Mew Lake Airfield, Algonquin (2 Days / 15km)

A winter camping paradise? Maybe?

The Cover:

My favourite shots that are 'cover-worthy' for this little story.

Rating:

We've said this before and probably will a million times over, but we love Algonquin Provincial Park. We've only ever been to the Mew Lake campground over the winter season for base-camp expeditions, but we've always had a good time. The facilities are well maintained, clean, and park staff are super friendly. Whether you're staying in the campground or in the airfield, the experience is awesome. There's a reason why we keep coming back!

I Want to Live Here Rating: 3/5

People-Meter: 1/5

Anxiety Scale: 1/5

Pain Train: 1/5

10/10 Recommend: 4/5

The Prologue:

Algonquin Provincial Park is characterized by its forested hills, rocky ridges, and thousands of lakes, bogs, swamps, and rivers. To see its true beauty one must explore by paddle or foot. Algonquin is truly one of Ontario's crown jewels - this Province is fortunate to have access to such a wide range of hiking trails, canoe routes, wildlife and photography opportunities, and year-round activities like skiing, snowshoeing, and winter camping. I will repeat - there is truly something for everyone!

Given the weather and the snow/ice situation in Ontario (I generalize - there is, of course, snow somewhere here in this Province), our choice this time round was to set up a base-camp in the airfield at Mew Lake and tackle hikes throughout the day. The airfield is considered as backcountry, despite having access to facilities nearby (you just need to be willing to walk a bit further, or drive depending on your motivation levels).

Here's our trip report!

The Story:

Day Zero:

Cambridge to Mew Lake Airfield

Ah, the typical drive from Cambridge to Algonquin Park. As we've said before, is takes about 4 hours. This time, the drive was actually a touch shorter than the norm - 3.5 hours! Pretty nice on a Friday night, eh? And we weren't rushing around either! We stopped for fuel just off the Highway 6 and the 401 on-ramp before picking up our cousin at the nearby carpool lot (Jonathan had to drive all the way from Niagara - that's dedication!). Both the weather and traffic were great. Pretty much smooth sailing all the way to Algonquin. The only hitch was that we forgot (realized mid-drive) a deck of cards. A very, very sad realization. No games for us in the evening all weekend, but that's okay.

Fitzy (our lovely Honda Fit) rolled into the parking lot at the Mew Lake Airfield at about 4:30PM. Blue hour, as they say. The sun was going down and just covering the snow in this gorgeous, blanket of hazy light, kind of like smoke. We gathered our gear, packed up our sleds, and waited for our friend Gavin.

You see, Gavin is blessed with a much shorter drive than us (two hours!). So, rather then time his arrival to match us, he made it to Algonquin a touch earlier to locate a site and begin setting up camp. To our surprise, he chose a site quite a distance from the parking lot. We didn't mind at all, but thought that we'd be tackling our previous site from the year before. Alas, once Gavin made it to the parking lot, he told us that there was a large group (15 people!) out there. We had to shake things up, and check out a new spot this time round.

And a great spot it was! Once we trudged out there (snowshoes weren't required - the trails throughout the airfield were very well maintained) we were very pleased. Gavin had selected a sheltered area right beside the North Madawaska River. Some scenic views combined with some peace and quiet? Sign us all up!

Setting up camp was a breeze. One hot tent was already set up (thank you, Gavin!), so we all teamed up to set up the tee-pee style tent, shovel everything out, and begin preparing dinner. We made chili the night before at home, so preparations would not be complicated - mainly required just getting the fire going and warming everything up. As simple as that sounds, it actually ended up being a tad more complex. The wood we brought along was surprisingly wet, and made for a rather tedious fire situation. We made it work, but it was very time-consuming. The fire didn't burn particularly hot. It was such a fight to keep it going. Fortunately we have lots of layers!

We ended the night with a cake filled celebration to honour Gavin successfully defending his thesis! A huge congratulations to our friend! Such an achievement after so many years of study and research. Time to enjoy some freedom, epic adventures, and time that is fully your own!

As our celebrations came to a close, I was particularly excited about bed-time. Finally, after months of waiting, we were reunited with our polar rangers! The most cozy, incredible winter sleeping bags ever! We didn't even have a wood stove going. We cold tented and didn't even notice the lack of a stove. If you love winter camping and go frequently, this is truly the piece of equipment for you.

Day One:

Mew Lake Airfield to Centennial Ridges Trail

Typically, Isaac was up at the crack of dawn. He shook the tent like a maniac to wake us all up. Wasn't the greatest idea - with no heat source in our tent there was a bunch of condensation built up everywhere. It fell like snow from the sides of the tent or just flat-out made our equipment wet. My sleeping bag was definitely more than a little damp. Oh well - just the reality of winter camping, I guess.

I was slower to get out of the tent this morning. Changing layers in the morning is always a bit challenging for me. The cold bites, it's hard leaving the heat burrito, and touching wet fabric - gives me icky vibes. I survived, though!

