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Trip Info
Date: August 5th – 7th, 2024
Route: Rain Lake > McCraney Lake x2 > Rain Lake
Total Number of Portages: 2
Avg. Number of Portages Per Travel Day: 1
Total Length of Portages: 10,080m
Avg. Length of Portages Per Travel Day: 5,040m
Total Travel Time: 7hrs
Avg. Travel Time Per Travel Day: 3.5hrs
Total Distance Covered: 16km
Avg. Distance Covered Per Travel Day: 8km
*The numbers above are based on double-carrying portages, since this is how I travelled. If you plan on single-carrying portages, you’ll want to divide the Portage Length numbers by 3, and subtract the estimated time saved from the Travel Time numbers.
Background
I took a few days to recover and relax after my late-July trip “Double-Triple on North Tea Lake and Manitou Lake” and before I knew it, it was the Civic Holiday long weekend. Being the busiest weekend in the park, even the backcountry was pretty much booked solid. And with all of those little red triangles on the reservation system, I can’t say I was too inclined to find a last-minute, last-resort option. The next trip I had planned was the following week, so I decided to sneak out on Monday for a few nights. I would avoid the Civic Holiday rush, and I would get back in time to give myself a few days to recover before my next trip.
I was debating between car camping or backcountry, but I saw McCraney Lake on the map and thought to myself “oh yeah, I’ve been planning to go to McCraney Lake for like three years, why hasn’t that happened yet?” There were only 2-3 other bookings for each night of the week, meaning it would be pretty quiet. So at 10:00 PM on Sunday night, I booked my permit. And the rest is history. Well actually, the rest is down below if you want to keep reading.
Day 1 — Rain Lake to McCraney Lake
Before I left, the forecast called for 40-60% chance of rain up until 5:00 PM, with about 1-2mm during each hour. The words used were “Chance of a Shower” for most hours in the hourly report. Well, it rained alright! But let’s take a step back…
I woke up at 4:58 AM, two minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I did my usual morning routine, picked up my canoe from my parent’s garage, walked Elo, and was on the road shortly after 6:00 AM. Within five minutes of starting my drive, it started to rain. And rain. And rain some more. There was a lot of lightning too. It was a torrential downpour for at least one hour of the three hour drive. It was still raining during the other two hours, just not “I can’t see a damn thing” type of downpour. It was actually a pretty dangerous drive because the shoulders of the highway were flooding so the car would start to skid when driving through a puddle. It was a “10 and 2”, eyes fixed on the road with my undivided attention the entire time type of drive. Side note, does anybody even remember “10 and 2”?
You know when it stopped raining? Literally as I pulled into the appropriately named Rain Lake access point. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I used the outhouse, took a short five minute nap in my car, and then spent some time chatting with two park rangers while loading my canoe. They checked my permit to confirm I wasn’t an Algonquin-crasher and then one of them told me that he also has an Australian Cattle Dog. He asked if Elo was fixed because he was considering breeding his pup. Can you imagine a bunch of little Elo’s running around? But she is fixed, and I wouldn’t breed her anyways.
This was my first time ever doing a trip out of Rain Lake so I really enjoyed the new scenery as I paddled through the narrow channel towards my first and only portage of the day. It’s a long portage, about 1.7km, and I was going to be double-carrying. I was confused what to expect; the elevation change between the lakes on either end is minimal, but Maps By Jeff has it labelled as medium difficulty. Other than the short incline at the start, the rest of the portage was super easy. It was flat, wide, easy terrain, and had good canoe landings on either end. Yes it’s a long portage, but even despite its length, it’s about as easy as a portage can get. I’m not sure why it’s labelled as medium difficulty on the map.
I met a few groups traveling the opposite way as me on the portage. I was honestly expecting it to be a zoo, considering I was doing the portage between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM on the last day of a long weekend. McCraney Lake was fully booked on the previous night, so I knew for sure that almost every group was on their way out.
There were a few muddy sections on the portage but otherwise it was a walk in the park, no pun intended. My shoulders were sore and tired after my first carry with my canoe, food barrel, and camera gear. It wasn’t anything unbearable and it didn’t warrant taking any breaks. This was by far the longest portage Elo had ever done, and she tackled it like a champ. She was excited the entire time but she stayed on track, stayed on pace, and didn’t tug me too hard in any direction (I keep her tethered to my waist).
The sky was grey all morning, but the only rain I had gotten so far was the storm during my drive. I saw a few more groups as I paddled through Little McCraney Lake towards McCraney Lake. The one beaver dam on route wasn’t too bad. My weightlifting routine paid off when I hoisted my canoe over the dam without needing to unload everything. I unloaded Elo, but that’s it, the rest of the gear stayed. If water levels were even a tiny bit lower a fully-loaded liftover probably wouldn’t have been possible.
