonight’s supper is spaghetti with parmesan cheese. A big supper for a big day!
Wildlife Sightings: Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Belted Kingfisher, Turkey Vulture, Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Barred Owl, People.
Remember to: Under dress for big hikes!
DAY # 3: Ruth-Roy Lake to David Lake
Weather: Partly cloudy with a breeze. High: 24 Celsius Low: 15 Celsius
We slept in until 8:00 am today, and for those who think that isn’t sleeping in, we are used to getting up at 5:00 am on a regular basis. After a leisurely breakfast with a nice hot tea, we left our site at Ruth-Roy Lake and went back to the 90 metre portage into Johnnie Lake. Lucky for us the wind was at our backs again today as we headed to our second portage, a 830 metre into Clearsilver Lake. It was an easy going portage with both flat and inclined sections and we arrived at Clearsilver Lake which is another clear acidic lake. This lake has only one campsite on it which we have stayed at in the past and it is a well used site. By the time we arrived at the 980 metre portage out of Clearsilver Lake it was 2:00pm and we were getting hot and sweaty. After one last quick portage we arrived on David Lake, one of Killarney’s larger lakes. Paddling near David’s southwest shore we hoped to get our old site (#103) and maybe see if the friendly Snapping Turtle with the tumor from or 2012 trip was still there. We did observe a Snapping Turtle as we neared the southern campsites but site #103 was taken, as were the next two sites. In the end we had to settle on the site at the far western end of the lake.
Our site was #105 and it was crap! It was overused, the firepit was a mess with hot coals and food/garbage remaining in it. The seating there consisted of one old splintered/rotting log, and there were dead birch trees ready to fall. In fact, the top section of a birch tree did fall while we were deciding where to move things around! Now we know that you are not supposed to move firepits at a campsite, but the firepit was literally in line with a number of dead birch trees ready to topple. We also found some logs to have something to sit on since there was literally no where to sit except on the ground. We were to spend two nights at this crappy site so we tidied things up a bit to make it a little more welcoming.
It was around this time that we noticed our first roll of toilet paper (we brought two) was seriously starting to run low! We suspect that toilet paper companies are starting to skimp out on the total sheets per roll as we have never had this issue before and we always bring 2 rolls per trip. Hard to believe that we now have to conserve toilet paper so early in the trip! Luckily, Marianne found a quarter of a roll in her rain jacket left over from last year’s trip! Hooray!
After scrubbing our stinky clothes, hanging them to dry, and rebuilding the fire pit, we had our first fire for the trip. Tomorrow we planned to paddle over to where the La Cloche Silhouette Trail hooks up to the hike that takes you to Silver Peak. This will be our second climb up Silver Peak, the highest mountain in Killarney at 1,768 metres.
Wildlife Sightings: Red Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, Turkey Vulture, Pileated Woodpecker, Common Loon, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Merganser, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Sandpiper, People.
Remember to: Fuji applies dipped in lemon and dehydrated rehydrate very well! Remember this variety!
DAY # 4: David Lake
Weather: Partly sunny and windy, giving way to showers in the afternoon. High: 21 Celsius Low: 18 Celsius
We set the alarm for 6:00 am this morning so we could get a head start before the forecasted rain that was supposed to start around noon. After a breakfast pancake we grabbed our daypack and paddled over to the La Cloche Silhouette Trail to make our way up Silver Peak. The hike up is a bit challenging with very few flat sections. The first section is almost as beautiful as the top with snow white quartzite along with quartzite cairns to guide you in this section.
After this scenic section of the trail we were soon enclosed by trees as we steadily made our way to the top, resting once in the while for much needed sips of water. Nearing the top we noticed that it was getting hazy, cloudy, and even windy. At the top it was very windy and with the haze no good photo opportunities presented itself. We hid from the wind behind a rock and had a snack. Here is a photo of us from our July 2012 trip to give you an idea of the view on a clear sunny day.
