Algonquin Rock to Welcome Fall - Advice

[mouse6196]

I know this is a fairly popular route but has anyone paddled it in late September or Early October. I want to take a 4 day leisurely paddle this coming fall. Here's my plan.

First day big day. Off early and try to make it all the way to Welcome lake ?Too ambitious or not?
Then fish and putter around down around Welcome for 2 nights, then return.

Also, would this area be busy at this time of the fall?

Any info from people who have travelled here would be apprciated. I've never been down this route before.

[yellowcanoe]

I havent paddled that route in 30 years..but the last of Sept and first of Oct has never been busy in the Canoe Lake area if you clear the immediate vicinity. There is the usual carnage at Canoe Lake but they all give up by Burnt Island. Then I have seen no one for the last two trips in the western part of the park. I have gone to Burntroot etc

I would suggest just go and not do the reservation dance.

[frozentripper]

First day big day. Off early and try to make it all the way to Welcome lake ?Too ambitious or not?

Yes, doable in a day, with the shorter fall days and double carries.

[mouse6196]

I'll be single carrying as my I've got my pack down now to 55 pounds. (big guy and fairly fit still).

Thanks for the tips. I'll be doing this one for sure then. the 2000 m portage to Welcome Lake will have a late lunch break on it for sure. I'll love my sleeping bag that first night.

[mouse6196]

I had the map out today and looked at a different option for my trip. I'd still leave from Rock, down through Penn then into Clydegale for the first night. The next day I'd like to take the river (creek) south out of Clydegale to teh South Madawaska River then into Madawaska Lake. Now this route south from Clydegale is marked as low maintenance portages and campsites. This doesn't concern me too much except for accessibility. Does anyone know if this stretch of creek is accessible or not. I've never used the low maintenance routes before and I'd hate to get half way just to turn around to come back. at teh same time, I'd love to use the "less travelled" routes in teh park, and I think this is one of them.

Would anyone know this route, or better yet, is there someone in the Algonquin area that is knowledgeable about accessibility of certain routes that I could call when the time gets closer? If you have an Algonquin Map, you can see the route I'm describing. Easier to see than to explain.

[frozentripper]

I haven't gone into Madawaska lake, since there is a road going right to it and the area really isn't as remote as it looks on the map... or so I've been told.

During the seventies the lake was mostly outside the park... after the boundaries were expanded, use of the bush roads and trails was grandfathered in to hunt camp members, trappers, loggers, and any others that drove them traditionally. There are a number of hunt camps in the area and in fall hunters will probably be using the bush roads quite a bit. The motorized access rights probably include access to the lake.

The watershed catchment area of the river is small, so if the summer happens to be dry the South Madawaska river might not have enough water in it during the fall. A low-maintenance river route might have blowdowns blocking the way, although that depends on how recently it's been maintained.

None of this is first-hand info so FWIW... I just see other areas in the park that could offer more reward for the time and effort spent getting there.

[mouse6196]

Thanks for the advice. I had no idea there were roads there. Planning this fall trip on Rock Lake is getting tough...so many options. I may just paddle down and set up a base camp on Penn...then spend the days exploring off in different directions just to pass the time. OK back to the maps....

Thanks again. I'm sure glad to have this forum at times like this.

[wetdreamz]

If you plan to fish then check the regs first. Last year lake trout and speckles closed ~ the third week in September.

Edit: In zone 15 the season for Speckled and Lake trout ends on September 30.