What we’re about
Welcome to Portage & Paddle Ontario, a canoe-camping group for those interested in moderate backcountry canoe trips.
Typical excursions will be the base-camp style of backcountry adventure vs multi-day tripping. Destinations may include Algonquin (of course), Killarney, QEW, the Kawarthas and so on. For those interested in venturing beyond the usual places, we could consider other sites such as Quetico, Lake Superior, the New York Adirondacks and more. Suggestions are welcome.
A typical trip will consist of paddling / portaging to a site, setting up for a 3 - 4
night stay, and spending the days hiking, exploring by canoe, relaxing or whatever floats-your-boat (bad pun intended)
Sure, we might not experience as much of the park as would happen in a multi-site
trip, but base-camps have several advantages:
No need to worry about quasi-military itineraries; no need to obsess over gear
weight (within reason), allowing better food & more comfortable gear; greater flexibility in the choice of day excursions, all the while still enjoying the peace and beauty the backcountry has to offer.
While this group is open to people above 19 years of age, an of any experience level, members MUST:
- Own, or have access to, good quality equipment and clothing suitable for the
conditions - Dollar-Store gear is a bad idea.
- Be aware of, and be prepared to deal with, bugs and bears
- Be able to afford up to $150-$200 in costs such as park fees, rentals, gas, food and
supplies.
- Be reasonably physically fit
- Know and follow the general rules of the parks, respect nature, wildlife and other park-goers, & abide by the Leave-No-Trace principles.
UPDATE Apr 2017: About pets - While I'm a fan of 4-legged furry friends, based on member feedback, many others are not. I'll post a mixture of dogs-allowed / not-allowed trips and see how things pan out.
Trips will be planned so the driving does not coincide with cottage or holiday traffic. As such, your work schedule should allow for sufficient time-off.
Thanks for reading, and hope to see you on the water soon!
Glenn
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Crown-Land Paddle Camping (Musquash River)Needs location
*Update* (July 20)
New plan for parking, as I received info from some1 that went here recently.
Parking is not allowed at the launch point, so plan is to 1st drop off all ur gear at the same launch pt, then park 5km North of the launch pt at this location;
45°03'15.1"N 79°46'54.4"W
3639+M7G Georgian Bay, Ontario
To get back to the launch pt after parking, we can either shuttle the drivers back, or bike or walk back. I plan to bike back to the launch pt, so I can drop off other drivers there before I bike.
(parking anywhere is at your own risk, just like mine, as I am uncertain)
Alternate Option:
If it turns out we cant park at that spot either, or if any1 prefers to paddle a different route & meet us at the camp site, we can also park and launch boats from; Go Home Lake Marina.
-From there its a 6km paddle North past a lot of cottages,
-then portage past Flatrock Rapids,
-then 2km paddle East to Sandy Gray FallsDifficulty; Beginner-Intermediate
Since the landscape and waterflow is unknown, some experience is recommended. Note, you need to be able to carry all your own gear likely through a portage. Dont expect anyone to help, and pls be respectful not to hold up the group or your paddle partner. It may only be a 4km paddle, but there's the potential of 1 or 2 rapids we would need to go through or portage around.Exploring trip;
I've never been here, or heard of anyone that has gone here, so this is exploring a new area. Plans are not certain and adaptability may be needed. I'm basing my plan only from online maps of crown land and satelite view. There are many uncertainties which may alter the plan as we go, such as; parking, launch point, river water level, space for a camp site.Gear:
U will need to bring ur own boat + gear + food (unless u rent, or ask to share/ borrow ahead of time). I have some extra gear, so ask if u need.
-If you want to share a canoe or carpool, post a comment to see if any others.
-I suggest bringing a camping hammock, as there might not be flat space for a tent
-Dogs: I'll likely bring 2. More are welcomeCost
This is on crown land so camping is free and camp sites are undesignated. Possibility we will need to pay for parking, but unlikely.Plan
-Paddle North, then West on Musqush River
-Find somewhere to camp on the peninsula before the water falls (shown in photo scrnsht)
-Saturday; likely leave camp set up and go explore. Either portage beside the falls to get down and paddle further to explore, or leave canoes at the top of the falls, and hike down.
(also the option to bring all gear and camp further in, if all agree)Launch point;
Wahta Rd 9
(2km off hwy 400, North of Crooked Bay)
45.023395116003144, -79.78104155105397
26F9+9JH Georgian Bay, OntarioRSVP: By choosing to rsvp as going to this event, you acknowledge the agreement posted in the following link, stating the group and I do not hold any responsibility for any injuries/accidents etc.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eHmJu3JJVjeG01PBRBcyIE3V1T6N3koeuULeg8fc1WI/editI've done many trips like this, which is how I found all my favorite spots, so there may be uncertainties, but its worth it, and if u like exploring new places, join along.
