(4), Comments We decided together that there was no way we’d be able to descend the cliffs safely and we’d have to find another approach. When we reached scarecrow lake we followed the lake and loosely followed the markers..The final climb to the fire tower was challenging through the summer heat but well worth it. Dogs are also able to use this trail. It was quite boney, wasn't it.
There are 2 routes to the Ishpatina Ridge: Click here for my trip report to Ishpatina Ridge – Overland Route. View a larger version of the map.
My friend and I just used your route to get to Ishpatina.
Many would ask why undertake such an endeavor at all and I can’t help but give the standard peakbagger reply: because it’s there. GPS measurements did not confirm that this point was any higher than at the tower and we headed back.
The Ellis Fire Tower, a lonely sentry and reminder of days of old, sits on the tallest of the bumps and looks out across the vast expanse of Canadian Shield wilderness. Slippery rocks and moss covered paths and occasional streams. Hiking Log:
Shortly past Dick Lake, we came to the Ministry sign, informing us to stay off the fire tower which we could just begin to make out through the trees. 15 km from the road, at the midpoint of the eastern shoreline, is an excellent campsite, often referred to as the Kirsch memorial campsite.
The view at the top was picture perfect! From the Kirsch campsite, proceed to the south tip of Smoothwater, where there will be a portage and a nearby creek. The walk up to the ridge had just undergone some maintenance by the warden and jr. rangers, so it was pretty clear and was well marked with ribbons!
The last stretch of our bushwack took us across the north side of Dick Lake, and straight up the side of the last peak to the fire tower, bypassing the trail up to the top on the other side of Dick Lake. There is also a cabin on the northern shore of the lake. |, Click here for my trip report to Ishpatina Ridge – Overland Route, Deseronto’s Ishpatina trip report (canoe route), Ken Takabe’s: pioneer of the overland route to Ishpatina, Andrew Lavigne’s detailed day trip to Ishpatina via the overland route, Firla and Matt’s adventures on the overland route to Ishpatina, Ishpatina Ridge (Tower Summit) – Overland, Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park High Point, List of Ontario County High Points (Peakbagger), List of Ontario’s Highest Elevations (Ottertooth), List of Ontario’s Highest Elevations (Peakbagger). On Scarecrow Lake, there are 2 camping options.
From scarecrow lake up to the top is a very obvious trail up to Ishpatina Ridge. (1). We stayed on Scarecrow Lake and visited the summit – but this was back in the pre-internet age and so we relied on Hap Wilson’s book and maps. Camping within the park boundaries requires a backcountry camping permit. The Ishpatina Ridge and much of the canoe route to the mountain lies within the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. The traditional and most common route begins as a multi-day canoe trip up the Montreal River, over a series of lakes and portages between Smoothwater Lake and Scrarecrow Lake and ends with a hike up to the summit via an old fire tower watchman's trail which begins on the northwestern shore of Scarecrow Lake. As the night approached, we were invaded by a small army of mice. Long trail, worth the hike for the novelty of being at the highest point in Ontario. I had just begun the bushwhack at Woods lake when I decided that I would not make it out before sunset, a foreboding prospect since I was alone, deep in the wilderness.
The final 1-2km is a steep ascension to the peak. Canoe south on the Montreal River through Lady Dufferin Lake, to Smoothwater lake, which despite it’s namesake, can often be rough. It had been used as a kind of log book repository and there were bits of paper with people’s names all over. So I began to plan for a more realistic multi-day canoe trip to the Ridge, starting from the Montreal River access point on Beauty Lake. I hear there is a trail there now. I really hate leeches and here was one latched to my ankle.
Climbing along the slopes over massive old growth fallen trees made for slow progress, and we even found a small spring fed waterfall/cascade about 120m south of the first peak. Exploring the campsite, we found a memorial plaque mounted in honour of a man named David Kirsch who no doubt spent many of his days at this beautiful spot. We arrived just in time to see a couple of men set off on a fishing trip to Lady Dufferin Lake.
