Alex Thompson has completed the judging of the Algonquin Adventures Poets of 2009 Contest

1st place - The Sweetest of Dreams - by Allyn S.
2nd place - Ode To The Water Strider - by Graham Ducker
3rd place - Morning Mist - by Bruce Liddle

Thanks to everyone who participated. And, thanks to Alex for being the judge.

The co-hosted Algonquin Outfitters - Algonquin Adventures Spring 2009 Photo Contest has started! This time around we are looking for a fun or funny theme in celebration of the joy of spring.

You can submit any photos take in Algonquin Park that contain pictures of people having fun or pictures of something funny you saw. So start digging through your photos for great pictures of everything fun or funny. As always photos will be judged on quality first and theme second.

Jeffrey A. McMurtrie has launched a new website base for his "Algonquin Provincial Park Map".

In late January .. Mike Burns and friends .. Markus, Jeff & Jeffrey headed out to the narrows between Fork and Norway Lakes, for a couple of nights' winter camping. ... "Fork Lake In Winter - 2009".

"It was still cloudy and a south wind with flurries. I began to break a fresh trail but only lasted perhaps another 100 feet and stopped. I was winded and my legs were tired. I fell a few times getting my snowshoes hooked on small branches here and there. I was sweating up a storm even with no hat and rolled up sleeves."

Over this past year-end holiday, Alize Hand and her father geared-up and headed out on the Highland Backpacking Trail for ... "One Cold Night" on the shore of Provoking Lake.

"It was –5°C outside likely –20°C with the wind-chill and it wasn’t much warmer in the tent. My sleeping bag was only good to -10 and not great quality. I doubled it under me to make a few extra layers of insulation. Essentially there were 10 layers of tent, tarp, insulated tarp, sleeping bag and clothes between myself and the snow. I admit it was help but I was still cold!"

The November - January Co-Hosted Photo Contest judging has been completed. Algonquin Outfitters and Algonquin Adventures are pleased to announce the ... "Contest Winners".

Deliberation was completed by the four judges; Danielle Coupland, Bob Phillips, Casey Lintner & Barry Bridgefore - from Algonquin Adventures.

Randy Mitson of Algonquin Outfitters has officially proclaimed the three winners and a number of honorable mentions. Almost 100 photos were entered in the photo contest!

Chris Loomis has posted an account of a 2003 trip to his blog. It was a 5 day trip with his dad. They headed out of Cedar Lake and looped through Catfish, Hogan, LaMuir, Bruntroot, and the Nip ..
"My 2003 Trip With Dad".

"It took thirty minutes of strenuous trudging, bucking strong wilds and big waves, to reach the end of Hogan. The portage into Lake la Muir was buggy and wet, so we quickly loaded up and headed to a campsite for lunch. I noshed on some peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, a personal favorite camping lunch of mine. Then we headed back out for what seemed to drag on and on, as la Muir is a large lake and we were paddling directly into the wind. ..."

Markus Rubino has added an account of a 2006 trip to his website. It was a 22 day trip with his friend Joan. They headed out of Opeongo .. looping via Merchant, Big Trout Hogan, Big Crow, Lavieille and Dickson Lakes. It was during September. And, the trip included more than its fair share of rain and high winds .. "Access #11 Lake Opeongo 2006".

"I heard a loud crack and looked up. Up there among the tree-tops, the wind was blowing so hard, the rain was blown into a white mist, the tree tops bending sharply. I had never seen rain turn white before, before I could think more about this, another loud crack resounded, followed by the whine of bending timber. I watched a large Hemlock tree start to fall directly towards me! I could see the top of the tree falling before me ..."