110
MOUNTAINLIFEBLUEMOUNTAINS
SPRING2016
Chasing ice-out in theAlgomaHighlands, northof Sault Ste.Marie,
mywife, Kim, and I discovered a forgottenwilderness of small rivers,
trout-filled lakes, andnightmarishportages.Axe and saw rose to
the topof our packs aswe searched for seriously neglected trails,
scanning the thick bush andblowdowns for oldblazes.
Temagami’s Smoothwater Lake couldn’t havebeenmore appropriately
namedwhenwe tried topaddle it one earlyMay.Wewrangled the
canoes through small leads and skiddedacross foot-thickpans for 15
kilometres heading for abeach campsiteon the lake’s east side. Icebound
for fivedays,we finally gaveupand crashed through rotting candle ice
back to the launch.
Icebound for fivedays,we
finallygaveupand crashed
through rotting candle ice
back to the launch.
