When COVID-19 hit Canada in 2020, we were still itching for adventure. We decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to explore our own beautiful country.
Our first stop was Algonquin Park where we decided to try some backcountry camping. Our parents had done backcountry camping before, but this was a new experience for Mikhaila and I.
We arrived at our put-in at Kioshowki Lake and began our adventure!
Our first segment of paddling was amazing with beautiful views and great weather – and then we reached our first portage…
Mikhaila and I had never portaged before, and we definitely did not know what we were doing at first! As the day went on with some trial and error we figured that the best strategy was to drop our gear, carry the canoes to the end of the trail, and then go back for our things.
We continued paddling on Mink Lake, and arrived at our campsite on Cauchon Lake. We set up camp and then spent the evening swimming, cooking dinner (and smores) over our campfire, taking in the beautiful scenery, and listening to the peaceful sounds of nothing but nature.
The next day we ended up paddling back to the mainland as there was a big storm coming in, and thank goodness we did! We woke up to the sound of heavy rain slowly getting closer and closer – we quickly packed up camp and got into the car just in time!
We decided to try this again in the summer of 2023 with one of our Australian cousins Jaime, but instead of camping, we just took a canoe trip on Opeongo Lake and Little Minnow Lake during the day.
By this point, Mikhaila and I were much more experienced and ready to take on the challenges of a portage!
This was a special trip because as we were driving back home, we were lucky enough to see a mother moose and her calf.
Both trips taught us many valuable lessons about backcountry camping. Here are some tips we learned in case you would like to try it:
- Plan ahead and pack light
- Whatever you take into the park you must take out as well. It is important to plan ahead so that you can pack everything you need while packing light enough to carry it during portages
- Bring food that is easy to prepare
- We brought food that was easy to prepare by just adding boiled water, as well as trail mix to snack on as we paddled
- Tie your food up at night
- It is important to tie up any food or anything scented in a tree at night. This is to prevent any animals from entering your camp looking for a late-night snack
We love experiencing the natural beauty of our own country, and find that at times we forget to explore “our own backyard”. Stay tuned to see what other adventures we go on in Canada!
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