Turner Lakes Canoe Route. 4-7 days. FW. Portaging. Central BC.

Turner Lakes Canoe Route

Full blog with pictures here:  https://northernwaters.shutterfly.com/turnerlakes
 

Turner Lakes Canoe Circuit is perhaps the most well-known canoe route in B.C., after the Bowron Lakes. It is located in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park which is west of Williams Lake (some 700km or so from Vancouver). Getting to the circuit is part of the adventure. You can hike in a long, long way up a through a prime grizzly bear feeding area (lol) or take a float plane from Nimpo Lake. We took the plane and this was a big adventure for the kids. The lake circuit itself goes through beautiful scenery and the lakes are smallish (relatively). We took a 2-day side trip up to Ptarmigan Lake and the alpine zone, and that was really spectacular.  The hike to the alpine zone starts at the end of Turner Lake; you'll need at least 2 days but 3 days is better for the hike.  Also the 30min hike to Hunlen Falls from the end of Turner Lake is jaw-dropping.

Logistics
Getting there  We used Tweedsmuir Air Services (http://www.tweedsmuirair.com) for the flight from Nimpo Lake to Turner Lake and for the canoe rental (at Turner Lake).  It's a beautiful 15min or so flight.  We drove to Nimpo from Bella Coola after taking the ferry up from Vancouver Island.

Canoes  Tweedsmuir Air has canoes at Turner Lake.  We rented from them.

Camping  There are established campsites with bear bins and fire rings.  Tweedsmuir Air also rents two cabins on Turner Lake.

Dogs Allowed.  Allowed on the plane too.

Bears Definitely. Though you avoid most of them by flying in.

Maps See the pictures.  The map you can download on line is all you need.  If you head to the alpine area, you'll probably want a topo for that area.

Powell River Forest Canoe Route. 5-7 days. FW. Portaging. Lower BC.

Powell River Forest Canoe Route

Full blog with pictures and maps: https://northernwaters.shutterfly.com/powellriverforestcanoeroute
 

This is a 5-7 day canoe route near Powell River, B.C. on the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver. It makes a circuit through multiple lakes and portages, has great swimming, good weather, and is mostly sheltered from wind (except Powell Lake). This is one of our favorite routes with our kids and we have done it twice. This is not a wilderness trip. It travels through areas with logging, the lakes have boater access, you pass through a car camp, and Powell Lake has a lot of house boats. However if you take a look at our photo album, I think you'll see why we love it so much. To me, it is pure fun with kids -- good swimming, great camps, low-key but beautiful paddling (except Powell Lake), and few people. The PRFCR is a 42 mile circuit in the upper Sunshine Coast, near Powell River, BC. It is about 3-4 hrs north of Vancouver on the mainland across from Comox on Vancouver Island. This is a marked canoe route that follows 7 lakes connected by portages. Although it is not a "wilderness" route (there are logging roads around and clearcuts), it does feel isolated and there is great scenery. The camping is in forestry campsites that are just for the canoe route.

This was our 2nd time doing the PRFCR. The first time we did it, we were with 3 other families, it was our first week-long canoe trip, and Jake was 1-year old. This time, we were alone, Jake was 7, and we were all seasoned canoe trippers. We have done many canoe circuits since that first 2001 trip on the PRFCR, but this route still ranks as one of our favorites -- which is why we wanted to do it again. The lakes are perfect for swimming -- warm, clean, no leeches, and few people. And it's in the upper Sunshine Coast, a piece of heaven on the B.C. mainland that is relatively unknown.

We left Seattle at 7am, arrived in Powell River at 4pm, and were on the water at 6pm. We paddled an hour to a small island in Lois Lake. It has beaufiful white sand beaches. In the glow of the sunset, we went for a swim and then basically didn't take off our swimsuits for the next 6 days. We cooked hotdogs over a fire and Jake and Inka built forts in the driftwood. Each day had a similar routine: wake up late, swim, paddle 2 hours, swim, portage, paddle another hour, swim, set-up camp, go diving off the dock, make a campfire, sing camp songs, go to bed tired but not too tired. That is what summer is about in my book.

This time doing the circuit, we did not find it particularly difficult. In fact, we found it quite relaxing. But I should note that the first time we did it, we found it quite physically challenging -- expecially the portaging. Since then, we learned a lot about packing of canoe tripping and we also had 2 extra pack animals (the kids).

