Depending on the weather I'm making a first ever winter trip to camp.I'm leaving either Monday or Tuesday morning (Feb 26)coming back on Friday next week. I know I can drive to a neighbor's camp (Len) my place is less then 1km away. an easy walk. I wanna just get out of Dodge and to get an idea of the obstacles of getting to camp in winter. As well my old 2000 grand Cherokee with a 4.7l v8 was replaced with a 2008 turbo diesel version. Trail rated for off road use as well. This should save me a ton of bread on gas on my drives up there. So lets see how this truck works out. Only 120,000 km on the clock. I'm curious about the improvements on red pine rd. as well. I made sure I had plenty of firewood last fall. OK lets see how it goes. The satellite internet had better be working lol. (http://i65.tinypic.com/33af988.jpg)
Sweet adventure!!! Good luck, and be sure to let us know how it goes. Maybe the first "trip report" of 2018! HAH!!!
Can't wait to hear how the trip goes Puckster!
Looking forward to your report about your winter trip to your cottage. Did you remove your front licence plate to avoid identification or did someone steal it?
Jay
Hey Jay. That photo was taken on the test drive so only rear dealer plates on it. Looking forward to goin' up.
PG, Good luck on your trip in. I think everyone will be waiting with bated breath about your trip to your cabin.
Good luck
@puckster_guy !!
Good luck and lots of pictures please. Kipawa winter and Ohio winter are two very different things. Also excited about the road condition.
Good luck Puck!
I sure we are all anxiously awaiting the first trip report of the season.
Good Luck on your first winter trip. We go every year for a weekend at the other end (Laniel) from Dorval bay by snowmobile and cross country ski. We were there 2 weeks ago with about 14-18" of iice on lake and about 12" of snow on top of ice. Cold weekend but beautiful sunny weather. Enjoy the beauty and the quietness of the lake. Check out the sky at night.
I got into camp yesterday around 1 pm. Maniwaki was icy with a dusting of snow on it. Good enough for better traction. Red pine road was about the same, new sections not yet open and it looks like they've stopped work till spring. The Jeep performed flawlessly. I noticed a big difference between the old gas v8 and the v6 3l diesel. On slippery roads the diesel never spun it's tires it just powered up hills. The old one would have fishtailed all the way there. Mileage is a huge difference. Both tanks are 75 liters In the v8 I usually pit 20 bucks in in town to make sure I had plenty of gas to get out or do a small trip. I still have just under half a tank of diesel. It's 450 km door to door. Let's see how it tows... The lake is covered in about 2 feet of ice and we have about a foot of snow on the ground. On the way in I saw a nice fat grouse sitting on a snow bank. Here's a few pics, I'm staying till Thursday but i might stay till Friday since I'm back to work on Sat. I'll post more pics as the week progresses.
(http://i64.tinypic.com/2i097hu.jpg)(http://i66.tinypic.com/9r24yd.jpg)(http://i65.tinypic.com/30vp4dh.jpg)(http://i67.tinypic.com/14dzf6b.jpg) red pine chutes...(http://i66.tinypic.com/2h71mkw.jpg)(http://i63.tinypic.com/23hov2c.jpg)(http://i66.tinypic.com/nvttp3.jpg)
Looks awesome
@puckster_guy have fun and stay warm!
Thanks for posting the pics.....
Glad to see you made it in to your cottage. Thanks for posting pics. Regarding your solar array, how many kilowatts does it provide? Thanks.
Jay
Quote from: Jay Thomas on February 27, 2018, 12:15:07 PM
Glad to see you made it in to your cottage. Thanks for posting pics. Regarding your solar array, how many kilowatts does it provide? Thanks.
Jay
4x255w panels + 6 6v gel pack batteries. I got the kit from Kipawa Solar. Gives me all the juice I need, Tho I'm thinking of doubling the batteries.
Looks awesome. Would to see the area in the winter. Great to hear the roads are in decent shape. Enjoy your time.
Thanks !!
Thanks for the awesome pictures PG. There must be some amazing star gazing on a clear night.
Keep the pics coming ,PG ! Thanks !
Quote from: Captain Hali on February 27, 2018, 05:28:14 PM
Thanks for the awesome pictures PG. There must be some amazing star gazing on a clear night.
I wish there was, a full moon is washing out the sky. Bummer lol
Nice update...thanks. Cool part about being up there this time of year is the simplicity of keeping the beer cold. :o
Ya got that right t_bone, you don't even need the coolers except to keep the squirrels from getting at your food. Several red squirrels and chipmunks around. BUT!!!! NO BUGS. That alone is worth the price of admission. :D
(http://i66.tinypic.com/o5tk5l.jpg)(http://i68.tinypic.com/5wglm1.jpg)(http://i66.tinypic.com/uvbbq.jpg)(http://i67.tinypic.com/3492fr4.jpg)(http://i66.tinypic.com/2vbu340.jpg)
@SgtCrabby You Texans gotta make a winter trip. We can't have all the fun!!
@puckster_guy, I love the pics.
I once lived in the US state of Nebraska, and have seen hard topped lakes. I use to curse them because I wanted open water to fish. Some folks there did drag ice houses out and cut holes in the lake; I might have tried it, but I didn't know anyone with an ice house. 😄
If I ever do make a winter trip, you'll be the first to know, 'cause, I'll probably want to stay at the Hodge-Podge-Lodge.