I had my heart set on one of the three island campsites. From my research, they were all nice sites. One of the groups I met on the portage came from the southernmost island, so I knew that would be empty. My plan was to check out the northern island first, and if the two sites on that northern island were occupied, then I’d travel south. The north campsite on the north island was free, but the south campsite on the island was occupied by a couple with their dog. They were heading out for a paddle as I arrived, so I spoke with them by the shoreline for a few minutes. They said they were staying for one more night and then leaving the next day. I figured I’d take the northern island site and then I could switch on Day 2 if I decided that I liked their site better. Their pup Phoebe was barking at Elo, but I’m pretty sure Phoebe was just telling Elo that we can come take their site the next day.
Knowing that more rain was likely, I quickly pitched my tent and organized all of my gear to stay dry. As I finished, I saw a very threatening dark cloud in the distance. I quickly took the canoe onto the lake to fill my 4L water jug and then came back to camp. Within five minutes, it started to rain. I got into the tent with Elo and got everything set up. I brought one sleeping bag as a ground layer, my sleeping pad, a flat bedsheet as a bottom layer, and then both of our sleeping bags. It was a luxurious setup.
The drizzle was soothing while I set up inside the tent but it quickly turned into another massive downpour. It lasted for at least an hour, creating puddles of water all around the tent. I think this was Elo’s first time being in the tent during a torrential downpour but she seemed totally comfortable, despite how loud it was. She knows as long as I’m by her side, everything is ok. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. She has never shown any sign of worry or fear when I’m with her. At one point during the downpour she rested her head on the tent floor directly in front of my face and I watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell asleep. I dozed off too because I was also super tired.
The two storms were both perfect timing; the first while I was driving, and the second right after I setup camp. I was able to stay dry the entire day. After our nap I cleaned up some left-behind garbage from the fire pit (which was still burning when I arrived… come on guys, put out your fires) and rearranged the rocks to make a better structure. I had an early dinner, one of my favorite dehydrated meals, the Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo from AlpineAire. Afterwards, I walked along the shoreline to the north point of the island where there’s a large beach area with a pretty view to the north. I spent a while relaxing there before setting out for an evening paddle at around 7:30 PM.
I started my paddle by going to check out the campsite on the eastern shore, directly beside my island. It was a small campsite but it had a big rocky shoreline and a pretty view down the south of McCraney Lake. After documenting that site, I paddled into Stutter Creek. I entered the creek at 8:00 PM, as the sun was about to cross the shoreline. It takes a while to paddle in and out through the narrows, to get into the open area of the creek, so I knew I was going to be very tight on time.
But the paddle was worth it. I saw mergansers, loons, a beaver, and a heron. The entire area was extremely pretty, particularly during the sunset. The best part was the paddle out, at 8:30 PM. The mist was sweeping across the lake and with the narrow shorelines it made for a really dramatic landscape. It was especially cool when the perched heron in the middle of the narrows took flight in the foreground of the misty landscape.
It was very dark by the time I exited the creek but I made a quick pit stop on shore to collect some firewood. I didn’t plan on having a fire that evening due to everything being soaking wet, but there was tons of driftwood that would be dry by Day 2. I quickly grabbed a bunch and then got back in the canoe. I stayed on the water until I could barely see anything. I tried landing my canoe at the northern tip of the island where the beach is, because it would be much easier to leave my canoe there overnight, but it ended up being a big pain because of how shallow and rocky the area was.
I took down my barrel, had a snack, brushed my teeth, gave Elo a snack, then cleaned up camp and brought my camera and tripod back to the northern beach to do some astrophotography. Clouds were starting to roll in so the photo-op didn’t last too long, but I was still happy to be able to look up and witness the stars in all their glory. My previous trip had a large moon hanging in the sky every night, so I barely got to see any stars. This was a nice change. I stayed under the stars until close to 11:00 PM and then got into the tent.
Day 2 — Rest Day on McCraney Lake
My first night on McCraney Lake might have been one of the best sleeps I’ve ever had in the backcountry. I slept for 8 hours and only remember waking up twice. For me, that’s unheard of. I realized I was way more comfortable with my sleeping bag completely unzipped and thrown over me like a blanket. That has officially become my new method going forward.
I spent a few hours lazily lounging around camp. The morning reflections of the nearby shoreline onto the pristine water made for a gorgeous landscape. It was a very quiet, calm, still morning. When I went to grab my canoe from the northern point, there were a few loons directly in front of us in the water. I did a loon call, and to my surprise, they called back. We had a back-and-forth for legitimately 3-4 minutes and they were noticeably looking around every time I did my call. It was a pretty fun way to start the morning.
