Just got a call from Ontario Parks, paid via credit card and received a receipt/reservation via e-mail!

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Good to know.  Thanks.  How long ago did you first call?

prouboy

I called around 12/29 for a 5/24 Kashahpiwi entry.

It's about time is all I can say!  We are slowly getting calls from their office for Quetico permits we have called in.  They don't "do" all the permits at once, they call with each one, going down the list.  They could have saved a lot of money on phone calls by just doing all the ones we called in.

Oh well......

VoyageurNorth wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2010 at 11:52pm:

They could have saved a lot of money on phone calls by just doing all the ones we called in. Oh well......

Government at work.  Gotta follow proper procedure...it ain't their money, after all.  There's a limitless supply of it out there you know.

Not only did I get a call requesting my credit card information last week, I got a call this week requesting the same information.  Both callers spoke English well, but did have a Canadian accent.  I made my reservation on December 29, 2009.

Westwood

What did they say when you said you had already given the card & got charged the week before?

Mark Zup said that the head of the Quetico offices told him that this was a cheaper way to do permit reservations.  But with it just being a $3.00 difference, Mark told him that he thinks it would have been worth it to pay $3.00 more each time.

VoyageurNorth,

She said that she would check and about 30 seconds later, she said everything was ok.  She was very polite and quick.  No  big deal.  She even called twice.  The first time she called I was in the shower and my wife told her to call back.

Only 92 more days,  and I will be in Beaverhouse.

Westwood

Westwood, where is your route going to take you?

I made a reservation in Jan for May 17 entry on the west side-Lac LaCroix ranger station entries, or at least I thought.  I even received a reference #.  I got a call last week and was told that the park doesn't open until May 21.  Is this correct?  I checked online (   (You need to Login or Register) and the interior has camping dates April 1, 2010-March 31, 2011.  Dawson Trail has a May 21-Oct 21 opening but I would have guessed that if you can get yourself to the ranger station you could get your permit.  How does one go about getting a permit for entry prior to May 21?  Would a RABC permit work? I know they have switched over to a new system.  Any help or advice would be appreciated.  

Thanks in advance.

plander wrote on Feb 28^th, 2010 at 9:05pm:

I made a reservation in Jan for May 17 entry on the west side-Lac LaCroix ranger station entries, or at least I thought.  I even received a reference #.  I got a call last week and was told that the park doesn't open until May 21.  Is this correct?  I checked online (   (You need to Login or Register) and the interior has camping dates April 1, 2010-March 31, 2011.  Dawson Trail has a May 21-Oct 21 opening but I would have guessed that if you can get yourself to the ranger station you could get your permit.  How does one go about getting a permit for entry prior to May 21?  Would a RABC permit work? I know they have switched over to a new system.  Any help or advice would be appreciated.   Thanks in advance.

For Quetico, there is a brief period between ice-out and when reservations are required later in May.  I haven't check when that date is for the upcoming season, but I've been in mid-May a couple of times BEFORE the reservation period began.  If that is the case for you (which I wouldn't be surprised about with a May 17th entry), you do not need a permit.  And YES, you will need an RABC unless you plan to cross the border at an established border crossing (e.g., International Falls).  

The rub may be paying for your camping fees.  I've entered (pre-season) at Nym and Prairie Portage.  Both those locations provide for "self-service" payment of camping fees and a drop box.  Rather than use cash, I've written my credit card information on the form and they have used that to bill me.  I just can't answer the question as to whether or not there is a self-service setup at LLC.  You should be able to call the park headquarters (or your outfitter) to get that answer.

dd

I just got my call for credit card info, right in the middle of the USA - Canada game. They must be really trying hard to catch up. I thought the whole country would have been shut down.

My entry date is June 9.  My first call was on January 13 to get a reference number.  I called again today and it took about 15 minutes to find my information.  They called me back in a couple of minutes and took my credit card information.  I have a booking number.
Jimmar
When did you first call in?

plander, DentonDoc is entirely correct.  Furthermore, there is a self-service setup at the Lac La Croix ranger station.  I made a trip thru there in mid-May a few years ago.  Just bring a form of payment (credit card number or Canadian currency) and a pen.

The reason for this setup is that no quotas are enforced until the day before the Ontario fishing opener.  

Technically, reservations are never required, but they are a darn good idea.  All you really need is an available permit if you go during the quota period from mid-May until late September.

wrote on Feb 28^th, 2010 at 11:58pm:

My entry date is June 9.  My first call was on January 13 to get a reference number.  I called again today and it took about 15 minutes to find my information.  They called me back in a couple of minutes and took my credit card information.  I have a booking number. Jimmar When did you first call in?

according to my notes i called on Jan. 14.

After yesterday's amazing game, I bet the Park reservation operators are all much happier people.  Maybe that'll translate into better customer service for us in the States.  


prouboy

Snow_Dog wrote on Mar 1^st, 2010 at 1:32am:

Technically, reservations are never required, but they are a darn good idea.  All you really need is an available permit if you go during the quota period from mid-May until late September.

I wonder what the likelyhood would be of finding a permit available at a particular entry on any given date, without a reservation? I have actually walked in and picked up a permit at Prairie Portage in early September without a reservation.  I was prepared to camp in the BWCAW adjacent for a day or two, if it took that before there was an opening.
It seems that Cache Bay and Prairie Portage and LaCroix are less busy than the Canadian permit stations overall.  Anyone have any statistics?

