About us
This group will be deleted in December 2026, and activity will move to https://www.reddit.com/r/KW_Backcountry.[ https://www.reddit.com/r/KW_Backcountry.](https://www.reddit.com/r/KW_Backcountry.)
This is a painful decision, but after 16 years, MeetUp has become increasingly less useful and more “extractive” for groups like this.
Reddit is a better home for our community. I hope to see you there.
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Are you interested in overnight backcountry travel? If you long to sleep under the stars, do multi-day treks in the wilderness, or paddle all day and sleep on beaches at night you have come to the right place.
All levels of experience are invited though some trips may not be appropriate for all members. There is an emphasis on getting out there especially on weekends and helping people expand their abilities in backcountry travel.
Some activities will include backpacking, kayaking, canoeing, ski touring, snowshoeing, and bicycle touring.
Come join us, learn more about traveling in the backcountry and find friends to explore with. We look forward to seeing you!
Featured event
North Tea Lake weekend getaway
I have been travelling to Algonquin for nearly 20 years but yet to canoe North Tea Lake. This year that changes!
This route has a nice mix of terrain. It starts with a short dash across Kawawaymog Lake. It then spends the next couple of hours meandering through a twisty river (my favourite paddling) where there will be lots of wildlife spotting opportunities. Then we reach North Tea Lake where we will cover most of our distance. We will paddle all the way across North Tea Lake and tuck into a more cozy-looking Magnotosi Lake/Bay for the night.
This route has two short portages, 65 m & 255 m. If you are stuck with heavy gear, this trip may be a perfect match since there is fair little portaging (though you still need to be able to carry it on the portages).
The biggest challenge if foresee is crossing North Tea Lake which gives wind and waves many opportunities to touch our boats. Hopefully, we have calm days or wind at our backs.
This route is suitable for most. That is not to say experience is not valuable. Having an experienced paddler in the stern of the boat is very helpful; errors are corrected with power, which can make the day tiring.
Bugs are always a wildcard, but I expect them to be on their fall recession. Weather is equally hard to predict this far out, but season norms mean we should have cool days(which pair nicely with the warm PDF) and nights that are cold but above freezing. Perfect weather to warm up next to the fire.
Participant expectations
- You must fill in the trip planning spreadsheet.
- You must arrange your own boats. There is an outfitter on the trailhead (details in the itinerary) where you rent a canoe. Use the spreadsheet to find partners to share a boat with.
- You must wear a PDF (life preservers) while on the water.
- Everyone is expected to be “self-sufficient”. That is, be prepared to make your own food and supply your own gear. For gear, you can use the spreadsheet to look for people to loan you items you may need.
- You should have a map covering the route. Personally, I use a GPS app on my cell phone(Gaia GPS, though other apps work just as well) with data downloaded ahead of time. Do not assume you will have cell services; ensure you have the route downloaded or bring a paper map.
- I will send out a logistics email the weekend of the 19th. If you do not see any email from by noon on Sunday(Sep 20), reach out to me using Meetup chat; Meetup’s email can be unreliable.
Itinerary
- Sunday, Sep 19th: Noon
- I will review all details on the spreadsheet and make a logical plan for boats, carpools, hotels, and canoes. If you have not filled out the spreadsheet, you will not be included in the planning.
- Sunday, Sep 20th: Noon
- You should see my logistics email by noon with all of the planning from Saturday. If you didn’t see this message, get in touch with me using the MeetUp chat.
- Tuesday, Sep 22nd
- Anyone who does not confirm they have received the logistics email will be assumed to not be going and will be dropped from the trip.
- Friday night, Sep 25
- If you are not a morning person like myself, you can join me in getting a hotel room in South River on Friday night to make the morning boat pickup easier to manage. Hotel TBD later.
- Saturday, Sep 26
- We meet at the put-in parking lot at 10:30 a.m. https://maps.app.goo.gl/oMFYBscyuWjat2mc7
- In that parking lot, you will find Voyageur Quest Outfitting. I will be renting my canoe from them, but you can also find other rental places on the way.
- We will be in the water at 11 a.m.
- I estimate there will be 4-5 hours of paddling. If we start on time, there should be time to have some breaks along the way and time to set up before dark.
