Woodland Challenge crosses Temagami (Part I)

I didn't leave Tim Horton's on a whim, with no direction. I left with a mission, to go back to OPC and work at Woodland Challenge; a program I didn't get to do as a kid but was determined to own when I was able to one day staff it. I had talked to Murdoch part way through June and confirmed early July I was in for Woodland 2009. The staff line up sounded excellent and the route for the 10 day trip I would lead was totally left up to me. The choice was an easy one, a dream trip that I had planned three years ago crossing the far western regions of Temagami. The trip would prove to be everything I thought it could be and more.

Day 1: August 5
*taken from my trip journal (which only lasted until day 4)
Alright, we made it. After getting on the bus at 8 or 8:30 we finally arrived at the Montreal river around 4:30pm!!! That was after an approx. 50km detour past the bridge crossing the Montreal. The weather was ominous clouds but rain held off until after dinner and then it was only a sprinkly despite looking scary. At one point I was scrambling with the instructions of my new tent trying to figure out how to set it up before all my stuff got soaked. Step number 1: Be sure to practice setting up tent before taking it into the field. - gah The 14ish km paddle took until 7:30 and we were moving quite fast with the wing gently at our back for most of it. Lots of wildlife on the Montreal; herons, Bald Eagle (unconfirmed), loons, Megansers and ducks. We picked up firewood along the way and arrived to the beach site. Not exactly as imagined but still vast and with neighbours to the south. Smoothwater Lake is bigger than I had imagined. The hill around are HIGH with steep sides. Ishpatina is near. The group was tired and the leaders a bit edgey due to lack of sleep (Rob and Anelynda - 3 hours, Murdoch -0!). To bed and a sleep in is in order.

Canoe Partner: Kimberly Kawaja
Distance Travelled: 14km
Put in time: 16:30h (Montreal River)
Take out time: 19:30h (Smoothwater Lake)
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas
Dessert: Sleep
Weather: Scary clouds, slight drizzle

Day 2: August 6
written at 10:00h
Holy crap, I actually woke up to sun on my tent. A rare event in the summer of 2009. A plane landed nearby and pulled up to our neighbours beach. Not sure but I think they got a food drop or possibly more people. The beach here is HUGE and I tried to set my tent up off in the forest but as it was just on the edge I still have sand in it. The sand is everywhere. I know better than to stay on a beach... This lake (Smoothwater) is beautiful! The water is super clear and the view across the lake, spectacular. Pancakes for breakfast... I hate making pancakes. The new MSR gravity filter has already saved a lot of pumping!

Campsite complete with banquet table and thrones. The kids were still scared of me at this point.

Today ended with a really long breakfast and then a move down the beach to the portage to Marina where a campsite awaited with banquet table, benches and two thrones made of cedar. Around 4 we finally we finally had camp set up and set off for Sunnywater Lake. A downpour greeted us as we began to cross Marina and everyone got soaded. 100m into the first portage and 5/7 of the campers decided to go back and Anelynda pulled the short straw meaning she had to go back with them. Murdoch and I carried on with Emma and Jordan who really wanted to go as well. After a 700m, 1000m (with a crazy canyon/drop), and 300m portage we made it to Sunnywater. The lake was exactly as described; crystal clear and gorgeous blue! Just watching your paddle cut through it was amazing. We brought a couple masks and could watch people wim forever. The bottom was sandy and the rocks looked like Chiniguchi. We could watch a white one drop in the water for over 20 seconds. We spent 2 hours there and headed back through downpours to the campsite where Anelynda was trying to keep the rising anarchy at bay. The lack of a fire seemed to be the stumbling block between the group and eating. We arrived at 9 and everyone was hungry. Dinner in the dark..... but hey, at least there wasn't sand everywhere.

Yes, it was THIS blue.

Canoe partner: Natalie Love
Distance Travelled: 4km of portaging
Put in time: -
Take out time: -
Dinner: Veggie stirfry ( Kim cut up enough veggies for an army, thanks!)
Dessert: Due to countless requests **cough**Natalie**cough** Lucky Charm Krispies
Weather: started out gorgeous, turned into a few big down pours and cloudy. Cleared up at night.

My paddle reflection.

Day 3: August 7
An absolute grinder. Our first encounter with portages and all our gear. Smoothwater Lake was a mirror as we paddled across this morning. The first 815m portage was killer. No one wanted to help and we as leaders took way more than our fair share. The next 1200m went a bit smoother thanks to Murdoch's 'what to carry list', that was except for the last algonquin pack he forgot to put on. Oh, and having the sweeper in the middle of the pack didn't help either. We then had a pita, meat and cheese lunch followed by a couple portages we could lunch box and then a couple short ( less than 160m) ones. We finally entered Scarecrow creek at 6:30 for the estimated 2.5h paddle.... eek! We made it out at 8:10, just as the sun was setting behind the ridge. The group in front of us had taken the campsite at the base of the hike to the summit so Addie and I booked it to the island site and LUCKILY no one was there. Dinner was again made in the dark (brutal) but the kids were pretty good. One tent was pitched on a massive boulder. You can always count on the kids to take the worst spots. Had a great time with Murdoch and Anelynda after the kids went to sleep. We can see the tower from our island. I'm really excited for tomorrow.

Scarecrow Creek!

Canoe partner: Addie Stewart (amazing in the bow on Scarecrow Creek)
Distance travelled: N/A, have to look up
Put in time: 10:00h
Take out time: 21:00h
Dinner: Pesto Pasta with sundried tomoatoes, yum
Dessert: Smores
Weather: sun and cloud, cool. cleared in the evening.