Killarney Solo Canoe Trip: Fantastic Fishing

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Killarney Provincial Park Solo Canoe Trip June 2015 - Part 1

http://myselfreliance.com/killarney-solo-canoe-trip-north-end-part-1/

Killarney Provincial Park truly is the crown Jewel of the Ontario Provincial Park system, with its clear, blue lakes, sparkling quartzite mountains, abundant wildlife, spectacular canoe routes and breath-taking hiking trails. But I had only really seen the south end during a couple of day trips and one overnight camping trip at George Lake with my family years ago. To see more of Killarney, but also get in some quality spring fishing, I planned a three-day solo canoe/fishing trip to the north end of the park, where crowds are minimal and limestone bedrock has buffered the effects of acid rain, making the lakes fertile and productive.

Day 1: Sunday June 7, 2015

Lakes: Bell, David, Great Mountain, Fish, Gem, Howry

Details: 24.9 km, 6 portages – 4405m, longest 2775m

Weather: 60% chance of showers, High16°C, low 9°C. Started raining mid afternoon and poured until 3:00 am.

Upon arriving at the Bell Lake access point around 8:00 am, the door to the check-in was locked, sparking concern, but there was a sign posted instructing visitors to honk a car horn and someone would boat across the lake from the Lodge, which is exactly what happened.

By 8:30 am, I was on my way across Bell Lake, Killarney to the David Creek portage.

Since this was my first time canoeing Killarney (I’d only hiked the south sections recently and camped at George Lake many years ago), I was particularly keen on observing every detail of the landscape. So far, I’d only had glimpses of the surrounding quartzite mountains, but I was impressed by the combination of dark green pine, vivid green deciduous foliage and the clear blue lakes and rivers highlighted against the pink and grey granite outcrops, veined with limestone, siltstone, sandstone and quartz.

David Lake and Great Mountain Lake were striking, with full views of the beautiful quartzite La Cloche mountains to the south and granite on the north shore.

The 2775m portage from David to Great Mountain was varied in terrain and difficulty but I was able to cut at least one-third off by paddling and poling the middle section where beavers have raised the water levels.

The portage trails in this area were pockmarked with deer tracks rather than the moose and wolf scat I got accustomed to on my Algonquin trip three weeks earlier. With an extremely high nuisance bear population in Killarney, I expected to see bear sign by this point. Spring thaw was late this year, but temperatures quickly turned above seasonal and the bears would be hungry and extremely active now, with very little natural food available to kick-start their lethargic metabolism.

Tags: killarney provincial park,pike,fishing,canoeing,howry lake,bell lake,great mountain lake,solo,camping,bushcraft,survival

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