Logistics
Canoe rental  Both times we rented from Mitchell's Canoes in Powell River.  We took 1 canoe (for 2 adults, 2 kids and 1 dog): a 17.5 ft Kevlar Clipper 60lbs. Cost was $180 for the week plus another $100 for the shuttle (drop and pick-up).

Map and route We picked up our map from the tourist info center in Powell River, but you can probably find one online. Our route and camps (refer to the PRFCR map in photo album): 1) Lois Lake, camp on island not marked on map. 2) north end of Horseshoe Lake, small but nice and isolated camp, 3) Windsor Lake, great camp with good swimming. We had intended to camp at Canoe Pt on Dodd Lake, but changed our minds... 4) Goat Lake, great camp. This was our short day, just a portage no paddling. 5) Powell Lake, beach camp half way down Powell Lake.

Dogs Allowed

Bears Probably but we have never seen tracks or sign.

Direction of travel and days  If you are with kids or are not strong paddlers, I suggest spending 6-7 nights on the trip. The swimming and camps are wonderful, so why rush it? We have done the loop counter-clockwise (Lois to Powell Lake) but I would suggest doing it clockwise (Powell to Lois). In fact, we intended to do it clockwise but forgot to tell Michell's and so were dropped off at Lois Lake. The books say to do it counter-clockwise because that way you do the Goat-Windsor portage going downhill -- but that means you will battle HEAD winds on Powell Lake for 2 days. They tell you can avoid the winds by going before 9am. You have 17 miles to paddle from the Goat Lake camp to the first Powell Lake camp. You'd have to leave at 6am -- and that is not happening with kids. Also the winds are strong. Karel and I are strong paddlers and both times we have done the loop, we have almost been pinned down by winds. Forget it if you are travelling with 1 adult in the stern and a kid in the bow. Going with a tail wind, you still need to be careful (stay close to shore, tie down everything, put more weight in the stern, and paddle when the wind is down). There is chop and big swells, but you won't find yourself simply unable to make progress and if you get pinned by winds for a day, you can make it up with a long day on the protected lakes.

Here's a suggested route if you did it Powell to Lois.
1) Leave Seattle 7am. This will get you to Powell River around 4-5pm and on the water about 6pm.
2) Put-in at Mowat Bay Park (not at the marina because that will mean you have to cross the lake; don't cross Powell Lake if you don't have to)
2) Camp 1 at Haywire Park. It is only a 30 min paddle; big beaches, fun for kids, but there are cars, so best to start on a weekday. Or if you get on the water earlier, you can make the beach camp at the head of the trail to Inland Lake.
3) Camp 2 at Goat Lake. Start early to avoid the swells and chop that develop on Powell Lake. Once you get around the point after the last Powell Lake camp, you'll start to be able to hide from the wind but before that you are exposed.
4) Camp 3 at Windsor Lake. Just do the portage this day.
5) Camp 4 at Canoe Pt on south end of Dodd Lake
6) Camp 5 at north end of Horseshoe Lake or the unmarked island on Nanton Lake. You can portage straight over from Canoe Pt, but why shorten it? I would do the longer portage through Ireland Lake. Ireland Lake has great swimming at the north end.
7) Camp 6 at the south end of Horseshoe Lake or on the island in Lois Lake (if the latter, it'll be a long day).

Opeongo-Laveille Lake Loop. 7 days. FW. Portaging. Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

Opeongo-Laveille Loop, Algonquin





Algonquin Provincial Park is a huge park full of endless lakes north of Toronto, ON. Like the nearby Boundary Waters park (U.S./Canada), you could spend a lifetime exploring the area -- and people do.  We started at the Opeongo Canoe Centre (the 11 red diamond on the map), then north into the North arm of Opeongo --> Proulx --> Little Crow --> Big Crow --> Crow Creek --> Crow Bay --> Lavieille --> Dickson --> East Arm Opeongo --> back to start.  We took 7 days.

This is a beautiful trip and I recommend the loop.  I don't have photos as I dropped my camera in a lake just after the trip.  Opeongo and Proulx lakes were crowded.  In retrospect, I would have taken the taxi and gone to some of the lakes farther out.  Past Big Crow Lake, we only saw one other party in 3 days.