Once I finally climbed out of the tent, it was time for oatmeal and coffee. Honestly, not my favourite combination. I love coffee, but oatmeal is not my ride or die breakfast. I'll gladly eat it, but with a sprinkle of reluctance. I just wish that my coffee could of lasted a touch longer. You're in a hot tent, all cozy by the wood-stove, caffeine slowly tricking through your body - perfection. The boys wanted to get grooving, however, so that dream was a dead one.

We packed up with plans to tackle the Centennial Ridges Trail. We rolled out of camp around 10AM, empty water jugs in tow, in addition to our day-hiking gear, snowshoes, and lunch. All of the things you need to spend a day outside comfortably! We left the water jugs with one vehicle with plans to refill them upon our return. A quick pit-stop to use the facilities at the New Lake Campground, and BAM! On the way to our destination for the afternoon.

Now, typically folks access the Centennial Ridges Trail from the traditional trail-head. Unfortunately, that access point is not open during the winter time. You have to park along Highway 60 and walk in, which adds roughly 4 kilometres to your trip? Something like that. We didn't really want to hike in that way. The hike itself is already 12 kilometres. So instead we spent some time looking for alternative options. We took a stroll on Open Street Map and to our surprise there was a trail marked across the highway from the Lookout Trail parking lot. Unmarked and unmaintained, but it looked like an option that would make our plans feasible. And who doesn't love a good bushwhack?

So that's what we did. We pulled into the parking lot, strapped on our snowshoes, and plodded across the highway in search of a semblance of a trail (if you do this take care - the road crossing is on a bit of a blind hill). Funny enough, there appeared to be one (an old trail, but the evidence was there - cut logs and old trail blazes). We weren't the first people to use it either - there were old footprints leading the way up the hill toward the Centennial Ridges Trail, more specifically, a viewpoint marked as the South Lookout Trail. Once you get 20 meters from the Centennial Ridges Trail, flagging tape actually heads toward the lookout. Kind of like breadcrumbs just sprinkled throughout the forest. We planned to check that out a little bit later.

We were all smiles once we hit the Centennial Ridges Trail proper. Familiar terrain is always a comfort out there! We moved at a generous pace, happy with out decision to wear snowshoes out on the trail. Conditions weren't perfect, but better than nothing. There was just enough snow to require their use, but not enough to fully cover any large roots, rocks, and other obstructions. So that was fun (I only wiped out once - a evil, slippery rock).

If you're not familiar with this trail, it's probably one of the more lengthy day-hikes in Algonquin. Also one of the more challenging. While not particularly difficult for an experienced hiker, the rocky and hilly terrain can start dipping into type two fun territory.

We moved clockwise on the trail, tackling the back ridge first. It didn't take long before we were greeted with magnificent views. There's a reason why this is one of our favourite hikes here! Pretty immediate gratification, with not a ton of effort overall. We weaved in and out of the ridge, taking in the views of the forest for one moment, and the nearby Algonquin hills the next. Back and forth, a winter dance that made us all feel like snowflakes just blowing in the wind.

This was how we spent the most of the afternoon. It wasn't until we left the back ridge that we decided it was time for lunch. Our tummies were starting to get a bit hungry! The aim was to find a secluded and flat spot off-trail for a campfire. Our meal kind of depended on it. We were successful,but the flat spot we found was more of a swamp. Ah, probably an actual swamp. It was kind of wet. We poked and plodded around, finding enough dead-standing wood to get a reasonable fire going. And oh, what a fire it was!

I think that we've hammered out the formula for the most delicious winter camping lunch ever. While we couldn't have soup (we forgot to bring our stove), we managed to make grilled cheese. Now it wasn't perfect, but having warm, cheesy, and toasted bread in your stomach is pretty top tier. I was happy, that's for sure. Ah, and I forgot to mention that we always bring a Yeti filled to the brim with tea as well (or hot chocolate if that's more your speed). Will it be cool enough to drink? Now that's the question.

Lunch was wrapped up just around 2PM. We packed up our gear again, put out our fire, and headed to the main ridge for our final views of the day. When we got there it looked like we had just missed out on making some friends. Other hikers had been out on the trail too, although it was clear that they came up from the actual Centennial Ridges Trail parking lot (the one that we were trying to avoid). We thought that we had the trail all to ourselves, but nope! Happy to see that other folks had a similar idea to us. It was truly the perfect day for a hike.

Now this section of trail is just as lovely as the back ridge, except you get a view over a massive lake. This view reinforced the fact that we made a good decision opting for a base-camp at Mew Lake over the weekend - the ice was definitely not frozen. You could see patches of open water out there. A no bueno situation in the winter camping world, that's for sure. Once you leave the lake behind, you're greeted with views of the Algonquin hills yet again (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that).

At this point in the day, we were losing light. While nightfall is a touch later than 4:30PM these days, we weren't exactly keen to get stuck on the trail in the dark (although we always have headlamps on hand). So we picked up the pace. The views just whizzed by, and we eventually found ourselves getting closer and closer to our original entrance on to the trail. We passed the side-trail to the true parking lot, and a tree almost ate Jonathan's hat and sunglasses (somehow all got whipped off by a tree branch and into a small hole in the ground. Literally had to fish everything out with a hiking pole.).