BTW: is that a bag of ice besides the sleeman's beer?
No, it's for the Wisers lol
Ahh, now I get it: snow to cool beer, clean bagged ice is to pour the whisky over.
That makes perfect sense.
Quote from: SgtCrabby on February 28, 2018, 07:42:04 PM
Ahh, now I get it: snow to cool beer, clean bagged ice is to pour the whisky over.
That makes perfect sense.
Just being practical, Sarge. Winter is a different ball game. I'm Liking it.
Great pics and great to see the lake in a very different season than usual.
Have the ice fishing restrictions been lifted? or still a no-no? Would you be doing any fishing if allowed?
Hey Greg. Ice fishing is still closed. I can't find any info on when they may reopen it. I just found out ice fishing is open to the east of the bridge on the Kipawa river. I've never fished that area before but I will this summer to scout out some spots for winter fishing and explore some new territory. I've bought an old skidoo citation from a hockey buddy that'll pick up this summer So I can get around next winter. I'm home now and the trip was a success. Now I know what's involved in a winter trip, how much wood I need for the stove, how the camp warms up etc. Now I'm looking forward to next winter and turning it into a 4 seasons camp. I have a ton more work to finish the place but the end is in sight. I'm hoping to get it all done by August.
With camp done in August , you can retire in September ? haha
Sounds like a 100% successful and 200% educational trip which will set you up for the future.
I'm so jealous with what you have been building and establishing!! It has my mind spinning with what I might want to do.
Greg
You can do it. Where there's a will there's a way. For me When the kids moved out I sold my house paid off all my debts and bought and built up north on the equity. Plus some family money (inheritance). Not to mention a lot of determination. The fact that I paid about 50k for the lot was instrumental. I shopped all over Ontario for a lot. There is nothing for less then 200k. I think I got the deal of the century. I don't know why those of you that are closer to the lake aren't setting up shop here. You can still pick and choose lots for about 65k.
The ride home was snowy we got about 6 inches of powder on Wed. Red pine was not yet plowed but plenty of tire tracks to follow. Maniwaki was scrapped to the gravel and an easy drive. Ice filled in the ruts and it made for a smooth drive (http://i65.tinypic.com/23th0ug.jpg)(http://i65.tinypic.com/124zpkx.jpg)(http://i63.tinypic.com/3520uhe.jpg)
Hi Puckster,
If I had the time I would have visited. Love the pics. I somehow can't post my pics ever!!!
Just curious: Is your floor insulated? How long did it take for your cabin to get to say 72°?
If you go back up, let me know.
Two questions. What's the wildlife sightings at this time ? You mention grouse but anything else? We saw moose on the Red Pine but that was summer. The other is who else is back in there at this time of year to make the tire tracks on the road ? If no ice fishing just snowmobilers or Is some logging taking place ? Just wondered. I am just as jealous as the others to what you have been able to grow up there.
Thanks again
Hi LC. The floor is not insulated yet. I still need to install a water heater, likely an on demand system, also I need to do a wiring job as well. Hopefully it'll be sprayed in the fall. The walls are R2= and cielings R32. It takes about 5 hours or so to get the camp that warm. Then once the walls and building itself warms up it doesn't take much to keep it warm. A neighbour uses a small salamander type propane heater to augment the stove till the place warms up. He says he can heat his place real quick. I'm not going up again till April when I can drive in (or sooner) We gotta get together for a beer.
Red squirrels and chipmonks were about and active. I saw moose tracks in the snow on the road in but I didn't see it. Oddly I didn't see many birds of any stripe, wood peckers were active. There is logging going around. I was passed by 2 huge logging trucks. One full the other not. @ trucks hauling heavy equipment as well. Ice fishing is allowed on lakes containing no lakers. Apparently the Kipawa river is open east of the bridge. One neighbour a local comes up once or twice a week.
So the short of it is there is always something going on in the backwoods. Just wondered if minus all the green the wildlife was more visible. The last couple of years we have seen multiple moose and bear driving in and out but they vanish once they get off the road and hit the bush. Thanks again for the updates and continued enjoyment of your camp.
Quote from: Jig and drift on March 03, 2018, 05:51:38 PM
So the short of it is there is always something going on in the backwoods. Just wondered if minus all the green the wildlife was more visible. The last couple of years we have seen multiple moose and bear driving in and out but they vanish once they get off the road and hit the bush. Thanks again for the updates and continued enjoyment of your camp.
TY jig and drift, btw I do a lot of that too. I'm enjoying sharing my adventures as a camp owner, I do feel blessed. Stop by for a beer or three when your on the lake. I'd be glad to show you around and some of my spots. It's not as busy as the rest of the lake. The place is alive with wildlife in the summer.
Puckster, I saw the hockey stick. Have you shoveled off a part of the ice to skate?
The idea did occur to me. The surface was far too rough. I'd like to cut a hole and use an old sump pump I have to flood it one winter. That should be a fun project, maybe set up a red pine tourney lol.
Hey PG, Awesome hearing about your trip, glad you enjoyed what winter has to offer!
You will love getting the floor insulated, mind you there's something to be said about lounging around camp in slippers LOL
Good stuff, thanks for sharing and for posting all the pics!