Here's a map and some photos from someone else's trip report on this loop
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=65247
We took the same route sans wheels for the portages...and with 5 young kids (5:3 kid-adult ratio).  LOL.

And here's more info on this loop
http://www.doe.carleton.ca/~ngt/algonquin/opeongo/opeongo_frames.html

Logistics
Canoe rentals We used Algonquin Outfitters.  They have a store/rental place on Opeongo.  They also do water taxi to the end of the North arm if you want to get farther in fast.  We did not use the taxi however.

Kenai Wildlife Reserve Canoe Route. 7 days. FW. Portaging. Kenai, Alaska.

Kenai Wildlife Reserve Canoe Route

Full blog with pictures here: https://northernwaters.shutterfly.com/kenaiwildlifereserve
 

This is a 5-7 day canoe route south of Anchorage, AK on the Kenai peninsula. This was one of our most memorable trips. It was a real adventure. It is not one I will repeat, yet I am so glad we did it. It makes a big figure 8 through a series of small lakes (almost ponds) in a large marshy and muskog area. It has the most amazing beavers, lots of moose, and lots of bear (probably grizzly). However we didn't see any moose or bear because we were traveling with 5 kids, and it is almost impossible to see wildlife with kids because they chatter non-stop.   Note there are no views to speak of unless you get to Wonder Lake.

We did the outer loop of the figure 8, which took us into a rarely visited area.  This was our route (double click on the map to the right to zoom into it): Dog-Lure-Pot-Lonely-Kuviak-Junco-Lost-Red Squirrel-Woods-Gene-Eider-Olsjold-Wonder-Nutchatch-Lierum-Lynx-Pepper-Gene-Swanson-Campers-Berry-Redpole-Kuviak-Lonely-Pot-Lure-Dog.  Yes, 25 portages.  This is a route where you pack your stuff in a backpack because you are getting in and out a lot!

Logistics
Getting there  We flew into Anchorage and then arranged a shuttle down to Sterling, AK.  But renting a car would have been better since it was kind of tough being stuck on the Kenai without transportation.  After the trip, we went to Homer on the bus, which runs once or twice a day.

Canoe rentals
Alaska Canoe & Campground
35292 Sterling Highway
Sterling, Alaska 99672
907-262-2331

Weigner's Backcountry Guiding
P.O. Box 709
Sterling, Alaska 99672
907-262-7840

Bears Tons.  No bins.  You need to hang.  We had no encounters but saw lots of fresh sign everywhere.

Map and guide book  There is a guide book and you can download maps from the internet.  Go here http://www.northlite.biz/Canoe/

Camps There weren't really established camps on the route but there were informal ones.  We had small tents and were happy for that since we had to fit into tiny spots sometimes.

Wildlife Beavers, beavers and more beavers.  Wolf, coyote, bear, moose and river otters.  Loads of bird life.  Lots of fish.

Dogs Not sure but it is a wildlife refuge and it has a lot of grizzly bears.  Might not be the best place for fido.

Other stuff to do  The Kenai is an outdoor lovers playground.  Definitely check out Homer.  We stayed at the funky hostel in town.  Then we took a water taxi and did a 5-day hike in the Kachemak Bay State Park.  We got dropped off at Glacier Spit, hiked to Humpy Creek then to Emerald Lake then down to the Saddle trail pick-up.  Map http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/kbay/kbytrsmp.htm  This trip wouldn't take adults 5-days.  We were hiking with a 3-yr old (4 little kids; 2 adults) and could only go 5 miles max a day; I don't recommend doing this with a 3-yr old unless you enjoy hiking with a heavy pack at a 1/2 mile an hour pace.

Bowron Lakes. 5-8 days. FW + Class I river. Portaging. Central BC.

Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit

We made this trip in late August, 23-30. It is a 116km circuit to the west of Jasper National Park in British Columbia. The circuit is world-famous among canoers. The circuit is generally done in 5-8 days, and we took 8. It features mostly lake paddling with a few easy portages between lakes; however, it does have one river section on the Cariboo River. It has one class II rapid, but that can be portaged around (in fact you have to go out of your way to run the rapid). This is classified as a wilderness route, but I would put wilderness in quotes. Unless you go in late-fall or early-spring, you will see people every day. All the campsites are designated and are developed with fire rings, tent platforms and pit toilets. Some sites have cooking structures and on each big lake there is at least one public cabin for drying out and such.

