Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands - 2020 Pulk Pull

Adventure anyone?

When ice conditions permit, pulling a pulk (a.k.a. sled) over canoe routes can be an efficient/awesome means of traveling. That is what this trip is about. Although there are pulks/sleds specifically designed for this, any sled with means of tying your gear down and a low center of gravity should work. There are also a lot of online resources that can help you develop an appropriate pulk; it is easy to do.

Organizers will be monitoring ice conditions in the week leading up to the trip. If they are not suitable to travel we will leave the pulks at home and backpack along the trail.

Itinerary:
Saturday: 10:00a.m
We will meet at the Devils Lake Access Parking lot, strap on our snowshoes and pack up our sleds, and head out on Devils Lake. We will be following the canoe route over lakes and portages. Our ultimate goal is to camp looking over Wolf Lake (10 KM) that evening, but the hosts will make a decision around Sheldon Lake about reasonable destination. Snow and ice conditions, weather and group speed will all play into this.

Sunda
Return to parking lot by mid-afternoon and head home. Weather and time permitting we may be able to stop for something to eat as a group before making our way back to the warmth of our own homes.

Cost:
There are no park fees for QEW so this is an economical trip. I will collect $10 to make a reservation but that money will refunded if you attend the trip or drop before Jan 8th.
Shared gas cost is estimated at $20-$30

Gear:
This is a pulk pull trip so sleds are highly recommended, and pacing will be appropriate for them.
You must have snowshoes.
You should have a sleeping bag that is rated to -20C or colder.
You must wear NO COTTON, this should go without saying. It puts you at much greater risk of getting too cold and wet.

Before renting gear, please consider asking others on the trip if they have any to share or loan. The best way to do this is to note your needs on the spreadsheet linked to below.

Also note, given the heavier winter packs, sharing stoves and tents is highly recommended. If you still need to rent snowshoes or other gear there are the following options:

• MEC in Barrie has snowshoes and other gear - open Friday night until 9pm, closes Sunday at 5pm
• Adventure Guide in Waterloo also rents and provides a Friday to Monday time frame.

Use the shared Sheet to make ride and tent sharing arrangements.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_qh3hm2LC0Kbs-1bCpkt9BqUON1ehWwk9oYLJPb7qwM/edit?usp=sharing

Difficulty:
This should not be your first backpacking experience. This trip will be considered moderately difficult and participants should be comfortable traveling over frozen lakes. Do research into travel on frozen lakes if you don't have prior experience.

If we are lucky we will be able to pull our sleds in snowmobile tracks. Participants should also be prepared that we may not reach our objective.

Navigation:
If you have a GPS consider bringing it. A excellent map can be found at https://www.explorethebackcountry.com/qewmap

Better yet, if you have a smart-phone consider loading the “Avenza PDF Maps” app onto it. Within the app you can download the 'Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park Backcountry Map' map for free.

Final details:
When you RSVP please remember to answer questions in the spreadsheet. A logistics email will be sent out after the RSVP closes. As with all KW Backcountry Travel meetups, you are responsible for your own transportation, food, gear and personal safety. Gas expenses should be shared evenly between the driver and their passengers.