"plander, DentonDoc is entirely correct."

??????????????

"For Quetico, there is a brief period between ice-out and when reservations are required later in May.  I haven't check when that date is for the upcoming season, but I've been in mid-May a couple of times BEFORE the reservation period began.  If that is the case for you (which I wouldn't be surprised about with a May 17th entry), you do not need a permit.  And YES, you will need an RABC unless you plan to cross the border at an established border crossing (e.g., International Falls)."  

uh, "what's up Doc" ??

this is not entirely correct, so I'll restate it --

Reservations are never required - its just a good idea to have a reservation so that you are sure you can enter the park on the date and entry point you want.

A PARK PERMIT is always required for overnight camping - the park is never really closed, which is why the dates listed above somewhere covered 365 days. But the ranger stations are not staffed year-round.

from the "Quetico Provincial Park Wilderness Guide 2008"  pamphlet -- the ranger stations were all open on May 16th that year, including Atikokan, and the end date varied between August and September.

When the Ranger Stations are open and staffed, you get the permit from the Ranger Station that is associated with your entry point.  If the Ranger stations are closed in the "off season", you get your permit and pay your fees at a self service pay station - if in doubt, call the park HQ to find out if there is a pay station at the location you choose to enter from.

An RABC is irrelevant to the above - The RABC is only relevant to Canadian Customs and legally entering Canada, not to entering and camping in the Provincial Park ( nor to re-entering the US)- you would need an RABC if you enter thru Prairie Portage or Cache Bay, because there is no customs station there (Not sure about Crane Lake or the west end of the park ), but you also must have a Park Permit.  If you drive across the border, you do not need an RABC at all.


semantics, and I know what Doc menat, but plander may not know that.

"I wonder what the likelyhood would be of finding a permit available at a particular entry on any given date, without a reservation? I have actually walked in and picked up a permit at Prairie Portage in early September without a reservation.  I was prepared to camp in the BWCAW adjacent for a day or two, if it took that before there was an opening.
It seems that Cache Bay and Prairie Portage and LaCroix are less busy than the Canadian permit stations overall.  Anyone have any statistics?"

depends on what date and what entry point, obviously

statistics, no  but I have changed my entry date to one day earlier the past two years when entering at Nym Lake when I had a reservation for Memorial Day (I changed to Sunday, - I use Monday to have a cuhshion if my travel time is longer than expected)

In 2006, I just showed up at Dawson Creek one day, and asked about getting a permit for the next day.  I was told that there are always two permits available on a first come, first served basis for Pickeral Lake entry point - and I was told to just show up early in the morning, be first in line, and I would get one.  And I did.  unless something has recently changed, I assume you can still do that -

I have not received a call back yet from the phone call reservation I made several weeks ago.  Due to other concerns, I'll probably not pursue that original reservation plan, but will just be winging it if I go this year, and hope for a permit  to be available thru Atikokan/Nym lake, or use one of the two first come - first served Pickeral Lake permits.  At worst, I might have to wait a day, I'd guess, for an opening.  I wouldn't try that in mid-summer busy season, unless I was flexible enough to go for a mid-week entry date, which ought to increase the odds of an opening.

I just called them today and things seem to be up and rolling, no voice mail. I had gotten my reservation 3 weeks ago but no deposit had been paid and they were supposed to get back with me. I was starting to get a little nervous so I gave them a jingle today and presto I'm good to go!
Yea baby, can't wait!

plander wrote on Feb 28^th, 2010 at 9:05pm:

I made a reservation in Jan for May 17 entry on the west side-Lac LaCroix ranger station entries, or at least I thought.  I even received a reference #.  I got a call last week and was told that the park doesn't open until May 21.  Is this correct?  I checked online (   (You need to Login or Register) and the interior has camping dates April 1, 2010-March 31, 2011.  Dawson Trail has a May 21-Oct 21 opening but I would have guessed that if you can get yourself to the ranger station you could get your permit.  How does one go about getting a permit for entry prior to May 21?  Would a RABC permit work? I know they have switched over to a new system.  Any help or advice would be appreciated.   Thanks in advance.

Hmm...  Here's the update.  I got a message a few days ago from Ontario Parks telling me that they have been trying to call for weeks and if I don't get back to them soon I will loose my May 17 entry reservation.  Well, I called back and got the reservation, but not after I sent in my RABC application.  I must say I did find this all somewhat confusing.  On the one hand I was told a couple weeks back by the same office that my My 17 reservation wasn't any good since the park doesn't "open" until May 21 (see my original post).  On the other hand, Walleye Opener is May 15th and my understanding has been that Quetico's ranger stations open the day before the opener, thus reservations are accepted starting at that time, May 14 .  The only thing that made sense was the fact that things were consistently inconsistent with the reservations this year.  All that said, I'm not going to complain too much.  I am able to make my trip into Quetico this year (first time with my boy-10 yr old) and that's what counts.  I've been to many interesting places around the globe the last few years and Quetico remains my favorite, hands down.

By the way, thanks for all the advice and help. If nothing else I think I have a pretty good handle on the details/caveats of going into the park in the off-season.  If anyone has any questions on the matter I have plenty of info now.

Peter