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Boundary Waters / Quetico Discussion Forums >> General Boundary Waters / Quetico Discussion >> BW/Q, Algonquin, and Temagami
https://quietjourney.com/community/YABB.cgi?num=1252123936

Message started by Arrowhead Paddler on Sep 5th, 2009 at 4:12am

Title: Re: BW/Q, Algonquin, and Temagami
Post by Wind-In-Face on Sep 6th, 2009 at 5:33pm
I agree with Solotripper's post about Algonquin. I tripped there about 10 times from the late 70s through early 90s. I stopped going because of the factors that ST mentioned. Too crowded, too regulated, and too much hassle. The terrain is almost identical to Quetico, but the fishing is not nearly as good. Algonquin is only about 3 hours north of Toronto, and within a few hours of the most heavily populated areas of Canada. A 2-lane highway cuts across the bottom third of the park, and there are several campgrounds there. Solitude is not easy to find mid-June through end of August. In many ways Algonquin is more like the more heavily used sections of the Boundary Waters. (Bring a stove, 'cause you'll have a hard time finding firewood at sites within a day of an EP)
Algonquin, IMO, would be a good place to introduce someone to backwoods canoe camping. Or maybe to take your first solo. It is a little more forgiving in terms of available help and opportunities to bail. Ironically though, bears are more of a threat.

NO WAY would I travel a long distance to paddle Algonquin if I could get to BW/Q. I have no experience with Temagami, but I know it is quite a bit smaller.

Sometimes I feel like people who have relatively easy access the BW/Q don't fully appreciate what a jewel they have in their midst. I just hope the people who make decisions for Quetico can prevent it from experiencing the same fate as Algonquin. Talking to oldtimers, Quetico is already on that slippery slope to being loved to death.
OK, I've yapped enough. Enjoy the Q!

Here's a thread-starter:
Increase Quetico fees even higher to discourage over use and maybe increase maintenance
OR
Keep it affordable to make it available to more people and garner wider support for its protection

Wind-in-Face

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