Norf

I'm back, and I have lots to share!

Most of which is really pretty!

My radio silence last week was due to us buggering off up...well...norf. 

North, if you prefer.

I got a run in - my first "real" one since I tore my hamstring - on Saturday, Sept 18th before we left. It went ok, but I didn't run another step from the time we left on Sunday the 19th until after we returned on Saturday the 25th.

Though I did go for some lovely hikes

We hit up Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, enjoying the challenge of the History Loop of the Etienne Trail System on a beautiful afternoon.

It wasn't particularly conducive to running, anyway

We got a wade in afterward at our nearly-private beach just steps from our campsite, and watched the sun set over Moore Lake

We weren't sure when we'd get to see the sun again, so we savoured every moment

Then it was even further north, past the absolutely delightful A.Y. Jackson Lookout over the high falls of Onaping.

Definitely worth a stop, even on a somewhat rainy afternoon

Halfway Lake Provincial Park didn't seem especially inviting when we arrived, and stayed chilly and windy for our entire visit. 

But bubbles make everything better, amirite?

With a high of 10c, gusting winds wheeling about, and looking like it might rain any second, we decided against hiking the 15km Hawk Ridge Trail. We wanted to go do the Osprey Heights Trail instead for its lookout over Antrim Lake, but apparently it was closed for maintenance...and had been since May? Instead we took the road down to the Antrim Lake canoe launch to have a look, and discovered that terming both road and launch as such was definitely stretching the definitions.

Subaru AWD for the win! No way we'd have got there in our little hatchback

 

I suppose you could technically launch a canoe, assuming you didn't sink waist-deep in the mud

Antrim Lake

Instead we headed back to the campground to hit the Echo Pond Trail, which is the medium-sized (~6k) loop with Moose Ridge being the smallest and Hawk Ridge being the longest.

The trails are incredibly well marked

Also very beautiful

We decided we'd do an out-and-back on the Hawk Ridge Trail, up to a lookout I'd seen on the map at the trailhead. The lookout itself didn't have the best view.

Though Tank didn't seem to mind

But incredibly, on our way up to it, we saw a massive bull moose with a full rack of antlers. He caught wind of us and went crashing through the forest; his antlers hit a tree and he went, making the tree shake alarmingly and sounding like a gunshot! It was the first time I'd seen a bull moose in person, and the sight was as majestic as you'd think.

I didn't get a shot of the moose, so have this pic of Tanker engaging in some shenanigans instead

Onward over rocky ridges - the trail was challenging enough and the winds wild enough that we were perfectly happy to keep our hike a bit shorter.

I was also feeling pretty solid about having brought trekking poles, though we only used one apiece

The rock formations and lichens were very impressive in many places on the Echo Pond loop

Just...wow.

There were glacial erratics everywhere, which may have led to some shenanigans of my own..

Dork on a rock

We found Echo Pond itself, with a couple of loons diving for fish in the distance

Not really visible except with the field glasses we'd brought

But the last kilometer of trail had the loveliest view by far, from a wooden platform looking over Halfway Lake

We could almost pick out the spot where our campsite was

Then we reached the end of the trail, and the massive wall of jumbled slabs of stone we'd spotted from the parking lot.

Which of course meant time for MOAR SHENANIGANS

The chill wind kept us from taking a post-hike dip, despite our site being just a 100m walk down a trail to the lake, but we did go have a look as evening set in.

We'll need to go back some time with my paddleboard and Tank's kayak - the lake stayed glassy despite the windy day!

As we hung out on the shore, a rather nice sunset started to develop..

You have my attention.

That soon progressed into one of the most stunning displays of light and cloud I'd ever seen, undiminished by it being over land and away from the lake at this time of year.

I'm very glad we could find some clear sky to see it, though, even if it was by the comfort station

The next morning we packed up after a pancake breakfast and headed through a rainy afternoon to a favourite place of ours - Chutes Provincial Park.

See if you can guess why it's called that.

We fell asleep to the sound of the falls - our campsite being just a 50m walk from the stairs to the huge lookout platform - and hiked the stunning Twin Bridges Trail as the day turned from cloud to sun.

Starting before it cleared gave us the trail mostly to ourselves

..which gave us the opportunity for some more shenanigans..

..but we were definitely grateful to see the sun again!

Particularly with how beautifully it highlighted the fall colours against the blue sky

After our hike and a snack, we went down to the pool in the river below the falls - two years ago I'd swam out to the falls, but it was still a bit chilly for that! Fortunately, though, I'd brought my rubber boots and could wade out into the shallows.

Wellies: not just for rain!

Why would I do such a thing? Well, to see the hundreds of trout making their annual spawning run!

Every one of those dark patches is a big, healthy trout!

Tank did some fishing as he'd brought his gear, but they weren't really biting - he hooked a few, but only by the fins, so I'd grab them as he reeled them in and he'd use his fishing pliers to remove the hooks, then I'd swish them in the water and let them go.

It never hurts to be sporting about things, and we had plenty of food left

We got back to our campsite just in time to see the final rays of sun burst through the woods and onto our little home.

..before the rain started overnight.

We packed up wet, but the rain was kind enough to pause long enough that we didn't have to do so with it actively falling, which gave us a perfect record for the trip of not having to either set up or tear down in precipitation. We had avoided the torrents that hit the southern part of the province, and only really got soakings either overnight or while in the car! 

One last walk down the long stairs to the falls after we loaded everything into Francine 

(yes, our Subaru Crosstrek has a name - ask me about it sometime!)

Then on the road for more than 500 mostly soggy kilometers home.

Leaving the exposed rocky landscape of the north behind

We finally found the sun again as we entered Hockey Valley

So all told we did about 21km of hiking and close to 1,500km of driving over 7 days and 6 nights, returning home happy to have a hot shower but absolutely delighted by our week up norf.

I love camping and exploring with this guy!

Now all of a sudden Rugged Raccoon is tomorrow, so I think I better go get some sleep!