Algonquin Park backcountry hiking

Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on the Adirondack's High Peaks region and the clean up is just taking shape.

So we scrambled to change our plans. La Mauricie National Park also had its backcountry trails closed due to the storm last weekend. We settled on Algonquin Park. Our first trip there in quite a few years. - and the very first time embarking on backcountry hiking. We will be hiking the Western Upland  backcountry loop trail.

Tonight we drive to Whitney, so we can pick up our backcountry permit at the West Gate tomorrow morning and hike into EU Lake for our first over night on Saturday. From there we head to Pincher South, then Brown Lake, then Thunder Lake before heading back out to highway 60 and our car on Wednesday. 5 days, 4 nights in the backcountry, unsupported (no sat phone, no Spot, it'll be like in the old days) -  should be fascinating and challenging. There's hoping the rain that's forecast will not fall! Once we are at our second nights camp at Picnher Lake there's little point in turning back.

My backpack weighs about 45 pounds (or just over 20 kg) as we head in. There's  no cell coverage inside the park, so we are unlikely to post anything while out there. Pictures and stories to come at the end of next week :)