Is It Spring Yet?

January 3rd and it's a balmy -22C and my thoughts drift to spring and the prospects of a new canoeing season.  The past year saw yet again more excellent canoe trips in Algonquin.  The first was my traditional spring fishing trip with my dad.  This trip we decided on fishing Cedar Lake in the north part of the Park.  It was touch and go as the day before our trip started reports had the Brent Road as still impassible due to some remaining snow and very muddy sections.  Fortunately the road was passable for the start of our trip and the ice had also just gone out two days prior.  That is one of the challenges when planning a trip in early May, the ice may or may not be out yet, especially on the big lakes.

My second trip was in late July with my Dad and my eldest son who was almost three at the time.  This was his first overnight camping trip.  We did a really easy trip just heading into Crotch Lake for three days.  It was an excellent trip with great weather and stellar site and my son just loved it.

The last trip of the year was my annual summer trip with my Dad.  We headed back out of Cedar Lake again and did a nice little loop through Catfish and Robinson lakes.

So once again I find myself pouring over my map and my list of possible trips to do this coming season.  The fishing trip is already decided upon.  This year we are heading over to Grand Lake on the east side of the Park.  We'll set up camp at the Achray Campground and do day trips out of Grand trying our luck in Clemow, Rowan and the other small lakes in the areas.

This year's trip with my eldest son will be to Little Eagle Lake which has one nice little site on it and is an easy paddle and portage from the Magnetawan access point.  Not sure if I'll take my youngest son this year as he will just be two and not sure how he will be sleeping overnight in a tent, but time will tell.

Once again I will be planning a trip with my Dad in mid-to-late August.  This year I have eighteen possible trips planned and once again the challenge will be widdeling it down to one and saving the rest for another time.  I will once again post my top five or six and let people vote on what they think is the best trip for this coming year.

This year I also hope to get on a trip with my wife.  It has been too long since we have been on a trip together.  The last trip we did together in the Park was 2004 up to Lake Traverse and the last trip was the next year in Temagami.  So here's to hoping we can get away this year for a few days.

I'm also considering a solo trip this May probably after the long weekend.  Starting at the Tim River access point I'll head down to Rosebary Lake then down to Mubwayaka and then back up to Tim Lake, adding a few more new routes to my Park coverage.  This of course will depend if the wife will let me escape for a few days.

Over the next few months I'll try and post more logs from past canoe trips and will continue to work the Web site and will try harder over the next year to post more regular updates.

Happy paddling!