Triplogs / Triplog#36 / Days 3&4 / Days 5&6 / Days 7&8 / Day 9
Lake Opeongo(IN) - Merchant L - Big Trout L - Hogan L - Big Crow L- Lake Lavieille - Dickson L - Lake Opeongo(OUT)
Day 9 - Big Crow Lake - Resupply Mission
Sat. September 16th
Temperature Readings:
7am: 8.8°C
3:45pm: 21.7°C
Spruce and Hemlock populated our campsite
We were both up shortly before 7am, today, we were headed to Big Crow Lake. I had never been there and was looking forward to seeing it for the first time. More importantly, we were getting re-supplied, both fresh and de-hydrated foods, plus refill of wine.
We had arranged with a fellow AA member and good friend, "Racoon", to re-supply us. He would be coming up from Opeongo for the weekend. Another AA member and good friend of mine, "Mike B', mentioned that he would like to make a weekend of it too, and link up with us. It was cool and damp that morning as the air was saturated with fog. I went down with coffee and camera in hand, to wait and watch the sun break through the morning mist. September is one of the best times of the year to catch morning mist, and I wasn't going to miss this. Within 15 minutes I had a glorious sunrise, complete with a lone loon calling a morning wake-up call. Algonquin Park has given me many magical moments, and this was one of them. I didn't stay too long to enjoy the moment, as I heard more wildlife; Joan squawking at me, "Come on its time to pack up and go!".
Another beautiful misty morning greeted us, this time on Hogan Lake
I must've still been in awe of the sunrise, for when we landed at the portage, and began to un-load our gear, I suddenly realized my bungie cords were not in the canoe. I had left them onshore! I instructed Joan to carry on with her first load, I had to paddle back and get the cords. I didn't need two people to paddle back in a hurry, my energy level was such that I paddled hard non-stop all the way back to the campsite, then hard again, back to the portage. I needed the good workout., and made the round-trip in 35 minutes. I was so fired up for the day ahead, I took my new found bungie cords and lashed my paddles, rod, and canoe seats to the canoe, picked up my craft and charged up the Hogan Lake escalator. I made it to the canoe rest, and gratefully used it. I took the "Mike B" approach to canoe rests. 30 seconds of rest, no more than a minute...then off again. I find that extremely short rests are beneficial. You give your chance a body to recuperate, without losing the strength and stamina that the adrenaline rush gives you. I adjusted the positions of the paddles, and put the canoe back on my shoulders, and headed up the trail again. About 20 minutes into my journey, I came across a very mucky spot on the portage, that stank terribly of what I suspected was moose. I looked around, and saw moose tracks all over the place. Some underbrush was laid flat too. There was un-identifiable impressions in the mud as well. Maybe a moose rolling around in the mud like a pig? The odour that hung in the air was very strong, I guessed that all the noise that Joan and I heard the moose make the night before, had happed at this very spot. Interesting. I picked up my canoe again, and plodded onwards. It was about 12:30pm, when I was about halfway through the portage on my second carry, when I came across some snakes sunning themselves on the trail, just before a section of boardwalks...it was on a flat part of the trail too, which was a relief, as it had grown hot, it wasn't just me sweating under the strain of the portage, the sun was blazing, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the air was very near to being hot..nearly 25°C that day. It's too bad, we spent most of the 'day' on the trail, carrying gear across the portage.
This boardwalk along the height of the portage was old,
and still in good condtion to traverse
Young gartner snakes sun themselves along the trail
It was 1:15pm when I arrived at the last leg of the trail(with my second carry), where the portage re-joins the cart trail. I was roughly 500m away from Big Crow Lake. Mike B had offered to meet us at the portage, hopefully he might help us out. I mentioned that I figured we would be there between 1 & 2 pm. We were pretty much on time. I left the canoe behind(Secretly hoping Mike would help me out), and carried my barrel over the last bit of the trail. Mere minutes from the landing, I ran into Mike, walking up the trail, all smiles. "Hey, how's it going? Where's your canoe?" "Good to see you, its a few hundred meters back", I said. "Okee Dokee", and Mike kept going, what a buddy! Thank you Sir! About 5 minutes later, I plunked down my gear at the landing. Joan and Mike's wife Laurie were chatting up a storm. I sat back, and waited for Mike, I was tired. I didn't see much of Joan on the trail that day, my bungie mishap messed up the timing on everything, but Joan completed the portage with minimal pain to her knees. Her legs seemed to be getting stronger with the exercise, plus the portage over to La Muir, several days earlier, had been ideally flat. Not 10 minutes later, Mike showed up with my canoe ...awesome Relaxing time was over. With a little bit of help, it had taken us about three and a half hours to conquer the 3750m portage. We didn't see anyone on the portage at all, except for Mike. We didn't even see anybody on Hogan, except for the voice I heard on our second day on Hogan, as I stumbled upon our neighbouring campsite.
