Summers End

On Sunday, 6 of us headed out on a tripper trip back to the same route I had done the week before, to Chiniguchi, near Sudbury. We stopped on Wolf Lake the first night which offers some awesome views and huge quartzite rocks.









Again, sick waterfalls are everywhere in this area. Group shot.














We decided to go on a hike the second day to a fire watch tower on the next lake over. After the portage we discovered no one had brought either a compass or map... bad idea. We could see the tower from the lake so we had a general idea of where it was. Docking our boats around the next bend left us without a view of the tower and so we had to just go on a guess as to which direction to hike. We bushwacked for 3 hours and after climbing many trees to orient ourselves, jumping on a bees nest and Luke recieving over 20 stings we arrived at our destination.










The top was windy, offered a great view and showed us just how far we had to go to get back to our canoes.... However, getting back only took an hour. A late dinner followed.
The next morning included a dip in the freezing cold Paradise Lagoon pictured above. It was a short but sweet trip and an ideal way to close the summer.

Chiniguchi Paradise

This past week I went out on a Ranger trip to Chiniguchi Lake for four days. The scenery was the most beautiful I have ever seen anywhere. The lakes were cotton candy blue and crystal clear to about 40 feet. Waterfalls were between each lake and made for amazing swiming holes. It was truly incredible.


Everything I saw was so beautiful I had to paddle with one hand and snap pictures with the other. Here are some of the highlights.



























A beautiful 3lbs 13oz. smallmouth bass awaited me on Chiniguchi Lake. Yes! We didn't eat him though.

The view from the top of a quartzite peak looking onto Wolf Lake. The 40 minute hike through a swamp, up a cliff and a rock slide was worth it.

French River with an old friend

This past weekend I was lucky enough to score an LIT (Leaders in training) trip. Besides having two anaphylactics and two non-swimmers on the trip, the kids were great and I was able to do it with an old friend; Paul. He had been my LIT leader when I was 13 so we go way back.

The route was nothing special but the company was great and the wind and weather cooperated!




The trip gave me a bit of a breather from what otherwise has been a pretty hectic summer. The kids did most of the work as each day there were different leaders of the day and whatnot. It was exciting to see the next wave of Pioneer leaders.

Ralph Bice Lake Loop in Algonquin

This was a nice four day trip where it rained everyday... bummer.. But the scenery was excellent and no death storms hit near us. This shot is everyone standing on water in the middle of Little Trout Lake.


This is a nice one I snapped while I was pumping water through the filter which I swear is broken.


There were some great rapids along the way to swim in.





All the rain the night before somehow created this cool stream through the forest which I swear wasn't there the day before.

All in all it was a good trip with rain for everyone! Uneventful = great, after the last trip.

And the winner is....

On Sunday morning I hosted a fishing derby to help raise money so I can work at camp this summer. It went pretty well and everyone had a good time.


This beautiful rainbow accompanied the hour rainstorm that started the second we hit the water.



A blurry one of my dad and Len fishing near "the hole" on the far side of the lake. Later Len flipped the canoe trying to reach for something in the water.





Aaron and Pat fly fishing... unfortunately it didn't help them on their pursuit of victory.



A curious painted turtle got too close to my boat and I grabbed him.


The WINNER, Paul Doesburg, hooked a 19", 3lb 10oz, Large mouth Bass to claim the title as well as 23 fish in total to win both categories (largest and most fish).

Thanks to all who came and those who couldn't but still sent their support!

NW Algonquin trip where we almost died ...

The day started off nicely enough, however, little did we know a killer storm was rolling in...

We weathered the storm by hunkering down in our tents in a site that we had just bushwacked in the forest. It was so intense it seemed like the tent was going to fly away. Lighting was hitting all around and the trees through the little window in the tent looked like they were going to snap. This picture is after the storm went through. The sunset looks like an A-bomb went off which was somewhat fitting for what we would later see around the park.


This used to be a campsite, specifically the tent sites at the campsite. The firepit was fine but right behind that was a swath of trees 200ft wide by 400m long just toppled like match sticks.







A guy actually got killed by a falling tree on the next lake over, I'm not surprised and very thankful it didn't happen to one of us. We had 3 trips in that area on that night, there were a few close calls but we were spared. Thank God! We sure did!

Muskoka....... bittersweet

It's great to be up here! The weather has been phenonmenal, not too hot, not too cold, just right. The lake is the same. My job has me somewhat frustrated as I still don't know exactly what to do and how to do it but I'm slowly learning and becoming more comfortable. Today I head out to Lake Devine (a lake right next to camp) for the "Rover Over", accompanying me will be 13, 11 year old kids and two counsellors....... yikes! It's only one night and I'm sure it will be fun. Next week I'm out on a 5 day, destination still unknown. I'll keep you posted.