There is a reason clients keep coming back to Algonquin
Outfitters for their outdoor adventure experience, year
after year. The key is the people behind the scenes that
make everything work, many of whom you may never meet, but
all help make your experience enjoyable and safe. If you
haven’t found the answer you seek elsewhere on this
web site, this is your chance to draw on some of their knowledge
and ask questions. Better yet, feel free to send us an email
or pick up the phone.
Although it's impossible to answer every question on this
page, we have tried to answer some of the most common ones.
People are always your best resource for answering questions.
Our On-Line Community is full of real people who just might
offer some additional insight on your questions. Be sure
to check out the Discussion pages!
Disclaimer
The Algonquin Outfitters "Ask the Experts" service
is intended solely as an informational service, not as a
substitute for real outdoor experience, personal skill development
or other professional advice. By using this service you
agree that Algonquin Outfitters will not be held responsible
for harm to persons or property that results from the use
of this Web site. While we have attempted to ascertain the
knowledge of our volunteer experts, we have no certification
of their expertise or abilities. Users acknowledge that
these volunteers have varying levels of expertise and should
use their responses to questions for informational purposes
only.
Algonquin Park: How
big is Algonquin Park?
Algonquin Park is a huge expanse of wilderness. Covering
7,725 square kilometers (2,983 square miles, 765,345 ha)
of rugged Canadian Shield country, the park is home to an
abundant wildlife population, including moose, wolves and
black bears. While many Algonquin visitors see moose, the
latter two creatures are less common sights. During late
August and into the fall, people who try howling for wolves
are often rewarded with a mournful response from a nearby
pack. Smaller mammals like otters, fox, chipmunks, squirrels
and raccoons are common sights. Over 250 bird species have
been recorded in Algonquin Park and every one's favorite
wilderness bird, the common loon, is found nesting on most
lakes.
A canoe tripper could spend a lifetime exploring Algonquin
Park. Over 1500 km of canoe routes follow lakes, streams
and portage trails through the vast forested interior. Campsites
and portages are marked and well maintained. Fly-ins are
prohibited. Motor boats are restricted to a few lakes and
road access to the park is limited to the Hwy. 60 "corridor"
and peripheral access points. As a result, most of Algonquin
Park is only accessible by canoe. Backpacking and day hiking
trails allow travel on foot. In the winter the park is also
open to travel by ski and snowshoe.
If Algonquin Park was a country it would be bigger than
152 other countries in the world!
It is difficult to give specific route advice without knowing
whether you have a park map and what previous experience
you have in Algonquin Park.
We often suggest routes starting from Opeongo Lake (access
point # 11 - we have an outfitting store there), Cedar Lake
(access point 27 - we have an outfitting store there also),
Smoke Lake (access point #6) or Rock Lake (access point
#9). Our outfitting store at Oxtongue Lake is the most convenient
outfitting store for the last two access points. If you
would like more detailed descriptions, please call us, at
1.800.469.4948, with a map handy.
A Free Digital Algonquin Park Map is available at this
address: www.algonquinmap.com
You can order the Algonquin Park Canoe Routes Map (along
with guide books and many other useful park publications)
on-line at: www.store.algonquinpark.on.ca
For the most comprehensive unofficial site, lots of trip
planning information, route ideas, trip logs and other related
links, check out 'Algonquin Adventures' at www.algonquinadventures.com.
Descriptions of many Algonquin routes can also be found
at the Canadian Canoe Routes web site's Algonquin page:
www.myccr.com
There are guidebooks available that can help you with your
canoe trip planning. "A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin,"
by Kevin Callan
, has some excellent route descriptions and canoe trip tales.
Don Lloyd's fine book, "Canoeing Algonquin Park,"
is another very useful resource for trip planning. Different
areas of the park are described and mapped so that you can
put your own trip together. A great deal of historical information
and natural history is also presented. You can order these
books on-line at: www.store.algonquinpark.on.ca
If you have not considered this already, I would suggest
making camping permit reservations before making equipment
reservations. The park permit reservation system has been
centralized for all provincial parks in Ontario. You can
make reservation up to 5 months ahead of your trip. Reservations
for Algonquin Park interior trips can be made by calling
toll free: 1-888-668-7275. They will want to know where
you intend to camp each night of your trip. To check campsite
availability in advance of making a reservation or get route
advice, call the Algonquin Park information line at 705-633-5572.
Many people want to know what to bring on a canoe trip
and the answer varies depending on the route, group, season
and many other factors. The simple answer is to book one
of our complete outfitting packages. In that scenario, all
you need to bring are your personal items like clothing,
toiletries and camera. You can read more about our complete
outfitting canoe trips here. We also have a list of
personal gear to bring on a completely outfitted canoe trips.