A canoe rest, just before the cart trail intersect
Here comes my friend Mike B, looking for a canoe!
We loaded up our canoe, and followed Mike & Laurie out onto the lake. The sky was blue, and the lake was blue too, what a gorgeous day it was, to meet up with friends and to paddle such a pretty lake. We arrived at Mike's campsite, just before 3pm, a beautiful large campsite it was, with a fantastic beach, next to the outlet of the Crow river. I was surprised by all the people, the re-supply mission had turned into a full-blown AA gathering. Some familiar faces were there; Mike B & Laurie, Stainless, and Dave Harman(Canoe Builder), there were some new faces too, Salvelinus, and Guncho, folks I had talked with for months and years, meeting them for the first time in person...lots of fun it was.
The view of Big Crow Lake from the put-in(Portage from Hogan Lake)
Paddling Big Crow Lake, Note: the old abandoned fire-tower,
located at the top of the ridge
Racoon was not there! it was 3pm and he hadn't arrived, before I could grow grey hairs, Racoon showed up at 3:03pm, barely ten minutes after we showed up, he also brought along another AA'er, he had met on Opeongo on the way up; Swede!Just as Racoon and Swede arrived, Racoon mentioned that he had to leave! Racoon pulled out a shrimp ring and a few beers, and passed them around for all to enjoy, while Joan and I went through the supplies that had been brought to us. Some fresh carrots and salad and steaks were among the choices of fresh foods Racoon brought to us. I couldn't believe it, in less than 2 hours, Racoon left(with Swede), as they headed back to Opeongo! Incredible! Racoon came all the way up Opeongo, met up with Swede, who was on an island with a dead motor for his canoe, then together the portaged over to Proulx and paddled all the way upto Big Crow Lake, then two hours later turn around and head back to Opeongo! Machines! That what these guys were, machines!
Racoon(on Shore), and Swede, showed up less than 10 minutes
after we arrived, the timing of these two machines, was phenomenal
Joan & I expected two or three people to meet up with us,
altogether there was ten of us, Algonquinites like ourselves not
willing to pass up the oppertunity to go to The Park
Joan and I gave some of the food back to Racoon to drop back off at my vehicle, as we had too much..and didn't want to drag too much extra food through The Park. We bid Swede and Racoon farewell, and then began the process of setting up our tent for a two night stay. Our various tasks complete, Joan & I, followed Mike & Laurie over to the Big Crow Cabin to check it out. The cabin was occupied, the folks there were kind to let us walk in and look around, we also visited the spring which is a 3 minute walk from the cabin...fresh water was secured from the spring, and it was cold and clean!
The beautiful beach at the campsite on Big Crow Lake
5:17pm, Racoon & Swede depart, what awesome machines of power:
In and out from Opeongo in one afternoon!
It was a great night that night around the fire. Relating stories of recent and past trips into Algonquin Park, talk of the forum, who was doing what and going where. Mike was feeding me some really good drinks and it wasn't too long before I found myself feeling really happy. It is a rare thing for me(to drink), and it was fun. What made it special was that we were surrounded by good friends, who all had reason to feel good; the weather had been so fine, we had met up together, safely, and all was well. This day was also the warmest of our entire trip. It was the best day weather wise, we had. The entire group had come to Big Crow on Friday night and they were leaving the next morning, which was Sunday morning. We were scheduled to stay one more night, alone on Big Crow Lake. It was very late into the evening when we all finally went to bed.
The Big Crow Lake cabin
The history of the Big Crow Lake Cabin
The Big Crow Lake Re-Supply mission was a big success,
even the weather cooperated!