Canoeing, Massasauga Provincial Park, Three Legged Lake to Clear Bay
For those of you who missed the Massasauga meetup in June, here is a second chance. This trip will be an extended version of the Massasauga Provincial Park trip from this past June. This time we will paddle through some interior lakes to one of the inner bays of Georgian Bay.
Itinerary:
Friday, July 26, 5:30 pm, drive 4 hours to Oastler Lake Provincial Park, Parry Sound, for car camping that night.
Saturday, 7:30 am, have breakfast at camp, load rental canoes if applicable, head to Three Legged Lake access point. 9:30 am start paddling. Paddle through Three Legged Lake, Spider Lake, Frog Pond and Clear Lake to campsites 205 and 203 on Clear Bay, part of Georgian Bay.
Sunday, 8:00 am, be packed up and start paddling back to access point. People renting boats from Oastler Lake will need to get away in good time to have boats returned by 2:00 pm. A group lunch at a nearby restaurant (Parry Sound?) is a great way to finish the trip. Arrival time at KW will be approximately early-to-mid evening.
Difficulty:
First time canoeists are welcome. See Tim's Backpackers' Bootcamp Packing List (v2) (http://files.meetup.com/1606190/Backpackers%20Bootcamp%20Packing%20listv2.pdf) for a list of what to pack. The route includes 16 km of flatwater paddling each day plus portages of 370 m, 90 m, 165 m and 240 m, total 865 m each day. No motorboats are allowed on Spider Lake and Clear Lake, but they are allowed in the inner bays of Georgian Bay, where we will camp Saturday night. Kayakers are welcome but should keep the portages in mind.
Estimated Cost:
$8 (Friday night car camping, $40 split between number of campers) + $11.75 (Saturday backcountry camping) + $35 (shared gas) + $42 (canoe rental, 1/2 of two day from rental from Oastler Lake PP) = $96.75
$54.75 without canoe rental
Actual cost per person will depend on the number of attendees.
Note: Due to transporting canoes, one canoe per car, numerous cars are required, adding to the cost of gas.
Car/canoe sharing:
Carpooling is encouraged. Feel free to use the comment space below to organize. When RSVPing "yes", please indicate whether you can offer or need a ride, whether you are bringing or renting a canoe or need a paddling partner, and whether you have a tent to share or need a spot in someone's tent.
Please record arrangements in the linked shared document (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Av_P0uL39agvdERQQ0hkQno0UndmN1JWQ1JwQjN6NGc#gid=0). The event host will assist in matching drivers and passengers during the week leading up to the trip, after registration is closed. Participants are welcome to discuss arrangements and modify them.
Canoe rental:
Oastler Provincial Park, 705-378-2401, $42/day. They don't deliver to our access point but provide straps to carry rentals on car roofs. Their rental day goes from 2 pm to 2 pm, overnight in other words. They open at 8:30 am. If renting for Saturday, if a canoe is available before 2 pm you can pick it up early. However, if you bring it back after 2 pm Sunday, late fees apply for the first hour late. If late by two hours you'll be charged for an additional day. The office is only open until 4 pm Sunday. These are Kevlar canoes, approximately 50 lbs. It takes a credit card to reserve, no charge is made at the time. No cancellation fee if cancelled 48 hours in advance.
Swift Canoes (http://swiftoutside.com/stores/rentals.php), Waubaushene, 705-538-0881, $35/day, $10 for kit to strap to car roof. Hours of operation could be an issue.
Adventure Guide, Waterloo, 519-886-3121, $40/day ($80/weekend). For weekend rentals you can pickup Friday and return Monday. They also sell Massasauga Park maps, $10.
Note: Last year Adventure Guide, Waterloo, rented heavy Royalex canoes but given their liberal pickup/return policies, they may be the best option. See info on portages in Difficulty section above.
Sojourn Outdoors (http://sojournoutdoors.com/Rentals.htm), Barrie, (705) 739-9694, from $30/day, tie downs and foam blocks included. Hours of operation, in particular return times Sunday, could be an issue.