Abbreviated Trip Report: ODAN Canoe Trip

You may find it hard to believe, but before last weekend I’d never paddled in Algonquin Park.

Hiked, backpacked, winter camped? Yes, yes, and Yes.

Preparations for the ODAN Canoe Trip

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When it became apparent that the ODAN canoe trip needed one more instructor, I asked the trip lead if I might join the trip. The trip lead devised the route, float plan and the division of the 16 students between four of us instructors. The students planned the menu.

Equipment

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• Provided by students and Wilderness Tours:
• Canoes, paddles, PFDs, safety gear, map (mine)
• Tarps, camp kitchen, expedition first aid kit
• Food for 10 people for 4 days, waterproof barrels, wannigans

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[su_plan name=”My Shelter”]

• Tent, fly, poles, stakes, and footprint
• -10 degree Celsius sleeping bag, fleece liner, overbag, fleece-lined stuff sack (pillow)
• Thermarest

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[su_plan name=”My Clothes”]

• Hiking boots, Neoprene gloves and socks
• Buff, camp pants, PJs, down jacket, an extra set of base layers, winter hat
• Extra underwear and wool socks
• Plus what I was wearing when I left (running tights, base layer bottoms, 2 tech tees, fleece jacket, wool socks, splash pants, rain jacket, cap, sunglasses, paddling shoes)

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[su_plan name=”My Safety Gear”]

• PFD, whistle, multi-tool, pigtail, throwbag
• Compass, DeLorme inReach personal locator, cell phone
• Headlamp, lighter, matches, flint
• Medium-sized first aid kit

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[su_plan name=”My Food”]

• 2-1L Nalgenes
• Trail mix, fruit bars, dried fruit
• Starbucks VIA packets
• Aquatabs

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[su_plan name=”My Toiletries”]

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Toilet kit

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[su_plan name=”My Luxuries”]

• Book
• Write-in-Rain notebook
• Log book and pencil

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Daily Log

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Date: April 29th     Temp (Hi / Lo): 11 / 0 Celsius     Precip: 0 mm

Route: Canoe Lake (Access Point 5) to Tom Thomson Lake (~11 kms)

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Date: April 30th     Temp (Hi / Lo): 1 / 0 Celsius     Precip: 26 mm

Route: Tom Thomson Lake to Sunbeam Lake (~5 kms)

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Date: May 1st     Temp (Hi / Lo): 13 / 1 Celsius     Precip: 34 mm

Route: Sunbeam Lake to LittleDoe Lake (~5 kms)

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Date: May 2nd     Temp (Hi / Lo): 11 / 2 Celsius     Precip: 3 mm

Route: LittleDoe Lake to Canoe Lake (~12 kms)

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All in all, one of the wetest trips I’ve been on in a long time, but the students’ spirits were high which made the trip that much more fun. Solid start to paddling season!