If you are planning your own canoe trip, here's a basic
list of the things we suggest you pack:
Start with a lightweight (eg. Kevlar) canoe equipped with
a comfortable yoke for portaging.
1 life-jacket or PFD for every person
1 paddle for every person
bilge pump or bailing bucket
15+m throw rope (floating)
painter rope (end of canoe)
signaling device (whistle & flashlight)
waterproof map case & canoe route map
rain jackets and tarp to cover gear if it rains
1 canoe pack, barrel pack or dry pack for every person
Barrel Pack
great for transporting food, they are mostly water proof,
crush proof and somewhat critter proof.
come in either 30L or 60L size and are available with
backpack harnesses to make carrying them over portages
easier.
50ft+ rope for hanging food pack
Canoe Pack(the one piece of gear
that is a “must have” if you are doing any portages)
canoe packs are shorter and wider than hiking packs,
they allow you to carry a canoe and a pack easier than
a hiking pack. They are usually between 90 and 120L in
size, made out of water resistant material (although not
water proof), and usually have adjustable shoulder harnesses,
waist belts, and side cinch straps. Many also have side
paddle pockets to attach paddles if your not portaging
the canoe.
the goal here is to get all of your gear inside the
pack, this will make your portaging much easier.
ground sheet / tarp (keep accessible)
extra 3-5mm rope (50-100ft) to hang tarp
rain gear (keep accessible)
light weight (<10lbs) free standing tent with full
fly
inflatable sleeping pad
light weight sleeping bag
stuff sacks / smaller dry bags / compression bags
single burner camp stove
fuel for stove
matches in waterproof container / lighter
pots & pans set (many people travel with just one
pot and a lid that doubles as a fry pan)
1 bowl/plate/cup/1L water bottle, each and utensils
water treatment (purifier or filter)
leather work gloves (for handling things around the
fire)
kitchen set (includes cooking utensils, knife, spices,
bio-degradable soap, etc)
anti-bacterial wet wipes (great for general cleaning)
toilet paper in zip lock bag
wilderness first aid kit
canoe route or topographical maps / waterproof map case
compass / GPS with extra batteries
folding camp saw
parts kit (duct tape, extra rope, zip lock bags, multi-tool,
parts for stove, water filter, etc.)
bug jacket, bug repellent
headlamp with extra batteries
Essential Personal Items
t-shirt (two for longer trips)
quick-drying shorts and/or swim suit
small towel (quick dry micro-fibre type)
lightweight long sleeved shirt (cotton/polyester blends
are good)
sun hat (a full wide brim is better than a ball cap)
quick-drying long pants (some styles convert to shorts
by zipping off the legs)
sunglasses
wool sweater or fleece jacket
sturdy footwear for portages (preferably well broken
in)
socks (wool, bamboo or synthetic)
campsite footwear (eg. sport sandals, running shoes)
toilet articles
extra socks for around the campsite (keep these dry!)
spare prescription glasses & personal medications
(in waterproof container)
good quality rain gear (jacket and pants)
sunscreen
pocket knife
Highly Recommended Items
notebook or journal and pencils
camera with extra batteries and memory cards (or even
film!) in waterproof container
binoculars and field guides
day pack or fanny pack for frequently used items
fishing rod and tackle (fishing license can be purchased
in the park)
rainy day entertainment: (book, cards, portable board
game, etc.)
Spring & Fall Extras
lightweight synthetic or wool long underwear (top &
bottom)
wool or fleece hat
wool or fleece gloves or mitts
extra insulating layers (eg. fleece pants and jacket)
waterproof footwear
This list covers the basic requirements for an Algonquin
Park canoe trip. Many people choose to pack more items than
what we have listed here. Keep in mind that everything you
pack is extra weight to portage, so do your best to keep
it light and pack just the essentials.
I'd like to do an interior trip in trip in Algonquin Park
using a kayak. Is this a good idea?
While kayaks are certainly fast and fun to paddle, we generally
try to discourage people from using then on trips with longer
and/or many portages. Portaging kayaks is tricky and time
consuming, and will use up most of the time you gain by
faster paddling. A good compromise might be paddling a solo
canoe with a kayak paddle. This offers individual travel
with close to the speed of kayak but the carrying capacity
and ease of portaging of a canoe.
We rent a variety of solo canoes, including Swift
solo models like the Shearwater and Osprey. All are
14 - 16 feet long, weigh 35 - 40 lbs and come with a detachable
carrying yoke, since the seat is in the centre of the boat.
Gear space varies with the model. They all tend to be narrower
than tandem canoes. I would recommend the Shearwater for
your first solo trip, since it is the most roomy and very
stable.
For more information on Solo Canoe trips or Kayaks visit
our Solo trip page.
Algonquin Park hiking trails fall in to one of two categories,
either day hiking trails or backpacking trails.
