Heart of the Park - Kiosk to Opeongo - Algonquin Park Canoe Trip Report
Red Rock
end of the road
Day 18 – AUGUST 27 - Merchant to Happy Isle to Red Rock
340 m into Happy Isle
About 3.5 km. paddle across Happy Isle
1330m into Redrock
Day 19 – AUGUST 28- Red Rock to Opeongo - Home
1880 m. into Opeongo – home – water taxi 2:00 p.m.
click on any photo or map for full view
 |
| View from our Campsite on Red Rock |
Campsite Rating:
- Water Access: excellent -- pebbly , small beach, walk up short distance to site
- Tent Sites: 3 tents maybe 4
- Fire Pit - okay
- Firewood: lots of firewood
- Kybo - Way Up an incredibly long and steep hill
- Swimming - didn't swim so not sure how good it is; pebbly bottom to deeper water
- Scenery - pretty (I think everywhere in Algonquin is pretty)
 |
| Entrance to Red Rock Campsite |
 |
| Another sprawling site under huge hemlocks |
It was a very windy day on Merchant, but the sun was shining when we left in search of the short portage into Happy Isle. The 340 portage is marked by a huge round boulder you can see from way out on the lake. The sun shone directly on it and it glowed like a beacon. We watched people coming out of Happy Isle as we struggled in the waves. By the time we got to the landing they were gone.
The portage is well used and I was disappointed to see garbage and old clothes lying about. We cleaned up, had a bite to eat, and by the time we made it to Happy Isle with all our stuff the weather had turned nasty. Our first real rain in 18 days. We actually had to put on rain gear.
The whipping wind, sleeting rain and waves smacked against us in the small bay at the put-in to Happy Isle. Should we wait it out, try to get out onto the lake and paddle windward, or go to a close by campsite and see what happens?
There is a site just across the bay. It has a long rock outcrop that created a bit of a lee. We decided to load up and cross the bay to that site and reassess. Part way across people came surfing in on the waves from the other direction and took the site. There is another site close by on the same side of the bay as the portage. We did a quick maneuver sideways and quartered over to the other campsite. Hauling everything up out of the boat was difficult. It was rocky, wet and steep and in direct gale. We had to go far back into the woods to get out of the wind and set up our tarp.
Warm dry clothes. A hot cup of tea. A little lie down. The wind wasn't letting up. We really had to get to Red Rock as in two days we were being picked up on Opeongo by the water taxi.
The people who nabbed the site across the bay left. Another party of canoeists headed out from the portage into the wind. No one was getting swamped, no one was spinning out of control. Okay, the rain had let up some, we can do this.
And we did.
Happy Isle is an interesting and busy lake. It looked to me as if every campsite was taken. We made our way over to our portage into Red Rock. It began at another pebbly beach, wove through small waist high maples gleaming with rain. The ground was saturated. There was a bit of a rise and then a long steady walk to Red Rock. No people on the portage or on the lake.
We took the campsite noted on the map -- east side of lake on a bit of a point. The other sites we passed did not look at all inviting. This one was open concept with a cathedral of Hemlock, its back against a steep rise of land. This was our last night and we were happy to have solitude in this beautiful wild place.
On this day we ran out of toilet paper, ibuprofen, Tylenol and snacks. By the end of our stay on Red Rock we were out of coffee and all meals including dog food. We had 3 dehydrated fruit smoothies and one bag of bannock left in the barrel. I did not plan suitable emergency meals. It was an oversight and I am relieved we didn't need it.
It was a gorgeous morning. We could hear the wind in the trees but could not feel it. We packed and trimmed the canoe for the last time and paddled over to the portage. There is a boardwalk at the beginning of the trail and then the portage winds and moguls its way to Opeongo through some spectacular trees. It is a beautiful walk, but it did feel long.
We completed the portage a half hour early. Opeongo Outfitters was scheduled to pick us up at 2:00. The taxi arrived right on time and we loaded all our gear into this gorgeous cedar strip motor boat, canoe tied to the racks. And then we were off down the lake --- after 19 days of paddling I felt as if we were hurtling though space at supersonic speed.
It was an awesome trip. If anyone is planning something similar or a trip to some of the lakes mentioned feel free to email me with any questions not answered in this trip report.
Cheers!
The portage is well used and I was disappointed to see garbage and old clothes lying about. We cleaned up, had a bite to eat, and by the time we made it to Happy Isle with all our stuff the weather had turned nasty. Our first real rain in 18 days. We actually had to put on rain gear.
The whipping wind, sleeting rain and waves smacked against us in the small bay at the put-in to Happy Isle. Should we wait it out, try to get out onto the lake and paddle windward, or go to a close by campsite and see what happens?
There is a site just across the bay. It has a long rock outcrop that created a bit of a lee. We decided to load up and cross the bay to that site and reassess. Part way across people came surfing in on the waves from the other direction and took the site. There is another site close by on the same side of the bay as the portage. We did a quick maneuver sideways and quartered over to the other campsite. Hauling everything up out of the boat was difficult. It was rocky, wet and steep and in direct gale. We had to go far back into the woods to get out of the wind and set up our tarp.
Warm dry clothes. A hot cup of tea. A little lie down. The wind wasn't letting up. We really had to get to Red Rock as in two days we were being picked up on Opeongo by the water taxi.
The people who nabbed the site across the bay left. Another party of canoeists headed out from the portage into the wind. No one was getting swamped, no one was spinning out of control. Okay, the rain had let up some, we can do this.
And we did.
Happy Isle is an interesting and busy lake. It looked to me as if every campsite was taken. We made our way over to our portage into Red Rock. It began at another pebbly beach, wove through small waist high maples gleaming with rain. The ground was saturated. There was a bit of a rise and then a long steady walk to Red Rock. No people on the portage or on the lake.
We took the campsite noted on the map -- east side of lake on a bit of a point. The other sites we passed did not look at all inviting. This one was open concept with a cathedral of Hemlock, its back against a steep rise of land. This was our last night and we were happy to have solitude in this beautiful wild place.
On this day we ran out of toilet paper, ibuprofen, Tylenol and snacks. By the end of our stay on Red Rock we were out of coffee and all meals including dog food. We had 3 dehydrated fruit smoothies and one bag of bannock left in the barrel. I did not plan suitable emergency meals. It was an oversight and I am relieved we didn't need it.
 |
| Our last morning -- we were very sad that our trip was ending |
 |
| Last Breakfast |
It was a gorgeous morning. We could hear the wind in the trees but could not feel it. We packed and trimmed the canoe for the last time and paddled over to the portage. There is a boardwalk at the beginning of the trail and then the portage winds and moguls its way to Opeongo through some spectacular trees. It is a beautiful walk, but it did feel long.
We completed the portage a half hour early. Opeongo Outfitters was scheduled to pick us up at 2:00. The taxi arrived right on time and we loaded all our gear into this gorgeous cedar strip motor boat, canoe tied to the racks. And then we were off down the lake --- after 19 days of paddling I felt as if we were hurtling though space at supersonic speed.
It was an awesome trip. If anyone is planning something similar or a trip to some of the lakes mentioned feel free to email me with any questions not answered in this trip report.
Cheers!
 |
| Rest Stop |
 |
| Waiting for Opeongo Outfitters |
No comments:
Post a Comment