The couple from the adjacent island site with their pup Phoebe passed by and said hello (well, technically they said goodbye). I asked if they made it back from their paddle before the downpour yesterday and fortunately they said yes. I walked through the island to give their campsite a proper look and even though it’s a very beautiful site and has stunning views south down McCraney Lake, I actually preferred my campsite overall. You can read my Campsite Reports for all of the info and reasons.
I left camp at around 10:00 AM to go check out some campsites. The temperature was a very comfortable low 20’s with a mix of sun and clouds, and a gentle breeze. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect forecast. I started by visiting the nearby campsite on the west shore and then headed south towards the single island campsite. The island was left pretty messy but it was a beautiful site nonetheless, with the perk of hearing rushing water from the nearby falls.
Next I headed to the final campsite in the south of the lake, beside the dam. This was my least favorite campsite on the lake and based on its condition and location on the lake, I’m guessing it doesn’t get used very often. I paddled to the bay across from the campsite to look for wildlife, but I didn’t have any luck.
I took my time visiting each site and paddled leisurely the entire time. I also took a short break at each campsite to write the respective campsite report. On my way back to my island I saw some more loons in the water, and for the second time that day, I had a back-and-forth call with them. It’s a pretty awesome feeling whenever it actually works! By the time I finished visiting all three campsites and got back to my own island it was past 1:00 PM and I was super tired. I took the rain fly off my tent to increase airflow and went straight for a nap with Elo. She was clearly exhausted too because we both passed out right away.
I had three more campsites to document on McCraney Lake, the three northernmost sites. I went for a second day trip journey in hopes that all three campsites would be vacant. I started with the campsite on the west shore. It was a very pretty site with a beautiful shoreline to enjoy, however the site was completely exposed with practically no shade. Then I crossed the lake to the northernmost site on the east shore, which took me by surprise and ended up being nicer than I had anticipated. The next site south of that one was similar; I don’t know why I had low expectations for them, but they both impressed me. Unfortunately, the third site was not left in an appropriate state from the previous campers, but I won’t hold it against the campsite.
After successfully documenting every campsite on McCraney Lake I headed back to my own campsite just before 5:00 PM. I made a Grilled Chicken Pad Thai from AlpineAire for dinner and spent some time sitting in the shade with Elo. For a ‘rest day’ it ended up being pretty busy. And the day wasn’t over just yet. I gave Elo dinner at her usual dinner time, set up my GoPro for a sunset timelapse, and then hit the water for one final paddle.
My final paddle for the day was particularly lovely. Maybe it was the way the sun was shimmering on the shorelines of the lake with the calm reflective water surrounding me. Or maybe it was because I was completely alone on the lake without any other campsites occupied. Either way, it felt really special and it was strikingly beautiful.
I went back to Stutter Creek in search of some more wildlife. I was treated to a family of loons, mergansers, and multiple beavers. I didn’t see any larger wildlife, but that was ok, it was a beautiful paddle nonetheless. I stayed until 8:30 PM, similar to the previous night. There was no mist sweeping off the water on this evening, but the whole creek was still gorgeous and I thoroughly enjoyed the paddle.
I got back to camp at 9:00 PM as the sliver crescent moon was lowering down and approaching the shoreline. I had collected plenty of firewood earlier so I quickly got a fire going while there was a tiny bit of light left in the sky. It was much colder this evening compared to the previous night, but that’s not a complaint, I actually enjoy the brisk air. The overnight low temperatures were forecasted to be 11 degrees, which to me, was perfect.
I gave Elo a late night snack and had my own usually buffet of treats. Whiskey, banana bread, bagel, and marshmallows. Yum. I sat by the fire until around 10:30 PM before going to the side shoreline to watch the stars for a while. Instead of going to the north beach I found a separate spot beside my campsite that faced south, allowing me to get a beautiful unobstructed view of the full Milky Way. I saw the biggest toad of my life hopping around the campsite while I put out my fire and then went to bed shortly after 11:00 PM, while listening to the faint sound of wolves howling in the distance.
Day 3 — McCraney Lake to Rain Lake
Remember how I boasted about getting such an amazing sleep on my first night? Well, on my second night it felt like I barely slept at all. I kept waking up every few minutes, tossing and turning and then dozing back off to sleep. This continued until 6:00 AM when I decided to finally get out of my tent.
It was surprisingly chilly in the morning, but I didn’t mind. I think it was a few degrees colder than what the forecast had called for. Since this campsite faces west, I didn’t get any warmth from the morning sun. The lake was completely covered with mist that was quickly sweeping away.