Day Hiking Trails: Algonquin Park features
18 day hiking trails that range from less than a kilometer
in length to over 10km. (See
the Day Hiking Trails Map)
Backpacking Trails: There's something
for every outdoor enthusiast in Algonquin Park. If you're
looking for more than just a day excursion, you may want
to try one of the three different backpacking trail systems
located in Algonquin Park. These trails offer loops from
6km to 88km in length, designated camping areas and are
the only way to access remote regions of the Algonquin
Park interior on foot. (See
the Backpacking Trails Map)
The Friends of Algonquin Park also publish an excellent
and inexpensive map, with contours, for the Western Uplands,
Highland and Eastern Pines backpacking trails in Algonquin
Park. You can order the Backpacking Trails Map (along with
guide books and many other useful park publications) on-line
from the Algonquin
Park Book Store.
Ordering Books & Maps
The Backpacking Trails Map can be ordered on-line from
the Algonquin
Park Book Store or from Algonquin Outfitters by mail
order. Call Algonquin Outfitters in Oxtongue Lake to order
Adventure Maps, Backroad Mapbooks and government topos (1-800-469-4948).
There is a $5 handling charge for maps sent outside of Canada.
There are black bears in Algonquin Park. Most people never
see one but there are simple precautions you can take. For
a good overview on bears, bear behavior and strategies for
camping in areas inhabited by bears, check out the Algonquin
Park bear page , the Black Bear page from The
Science Behind Algonquin's Animals and the Bear
Wise Home Page.
Bears are very intelligent animals and can figure out most
"bear-proofing" systems. In Algonquin Park, food-hanging
is probably the most popular method and has proven to be
fairly reliable, if done properly and care is taken to reduce
food odors, which is what attracts animals in the first
place.
Many people use so-called "barrel packs" for
food storage on canoe trips. These are 60 litre industrial-grade
plastic shipping containers with a custom backpack-style
harness. We rent and sell these packs ($8/day to rent, about
$140 for barrel & harness to purchase). Though some
folks claim these are bear-proof, I would not guarantee
it. They are certainly highly bear-resistant, and, because
they are air and water-tight, do a very good job of protecting
food and containing odors.
Portaging: What is
the best way to portage a canoe?
Portaging typically falls into two categories:
1. a nice walk in the woods that is a pleasant break
from paddling
2. anyone would be nuts to actually do this for fun
The trick between making most portages fall into the first
category is planning and practice, coupled with a few tricks.
To best "enjoy" portaging here are a few things
to start with:
pick a lightweight canoe, as an extra 10lbs can make
a big difference when you have to carry it for 2km.
pick a canoe with a comfortable yoke. All of our Kevlar
rental canoes feature a deep dish yoke designed for portaging.
for extra comfort try one of our custom yoke pads.
learn a two person lift to get the canoe up for a one
person carry.
wear supportive footwear and carry a proper fitted pack.
The number one thing you can do to make portages go faster
is to do it in “one trip.” If you can handle
the weight, then you will save a lot of time, even though
it is a little harder. Take short breaks more often will
help compensate for the extra effort. In the end, you would
have to spend two thirds of your time resting one a “one-trip”
portage to take the same amount of on a “two-trip”
portage, provided that you don't take a break.
If you have to make multiple trips, there is the one-and-a-half
portage trick. This requires more than one person and equal
numbers in each group works best. The trippers effectively
split into two groups. The first group takes their first
load, goes to the halfway mark in the portage and sets the
load down. They then return to the beginning, pick up the
remainder of the gear and cross the entire portage. The
second group takes their gear to the far end of the portage,
then returns to the halfway point to pick up the gear that
group number one dropped off. For safety, it’s a good
idea to wait for each other at this point then finish the
portage together. Instead of all members walking the portage
three times (over-back-and-over), they all walk the portage
twice (once over, plus the other time made up of the two
half trips). This technique is best used on longer portages.
Those under a few hundred metres are not as tough to slug
through in two trips. The time savings using the “trip
and a half” method on portages over a kilometer are
substantial.
Outfitting / Rentals:
Do you deliver canoes to Algonquin Park access Points?
Yes, we frequently deliver canoes for large groups unable
to transport canoes with their own vehicles. Please call
or email for a quotation.
For parties renting smaller numbers of canoes, we can drop
off canoes at certain access points access points but this
is usually not required for groups with their own vehicles.
The charge starts at $50 each way. Most people starting
trips along Hwy 60 (at popular access points like Canoe,
Smoke, Cache or Rock lakes) pick up canoes at our Oxtongue
Lake store and transport the boats themselves, using car
top carriers that we rent for a very economical rate. We
even rent roof racks so that you can carry two or even three
canoes on one vehicle. We use high quality Yakima roof rack
systems and our expert "rack fitters" can safely
install a roof rack on almost any vehicle.