In a nutshell: Very beautiful and classic canoe route. Don't expect solitude in high season (June-August).

Getting there:
It is a 10 hr drive from Seattle to Quesnel (south of Prince George). From Quesnel, it is another 2 hrs east to the Bowron Lakes Provencial Park.

Canoe rental:
There are a couple big lodges that do most of the rentals. They have good canoes and canoe carts (wheels). The two lodges are Becker Lodge and Bowron Lake Lodge. We rented with Bowron Lake Lodge. The canoes from this lodge were fine but their wheels were very heavy (like 25+ lbs) -- albeit indestructable. Next time, I'd try Becker Lodge which has lighter wheels and the same types of canoes. If you canoe much at all, I strongly suggest buying your own good paddle. Rental paddles are always heavy and not very nice. My light wooden bent-shaft paddle was highly coveted by all paddlers in my boat.

Reservations:
If your are a group of 6 or fewer, you can try the drop-in spots. Each day, there are 4 spots for drop-ins. These are lottery distributed, I think. Otherwise, you can get a reservation and if you are a group of 7+, you must have a reservation. Search for Bowron Lakes online and you'll quickly find the reservation info. It is very easy to do over the phone. You need to get reservations well in advance. I made reservations in March and there was only 1 group spot available in the 2-week window we had for doing the trip. Being a group had its pluses and minuses. The minus was that we were assigned a schedule (7 nights) and were required to stay at our designated group site each night. The pluses were that a) we had a big reserved site all to ourselves and didn't have to compete for sites, b) we were forced to slow down a bit and take 8 days instead of 6 that we might have otherwise, c) the groups sites were generally away from others and quite nicely situated.

Maps and books:
No need for detailed maps for this trip. You can use the one given to you when you make your reservations. There is a good guide book for the route: THE BOWRON LAKES A Guide to Paddling British Columbia's Wilderness Canoe Circuit  Link to website for guide book
Camps:
Get the guide book. It describes all the camps. Also in our photo album you'll see pictures of some of the camps.

What skill level is required:
Although most of the paddling is lakes, you need some decent paddling skills and a healthy dose of common sense. 1) Flipping in many of the lakes would be bad since they are cold (like the temp of the ocean here in WA). 2) You must paddle the Cariboo River. The river has a handful of class 1+ spots although it is mostly gentle. Although the river is not hard, it is wicked cold (MUCH colder than the ocean in WA) and there are snags all over and a few tight bends to negotiate. Flipping would be bad news -- however that said, the river is not wide and you would quickly make it to shore but sans gear and hypothermic. This route sees a lot of beginners and we saw 2 recent flips; 1 was from the night before and we helped collect their gear. There is a radio at the end of the river and a ranger boat that does rescues. We saw both boat and helicopter rescues during our week on the circuit.

Weather and bugs:
This route gets a lot of rain and wind. Every trip report I saw described paddling in the rain with wind. However, we really lucked out as we often had glassy water even in the afternoon. But normally the wind kicks up every day at around 2-3pm, so if you can manage to get an early start, you will avoid most of the choppy water. It rained about every day on our trip, but we rarely paddled in the rain and had plenty of blue sky. This area is known for bugs, but by late-August when we did the route, they were all gone and we rarely saw mosquitoes. If you come earlier in the summer, be prepared.

Portage:
There are lots of portages, but they are all maintained for canoe carts.

Bears:
BC Parks is rather paranoid about bears in this area, so I suspect that they do have some (black) bear problems. We saw no bears but other parties did see some. We saw tracks near one camp which was on a creek. All camps have bear bins.

Dogs:
Not allowed.

My thoughts:
Bowron Lakes is a "must-do" trip because of its stunning setting, variety, and circular loop.  However it is not a trip that I will repeat unless I'm taking friends from overseas (who I want to make sure have "wow" experience) or am going in the shoulder season (September).  For me, there were just too many people, too much regulation (needed due to too many people), and too many rangers.  Even when there was no one around, it was clear from the campsites that this area gets a lot of use.  The camps were in great shape, but just clearly lots of people go through them.  I prefer trips where we are more "out there", where the portages are rough, the camps rough, and no cabins or fire grates.  However, those precise features of the Bowron are what attract others and don't get me wrong, the trip is stunning, really stunning.