Introduction

Way back in the early 80's, I made my first solo backpacking hike to Provoking Lake on the Highland Backpacking Trail. That trip ended in disaster, as I ended up not being able to get my Coleman stove lit. I had cold oatmeal for dinner that night and for breakfast the next morning. I packed out with my tail between my legs shortly after breakfast. I've lived with that humiliating memory ever since. My interest in camping waned and I didn't make another backcountry trip for more than 30 years.

Several years ago, I started watching Survivorman and Man vs. Wild. I found my interest coming back in a big way. I started buying books on backcountry camping skills and watched a ton of YouTube videos. I built up my knowledge and slowly started buying gear. After a successful canoe trip in 2013 with my daughter, my friend and his son, I was on my way back to the backcountry camping fraternity. In the fall of 2015, I summoned up my courage and convinced my wife I could be safe during a solo backpacking trip to Algonquin Park. That trip was cut short as you shall read below.

Driving home from that previous effort, I was reminded I had still not cleansed the ghosts from the first trip way back when. I would need to do it again, and stick it out for all three days. This is the log of my latest attempt.

Friday, October 14

For this trip, I decided to head up to the Park after work, rather than getting up super early on Saturday morning and making the drive. Experience is the best teacher and now I know I won't be repeating that situation anytime soon. I left the office just after 5:00 p.m. Traffic was brutal and it took me an hour to get from the office in Mississauga to the 407 and 27. As could be expected, the 400 was extremely busy at that time of day and construction on Highway 11 further extended travel time.

I didn't want to set up camp after dark after a long day, so I opted to stay at what was claimed to be a Bed & Breakfast. I was a bit surprised to find my lodgings to be a strip hotel just north of Huntsville, the Tulip Inn. I settled in for the night, just in time to use the TV and watch my beloved Tiger-Cats lose to the Ottawa Redblacks in the dying seconds of the game. Time for lights out.

Saturday October 15

My alarm went off at 6:30. I showered, gathered my gear and headed into town for a breakfast-pickup at Timmies, then sped off along Highway 60. I got to the West Gate just before 8, not certain if it was going to be open at the top of the hour. I checked and sure enough, it wouldn't open for another hour. I got back in the car and made my way to the Mew Lake campground, right next door to the Highland Backpacking Trail trailhead. I was a bit early, so I took the time to make sure my gear was all together. I got the pack set up and put on my hiking boots. At 9:00, I went into the office where a Park Ranger was talking to a camper about someone who had been harassing a moose in the campground. I got my permit and headed to the trailhead.

It was about 9:30, when with backpack on, I headed down the trail. I had just gone up the first small hill, when I realized I wasn't wearing my glasses. I had left them on the roof of the car while I was getting my gear out of the back. Back to the car, and the trek began in earnest.

It was a cool but sunny morning. I estimate the temperature was about 10 degrees C. There was some leaf cover on parts of the trails, but nothing that impeded my ability to see roots and rocks. I started the trek wearing a light down vest, but put that away after about a kilometer. I was wearing a thin MEC T1 base layer top with a slightly thicker Merrill poly base layer over that, Columbia Titanium pants and was perfectly comfortable the whole way.

A thought struck me while I was making my way along the trail. I've heard canoeists make disparaging remarks about backpacking (things like "oh boy, an all day portage" and "all you get to see when backpacking is trees"). As someone who has both canoed and backpacked, I've found when canoeing you get to see the forest from the water. Portages are associated with hard work, in large part because you are carrying more gear than you would if backpacking. So, you endure the trip rather than savour it. When backpacking, (particularly when going solo) you don't just see the forest; you become part of it. This leads to a completely different experience. You see the smallest plants, you notice where the sun finds its way through the trees and produces different lighting effects. Once acclimated to the trail, sounds and smells stand out more.

Past the first steep hill, I went up to the Mew Lake lookout, and then down toward the Track and Tower trail crossing. A couple of groups of young people passed me on their way to Harness Lake. I offered them friendly encouragement and marveled at their energy. At the Madawaska River bridge, I took the obligatory photo opp break and resumed my trip.

I knew from a previous hike, that there were 4 challenging hills between me and the campsite I wanted to stay at. The first is the one prior to the Mew Lake Lookout, and there is another not too far after the Madawaska Bridge. This second one climbs skyward at a rather severe angle and curves in the middle. Loose rocks are scattered liberally throughout its course. This is the hill I like the least. I was happy to note this hill seemed less of a challenge than when I scaled it last year.

I made it to the fork in the trail that sends hikers to either Provoking East or Provoking West. A short while later I found myself at the first campsite on Provoking East (when coming along the trail from the west). This campsite is a gem. It's situated on a point which is mostly devoid of trees and offers a commanding view of Provoking Lake. I had hoped this site would be free by the time I arrived, as I wanted to use it. The site was in fact free, but I reconsidered my options. While the weather was cool but pleasant with scattered clouds, I knew the forecast was for rain and winds of 20 to 30 kilometers per hour for the next two days. I reckoned that if the rain and wind set in, this beautiful site would offer no protection from the elements. I decided to move down the trail to the next site.

I've read a number of books written by Appalachian Trail hikers and had become aware of a term they used called "trail magic". Trail Magic is the name for gifts left by people for hikers. On my way to the third campsite on Provoking East I found some real Trail Magic that was to make all the difference to my stay on the Lake. There, by the fire pit of the second campsite was a blue folding chair someone had packed in and did not want to pack out. It was dry, clean and in perfect working order. I scooped it up and continued on my way.

I finally reached the third campsite, the same one I had stayed at last year during my first solo hike. It was 12:15. This campsite is like many I have stayed on canoe trips. No clear window to the lake, but trees were scattered around the perimeter acting as a windbreak. Even with the surrounding trees, the site itself is quite wide open and has a spacious feel to it. There was enough of a canopy overhead to shield my tent and I from at least a portion of the promised rain. I immediately got to work setting up the Elixir 3 tent, hung the bear bag, got some lunch, then had a nap.

After waking from my nap, I collected firewood and used my trusty Bahco folding saw to process the wood.

By the time I was finished with the firewood, the skies had become completely overcast and it was getting dark. I fired up the JetBoil and made a nice dinner of Alpineair Vegetable Curry and Rice, following that up with a mug of After Eight Hot Chocolate. I then cleaned up, got my newspaper and prepared to start a fire.

It was almost dark by then, so I pulled out my Black Diamond Cosmo headlamp. To my dismay, the headlamp did not turn on. I had checked the batteries before departing. The headlamp has a lock feature to prevent it from being turned on in the pack which I thought I had activated while packing at home. I had a spare set of batteries, so I quickly swapped out the batteries and tried again. Nothing. Due to a conscious effort on my part to keep pack weight down, I did not bring a flashlight. I had been to MEC earlier in the week and picked up a UCO Micro Candle Lantern which I did bring. I went back to the tent, found the candle lantern and sat just inside the door of the tent. I lit the candle lantern. Believe me when I tell you the light one of these devices puts out is not really sufficient for fine work, at least with my 50+ year-old eyes. I tried to read the orientation guide inside the battery holder to determine if the batteries were really in properly, but I just couldn't see the markings. At this point I decided there would be no fire on this night since it was truly dark out, just a little after 7 p.m.

I had seen a forecast for the Park the previous day, which called for an overnight low of 6 degrees Celcius. Calling upon a previous cool weather experience in May, when I had gone car camping at Mew Lake with my brother and his son, I had packed my MEC Aquila Wide sleeping bag and a Thermarest XTherm Max sleeping pad. I also brought along a T1 top and a T3 top, T3 pants and warm socks. In addition, I had a warm balaclava I could use if necessary. As it turned out, that was overkill. While the night did cool down considerably in comparison to the daytime temperature, I was warm enough to not need the balaclava and I slept with the bag partially unzipped. The rain commenced as I settled in and continued all night.

I have a neck problem. It's not chronic, but it does cause pain and can morph into near-migraine-sized headaches. It's often brought on by having my head in certain positions while sleeping. My first solo backpacking trip (to this same campsite) in September of last year was cut short on the second day when I deemed the pain too much. On that occasion, just after lunch on a beautiful day I packed up my camp and headed home. As the day progressed my pain receded. Driving south on Highway 11, I was treated to a beautiful sunset. I knew it would have been glorious back at the campsite.

Moving forward to the present, I knew I would have to overcome this challenge if I was to complete my 3-day goal. I added a Nemo Fillo Pillow to my gear, which has memory foam similar to my pillow at home. I had used it on two separate trips this year and it was definitely more comfortable than the MEC Base Camp pillow I had been using.

Despite being warm, I did not sleep well overnight. I was constantly awakened with neck discomfort. The pain was starting. When morning finally came, I was in enough distress to immediately gobble 2 Advils. With breakfast, I had 2 more. The rain was light but steady with no sign of blue sky. I was moving slowly due to the pain which had become a mini migraine, but I felt a determination to stick it out as long as I could. I reasoned that if I kept busy, I could distract myself enough to at least cope with the discomfort.

I had formulated a plan banking upon the precipitation. I would erect a tarp to sit under, utilizing the Trail Magic chair and my All Weather Emergency Blanket. The Emergency Blanket is sold by MEC and costs a paltry $17. This is truly one of the most versatile pieces of kit in my camping gear inventory. It's fairly rugged, measures just over 2 meters long by 1.5 meters wide. One side is rugged and waterproof, the other side has a reflective surface that can be useful for keeping a person warm. I found a spot several meters from my tent that was relatively clear but close to several trees that I could tie paracord to on the four corners. I am no expert at setting up tarps, and it took me about an hour to get it right, but I got the blanket/tarp set up exactly as I wanted it. I set up the blue folding chair under the tarp. I sat down and enjoyed a period of relaxation as my head continued to pound away. I was treated a to nice view of the lake as it swelled under the influence of the wind, raindrops clattering on the tarp above my head. I was in Algonquin Park. I've had it worse.

During this rest period, I pulled out my headlamp and looked again at it in daylight. This time I could see that the batteries were not placed in the correct orientation. I flipped one of the cells, put the headlamp back together, and there was light. I'm still not sure exactly how I managed to put them in incorrectly back at home

A while later, with my headache still raging, I fired up the JetBoil once again and made myself lunch. I literally forced myself to eat it all, as I was somewhat nauseous as a result of my sore head. Once done, I took stock of the situation. It was still raining, and the skies showed no sign of a break in the weather. I could pack it all up now and leave, or try to stick it out. I decided on the latter course and prepared to hike the trail heading east along the north shore of Provoking Lake.

With rain as my constant companion, but well equipped from a clothing perspective, I set off eastbound. My goal was to check out the two campsites on the far eastern end of Provoking Lake. I had never seen them before, presuming they would not be very good as they are located where the lake narrows considerably. I had figured the view from those locations would be something akin to a swamp-overlook, so I never set them as a target site for my two trips to this lake. Along the way, the only wildlife I encountered was a chicken-sized bird which scurried away further into the dimly-lit bush as I approached. I imagine it was a grouse, but could not make a positive I.D.

Eventually coming to the first of the two sites, I actually found it to be as nice a site as the one I was camped on, with the same attributes as far as shielding from adverse elements. The view was not bad either. Though the lake is narrower here, it's still pretty. There was plenty of water for swimming (in warmer temperatures) and there wasn't a swamp in site. However, when I got to the final site, I found myself forced to say "Wow" out loud. This is a very pretty site, very open with a nice, unfettered view to the water. However, with the rain continuing to pour down, I could see that there was no suitable natural place to put up a tarp. I took a couple of photos and headed back to camp.

Easternmost campsite on Provoking Lake.

I got back to my site just before 3 p.m. The rain had stopped and I could see patches of blue sky. The pain in my head had abated considerably. I took off my raincoat and headed west down the trail, camera in hand to try and take some photos with the benefit of sunshine.

Finally, the sun.

Upon arriving at the site on the point, I was not disappointed. The sky had cleared right up. I walked around and took many photos. Finally, it was time to head back to camp.

Campsite on the point.

Looking toward the Lake of Two Rivers portage.

Trees pointing the way back to my camp.

By the time I reached camp, it was dinnertime. I was not hungry at all, so I ate a Cliff bar. I looked at my firewood from the night before. The large pieces were dry, but the tinder and kindling were soaked. I was still not feeling well enough to gather and prepare more, so I resigned myself to no fire that night. I wandered around and took a few photos in the twilight.

Ghost trees at dusk.

Dinner with a view.

Reward at the end of the day.

Just as dark was settling in, and being reluctant to enter the tent for what might be another 12 hours of discomfort and not enough sleep, I stood looking in the direction of the trail. I stood there for a few moments, soaking in the moment. Just as I was about to turn and enter the tent in the last of the failing light, I heard a sound in front of me. It sounded exactly like a bicycle whizzing past, the same sound as rubber tires moving along the road. It came from ahead of me from my left and moved toward the right. I could not discern if it was on the ground or in the air. Just about when it seemed it would have been directly in front of me, the sound stopped. I could see nothing. I heard nothing further. Flying squirrel? Any ideas?

That night as I lay in my tent, I noticed something I had not noticed last year when I came out to this spot. I could actually hear occasional traffic on Highway 60. A Harley Davidson motorcycle and the odd transport truck. That was a tiny bit disappointing. The night passed somewhat restlessly. I got some sleep and the temperature was definitely warmer than it had been the previous night.

I awoke to an overcast sky, but no rain. Teardown day had arrived. I got up and decided upon only a Cliff Bar for breakfast. It was enough. From 7:30 to 9:30 I worked, tearing everything down and packing everything up. The tent fly was soaking wet, but I had brought a garbage bag to wrap it up in. I laid the emergency blanket out on the ground. It made a nice clean and dry staging area for items before they went to their respective areas in the pack. I hit the trail. The wind and rain had resulted in many sections of trail being covered with wet leaves. The leaves covered slippery rocks and roots, so I took my sweet time moving along the path. At one point I actually took a wrong turn and ended up on the Starling Lake lookout. It's quite a climb but I'd say the view is worth it. The sky was still overcast when I reached the peak, so I did not get to see the view at its best.

At long last, around 12:15, I made it out to the trailhead and my car. On my way out of the Park via Highway 60, I spotted a car with Maryland plates pulled over with its flashers on. The car's occupants were out of the car and looking into the swamp to the south of the highway. Three moose were there, an adult male and female and a young one. I snapped a quick photo and resumed my journey home. I had accomplished my goal of doing what I had not been able to do in my earlier attempts. A feeling of satisfaction came over me.

Thank you, Algonquin Park.

Until We Meet Again.