Viewing rain clouds not too far off in the distance we made a hasty retreat back down the trail and to our canoe. On our way down we met our first group of hikers making their way up to the top, and we also heard a distant rumble of thunder. We arrived back to the canoe around 12:30pm and paddled back to our crappy (though now improved) campsite, bathed, washed our stinky clothes, pumped some water, and made it back into the tent before the rain fell. Time for an afternoon nap! Evening was gloomy and damp so we made a fire and had some homemade rehydrated chili.
Wildlife Sightings: White-tailed Deer, Eastern Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Black-capped Chickadee, Turkey Vulture, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Loon, Common Merganser, People.
Remember to: No remember to today!
DAY # 5: David Lake to Fish Lake
Weather: Partly sunny in the morning with sun and clouds in the afternoon. Light breeze. High: 16 Celsius Low: 12 Celsius
This morning we got up before sunrise (which is after 7:00 am) and we were back on the water by 9:30 am. We began the morning with our biggest portage for the trip, a 2,945 metre from David Lake into Great Mountain Lake. We portaged first with our packs (which don’t feel any lighter yet), and then went all the way back for our canoe and daypack. Though the map indicated that about a third of this portage can be paddled, water levels on the creek were way too low to float a canoe for the majority of it.
Though long, the 2,945 metre portage was a relatively easy, with the steepest section at the Great Mountain Lake end. We encountered a male Ruffed Grouse showing off his “ruffs” by lifting some of the feathers around his neck. While hiking with our packs above the creek we surprised a River Otter who hastily retreated down the bank and into the creek. It was cooler this morning and a slight breeze helped us not sweat as much as we have in previous days doing such long hikes.
While paddling on Great Mountain Lake towards our next portage, we heard in the distance what we thought was a group of rowdy teenagers. As we got closure what we encountered instead was a solo canoeist who was quite frustrated as he tried to paddled through the low water and mud. When he met our gaze he cautioned us to be prepared to get muddy as he paddled away while still grumbling. We analyzed the situation as we neared the portage and decided to get out about 150 metres from the put in and walk along the grassy shoreline without getting muddy. The 375 metre portage was a cake walk compared to the one before it, with a fallen tree being our only obstacle. At the end of the portage was a wooden shack with a “No Trespassing” sign on it.
Paddling on Fish Lake we hoped to get the island site we were at a few years ago, but unfortunately it was taken so we took the other site that was up on a rocky hill with a great view overlooking Fish Lake.
After making camp, pumping water, and having supper, it was time for a fire. As evening approached we heard a moose calling in the distance, which was no surprise as there was a marshy area behind the site. Later we heard a pack of wolves calling very far off in the distance, along with a distant Barred Owl. All these sounds of the wilderness, plus a bright full moon, we were in for a nice night!
Wildlife Sightings: Black-capped Chickadee, Ruffed Grouse, River Otter, Blue Jay, Canada Goose, Hairy Woodpecker, Moose, Algonquin Wolf, Barred Owl, Wood Roaches, Common Loon, People
Remember to: Bring instant stuffing for future trips. This will go great with our Sheppard’s Pie!
DAY # 6: Fish Lake to Little Bear Lake
Weather: Very foggy in the morning with partly sunny skies in the afternoon. High: 22 Celsius Low: 8 Celsius
We had a bit of a paddle this morning so we didn’t sleep in. Very thick fog and a chilly 8 degrees Celsius greeted us when we stuck our heads out of the tent. While taking down the tent we heard the wolves howling in the distance again. Around 8:50 am we set off into the fog. It was a nice quiet paddle. As we neared the west end of Fish Lake the fog cleared.
Our first portage was at 90 metres that would take us into Howry Creek. The Howry Creek section can be an interesting paddle depending on water levels. It can be high enough to paddle, just high enough to paddle, low enough to still paddle with some lift overs, or really low where you have to drag the canoe. Through its twists and turns we hit some shallower areas, though only two beaver dams and a single lift over was all we had to contend with. At the end of the creek we entered Gem Lake which is aptly named as it was absolutely gorgeous with the La Cloche Mountains clearly visible to the south.
