Trip #24 Ragged Lake Parkside Bay August 21-23 2015

Trip #24 Ragged Lake Parkside Bay with my son Aiden

This trip was a 1st time trip to the Interior for my son Aiden and the weather didn't disappoint. We left the driveway at 2:15 am on August 21st and headed to Grandpas to pick him up on the way. The three of us were planning on a quick weekend trip to Ragged lake to experience the interior and try a little bass fishing. We were on the water by 7:20am as we battled with some rain on the canoe trip in across Smoke. We decided to two trip the portage into Ragged to better enjoy the sites. The rain cleared and started again a few times as we crossed Ragged and rounded the corner into Parkside Bay. After checking out a few sites as we passed we opted for the 4th side on the right which is located on a point just as you enter into the main body of Parkside Bay.

                 

Our Site for the weekend

We made quick work of setting up camp and we spent some time under our tarp planning out our weekend adventures. The Parkside Bay area has 19 sites and according to the permit office on Canoe lake all 19 were booked for the weekend. 

On the morning of day two we awoke to a fog filled lake. The fog rolled off the lake by 8:30am. This was a shot from our site looking East up the channel we came in on as we entered Parkside Bay (below). 

My son Aiden enjoying the sun. The two tents under the tarp in the background

This big guy perched on a tall tree overlooking Birch Point on Ragged lake

Our first catch of the trip

Shore Lunch

Beaver swimming past our site

A large family of Mergansers

A small marsh beside our site

This Kingfisher frequented the marsh beside our site

Parkside Creek

On day two we spent the day exploring the lake and fishing. My son and I explored Parkside Creek and discovered it was quite the place. This creek actually comes in the park from a lake to the South. I am fairly certain we actually hiked right out of the park at one point. 

Amazing and I hiking the narrow creek and the moss covered rocks

The site on the other side of the channel entering into Parkside Bay

Looking South down the shoreline from our site

The second and last evening was a time to reflect on our trip and watch as the sun dipped behind the trees

On day three we awoke to a brisk 9 degree morning. The fire was still going in the coals so we decided to finish off the wood we had gathered. After a breakfast of pancakes and coffee we started packing up. We pushed off from our site at 08:35am and were at the Ragged to Smoke portage by 09:15. This time we one tripped the portage and found ourselves crossing Smoke Lake with a slight tail wind. We landed at the Smoke Lake access at 10:15 and made quick work of loading up our canoe and gear. This was a great trip and I look forward to many more trips with my son in the years to come. 

Trip #23 Cache to Pardee and Back May 2015

This trip was a last minute trip decided totally on the ice out for the year. May 1st we were given the all clear so we decided to head up the following day for a 4 night canoe trip starting at access #8 Cache lake. This was a first time for us from this access so its always more exciting to see something new in the park. The permit was issued from the Canoe lake permit office which opened at 07:00 that Saturday morning. Before we knew it we were at access point offloading our gear on the dock. It was a beautiful morning and the lake was like glass. Mike and I made quick work of loading the gear in the canoe and we pushed off shortly after 08:00. Cache lake is best travelled with map in hand at least for first timers like us. We navigated through the islands and then we had the portage sign to Head lake in site.

The portage into Head was well traveled and was completed in one trip without any trouble. I carried one pack and the canoe as Mike loaded up the food barrel and his pack. The put in to Head was not too bad, a bit rocky but we managed to get loaded up and push off into Head lake. We decided to check out Head creek on our way and we took a couple casts and some pictures of the rapids.

Shortly after our side trip to Head Creek we headed to the portage to Harness lake. This portage was the toughest of the trip in my opinion. At one point it seemed almost vertical and with some dead fall also at that point we had a hard time getting past it. Harness lake was a very nice lake and we decided to paddle it without fishing in order to get to Pardee lake and set up camp.

The site on Pardee was recommended by a co-worked and it didn't disappoint. The site was South facing and provided a great view of the lake and had the sun on it all day long. We set out to fish some of the surrounding lakes after camp was set.

We had okay luck that afternoon for only spending a couple hours fishing. We made our way back to camp and enjoyed the evening.

This was our first taste of trout for the 2015 trip. The cast iron frying pan was well worth the effort to portage in. The next morning the fishing was pretty good! Mike managed to catch his limit early in the day. It was barely even light out and Mike caught a couple nice lakers.

Later that day we headed out to some other lakes in the area to explore and try some fishing

These moose were beside our site on Pardee lake. After a few minutes of watching them from a distance they wandered off into the woods 

These painted turtles were enjoying the morning sun. 

Pardew Lake just like a mirror most of the day.

 Morning #3 as we paddle away from Pardee lake site enroute to Head Lake

Pardee lake is an incredible lake to base camp on. The surrounding lakes have great views and the fishing wasn't to bad either. The portages to area lakes are nice and not hard to follow. This is an area in the park I will surely revisit in the years to come. 

We opted for the site on Head lake at the base of the water fall from Kenneth lake. This site offered protection from the west wind that day.  We hiked up to Kenneth lake by way of the feed stream to the water fall. This was a muddy trek and there were lots of downed tress blocking our path. 

This was the day that Mike decided to rub his trout fishing luck in my face. it sure did taste good though.

Mike's laker was the largest of the trip at 23"

The last trout supper of the trip

An awesome sunset on Head lake. the opening to the small lagoon our site was on provided a perfect frame for this picture.