10 - 16 September 2005. Charlie Parmelee, Doug McDougal, Jon Young, and Jack Voss. Trip report by Jack (so you KNOW it's all true)
We left early on Saturday morning the 10th, and at breakfast as we rolled along. I'd fixed sausage & egg biscuits, coffee from McDonald's - after checking to be sure that Swampus Ptomainnicus wasn’t cooking inside. We’re headed to the northeast corner of Giche Gumi, just south of Wawa. Lakes Fenton & Treeby, and several others a few portages in.
The first night was critical. There is a camp site on the first lake, but if it was already occupied, we would then have to portage and find a camp site in strange territory and failing light. So we elected to camp at Rabbit Blanket Provincial Campground. Canadian provincial campgrounds are developed about the same as those here in the states. Showers, flush terlets, picnic tables, etc.
Sunday morning, we drove to the put in site - well, about 150 yards close - and carried gear down to the water. We had a tail wind for the first lake. Finding the first portage was fairly easy. Finding the second and third portages were more difficult. For some dark reason, Canadians camouflage portages by placing the sign not at the water’s edge where it is visible, but up away from the shore. And, it’s in the trees positioned so that you have to peer up a specific tunnel of vision to see the sign in the shade. I think that for a Canadian Ranger’s holidays, they allow them to sit, unobserved, near portages so they can laugh, quietly of course, while paddlers try to unravel the maze. Just a guess, though.
The site we selected is on the point of a ridge. That’s point as measured both horizontally and vertically, it’s on the end of a ridge. Charlie and I slung our hammocks near the side where we climbed up from the water. You had to grab tree roots hanging out of the hillside to make your way up. Doug & Jon pitched their tents in an area that sloped only slightly, near the cooking area.
The pie’ce de resistance of ths site is a granite ledge about 7 feet wide running for about 20 feet along an edge of the cooking area. It was our front porch. We’d sit there and watch the lake, clouds, smoke, the moon, and billions and billions of stars. "We will have our brandy, seegars, and Scotch here in the study, Jeeves."
Several days, we had a lot of wind and whitecaps. But, we paddled anyway. There was always a partly protected area near a shore that was good enough to make our way up and down the lakes.
Granite is the predominant feature of the countryside here. Lots of it, and as much up and down as side by side. Lakes are deep and cold. Often, you can still see scars of glaciers on the rocks. Loons and eagles are around. Caribou, moose, and beavers too. Frankly - it’s God’s country.
The whole trip was a long time of paddling, portaging, and relaxing. By the time I got home, I needed two days on the massage cushion to untie the knots in my back. In between - I took naps to catch back up.
This area is virtually identical to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and much less populated. It's also a day closer, meaning two days less on hte road per trip.
We left early on Saturday morning the 10th, and at breakfast as we rolled along. I'd fixed sausage & egg biscuits, coffee from McDonald's - after checking to be sure that Swampus Ptomainnicus wasn’t cooking inside. We’re headed to the northeast corner of Giche Gumi, just south of Wawa. Lakes Fenton & Treeby, and several others a few portages in.
The first night was critical. There is a camp site on the first lake, but if it was already occupied, we would then have to portage and find a camp site in strange territory and failing light. So we elected to camp at Rabbit Blanket Provincial Campground. Canadian provincial campgrounds are developed about the same as those here in the states. Showers, flush terlets, picnic tables, etc.
Sunday morning, we drove to the put in site - well, about 150 yards close - and carried gear down to the water. We had a tail wind for the first lake. Finding the first portage was fairly easy. Finding the second and third portages were more difficult. For some dark reason, Canadians camouflage portages by placing the sign not at the water’s edge where it is visible, but up away from the shore. And, it’s in the trees positioned so that you have to peer up a specific tunnel of vision to see the sign in the shade. I think that for a Canadian Ranger’s holidays, they allow them to sit, unobserved, near portages so they can laugh, quietly of course, while paddlers try to unravel the maze. Just a guess, though.
The site we selected is on the point of a ridge. That’s point as measured both horizontally and vertically, it’s on the end of a ridge. Charlie and I slung our hammocks near the side where we climbed up from the water. You had to grab tree roots hanging out of the hillside to make your way up. Doug & Jon pitched their tents in an area that sloped only slightly, near the cooking area.
The pie’ce de resistance of ths site is a granite ledge about 7 feet wide running for about 20 feet along an edge of the cooking area. It was our front porch. We’d sit there and watch the lake, clouds, smoke, the moon, and billions and billions of stars. "We will have our brandy, seegars, and Scotch here in the study, Jeeves."
Several days, we had a lot of wind and whitecaps. But, we paddled anyway. There was always a partly protected area near a shore that was good enough to make our way up and down the lakes.
Granite is the predominant feature of the countryside here. Lots of it, and as much up and down as side by side. Lakes are deep and cold. Often, you can still see scars of glaciers on the rocks. Loons and eagles are around. Caribou, moose, and beavers too. Frankly - it’s God’s country.
The whole trip was a long time of paddling, portaging, and relaxing. By the time I got home, I needed two days on the massage cushion to untie the knots in my back. In between - I took naps to catch back up.
This area is virtually identical to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and much less populated. It's also a day closer, meaning two days less on hte road per trip.