- Saturday, Sep 27
- Reverse the route and head home relaxed. :)
Money
The deposit covers the following expenses
$12.43: Per person daily campsite fee
$7.71: 1/3 of the daily parking fee (assuming three people per car)
$2.43: 1/4 of the $9.73 campsite reservation fee
= $22.57
- PayPal 3.49% + $0.49
= $23.85 <- Amount I will ask for - Meetup 3.7% + $1.25
= $25.98 <- Amount MeetUp will charge you
In addition you will need to factor in
- The cost of any canoe rentals (estimate $40-$70 X 2 days / 2 people per boat)
- Gas money for the drive up. Passengers and driver should split the gas cost evenly.
- Any food along the way
- Hotel room for Friday night if driving up then.
Carpools
I will match people up into logical but minimal number of cars late Saturday Sept 19th.
Refund policy
If you drop before Sep 17th you will get a full refund as that gives other people time to sign up.
After that time we will retain the greater of $10(late drop fee) or nonrefundable expenses(park fees) and refund any remain amount.
I look forward to seeing you on the water!
Upcoming events
13
- CA$23.85
North Tea Lake weekend getaway
Algonquin Provincal Park, Canoe Access Point 1, Ontario, ON, CAI have been travelling to Algonquin for nearly 20 years but yet to canoe North Tea Lake. This year that changes!
This route has a nice mix of terrain. It starts with a short dash across Kawawaymog Lake. It then spends the next couple of hours meandering through a twisty river (my favourite paddling) where there will be lots of wildlife spotting opportunities. Then we reach North Tea Lake where we will cover most of our distance. We will paddle all the way across North Tea Lake and tuck into a more cozy-looking Magnotosi Lake/Bay for the night.
This route has two short portages, 65 m & 255 m. If you are stuck with heavy gear, this trip may be a perfect match since there is fair little portaging (though you still need to be able to carry it on the portages).
The biggest challenge if foresee is crossing North Tea Lake which gives wind and waves many opportunities to touch our boats. Hopefully, we have calm days or wind at our backs.
This route is suitable for most. That is not to say experience is not valuable. Having an experienced paddler in the stern of the boat is very helpful; errors are corrected with power, which can make the day tiring.
Bugs are always a wildcard, but I expect them to be on their fall recession. Weather is equally hard to predict this far out, but season norms mean we should have cool days(which pair nicely with the warm PDF) and nights that are cold but above freezing. Perfect weather to warm up next to the fire.
Participant expectations
- You must fill in the trip planning spreadsheet.
- You must arrange your own boats. There is an outfitter on the trailhead (details in the itinerary) where you rent a canoe. Use the spreadsheet to find partners to share a boat with.
- You must wear a PDF (life preservers) while on the water.
- Everyone is expected to be “self-sufficient”. That is, be prepared to make your own food and supply your own gear. For gear, you can use the spreadsheet to look for people to loan you items you may need.
- You should have a map covering the route. Personally, I use a GPS app on my cell phone(Gaia GPS, though other apps work just as well) with data downloaded ahead of time. Do not assume you will have cell services; ensure you have the route downloaded or bring a paper map.
- I will send out a logistics email the weekend of the 19th. If you do not see any email from by noon on Sunday(Sep 20), reach out to me using Meetup chat; Meetup’s email can be unreliable.
Itinerary
- Sunday, Sep 19th: Noon
- I will review all details on the spreadsheet and make a logical plan for boats, carpools, hotels, and canoes. If you have not filled out the spreadsheet, you will not be included in the planning.
- Sunday, Sep 20th: Noon
- You should see my logistics email by noon with all of the planning from Saturday. If you didn’t see this message, get in touch with me using the MeetUp chat.
- Tuesday, Sep 22nd
- Anyone who does not confirm they have received the logistics email will be assumed to not be going and will be dropped from the trip.
- Friday night, Sep 25
- If you are not a morning person like myself, you can join me in getting a hotel room in South River on Friday night to make the morning boat pickup easier to manage. Hotel TBD later.
- Saturday, Sep 26
- We meet at the put-in parking lot at 10:30 a.m. https://maps.app.goo.gl/oMFYBscyuWjat2mc7
- In that parking lot, you will find Voyageur Quest Outfitting. I will be renting my canoe from them, but you can also find other rental places on the way.
- We will be in the water at 11 a.m.
- I estimate there will be 4-5 hours of paddling. If we start on time, there should be time to have some breaks along the way and time to set up before dark.
- Saturday, Sep 27
- Reverse the route and head home relaxed. :)
Money
The deposit covers the following expenses
$12.43: Per person daily campsite fee
$7.71: 1/3 of the daily parking fee (assuming three people per car)
$2.43: 1/4 of the $9.73 campsite reservation fee
= $22.57- PayPal 3.49% + $0.49
= $23.85 <- Amount I will ask for - Meetup 3.7% + $1.25
= $25.98 <- Amount MeetUp will charge you
In addition you will need to factor in
- The cost of any canoe rentals (estimate $40-$70 X 2 days / 2 people per boat)
- Gas money for the drive up. Passengers and driver should split the gas cost evenly.