We do not offer a regular campground delivery service but
our Opeongo Store offers a discounted rental rate for roadside
campground users, call them toll-free at 1-888-280-8886
and ask about the "campground special."
Algonquin Park is truly a winter wonderland from December
through March. With frozen lakes, snow covered ground and
frosted trees, it's one of the most beautiful and peaceful
sights to be seen.
A great way to get out there and enjoy winter in Algonquin
Park is on cross-country skis, touring one the three Nordic
ski trail systems.
A few seasons ago, our intrepid reporters unearthed a secret
document revealing the results of a 33 year study of ice-out
dates on Opeongo Lake. Opeongo is usually the last lake
to open up in Algonquin Park. "Ice-out" refers
to the day when boat travel from end to end is unimpeded
by ice. Over 33 years of record-keeping, the average ice-out
date was April 30, the earliest was April 12, 1981, and
the latest, May 15, 1972. The official ice-out date for
2008, for example, was April 25. With such a wide range
of potential dates, you now know why our staff have such
difficulty answering that popular question, "When will
the ice go out this year?" The best strategy for trip
planning is to have a flexible schedule and route plan and
to phone us closer to your trip dates to get a better prediction.
We post current conditions, pictures and reports as we
get them on our web log (starting in early April - check
the archives for previous reports): www.algonquinoutfitters.blogspot.com/
For an informative and up to date report on Canoe Lake
ice conditions in spring, visit: www.canoelake.ca/iceout/
For the official word from Algonquin Park staff, visit
www.algonquinpark.on.ca
and look under "news bulletins."
Gear/Sales: Do you
sell your used canoes & kayaks?
One of the most searched-for items on the Algonquin Outfitters
website and blogs is “Used Swift Canoes.” Although
there are several posts on used canoes, one of the reasons
you won't often find a detailed list of the used canoes
we have for sale is that the inventory changes very frequently.
We encourage anyone looking for a used canoe to make the
drive out to our Oxtongue Lake location or visit one of
the Swift Road Shows
and actually look, feel and even paddle a used canoe before
you buy one.
The best time to look for a used canoe from Algonquin Outfitters
or Swift is in the fall, starting in September, or in the
spring around late April and May. It's often difficult for
us to look for canoes in the winter because of the two metre
snow drifts often found around our Oxtongue Lake store,
and in the summer most of our rental canoes are in high
demand.
Every year we sell off several dozen used canoes. Most
are retired rentals that have seen several seasons of rental
use and will usually have scratches and even patches on
their hulls. All of our canoes have been reconditioned to
a "no leak" condition and some may even have had
new paint jobs. All are a good value.
Most Kevlar models sell between $900 and $1500
(about half to a third of their retail price) and fiberglass
models sell between $500 and $800. The most popular
used models are the Swift Algonquin 16 & 17 and the
Swift Kipawa 16'6". We may have the occasional solo
canoe or ABS Dumoine but they are not always available.
We also sell off many of our rental kayaks each year, with
prices starting at 20-50% off.
Algonquin Outfitters:
Where can I find your store locations?
The Original Outdoor Adventure Store
Established in 1961, Algonquin Outfitters has grown to include
a family of stores in the Algonquin
Park, Muskoka and Haliburton Highlands regions. While
the core of the business has always been Algonquin Park
wilderness canoe trips, our product lines and services have
grown to include mountain and road bikes, canoe, kayak,
wakeboard and waterski sales, as well as winter sports equipment
like snowboards, alpine and nordic skis and snowshoes. Retail
locations located in Oxtongue Lake, Huntsville, Bracebridge,
Minden and Haliburton carry a wide variety of gear and clothing.
Seasonal locations at Opeongo Lake and Brent operate within
Algonquin Park, offering rental and retail services for
park visitors from late April through Canadian Thanksgiving.
Locations at Hidden Valley Highlands ski area near Huntsville
and Sir Sam's ski area in Haliburton also operate in the
winter months, providing demo programs for ski and snowboard
as well as clothing and accessories.
Each Algonquin Outfitters location has a unique personality,
catering to the particular needs of that area. Every store
has a retail presence and all, with the exception of Bracebridge,
offer outdoor equipment rentals, in varying degrees. Visit
the page for each location to find out more information.
More information about our stores, outfitting bases and
the products we sell can be found online in the Store
Locations pages.
The "Ask the Expert" section on our website is
one area that will grow over time. We have answered many
more questions in the AO Community
Just look for "Notes (FAQ)" under the Forum button
after joining the Community.
The Community is also a gathering place for people who
enjoy visiting Algonquin Park. It can provide a wealth of
information and if you can't find the answers here, try
posting your question in the "Forum," where you
will find many people willing to share their insight and
experience.
Want to ask our experts directly? You can do so from the
main Ask the Expert page.
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