Between doing all of my morning chores and packing up camp I snuck back into the tent for a quick 15 minute nap. It was necessary before starting my day and double-carrying the long 1.7km portage. Plus, tucking myself back into my warm comfy sleeping bag felt really nice on the chilly morning.
I moved at a moderate pace while packing up and got on the water at around 8:30 AM. I continued moving at a leisurely pace as I paddled north through an empty McCraney Lake. I kept my eyes on the shoreline for moose, but I didn’t have any luck. I moved even more slowly and kept my eyes even more fixated on the shoreline while traveling through the marshy narrow area that leads into Little McCraney Lake.
I somehow managed to lift my entire canoe over the beaver dam again, which I didn’t think would have been possible going upstream. Maybe all that heavy downpour from my first day raised the water levels by a few centimeters. Or maybe I’m just the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. Either one is possible.
Elo kept herself busy by playing “Catch-A-Moth” while we paddled through the area with heavy lily pad coverage. The goal of the game is just as the name implies… while Cody paddles, Elo tries to chomp on as many moths as possible while they circle her head.
Alas, we made it to the portage. I put on some bug spray and gave Elo some water and then headed into the trail. It took about 1.5 hours to double-carry, but it wasn’t too bad. The barrel being a few pounds lighter relative to my first day made a huge difference and relieved so much pressure from my shoulders.
Once I finished both carries I left my gear off to the side and walked along the Western Uplands trail. Campsite #2 was occupied by someone with a loud barking dog, but Campsite #1 was vacant so I spent a few minutes checking it out. When I finally got onto the water and started paddling on Rain Lake, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye of something black jumping into the forest from the portage landing. The only thing I could think of would be a black bear. It seemed unlikely given how busy the area was, but I don’t know what else it could have been. I quickly got out my camera in case it made an appearance again, but I was left wondering to myself if that 5km+ double-carry made me hallucinate.
I took a short detour and paddled east to check out one of the vacant campsites on Rain Lake, and then got back on track and headed west towards the access point. I stopped to check out one more campsite along the way, the one closest to the access point. There was a gentle tailwind behind me so I paddled very slowly and took a few short breaks to lay back against my pack and enjoy the hot sun on this cloudless day. I didn’t need to be back in the city by any specific time, so I spent a few extra moments appreciating my surroundings before leaving the park.
I met one of the owners of Canoe Algonquin at the access point and we spent close to an hour chatting. It was a nice encounter because Canoe Algonquin is one of the few outfitters that I had never dealt with back in my canoe-renting days. I took some photos to document the Rain Lake access point and then started my drive home at around 4:00 PM. After an entire trip in what looked like prime moose territory, and paddling into Stutter Creek every evening in search of moose, can you guess when I finally saw a moose? Right after I got in my car! About 5 minutes into my drive I saw a cow and calf moose in the middle of Rain Lake Road. It’s a very narrow road and not safe to stop driving, so by the time I was able to safely pull over and grab my camera, the moose had gone inland. I was able to snap a few photos of the calf before it disappeared, but the photos didn’t turn out that great.
The Aftermath
After a few years of having my eye on McCraney Lake, I finally decided to do a trip there. And I’m sure happy that I did. I really loved the lake. It has pretty views down the length of the lake both north and south, no shortage of great campsites to choose from, it was bustling with small wildlife, and on my second night I had the entire lake completely to myself. Plus, I was able to visit every campsite on the lake to document for my Campsite Reports. There’s really nothing to complain about! Unless I wanted to complain about the mosquitos, but I did enough of that during my previous trip “Double-Triple On North Tea Lake and Manitou Lake”. The mosquitos were significantly better on this trip. I did get bites, and I did still use some DEET, but they were very tolerable.
My island campsite was great. I saw a snake, a mouse, a blue jay, a massive toad, and plenty of other birds and chipmunks, all on the island. Between the wildlife on the island itself plus the countless mergansers, geese, loons, beavers, etc. that I saw throughout the three days, the entire trip was incredible for wildlife. The cow and calf moose at the end was the cherry on top.
McCraney Lake reminded me of Ragged Lake visually. The shorelines were full of driftwood and marshy areas and every corner looked like the perfect spot for a moose to walk out of the forest for a snack by the water. I couldn’t believe how many beaver dams there were throughout the lake as well. The 1.7km portage getting in and out of McCraney Lake was the longest portage Elo had ever done (especially since we double-carried, it was a lot of walking!) but she handled it so well.
There isn’t too much else to say to wrap up the trip report. McCraney Lake was awesome. If I were to introduce someone to Algonquin Park and they wanted to avoid the Highway 60 area, this would be a great there-and-back weekend trip recommendation.