Canoeing, The Massasauga Provincial Park, Three Legged Lake to Clear Lake

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If you are a canoeist and your idea of natural beauty includes water, rock and trees, this meetup is for you!

We will put in at the Three Legged Lake access point, then travel via Spider Lake and Frog Pond to a campsite on an island in Clear Lake. There will be a maximum of 6 participants.

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Itinerary
Friday, drive four hours to Oastler Lake Provincial Park, near Parry Sound, and camp there.

Saturday, 8:30 am, get backcountry permits (your share of campsite fees must be paid to trip host at this time), load rental canoes if applicable and head for Three Legged Lake access point. 9:30 am start paddling. Paddle through Three Legged Lake, Spider Lake and Frog Pond into Clear Lake to an island in Clear Lake.

Sunday, 8:00 am, start paddling back to Three Legged Lake access point. Boats rented from Oastler Lake must be returned by 2:00 pm. If you are renting somewhere else, be sure you know when your rented equipment is due back. 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
Novice canoeists 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 is approximately 13.5 km of flatwater paddling each day plus portages of 370 m, 90 m and 165 m (total 625 m) each day. No motorboats are allowed on Spider Lake, Frog Pond and Clear Lake.

The portages are not difficult, but for the long one especially, proper footwear is required--no flip-flops.

Cost (estimate based on 6 attendees)
Cost of campsites: $9.37 (Friday night car camping) + $12.43 (Saturday night backcountry camping) = $21.80

Additional cars $13 each (1 car parks free per campsite at the campground), to be shared by all campers.

Actual cost of campsites will be determined by how many people come on this meetup and how many extra cars we have to pay for.

Add 2 day canoe rental if required.

Shared gas is extra, arrange with your carpool. Suggestion: $0.05/km.

Canoe Rental
Oastler Lake Provincial Park: 705-378-2401. 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 the next day, late fees apply for the first hour late. If late by one hour or more you'll be charged for an additional day. The office is open only until 4 pm Sunday. These are Kevlar canoes, approximately 50 lbs.

Adventure Guide, Waterloo: 519-886-3121

MEC Kitchener and MEC Barrie: 1 (888) 847-0770, $35/day

Car/Canoe/Tent 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.

Tent sharing is also encouraged. In the campground, we are limited to 3 tents per site. In the backcountry, more tents means more potential damage to the campsite. Let's practise "no trace" camping!

Please record arrangements in the linked shared document (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sLyELbcNCyHA0_XFf70fw54r-2XXDA2l3aT-UQlkqB0/edit#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.