By the time we made it back to the South Lookout Trail (that old, flagging tape situation I mentioned before) a sunset was starting to light up the sky. My legs were really starting to get sore at this point, but no way was I going to miss a show like that. We all scrambled up the last few hills of the day to see what was surely going to be a site for sore eyes. And it was! All bright and orange - I was very happily snapping away with my camera. We didn't think we'd see a sunset at all because cloudy weather had rolled in. Very pleased that Mother Nature changed her mind last minute!

Once the sunset finally dissipated, we decided that it was time to wrap up our hike. We returned to our car around 4PM and once again stopped at the Mew Lake Campground to use the facilities and refill our water jugs. We took a bit of time to check out the ice skating rink and hot tent set up at the campground - it's a pretty awesome looking situation. There are Christmas lights strewn about, a communal campfire, and a well-constructed (and insulated) tent prepared for skaters looking to take advantage of the hockey rink (it was epic and SO toasty). It was kind of magical, honestly. If you have kids, this would be a great weekend activity to take part in. We want to celebrate New Year's here sometime - we think that it would be a pretty cool experience.

We made it back to our hot tents around 4:52PM. Sundown, basically. We changed into warmer clothes (the cursed layer change in the cold) and got the wood-stove going again. This time around we were more fortunate. The wood seemed to behave and we actually got pretty toasty inside. Not a rager by any means, but certainly improved from the night before. The best part of the night had to be the pork chops we made - damn, were those ever good! Ah, and the potatoes. You can never forget about potatoes!

Day Two:

Mew Lake to Cambridge

An 8AM wake up today! A touch later than yesterday, but no one was mad about it. We earned our extra rest! This time round however, wake up meant that it was time to pack up. I semi-unhappily shoved my sleeping bag in my stuff sack (it's not an easy task given how fluffy the thing is). It was a warm morning though, all things considered. You know what that means?! A fast clean up!

Breakfast was the same as the day before. Oatmeal and coffee. We got the fire going pretty good this time round, so we were a little reluctant to leave. Sadly, Sunday usually means that it's time to start returning to reality. We started packing up Gavin's hot tent at approximately 9AM. Again, things didn't take too long. We're getting quite familiar with our winter camping set-up, so as a team we can clear out a campsite in lightning speed!

The plan today was to slowly leave Algonquin Park. What does that mean? Well, first, we wanted to search for birds. A great little spot for that is the Spruce Bog Trail. A pretty short jaunt (maybe 2 kilometres if you squint), but there are always birds to see. Mainly Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Gray Jays, but an overall guaranteed level of amusement here (mainly because people feed the wildlife, which I don't recommend). We rolled in after taking a little pit-stop to use the facilities at Mew Lake (no surprises there). Almost immediately we were greeted by some very happy little feathered friends.

I was very excited. I don't often get the opportunity to photograph birds (mainly because patience isn't one of my virtues). I got so locked in behind my camera that I actually took a tumble right off the boardwalk. Just like a turtle, I was stuck on my back for a little while (surprisingly this happens quite a bit - not the first time that I've taken a tumble with my camera). Isaac, Gavin, and Jonathan had to tug me back upright - I could not get up on my own. If you were hiking on this trail over the weekend, you may have seen a Vanessa shaped hole out there.

Aside from that tumble, probably the most entertaining discovery of the weekend was Gavin's fear of birds. The Chickadees and Nuthatches thought that we had food (spoilers - we did not), so they would swoop in and try to land. Then in very entertaining fashion, Gavin would shriek and run away. By the end of the hike we convinced him that the birds were pretty great. He did end up holding one and delighted in their delicate little feet!

Now how else do you slowly leave Algonquin? By going to the Visitor Centre of course!Once we had our fill of the Spruce Bog Trail, we headed over to check out the store and watch a show about moose (who doesn't want to learn more about land whales?).

Now the store here is dangerous - there's always a bunch of cute things on display (my favourite was a jellycat of a marshmallow) and a ton of books. I was on the lookout for postcards, though. I've made it a goal of mine to try and sent some mail to friends and family this year when we're out and about. We also picked up a raffle ticket - every year the Friends of Algonquin Park sell raffle tickets and the proceeds support the organization, and give you an opportunity to win a few nice prizes (we're really hoping for the Swift canoe). I don't know if we'll be lucky enough to win a prize, but we can dream, right?

The moose show started at 12:30PM. Now I've said this before in previous posts, but we love the presentations organized by Ontario Parks. They are always informative, and this one was no exception. My favourite moose fact? There are people who are lucky enough to survey the moose in Algonquin Park via helicopter in the winter months! Guys, we could all be moose counters! Wouldn't that be fun?

With the presentation under out belts, it was finally time to head home. We couldn't delay our departure any longer. We bid farewell to Gavin, and started our long trek back into civilization.

The Appendix:

Unedited Bits:

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