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
