Algonquin Park: Camping Trip Logs: 019 - Meanest Link Part Two

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Day 7

September 8, 2012 - Pincher Lake to Potter Lake

It rained the entire night and to make matters worse we ran out of Baileys for the morning coffees. We munched on bowls of oatmeal and had a debate on what the days plan should be. The choices were stay and sit out the rain, which looked like it had no intention of stopping. Or, pack up and carry on through the rain. There was a lively debate but ultimately it was decided to suck it up and go on, which was my vote. I’d rather keep moving than sit around in the damp and cold.

A good thing too, while on Tern Lake, after a bit of a climb on the portage, we saw wolves on the far shore. They were a bit distant but then as we got closer a single wolf came back out for a few seconds before disappearing again. My first wolf sighting in Algonquin Park!

The route from Tern Lake to Lady-Slipper Lake was a treat, just a big grass meadow with a trickle of water going through it. Paddling was soon abandoned and we carried across the wet swampy meadow.

Tern Lake to Lady-Sliper Lake canoe route?

Jeff taking a turn with the canoe on the portage.

Further complicating things was that the start of the portage to Potter Creek was missing, or at least not to be found where we thought it should be. We also couldn’t find the camp site on Lady-Slipper Lake, we found some remains but nothing that looked like a camp site.

I think I found the box?

The portage was eventually found after some scouting, much further down the small bay and kind of hidden at the back corner. It did take a bit of searching, you need to be prepared for the unexpected when out in the “wild”.

It’s back here!

John’s ready to go.

This portage was long (2830 m) and again followed the backpacking trail for a large part. Once more I got turned around a bit, I think they could do a better job with signage when the portage and trail intersect. Or I could learn to navigate better I guess. The rain was still steady, everything was wet and you heated up pretty good since you had to be wearing your rain gear. The rain definitely made the portages wet, water was running or colleting in the worn down tracks and made for muddy, sloppy footing. At least I’d had the foresight to upgrade my footwear this year, to some Merrill’s and neoprene socks. Other than the smell at the end of the day I was having no issues with my feet.

We made it to Farrow Lake and took a late lunch break at the lone site there, it was about 1:30 PM and although it wasn’t a lot of fun travelling through the non-stop rain, I would still rather do that than sit bored waiting for it to stop.
Markus and I indulged in our favorite trail lunch, I’ve extolled its many virtues to anybody silly enough to sit still long enough to hear it. SPAM!

Preparing my Spam wrap.

Markus and his fancy Spam wrap.

But then, I think we were a little famished by this point.

The famished crew digging into lunch.

Next up was the portage to Potter Creek. This portage was a tough one, very rough with a lot of blow downs to deal with. We were up and over or pushing our way through the brush around many fallen trees. Did I mention it was all in the pouring rain? There was a silver lining we thought, all this rain will put just that much more water into Potter Creek which was a little boney on our visit the preceding April.

When we finally got to Potter Creek we did find plenty of water, likely more to do with the number of beaver dams than the rain. It’s a nice stretch from the portage end to Brule Lake and actually much easier today than it was earlier in the season. We had a look at Brown’s Falls before starting down the creek.

A peek at Brown's Falls.

It was now about 3 PM and still raining, we were eager to make it to Brule Lake and our intended site on the point. We made it there and carried our gear up the long steep climb to the site proper. Then John said it was too exposed. We all agreed it was a bit too windy with the rain coming off the lake straight onto the site. So it was back to the canoes and continuing on, the new plan was to get to Potter Lake and the nice south facing site in the middle of the lake. We’d be well protected there. With the flat 725 m portage along the roadway done we set off eagerly for a well-protected site to settle in for the night.

And it was occupied. Of course. Cursing our luck we had no choice but to let the wind push us down Potter Lake, we knew the sites at the south end weren’t the best with the wind coming the way it was but we had to check them out. As we looked over the two remaining sites we realized there was no protection from the rain and wind on either and started speaking of just carrying on and making Canoe Lake. Maybe sleep in the car? Camp on the river? As we were doing this we noticed a solo canoe racing down the lake towards us. That was odd.

Then we thought we might be lucky, a friend had told us he may meet up with us on Brule Lake for the night. When he wasn’t there we just assumed he didn’t make it. Now we thought it could be him coming towards us, and that maybe he was the one camped on the site we first wanted. That’s exactly what it turned out to be. Julian had been in his tent napping out of the rain when we were there, not hearing us calling him. So he was nice enough to jump in his canoe and chase us down the lake in the pouring rain. So with a place to camp we all then paddled back to his site, fighting the wind the whole way. A tiring end to a tiring day’s travel.

The rain tapered off as we picked out three more tenting spots and got things set up. After the trouble last night I was taking no chances and put my 10 x 12 Guides tarp up over my hammock. As soon as I did that the 25 hours of rain stopped completely.

Julian boiled up some water and we all had hot drinks, it’d been a long chilly day. We also managed to get a fire going with a bit of trying and after eating Markus’s Sheppard Pie supper we were all back in fine spirits. A bit of time catching up with Julian and yakking around a warming fire before heading off to sleep. The night was now windless and clearing, but the temperature was sure dropping.

Julian and Jeff cut some wet firewood.

John enjoys a hot drink under the tarp.

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