The Montreal River was gentle and fairly wide; we made better time than I was expecting, considering that most of us were novice canoeists. And stop adding new routes.
smiling, laughing & momentarily ignoring the kilometres we still had to navigate. At the southwestern end of the lake, a short portage leads to another small lake. For a supposedly remote area, there were a surprising amount of cars parked at the boat launch.
There is a small island about 1.5 km south-southwest of the portage, near the western shore which might be a good option for a small group. This portage heads south for 1.1 km to a series of 3 small unnamed lakes and over 3 short portages (the longest being 130 m) until reaching McCulloch Lake. All Rights Reserved. We averaged between 2-3 km/hr for the entire route; bushwhacking was tough and recommend a compass just in case you lose your bearings. Made it most of the way to the base of the ridge. Ishpatina Ridge is the highest point of land in the Canadian province of Ontario, at an estimated 693 m (2,274 ft) above sea level.Ishpatina Ridge rises approximately 300 m (984 ft) above the immediate area.
The trail to the ridge is much easier to follow, roughly 2 hours up at a steady pace. I hope to visit Okiniada this summer .. it’s setting is rugged, Okiniada is 100 feet deep, surrounded by very high hills on all but the Okiniada Creek outlet side, so hopefully will be a rarity in cleanliness. Happy hiking! After having a quick lunch and preparing our gear, we set off on our trip.
I'll take another whack at it another time. However, at a mere 500 m from the summit, we hit a brick wall. Keep right and continue on for another 11 km until reaching the Montreal River. © 2020 ontariohighpoints.com All Rights Reserved
Looking up and to the west, the fire tower on the Ishpatina Ridge can be seen from here. Unlike our trip down from Smoothwater Lake, we left early enough to arrive at the Kirsch Campsite at a decent time, despite the rough waters awaiting our return to Smoothwater. It is the highest point in Ontario, a lonely place in the Northern Ontario wilderness with no road access near it. A larger campsite exists on the northwestern shore of the lake, and a nearby burnt out area marks the start of the trail to the Ishpatina Ridge.
I was planning to get to the ridge in a day via Ken’s route, but predictably ran out of time and had to turn back. Trail was well marked, a little wet and a few down trees. It is really important to note we downloaded AllTrails Pro and had the map downloaded so the gps kept us on track throughout the day. Difficult trail, and wasn’t unusual for the flagging tape to be missing. Do you know anything about the tower at Okiniada Lake just west of Lady Dufferin Lake? From the trail head to midway of the peak there is a lot of bushwhacking and lake crossings. Did it over 2 nights and 3 days. A possible, but unconfirmed higher point of land may exist 250 m to the northwest of the summit, but GPS measurements have all been inconclusive. We set out at 5am in the morning before sunrise, and the temp just above zero. There are signs indicating hefty fines for violating. Just some other update info: We did the whole thing in two days, leaving the launch at dawn Saturday and getting back at 6pm Sunday. Somewhere along the next bit of our midnight bushwack we encountered a deep narrow gorge blocking our route to the trail, that was nowhere to be found on any topo maps. View Ishpatina Ridge Image Gallery - 4 Images. Combined with a bushwhack along the west shore of Scarecrow Lake and the usual fire tower trail hike from the trailhead on Scarecrow Lake, many hikers are able to complete the trip from car to car in a long day hike. It was during this haul, that I enjoyed a close encounter with a leech. Combined with a bushwhack along the north shores of Woods Lake and Scarecrow Lake and the usual fire tower trail hike from the trailhead on Scarecrow Lake, many hikers are able to complete the trip from car to car in a long day hike.
Crossing the sturgeon was a new experience with a pack and a bike. In my mind, the southern summit would be a difficult bushwhack with no views, and coupled with the heat of the day and the previous days excursion, the prospect was becoming less and less attractive. View from Ishpatina towards Scarecrow Lake. Camped at the peak, had a bear outside the tent over night. The Ishpatina Ridge, set in a remote corner of the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater wilderness park, is a series of worn and rounded bumps spanning approximately 13 km. Matt said he would join me, so we bid farewell to Rochelle, Darcy and Val and headed off through the bush. It was just before 4, exactly 3 hours since departing the boat launch, when we stormed ashore to the campsite beside the Marina Lake portage.
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