After a fairly easy 130 metre portage, we entered Howry Lake which was also beautiful. A single cottage on a small island in the middle of the lake made us wonder how that individual got such a great spot inside a provincial park? It’s probably been in the family for years. Finding the 665 metre portage into Cat Lake along Howry’s north shore was really easy to find as a few warped upside down canoes rested on the bank. This was our longest portage for the day with some uphill and downhill sections. Entering Cat Lake there was a rustic cabin on the shore that included a solar panel. More overturned boats along the shore made the 480 metre portage into Van Winkle Lake easy to find as well. After a brief paddle we made it to our last portage for the day, a 190 metre into Rocky Channel. We were now out of Killarney Provincial Park and into the new Killarney Lakelands and Headwaters, a new edition to the park that was created in 2006. Differences between the two parks were noticeable right away, with motorboats and visuals of hunting going on in the area with a sign posted at site #204 stating that the area was baited for bears, with camping at “your own risk” !
We paddled west of the baited area and landed at site #203. This was our first ever campsite in the Killarney Lakelands and Headwaters and it has a lot of potential. This was a barely used site with scruffy ground, the complete opposite of Killarney’s well trodden sites. We even had to remove two inch tall shrubs from the only flat spot we could find so as not to poke holes in our tent. We had a nice view and a shallow area to bath in which Marianne took advantage of. Exploring the site we discovered that others have visited it for a number of years as we found some broken glass, old cans, and very old bottles. We collected all of these items and threw them into the firepit that Aaron rebuilt. Tonight we dined on Sheppard’s pie and once again heard the wolves howling in the distance.
Wildlife Sightings: Wood Duck, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red Squirrel, Common Loon, Hooded Merganser, People, Turkey Vulture, Great Blue Heron, Northern Raven, Leopard Frog, Snapping Turtle, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swamp Sparrow, Algonquin Wolf.
Remember to: Don’t use the precious toilet paper to blow you nose. We are seriously beginning to run out!
DAY # 7: Little Bear Lake to Grace Lake
Weather: Partly cloudy and breezy. High: 21 Celsius Low: 12 Celsius
Long before sunrise we heard the howling wolves again, though this time they were a lot closer. It was great! The alarm was set for 6:00 am today (yes this is vacation) as we had a lot of portaging ahead of us. We were on the water before 8:00 am and headed west towards Plunge Lake and the short 412 metre portage that would take us south back into the main park. Campsite #202 on Little Bear Lake also had a notice that bears were baited in that location as well.
The first small portage into Leech Lake was an easy find. Finding the portage from Leech into Murray Lake was difficult as the takeout was in a marshy shallow area behind a campsite that was on a hill. The portage sign itself was also hidden until you were pretty much beside it. At 1,090 metres this portage was another easy go. After a short paddle south on Murray Lake we arrived at the 1,470 metre portage that runs along Notch Creek. This portage is known as “The Notch” and you just know that if a portage has an official name it must have a reputation. This one apparently has the steepest section out of all of Killarney’s portages which was at the Murray Lake end, and yes we can confirm that it is pretty darn steep! We doubled over this one first with our packs, and later back for the canoe.
The rest of the portage wasn’t that bad with some scenic sections and water trickling over the rocks along the creek. Along here we met a couple on their way to Howry Creek (the usual low water section we avoided) and we hope it wasn’t too shallow for them. As we approached the end of “The Notch” we were back into the heart of the La Cloche Mountains and another crystal clear lake, Carmicheal Lake. This lake was named after Franklin Carmichael, a member of the famous Canadian artists known as the Group of Seven. Some members of this group of famous painters spent time in this area of Killarney Provincial Park creating such works as “Waterfalls on the Way into Nellie Lake”, c. 1939, and “La Cloche Hills, Rocks and Stream” c. 1932. It was at the end of The Notch portage that we sat down and shared a couple of freeze dried meals while looking out over the crystal clear Carmicheal Lake which appeared to contain no life.
