New shower/ washroom build under way! April 13th 2019

With help from Barry, Rob and Murray the new building is coming along. Grand opening by July planned.

Concept ...

Initial floor plan

Finally, got in just before the spring flood. Still some snow in the bush and the ground still froze.

Surprisingly,the lake was still  froze.

River came up while we were there and kept rising but we got out before it was even a foot deep. It  was 3 feet over the road a few days later.

Selected site, removed old shower building. Used some prebuilt floor skids to build floor on footings.

Shower installed...Ha ha! Are we done???

Lucy likes it!

Walls were framed before we had to leave.

Back again,  May 24th - 3 weeks later, after the flood with more lumber. I was the first one in after the flood. Some washouts on the road and a couple of trees to move out of the way. The usual obstacles!

Roof rafters up and steel on. Front walls framed and doors installed. Still need windows and siding!

We had wondered what we could afford for siding but thanks to Warren, problem solved!! He donated a load of pine boards to the cause.

So we are going with the "log cabin look". Here is an example of the look we hope to end up with.

We trimmed up the boards in Brussels (no bugs here!) 

Just have to get back up to install siding, windows,toilet,vanity, roofing, plus install septic bed, plumb in hot water and wire for hydro...etc

Update on Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Park Status

https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/queenelizabeth2wildlands

From March 6, 2001

https://www.ontario.ca/page/queen-elizabeth-ii-wildlands-provincial-park-management-statement

Original background study April 19, 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20100704170733/http://www.ontarioparks.com/English/planning_pdf/quee_background.pdf

News item March 14th,2019
From https://www.mymuskokanow.com/87230/queen-elizabeth-ii-park-working-towards-operational-status/

Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park is pushing to be made “operational”.

Park Superintendent Jason Dwyer says right now, the park that borders Minden, Gravenhurst, Washago, and Kirkfield is “non-operational.”

That means that he is one of only five staff members taking care of the entire 33,505 hectares of park. Without operational status, Dwyer says that the park staff don’t collect fees, and they do not get the same level of funding.

According to Dwyer, the park is at the “Management Decision Stage” of the planning process. Pam Sayne, a councillor from Minden Hills, says that there is a lot of work left to be done before they become operational, including ongoing conversations about the Williams Treaties.

The treaties themselves created in 1923, they were an agreement between the federal and provincial government and seven different First Nations groups. The crown took over 20,000km of central Ontario in exchange for a cash settlement. More recently, another deal was reached over the treaties in July of 2018.

This is the second time the park has started the planning says, Dwyer. The first attempt was back in 2006 before it stopped, only to restart in 2014.

Trying to emphasize the importance of becoming operational, