Winter Camping in Algonquin

Just when I thought I couldn’t squeeze any moreactivities out of this year’s winter, we decided to go winter camping in Algonquin Provincial Park! Mac, myself, and two of our equally (in)sane friends had ourselves a long weekend of hiking, camping, and exploring a new corner in Algonquin.

Central Highlands Trail

The four of us set out on Friday afternoon from the Central Highlands car park – each donning a pack, and one of us towing the sled. Since we were camping in tents, we needed all the warm supplies we could get – a lot of which wouldn’t fit into our packs. When packed and wrapped in tarp (to protect our gear from snow), the sled unfortunately resembled a body. We affectionately named him Carl.

From the car park it was a little over 4km of a hike to where we set up camp. The 10-20cm of snow hindered our ability to move quickly, but it was so worth it! The forest was simply stunning!

We arrived at the West side of Provoking Lake with enough time to gather firewood and set up our tents. We melted and boiled snow to add to our freeze-dried dinners that evening. While we couldn’t quite get a good fire going (the logs we chopped were too cold and wouldn’t catch), the snow pants, hut booties, winter coats, mitts, toques, and more helped to keep the –6C temperatures at bay. We snuggled into our sleeping bags – I had a –7C bag coupled with a cotton bag liner, on top of an air mattress + sleeping pad – and tried to get a good night’s sleep.

Provoking Lake

Even with all the cold weather gear, my feet wouldn’t warm up! It wasn’t the greatest sleep to say the least, but we awoke on Saturday and were raring to head out on the day’s adventure! We started with breakfast – a camping staple for me: oatmeal! Fed and (semi)-warmed up, we headed out to hike the trail that circumnavigates Provoking Lake.

(source)

We met a few fellow hikers coming out of the woods, but after the split for the last campsite the route was much less travelled. We blazed the trail through untouched snow! Remember how I mentioned there was 10-20cm of snow? Well with all the freeze-thaw cycles we’ve had this winter, it made for a thick sheet of ice underneath. Despite the fact that we had ice cleats on (aka grippers – one step down from crampons), we slipped and slid like Bambi! Going up any sort of incline left us with bruised knees and sore wrists from catching our falls.

Going downhill, however was a completely different story! We let gravity take its course and launched ourselves down the many natural slides that covered the trail.

One of the best parts of this trail was the Lookout. It was a 250m detour from the main trail, but the views were more than worth it. The lookout towers over Starling Lake and the west side of Lake of Two Rivers. I can only imagine how surreal the views would be on a clear summer day.

The trail around Provoking Lake is about 11km. Including breaks, a lunch stop, and the detour to the Lookout, it took us about 6 hours (~2km/hr). On tough hikes in NZ, we would average about 3km/hr (and on flat, easy ground, I can get up to 5+km/hr). It shows you just how tough hiking through snow is! Our muscles sure were sore by the end of the weekend!

We made it back to camp and spent a good hour and a half gathering more firewood. The boys made good use of the hatchet and saw we brought and trimmed down the big logs that wouldn’t catch the previous night. Mac got started on the fire while the three of us got started on dinner. I went back to an old camping favourite (from our time in New Zealand), couscous!! I added some dehydrated veggies and a veggie patty to the mix and had quite the delicious meal. We ate by the fire and spent the rest of the evening surrounding the pit, trying to keep warm.

We headed back to the car park on Sunday morning and had a noticeably easier go at it this time around. The two back-to-back ice hills we struggled up on Friday became intense slides and were much easier to navigate. We made it back to the truck by early afternoon.

Algonquin Visitors Centre

Just 15km east of the Central Highlands is the Algonquin Visitors Centre. Having never been there before, I geeked out at all the exhibits. I was fascinated to learn that bull moose regrow their antlers every year (and that they can weigh up to 40lbs!). It was also interesting to learn that when preparing for hibernation, black bears can almost double their body weight in a few short months.

The Centre had an awesome platform outside that overlooked the forest beyond. There were so many birds chirping it was like a symphony! (Until the chipmunks and squirrels came and scared them all away!)

Winter Camping in Algonquin | Practical Information

Permits

Permits for camping in the park must be purchased at the West or East gate prior to entering the park. For winter camping in Algonquin, you can’t book ahead, but in the busier summer months it’s recommended that you do. Permits are ~$12.50 pp/night. (You also must have a permit to enter the Visitors Centre)

Winter Camping Gear

We were really fortunate that Mac works at an outdoor retailer where we were able to rent much of the gear we brought for a very reasonable price. Though we have quite a lot of hiking & camping gear already, most of it is for warmer months.

Key items for winter camping in Algonquin were:

• Warm sleeping bags (we had two –7C, one –9C and one –20C) and cotton liners (those with the –7C bags had the liners for extra warmth)

• Sleeping/sitting pads. We brought some Thermarest Z foam pads to put under our air mattresses for an extra layer of protection against the cold ground. When not sleeping, we used them as pads to sit on while eating and around the fire.

• Four-season tents. These types of tents forgo the mesh panels found on two- and three-season tents making them a little more insulated.

• Hut booties. These down-filled booties were like warm hugs for your feet. They have a rubber sole and were perfect for walking around camp after a long day’s hike.

• Warm clothes (obviously). Base layers are key. We also had our winter coats and snow pants, as well as a toque, mitts, a sweater, hiking pants, and thick socks.

• Hatchet and saw. If we were to go again, we’d likely bring a bigger/longer saw and an axe.

• Insulated water bottle/thermos. In sub-zero temperatures, it doesn’t take long for water to freeze. We would melt + boil snow then immediately pour it into our water bottles to be later enjoyed as a warm drink while hiking.

• Grippers or snowshoes. We were kicking ourselves for not bringing the snowshoes on our hike around Provoking Lake. The untouched snow made for serious slow going in just our hiking boots. The grippers/cleats were pretty good for walking on the snow-covered ice.

• A good stove & additional fuel. Melting and boiling snow takes time and fuel gets used up much quicker in colder temperatures. We brought a liquid fuel stove as well as a JetBoil. Pro tip: carry a small fuel canister in your coat while hiking/before you’ll need it. Your body heat will warm up the fuel making it more efficient.

• Extra batteries. Batteries also drain quicker in the cold, and walking around in the dark with a dead headlamp is never any fun.

• A sense of adventure! Winter Camping in Algonquin (or anywhere!) is an experience you won’t soon forget. Embrace the cold and enjoy the beauty of the falling snow and the untouched forest.

As someone who is very much solar powered, the fact that I went winter camping in Algonquin Provincial Park (and thoroughly enjoyed it!) is still shocking to me. But if I can do it, anyone can!!

Tell me, what has been your best winter adventure this year? And, would you ever go winter camping in Algonquin (or elsewhere)?

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