We conserved one of our 750 ml bottles of water for the next portage, the 2,085 metre into Grace Lake which we were familiar with. This is a long portage with the Carmicheal Lake end having the steepest section. This was a portage we just had to double over and with the temperature around 20 degrees Celsius, it was a sweaty ordeal so a lot of breaks were taken with sips of water.
We arrived on Grace Lake around 4:00pm. This lake is absolutely spectacular and is Marianne’s favourite in the whole park with white quartzite mountains, quartzite islands, and a historic significance involving the Group of Seven. Our site #179, was said to be the same site that Group of Seven artist A.Y Jackson stayed at while camping in Killarney. The site itself was very scenic, fairly large, and had some smooth quartzite to walk on.
After a quick bath to take the stink off, we rinsed our clothes and made a clothesline to hang them to dry. In the distance we could barely hear the sounds of motorboats on Frood Lake which is located just to the west of us outside the park’s boundary. After a spaghetti supper we had a fire under the full moon, which on Grace Lake was amazing as you could still make out the features of the surrounding land in the moonlight.
Wildlife Sightings: Algonquin Wolf, Common Loon, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Turkey Vulture, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Raven, People, Common Merganser, Beaver.
Remember to: No remember to today! Whoot!
DAY # 8: Grace Lake
Weather: Showers in the morning, giving way to partly sunny skies in the afternoon with evening showers. High: 23 Celsius Low: 20 Celsius
During the night, the forecasted rain fell and we woke up just after midnight with rain hitting our tent. It was hard to fall back to sleep but we managed. We actually slept in until around 8:00 am as today was our second of two layover days. A cloudy and somewhat foggy morning greeted us when we unzipped the tent.
We managed to gather enough sticks and birch bark to make a fire with some hot coals to make a pancake with peanut butter and jam smothered on top. Though tradition dictates maple syrup should go on top of a pancake, we find that melted peanut butter with jam is far superior. As we were having our hot tea it began to rain again so we retreated to the tent as we never had a chance to put up our tarp.
Today’s plan was to climb up the mountain across the lake from our site to search for Carmichael’s rock. This rock sits in the exact spot where Franklin Carmichael was photographed while he was painting (or perhaps just sketching). We brought photos to aid us in searching for the spot as no one wants to give away exact GPS coordinates, which is very understandable as the rock has been rolled off the hill once before. We had one issue though being the rain and any smart minded individual would not want to climb these smooth slippery rocks in the rain. There is also no designated trail to the site as well so we decided to forego the search for Carmichael’s rock. It was probably for the best because we felt like we needed today to recoup as we had to take the long portage out of Grace Lake again tomorrow plus another long portage immediately after that.
The rain did eventually let up around 1:30 pm so we ventured out of the tent and had lunch of homemade mac and cheese with rehydrated broccoli. A pair of female Common Mergansers slowly drifted by our site, while a Double-crested Cormorant stood on a rock and spread its wings to dry. Around this time we saw a canoe land at the opposite shoreline from our site, no doubt they were going to search for Carmichael’s rock. We remained pretty content to skip the search and instead took advantage of the sunshine to bath in the lake. While walking along the shoreline we eyed blobs of dried up yellow and blue paint on the rocks. Perhaps someone was inspired by A.Y Jackson and Franklin Carmicheal to paint Killarney’s iconic landscape. After bathing we hiked up the hill behind our site for some great views of the lake. As evening approached we could see clouds rolling in pretty fast. We had just enough time to quickly make supper, stuff our faces, and race back into the tent before it poured.
Wildlife Sightings: Common Merganser, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Red Squirrel, People
Remember to: If rain is in the forecast, cover firewood.
DAY # 9: Grace Lake to Low Lake
Weather: Scattered showers giving way to partly cloudy skies by the afternoon and into the evening, with a light breeze. High: 25 Celsius Low: 19 Celsius
All rested up, it was time to say goodbye to our lovely site on Grace Lake as the sun rose over the eastern mountains. While having breakfast we could hear gunshot sounds to the west. Being on the western edge of the park this was no surprise.