- Any food along the way
- Hotel room for Friday night if driving up then.
Carpools
I will match people up into logical but minimal number of cars late Saturday Sept 19th.Refund policy
If you drop before Sep 17th you will get a full refund as that gives other people time to sign up.After that time we will retain the greater of $10(late drop fee) or nonrefundable expenses(park fees) and refund any remain amount.
I look forward to seeing you on the water!
1 attendee - CA$10.00
Thanksgiving on the High Falls Loop
Victoria Falls, Black River Rd, Washago, ON, CAThanksgiving a great time for a hike. The weather is cool, the bugs are gone, and the leaves are at their finest.
Join me this Thanksgiving to hike High Falls Loop, my favorite trail in Queen Elizabeth Wildlands Park.
This area of the park sees very few visitors but holds some delightful terrain and wildlife.
However this is a challenging trip. The trail can be hard to find/follow in many spots. There are muddy conditions, beaver dams, steep sections, cold, and bushy conditions. There is plenty of room for camping in the rough with no privies or other improvements.
Don't be scared off, I have traveled this route with numerous people over a decade and everyone has managed just fine.
REQUIREMENTS:
Participants must fill in the trip planning spreadsheet before Oct 3rd.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P9vomJeuceP8K5ma8apq0sYaR05J8H-o5imem50wO9Q/edit?gid=0#gid=0Physically this is a intermediate difficulty trip, but requires higher level of skills with high expectations of participants.
Due to navigational challenges, everyone must have a navigational quality map in some form, paper (plus compass) or GPS (see notes below on this), and know how to use these. This is for everyone's safety, I want to ensure that those who may become lost can independently travel and navigate.
Hunting may occur in some areas we pass through. I have never had a issue or close call but everyone must have a "Blaze Orange"(This is a legally defined color, no other orange will do) hat and/or vest. They are inexpensive and easy to get, Canadian Tire is one place to check.
I will send a logistics email out on or before Oct 4th but MeetUp's email is unreliable. You must confirm you have received that message of notified me you haven't by Oct 6th or I will assume you are not coming.
ITINERARY:
Saturday
10:30 AM, we will meet on/near Victoria Bridge. Parking is just before crossing the bridge.
https://goo.gl/maps/qGq3aKPT9VxPysKb7
We will hike on the Ganaraska Trail network to
Black Fly River Junction -> Along the Graveyard section of the Ganaraska Trail -> Black Fly Junction -> Hiker's Graveyard -> to an area near the three way junction that used to lead to SadowaSunday
We will continue around the High Falls loop returning to Hiker's Graveyard and continuing a little further to a lovely campsite about half way to Black Fly Junction.Monday
We will have a somewhat shorter hike back to the cars at Victoria Falls hopefully enriched by the land and company. If we feel like it we can return along the Ragged Rapids Trail.MAPS:
- You can find digital maps of the entire route here (download link near the bottom of the page).
https://www.explorethebackcountry.com/qewmap - If you have a paper copy of the map above feel free to bring that.
- I use the digital maps, they work very well with the GPS built into most cell phones.
I use the app from this site, https://www.avenzamaps.com/index.html, and in the app they have a "Store" where you can download the "Queen Elizabeth Wildlands" map for free. - The park is now providing a map which can be used the GPS enabled PDF reader (for example Avenza). https://www.ontarioparks.com/pdf/maps/queenelizabeth2wildlands/qe2-backcountry-hiking-canoe-routes.pdf
- Finally, the Ganraska club publishes this route in the Ondago app. Download the Wilderness section of the Ganaraska trail for this trip. https://www.igloocreations.com/ondago/app/bundles/GHTAWildernessClubMap3Of8/
MONEY:
I will collect a $10 deposit(plus what MeetUp charges) per person which I will return to those who attend the trip or drop out more than a week in advance.CARPOOLS AND GEAR SHARING:
Carpools/ride sharing and gear borrowing will be arranged though the spreadsheet(see above). You will know your arrangements in the logistics email you receive the weekend before the trip.I have enjoyed doing this route several times and look forward to sharing the experience.
--------------------------
After 10:00 AM October 3rd no one will be permitted to join, even if there are open spots.7 attendees - You can find digital maps of the entire route here (download link near the bottom of the page).
Past events
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