This trip was our first time back to the park since we were kids, so this is really where it all starts.
On our hike to secluded Sandy Lake we got off track and our short trip turned into a long bushwack. Along the way we found this little marsh which was on our Chrismar map and allowed us to determine exactly where we were. It was this trip that made me buy a handheld GPS for future trips.
A view of the islands which have 3 sites between the two of them on Pen Lake. In future trips we will eventually stay on every one of the sites on those islands.
Dad is on the lake in the canoe, just off shore from our camp.
Here's Grant, on the edge.
This location offers the best view of Pen Lake there is. If you're willing to make the steep climb up to it you'll find that the trees open up to a rocky ridge and you get a great view of the lake. This is on the north side of Pen, close to a nice secluded site, and in fact the very same site we stayed on this trip.
We stayed in the park for 4 nights this trip and spent it all on the same site on Pen. We learned a lot this trip about interior camping, and after paddling in in the pouring rain we learned the value of a good waterproof canoe pack. We also started to learn how to pack lite for portages including the right kinds of foods to bring, and what to leave at home.
After the first day the weather cleared up and we had a great couple of hot September days and crisp nights under the most stars we had ever seen.