Breaking camp and hoping into the canoe it was time to tackle the 2,085 metre portage yet again to exit Grace Lake and head back to Carmichael Lake. This time the portage was a lot easier as we were rested, it was cooler this time around, and our packs were starting to feel lighter as we slowly depleted our food supply. As we hiked the portage it began to rain, though lucky for us the towering maples acted as an umbrella and we only felt a few drops. When we finally completed the portage (another double over) we were pretty sweaty. Completing this portage twice (today and back on day 7) plus doubling over it both times, we hiked a total of 12,510 metres!
It began to rain a little harder when we paddled on Carmicheal Lake and we found refuge under a tree as we waited for the rain to ease off before setting off again. Paddling on Carmichael Lake into Nellie Lake we were mesmerized by how clear the water was. Both of these lakes are dead lakes, and not even plant life seems to survive here. Nellie Lake is perhaps one of the clearest lakes in the park with a 28 metre clear view to its bottom. The latest information we could find is that it has a pH of 4.7, with a pH of less than 7 being acidic. Picture yourself in your canoe in a swimming pool and that is what Nellie Lake feels like.
There was a somewhat creepy moment for us close to shore when we observed a dark shape moving under the water. If it wasn’t for the rain creating ripples on the water we probably could’ve seen this creature clearly enough to identify it. Most likely it was a beaver.
The rain let up when we reached our next big portage for the day, a 2,525 metre from Nellie into Helen Lake. This was a long, but not incredibly difficult portage. Along here we met a young couple on their way to Ishmael Lake, along with a poor fellow that took a wrong turn and thought he was on the portage to Grace Lake! This meant he had to do this 2,525 metre portage twice, and then do the 2,085 metre portage into Grace Lake. Not fun if that’s not what you planned to do!
According to the map, if water levels are high enough, we could have paddled the creek that runs along part of the portage. There was no way this was happening this year as water levels were too low. Entering Helen Lake we said goodbye to the white La Cloche Mountains where we spent the last couple of days. We had our eyes set on site #138, which was a campsite on a portage. We were at this site back in 2011 and it is one of our favourites! As we approached the site at the portage we were shocked and saddened by the state the site was in as all the trees were cut down where we planned to put up the tent. This was not good as the site is located on smooth rock which radiates heat in the sun, so these trees would have been our only shade. As we investigated it looked like they were cut down earlier this year. We placed our tent in the same spot as our last visit, had a quick bath, washed our clothes, and then relaxed.
As we chilled we started to hear a “crunching” sound that was coming from the felled pine trees. Further investigation revealed little holes and piles of sawdust on the ground. There were quite a few of these holes and we soon heard more crunching sounds. We guessed that the culprit was Sawyer Beetles and perhaps the reason why the trees were taken down? The only good thing about the whole situation was that making a fire was ridiculously easy and we made some coals and had homemade bannock with Mary Janes Black Bean Hummus pooped on top. We went to sleep that night with the chorus of the Sawyer Beetles.
Wildlife Sightings: Moose tracks, Hairy Woodpecker, Common Loon, Turkey Vulture, Eastern Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Frogs, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, People, Canada Goose, Belted Kingfisher
Remember to: Unfortunately, campsites do change….
DAY # 10: Low Lake to McGregor Bay (East Channel)
Weather: Partly sunny with thunderstorms in the afternoon into the evening. Severe Thunderstorm Watch! High: 26 Celsius Low: 15 Celsius
Last night we had another bright moonlit night. In the early wee hours of the morning we heard both Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl. This morning was a bit more leisurely as we crawled out of the tent around 6:30 am, got another fire going, and had oatmeal with tea.
Today we only had a 8 kilometre paddle. Paddling south on Low Lake we noticed the trees on the western shore had their lower trunks burned along with some dead lower leaves. A recent fire by lightning strike? At Low Lake’s most southern end we expected a couple of lift overs, but due to the low water levels we had to portage around a small log jam instead.
