Spiffle! - Photos from Algonquin Park

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Photos from Algonquin Park
October 2003

In the fall of 2003, my brothers Mike and James and I took my Mom back to Algonquin Park in central Ontario.

As kids, our parents took us to Algonquin Park every summer for our vacation. Recently, my Mom said one of her last wishes might be to go back to Algonquin "with my boys", so we made it happen. The trip as four days and three nights, and while my Mom didn't have much energy during her time camping, and had a nasty fall on the first day, I know she really enjoyed it, and it was a great memory for us to foster. Here's the photos.

Day One in Algonquin Park

Day one saw us leaving my Mom at the camp most of the day, as she wanted to recover her strength from both the drive up, and her terrible fall that first full morning. My brothers and I spent a lot of time at the camp, finishing the setup and such, then we went to the Lookout Trail, and to Canoe Lake.



Camp Mascot This little guy was our camp mascot for four days - he came around every morning and every afternoon.	Beeeeg Rock This huge rock was actually pushed 100s of miles by a glacier to this spot. The guide book called it a "pebble in a stream"	James on the Rock James climbed up on the "pebble" to give another indication of it's size.	Push and Block James tries to roll this big boulder down a hill. Mike tries to stop him :)



Look up, way up Looking up another huge "pebble" that was in the middle of the forest.	On the lookout trail We're on the Lookout Trail in Algonquin Park. It's quite the lookout!	Spaning the Horizon Mike and James have a look - those trees, which are between 75 and 150 feet tall, are about 300 feet below us.	The Boys Here's a picture of James, Michael and me on the Lookout trail. Wireles camera remotes rock!



Tom Thomson Memorial Thomson is Canada's most famous artist, and for the last five years of his life, Algonquin Park was his home. He died here, on Canoe Lake.	Gateway to the Interior This is Canoe Lake, the gateway to the interior of Algonquin Park. You can head into the wilderness for weeks if you want!	Indian Goods! The Algonquins and other Indians make goods that you can find for sale at various points in the Park.	So, what's this stick called? German tourists get a newbie introduction to how to paddle a canoe. I hope they didn't drown!

Day Two in Algonquin Park

Day Two saw my Mom, Mike and I going to the Visitors Center, and Opeongo Lake. Then James, Mike and I went on the Beaver Pond Lookout Trail.



Old Museum This is the museum at Algonquin Park. Closed for 11 years now, we used to go here as kids.	Another Interior Gateway Opeongo Lake is the other Gateway to the interior of the park. My brothers want to do this one day.	Snapping Turtle! These folks were feeding a snapping turtle that was close to the dock.	Buy Goods! No real shortage of tourist kitch... this is at the Opeongo Outfitters shop.



Opeongo Lake Beautiful look at the Opeongo Lake.	Mike and Mom Mike and my Mom in the SUV (I hate big SUVs) that I rented for the trip.	Another Pebble in a Stream This is another massive rock (it's about 10 feet tall) just at the edge of a pond, pushed here by glaciers.	Park Map At the Visitor's centre, this map shows just how large Algonquin Park is - it occupies most of central Ontario.



Photo Exhibits The Visitor's Center is well laid out with a lot of informative displays.	FireTower Dude Ever watch Red Green? Know the Fire Tower Guy? This is one of his ancestors.	Thomson Exhibit I think it's a crying shame that the park that Thomson loved so much does not have one single original artwork by the artist to display. These are all copies.	Ranger Display A display showing what a Ranger's life was like in the park.



First Signs These were the first signs posted when the park was founded in 1893. It warned poachers that things were about to change.	Algonquins Algonquins who occupied this park back 150 years ago.	Leaving the Visitor Centre As we get ready to leave the Visitor Centre, one more look around...	Moose... er Meese? A female and male moose, REAL close.



Do my feet stink? Mama black bear with two cubs. I'd be running scared about now.	On the Beaver Trail We're on the Beaver Pond Lookout Trail, it's a great afternoon for a 2km hike.	Bog was a Lake, was a Forest This is bog - a matt of growth on top a body of water. It used to be a lake. Before that, it used to be forest, before the beavers damed a creek.	James and Mike Walking on a piece of Canadian Sheild, James and mike stroll on the Beaver Pond Trail



This little creek... This little creek, your typical forest creek (with lots of rocks) leads to...	This beaver dam... This beaver dam, which was created by beavers, but my bros and I are sure maintained by man... which caused	This big shallow lake The dam created this lake out of forest floor. The trees all died and fell to the bottom decades ago.	Looking out over the bog Looking at the bog that was a lake, that was a forest, some 200 feet below.