Hikes without a car from Toronto - Algonquin Provincial Park - Western Uplands backpacking trail

So, my tryst with Algonquin continues. After my solo backpacking trip to Highland Backpacking Trail (~40KM) last year, I decided to do something longer this year. I did the Western Uplands Backpacking Trail (88KM loop per the park map) this summer - of course, solo again. 

If you'd like to cut to the chase, here is the itinerary and gear list :

ITINERARY

• Day 1: Toronto Downtown to West Gate, Algonquin Park (ParkBus)

• Night 1: Steeprise Lake (back country; walk 3KM on the highway, hike ~11KM on the trail)

• Night 2: Pincher Lake (back country; ~15KM)

• Night 3: Ishkuday Lake (back country, ~13KM)

• Night 4: West Otterpaw Lake (back country, ~10KM)

• Night 5: Susan Lake (back country, ~9KM)

• Night 6: Panther Lake (back country, ~9KM)

• Night 7: Guskewau Lake (back country, ~6KM) - Unplanned emergency stop, to try if a bus ride is available for my ride back the next day. I had planned for Norah Lake for this night. 

• Night 8: Guskewau Lake (back country, ~8KM on the trail and 4KM on the highway) - This was the scheduled stop at this site; Walked to the highway to get cellphone coverage so that I could check if a bus is available. It was not, so, had to walk back to the site. 

• Day 9: Bus from West Gate, Algonquin Park to Toronto Downtown (~4KM on the trail and 3KM on the highway) (ParkBus)

GEAR LIST (Total pack : ~16kgs including food and water)

• Backpack : Osprey Exos Pro 55L

• Sleep : MSR Hubba NX Single person tent and footprint ; Cosmos Female Sleeping bag (basic and light weight version) - I use my North Face Cat's Meow for colder temps ; Decathlon Forclaz MT 500 Foam pad (my first trip with this one and I am not disappointed at all)

• Kitchen : MSR Pocket Rocket Stove ; Soto Cooking set ; MSR Fuel (Two 8oz (net weight) canisters)

• Food : Dehydrated food (multiple brands), energy bars, electrolyte tablets, energy gels; 2 1L water bottles

• Emergency : Zoleo Satellite communicator (my first-time with this one, worked like a charm for "check-in" messages) ; Swiss knife ; Sol Emergency blanket ; Sea to Summit ultra-sil daypack ; North face down jacket (for an unforeseen cold night out without the tent) ; 3 extra meals for unplanned extension of the trip; One 3.9oz (net weight) MSR Fuel canister

• Bear protection : Coughlan's Emergency horn; bear spray; 2 ropes of 15m each to hang food

• Clothing : 2 Base layers; 1 hiking shorts and 1 hiking pant; Backpacking towel; Rain Jacket; mosquito net for the head; underwear

• Footwear : Lowa Renegade hiking boots; one sandal pair for creek crossing (learnt a lesson from Highland trip - had to wade through water in that trip); 3 pairs of hiking socks

• Medication : Tylenol 500 mg, Anti-histamine (prevent insect-bite infections), insect repellant spray, water purifier tablets; band-aid (burns), band-aid (bruises), after-bite cream (insect bites)

 

A detailed write-up is here and a video log is coming soon.