After a short 20 metre portage we entered a shallow marsh. It took us a while to find the 19 metre portage in a marsh with many cattails and mudflats. After this last portage we paddled south into the North Channel that immediately opened up in front of us. Continuing south we entered into the East Channel and started to see cottages that included a new one being built. Before we knew it we already arrived at site #136, another site that we previously stayed at back in 2011. We got here around 10:30 am so we had the rest of the day to enjoy ourselves. We set up the tent on a bare rock (the only available option) and chilled.
There were grasshoppers at our site that would make short flights which we assumed were display flights to attract mates. They also blended in perfectly with the lichen on the rocks and Marianne attempted a few photos. A nice sunny day, some boats cruised by our site with folks out enjoying the warm temperatures.
In the west we saw blue clouds, but the local forecast on our weather radio predicted a 30% chance of showers for the day so we didn’t even bother to worry. It was a warm afternoon so we hung out in the tent with the sides open to let in the breeze while protecting us from the hot sun. While we went over our map and reminisced about our trip so far, a light shower passed over. Winding up our weather radio to listen to the local afternoon show on CBC we found out we were under a severe thunderstorm watch that could produce 75 kph winds and even ping pong sized hail! We quickly stepped out of the tent and in the distance we saw thunderheads rolling our way and already heard a rumble of thunder! (Fun Fact: the last time we were at this site it was a Tornado Watch).
We were in a bit of a predicament now. Our tent was on top of an exposed rock, which really isn’t the best spot when there is the chance of 75 kilometre per hour winds! We also didn’t want to place it near the trees either so we moved the tent to a low spot between two rocks which was a better option in general during a potential thunderstorm. As the storm approached we hid inside and played the card game war to pass the time and help settle our nerves. Lucky for us, the storm seemed to go around us for the most part. At 8:00pm the storm moved off completely and we ventured out of the tent with just enough light to have a couple of Kind Bars for supper and brush our teeth.
Wildlife Sightings: Sandhill Crane, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, Wood Duck, Herring Gull, Marbled Grasshopper, Blue Jay, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Raven, People, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Turkey Vulture, American Crow
Remember to: No remember to today!
DAY # 11: McGregor Bay (East Channel) to O.S.A Lake
Weather: Partly cloudy with strong west winds by afternoon. High: 24 Celsius Low: 21 Celsius
We didn’t sleep very well at all. We woke up last night at 10:00pm to tighten the tent, and woke up a few more times before the alarm went off at 6:00 am. We ventured out of the tent in the pre dawn, had breakfast with tea, and were on the water by 8:00 am to get ahead of some forecasted west winds. Today is our longest day at 21 kilometres of scheduled paddling and portaging. Paddling south on McGregor Bay it was calm in the early morning and we saw some more cottages.
As we neared the Blue Ridge Mountains and the 905 metre portage that takes us to Baie Fine (pronounced Bay Finn) the breeze picked up from the west. The portage was really easy as it was a low spot that included a creek that cut into the mountain. While hiking along the portage we observed markers on the ground indicating the location of the underground powerline . We arrived on Baie Fine and paddled east as the winds increased at our backs. This was our first visit to Baie Fine and it was neat having the Blue Ridge to our left and the Killarney Ridge to our right. This was also our first time ever paddling in a fjord! Check that one off the list!
Thanks to the wind we arrived at the eastern end of Baie Fine in no time. We portaged the 230 metre, followed by the 700 metre portage bringing us to Artist Lake. We also took a side trip up “The Pig” portage to see Topaz Lake. Topaz is a small beautiful lake with blue green water.
Back on Artist Lake it was quite shallow and marshy with some mudflats. Along the next portage, a steep 185 metre, we met a group of high school students and their teacher from Meaford, Ontario. For the most part they were paddling the same route we were but instead they were doing it to earn their high school credit! What a great opportunity that we never had while attending high school!
