2007 - Frontenac Prov. Park Canoe Trip Pictures

Trip Comments

The only problem we had with food was on the 3rd night when a squirrel (chipmonk?) climbed onto our hung pack, chewed it's way thru the pack to get at some salted sunflower seeds and the seeds on some bread we had. I don't worry about bears but I've had problems with squirrels and racoons climbing and otherwise managing to get at the pack and spoil/eat some food.

This park is loaded with beaver dams. Hike up high and you'll find them. Go down low and you find more.


Mitchell Creek

This time, due to construction at the Mitchell Creek bridge, we set our paddles in the water by Mitchell Creek and headed for campsite 8 on Birtch Lake. It's perhaps a slightly longer paddle than leaving from Kingsform Dam; but it involves much less driving over twisting and windy roads.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Campsite 8 - Birch Lake

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Hike to Moulton Gorge lookout

There are, of course, lots of beaver dams on this hike too.

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Hike to Portage on Birch Lake

From the Moulton Gorge Lookout we continued to the portage to grab a canoe ride back.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Campsite 4 on Big Salmon Lake

On the way to campsite 4 we passed this tree growing out of a crack in the rock.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

This fungus was growing on a tree in our campsite.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Sunset pictures on our last night.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

While at campsite 4 we, ever night, took a paddle out to see what animals we could see. There were some pretty carefree beavers that didn't mind us and we were able to watch one chewing on a small tree trunk. I was amazed at how quickly the teeth cut thru the wood.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Hike to Big Salmon Lake Campsite 5 Viewpoint

Here we did a daytrip to campsite 5 at the end of Big Salmon Lake. A hiking trail goes to the top of the redish cliffs for a wonderful view down the lake. This campsite also has a large sandy beach that would be excellent.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Hike to Big Clear Lake Viewpoint

There were lots of beaver dams on this hike. It had a nice rolling terrain with many scenic spots - espically the cliff-top view out onto Big Clear Lake.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Trail close to Campsite 4

Just behind campsite 4 is a short trail leading to this pond.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Canoe Trip With Portages to Campsite 13

We left campsite 4, canoed to the portage to Labelle Lake (rated easy, 1 small hill, 490m) and then canoed to the short portage that took us to Big Clear Lake (rated moderate, 1 hill, 190m). Then we paddled to campsite 13 and swam there for a bit before continuing to the end of the inlet where the viewpoint, which we hiked to the previous day, is.

The trip out was easy going; but the trip back involved a lot of headwinds and some very small whitecaps. It definately made for harder going.

pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel pic. (c)2007 Eric Praetzel

Animals

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