Port Coldwell

Some of my stops were inspired by a Geology Handbook of Lake Superior and and Canadian Geographic Ecotour manual for Pidgeon River to Sault Ste. Marie. This was a lucky stop - where I just happened to pull of on a road to check my map and discovered it was the right one. My next attempted detour did not work so well, since Neys Park was closed and the beach is no where near the closed gate.

Port Coldwell is a ghost town that inspired Lorne Harris of the Group of Seven to paint his picture (Icehouse, Port Coldwell - I think this was the title). Now a ghost town, on Railroad property, blocked off by a gate, the remains of this town are a dock and a graveyear and a few bits and pieces of foundations. Neat stop.

Lower Michopicton Falls

So, after missing the Nokomis Trail I headed to Michopicton Falls - here is the lower falls here.

More sunrise moments on Rustle Lake

Foggy Morning on Rustle Lake, Trapper's Trail

The Trapper's trail was under water due to "beaver activity" but the mist rising off the lake made the hike nearly worth it.

Sunrise over Agawa River, just upstream from the highway bridge

Saturday dawned pretty and I set out at dawn from Agawa Bay with plans to hike Orphan Lake and then head to Thunder Bay. Unfortuanately, my camera battery was dead after Friday, so I spend 3 hours freezing in the bathroom until midnight the night before waiting for it to charge. So, I was maybe a bit dunderheaded, combined with the sign posters being dunderheaded, so I missed the exit for Orphan lake and ended up hiking Trapper's trail instead (only 1.5 km) and would have been quick except most of it was under water and required serious rerouting. I then missed Nokomis due to it being not marked at all and ended up exploring the falls in Michopicton Harbour. Neat stop and their sandy dune beach recovery site

Late Sunset at Agawa Bay

Yummy supper

Early Sunset at Agawa Bay

Here is one of the first pictures I took of the sunset at my campsite

Montreal Harbour - Mad Moose Lodge

I took this from a place near the Mad Moose Lodge. I was lucky to catch the sun when I did. Very cool place... Took some pictures then headed back to my camp site to make dinner and watch the sun see over Agawa Bay

Crescent Lake Trail

Crescent Lake Trail is a 2 km trail that goes to 4 lakes, although you have to walk down some portages to see them. I walked this after the Awausee trail around 5 pm. Afterwards I went to Montreal River Harbour... but wait for the next picture

Hawkweed at Cresent Lake Trail

Not an especially exciting trail, but a nice night.

Looking up at the hill where the lookouts were

Awausee Lookout #3 - second pictuere

I thought the colours came out nicer in this one

Awausee Lookout # 3

Here is the third lookout, looking east down the Agawa valley.

Awausee Lookout #2

Here is the view from the second lookout on the Awausee trail... this time looking south. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was, but hopefully the pictures helps. It was amazing, I hardly saw anyone and had lots of good thinking time... Oddly, I was warned by everyone how tough the trail would be, so I was surprised at how normal and not especially challanging it was.. It did involve a lot of upward hiking, but I took it slow and took lots of pictures, but once I made the top, it really was pretty level and then it went down...

Mushrooms on a log

At least I didn't use the flash on these... :D

Awausee Lookout #1

After quite a bit of hiking uphill, I was suddenly rewarded with this view, which I photographed greedily. I was startled by another hiker, who offered to take my picture and then I ate my lunch before taking more pictures with the sun out and then heading off to the other lookouts... so thats it for now. I'm off to Sibley with Mhari for the night, but I'm sure that there will be more postings on Tuesday.

Cheers,

Jennith

Forest Pool

Here is one of the first stops I made as I hiked up Awausee Trail to a series of wonderful lookouts over Agawa Bay and Valley. It was part of a step-pool sequence in a pretty little stream hurtling down the side of a large, steep hill.

Skwhirl

I was having a tough time photographing the sqirrel with a mug in my hand, so I finished up my hot chocolate and put the mug down so I could have both hands free to track the brash, but speedy critter... Little did I know that he had a taste for chocolate and went straight for the mug as soon as I put it down... So I snapped my pictures quick and then took the mug away before he got to much of it. So, then he went up a tree and scolded me.

Same view as below, next morning

I was a bit disappointed to wake up to dark skies and fog. But by the time I cooked up hot chocolate and oatmeal, did the dishes and then headed over to the visitors centre to sort things out and buy a map - the sky had mostly cleared.

Camping at Agawa Bay

There was still a bit of light as I reached my campsite. However, the weather was overcast and threatening to rain (which it did about the time it got dark). I spent a bit of time wandering this beach and taking pictures, then hiked to the phone at the visitors centre to call home and M. and Gabe - of whom I was able to reach not one. Then I hiked back, stopping at the bathroom. At which point it had reached full dark and started to rain - so that by the time I got back to the car I was pretty wet. So.. I called it... and slept in my car - why put up a tent if it was going to get wet and then I'd have to pack it up wet.... and so forth... I can say it was the best sleep I ever had, but it was okay.

Thursday - on my way into Lake Superior Provincial Park

I love the colours in the hills. I was feeling a bit rushed about making my campsite before dark, so I wasn't able to take as many pictures as I'd like, but trust me, the experience was like driving through a Franklin Carmichael painting.

Return to the Land of the Sleeping Giant

Just outside of Thunder Bay is the Terry Fox monument from where you can see the sleeping Giant - resting in Thunder Bay Harbour.... but I'm tired... so you'll have to wait for more pictures... maybe in the morning.

JP

Weird Images

Here be a blurry rendition of the moon... one of all the other shots I took without a tripod... truth to tell I don't know which I like better.. but back to packing.

JP