After a quick 110 metre portage, followed by a short paddle across Muriel Lake, we arrived at our last portage for the day, an uneventful 595 metre into O.S.A Lake. O.S.A Lake is probably the most popular lake in the park as it is completely surrounded by white mountains and has clear blue waters. Because of these attributes it is also the hardest lake to reserve due to its popularity. The initials O.S.A stands for “Ontario Society of Artists” harkening back to when Group of Seven artist A.Y Jackson petitioned to the government to protect the lake (then called Trout Lake) from being logged. This was our second visit to O.S.A Lake (the first back in 2007) and this time around it was very windy! The wind was so strong that if we had to paddle into the head winds it would have been very difficult, if not impossible. We paddled with the wind at our backs as we passed sites hoping to get the island campsite. It was taken.
We decided to try our luck and go for the last campsite on the lake’s southeast shore and pray it wasn’t taken. If it was occupied we would then have to turn around and battle the winds trying to find an unoccupied site. We were lucky the site wasn’t taken and we landed on a nice sandy beach, quite earlier than expected thanks to the wind, at 2:30 pm.
This was the same site we stayed at back in 2007 and wow has it changed! When we first camped here it was a brand new site that had very little foot traffic and the ground was soft with lichen. On our return visit the site was very well trodden and even some of the trees were taken down and turned into seating. The site was still decent with a great firepit. The only issue was trying to find a spot for the tent.
The flat spot for the tent was next to a dead tree, and in these winds we didn’t want to risk it. Instead we decided on a spot further back from the site and out of the wind. Exploring her surroundings and scanning the lake with binoculars, Marianne saw a red canoe way over on the opposite shoreline, no doubt it was someone waiting out the wind. For the rest of the sunny afternoon we just chillaxed around the site. The wind calmed down around 5:30pm and we sat around the firepit and had a couple of freeze dried meals for supper. Around this time we noticed that the red canoe on the opposite shore was owned by a solo canoeist who finally entered the lake again and began paddling west. Hopefully he was staying on this lake tonight. For us, it was time to enjoy our last night in Killarney as we stared out over the water and watched the setting sun leave a warm glow over the land.
Wildlife Sightings: Pileated Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Turkey Vulture, Red Squirrel, Wood Duck, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, Herring Gull, People
Remember to: Back Packers Pantry Cinnamon Muesli with Milk tastes better with cold water added.
DAY # 12: O.S.A Lake to George Lake launch
Weather: Partly sunny and calm. 19 Celsius
We had a good sleep last night which is rare for us on our last night before heading back to the car. We woke up before sunrise and were back on the calm waters of O.S.A Lake at dawn. We decided to go back to George Lake via Killarney Lake instead of the unofficial portage that goes straight from O.S.A to George Lake. After a 455 metre portage into Killarney Lake we continued to paddle across great scenery and sites that had people still asleep in their tents, or who were just venturing out. It was a very nice paddle and our eyes soaked in as much of the picturesque landscape as possible in the early morning light.
The next portage was a 380 metre that ran along the Chikanishing River. Even though the river was only a trickle of water we could definitely feel the temperature drop as we walked beside it. We returned to Freeland Lake which we last saw a whole twelve days ago. Paddling through the watershield and lily pads we noticed that the fall colours were just starting to change along the lush shoreline. One last portage for the trip, the easy 80 metre portage that included a dock, and we were back on George Lake. Here we saw more recreational paddlers out including someone in a kayak.
Approaching the George Lake launch we could smell fires from the campground. Arriving at the launch we unloaded our gear from the canoe, and had one last look at the backcountry before heading back to the car. It was then off to the campground showers (which felt absolutely amazing!), followed by lunch at the Hungry Bear restaurant in French River.
Though it went incredibly fast, this was our longest canoe trip ever. Being our fourth trip to Killarney we probably won’t be back for awhile as we have a lot more routes in Ontario to explore!
Wildlife Sightings: Common Loon, Herring Gull, Blue Jay, Northern Raven, American Crow, People, Barred Owl
Remember to: Bring more toilet paper. Marianne used the last two squares this morning and if it wasn’t for that quarter roll we found in her rain jacket we would’ve been in trouble!
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