Sat, Mar 22 2008, Sun, Mar 23 2008, Mon, Mar 24 2008 - Snowshoe Backpack: Frontenac Loop Combo (View Original Event Details)
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We departed from Toronto early on a Saturday morning for a 4-hour drive to the park. After a quick stop at the park office to obtain the permits we were on the trail! There was a lot of snow at the park yet the top layer was so well compacted that we could simply walk on it in our winter boots. The forecast called for no new snowfall during our stay. We decided to leave 2 pairs of snowshoes at the car and take one pair with us for safety. Over the next 3 days we exceeded our goals, traveling on Tetsmine Lake loop, Gibson Lake loop, Hemlock Lake loop, and on a loop along Birch Lake for a total mileage of over 35km.
One amazing thing about winter backpacking - and there are many - is the total isolation. We only saw 2 people during 3 days on the trails. One individual was tenting on a small lake and we waved to each other from far away. The lake ice appeared to be very thin and there were warm, melting spots all around his (her?) tent. The scene reminded me of photos of polar bears stranded on Arctic icebergs due to global warming. We saw another person from our ridgetop lookout who was skiing across Birch Lake with a pair of dogs. Visibility was phenomenal - the distance between us was about 1km! The trip concluded safely with an (estimated) 10,000 calorie meal at a local restaurant and a drive back to the big city. Special thanks to Alex for his skillful stove handling and the tent, and to Chetan for his Explore-worthy photography.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.