Winter... where are you?

Here in a little pocket of Southwestern Ontario, the weather seems to be in limbo. Aside from a couple snowfalls after Christmas, we have had very little snow this Winter. In fact, after some rain and warm temperatures, the ground is snow and frost free. The local ski hill is operating at 30% right now, with little relief in the 14-day forecast. We may see some snow on Thursday, but the weekend is showing 8 degrees ABOVE zero and rain. If the rain holds off, I may get some yardwork done that went unattended this past Fall.



However, if you are lucky enough to get out of this little hot pocket, there appears to be enough white stuff to play in. As things stand, Algonquin area is forecasted to get up to 25cm of snow today! Further East in the province, near Bon Echo Park, the forecast looks less appealing. There is a forecast for 15mm of freezing rain. Not only an unpleasant surface to ski on, but a treacherous drive on those hilly roads. For those who know the area, good luck getting up the Kaladar hill! Satellite immagery shows the North end of Mazinaw Lake to have either open water or very thin ice.



As this image is a few days old, hopefully tomorrow's sunny weather will give a more up-to-date picture of current conditions.

If you have any updates for other areas that you think others may want to hear about, let me know, and I'll post it here.

Thanks for reading, happy Winter!

What a Crazy Summer!

Busy doesn't even begin to describe the Summer and Fall of 2011. My days started at 4:30AM and I wasn't in bed until after 10:00PM on most nights. We got up to the cottage a few times this year, but even that was a bit limited. The big projects of the season included the finishing of the insulation in the attic along with the vapor barrier. Hopefully this winter, I can make it livable! My dad and I fenced in my backyard so the dogs could be leash free, much to their pleasure and our relief. Our vegetable garden suffered horribly this year and we barely managed to get a few pumpkins and some sunflowers out of it all. We'll be downsizing it next year. One of the great moments of the summer; my wife got up on water skis for the first time! She did a great job getting up and made a spectacular splash to finish it off!

The Fall brought a whole new level of time management. I've taken on the workload of a colleague who went on maternity leave, adding to my existing workload. My wife started Teacher's College this Fall, so her time is stretched to the max as well.

With Winter weather just around the corner, I hope to take advantage of the ski trails around home. Maybe even a short trip to an Algonquin area inn during some time off. My skis haven't seen the snow in nearly two years. I also plan to pull out the downhill skis and take them for a run one weekend. Who knows, maybe I'll even get my wife onto the hills this year.

From now until Christmas will be as busy as ever. Shopping, Winterizing, and construction are all on the list for the next couple months. If you don't like snow, better get out and enjoy what is left of the unfrozen ground.

Another Successful Trip

Well, I'm back from another great fishing trip. Our initial plan worked out and we were able to get in with only a small amount of ice on one of the lakes. The wind was coming out of the NW so we took a South facing camp site in hopes of keeping out of the wind. The trip started off with a reconstruction of the fire pit.



The completed project allowed for good wind blocking, heat retention, and the perfect height for grilling.

The next step was the tarp setup. This always proves to be a balancing act. After placing the ridge-line and the corner lines, we determined that the best way to add height was to tie a rope to the front of the tarp, and using the branch directly above us, hoist the tarp as high as needed. Most sites do not have a branch so perfectly positioned for our kind of tarp setup. The resulting rope maze was picture worthy. Of course, a coffee for celebration was in order.



After the first day of setup, wood cutting, and deciding how best to fish this lake we have never been on, we went to bed early.

The second day was remarkable. We did not see a single cloud all day. We both caught a 2 pound speckle trout from the canoe that day. One of which was caught right in front of our campsite on the way in. This day of canoeing and sight-seeing, allowed us to get a better idea of the other sites available on the lake. We quickly determined that we had the best site by far.

Day three was a different story. The morning started out okay, but by 10am, it looked like we might get some rain. Just before the rain started, I picked up a 3 pound speckle while casting from our campsite. We let this one go as we already had the filets of one fish leftover from the day before. We spent the majority of the day under the tarp or hiking the back bush out of the rain.

Day four, we made a decision to pack it out. The weather was not looking promising with a breezy start and collecting clouds. On the way out we met up with a couple guys that had been in since Sunday. On their way out the day before, one of them had fallen on a portage and was barely able to walk. We made it back to the car in great time only to find the clouds breaking up and the sun shining through. Oh well, we caught fish, enjoyed the trip, and made it out in one piece. All-in-all, a worthwhile trip.

Backcountry Permits to be Issued as of Friday April 29, 2011

If you haven't seen the Friends of Algonquin Ice-Out update yet, you should look. As of this afternoon, conditions vary drastically. From open lakes and easy access to ice-covered and washed-out roads. As the conditions will change daily, hopefully some of these points will improve. Once the rain stops, access roads should begin to dry out a bit.

Saturday looks to be sunny and warm, so hopeully I'll have a new satellite photo to see ice conditions. If you were hoping for a weekend of fishing in the next couple weeks, it may be a good idea to have a Plan B if things don't improve by your departure date.

Good luck and happy camping!

Teased By Mother Nature

Well, it looks like the rain they've had in the Algonquin area has turned things around a bit. In the below satellite photo, Bark Lake appears to be ice-free. This lake seems to be slightly smaller than Opeongo. The two lakes in the top right corner are Round Lake to the left and Golden Lake on the right.



The problem with this photo, the entire park is under a white cloud. With all the rain in the forecast though, we could see the ice going out very soon. The forecast for today may leave the opportunity for a good picture. Otherwise, there aren't any clear days in the forecast for a while.

Temperatures are staying above freezing for the most part with a couple of nights barely dipping below zero ever so slightly.

Winter Has Returned

Well, so much for a long weekend with an open trout season. I'm glad my trip isn't booked until early May. Algonquin is currently getting hit with a nasty winter storm. Rain, snow, and freezing rain have returned to the park. Although you may have had plans for this weekend, there is no way you will make it through the lakes. The rivers are high and flowing, and probably full of trout, but the fast currents shouldn't be navigated! In addition, there will be no back-country passes issued until the lake situation has been reassessed on April 26th.

Despite this dismal weather, there is some hope. The forecast for next week shows temperatures in the mid-teens and rain. If that forecast holds true, we could see some major melting and breaking up of ice. We just need the wind to complete the picture!

Below is the one week forecast. Things are going to warm up once this system moves out.



I don't usually look beyond one week of weather, but it looks pretty promising!



If you are headed up there this weekend, send some pictures and stories.

Updates to follow soon and here's hoping to ice-out before May!!

Ice? Water? FISH?!?

Quick answers... Yes, Some, and No. Thanks to the rain and warm temperatures, the ice has begun pulling away from the shores of the larger lakes. If we can just get some wind, the colder temperatures in the forecast may not have too much effect on the ice cover. I'm still holding out for an April 22nd ice-out on most lakes. The satellite photo below shows some major thinning on Opeongo. The one thing that has always amazed me about Algonquin is how everything around it melts first.



Some of the melting could be a layer of water over the ice that has melted thanks to the sunny and warm weather. From what I've read of other ice-out updates, there is melting along the shorelines which means the ice can move and break up with we just get that blessed wind!

Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.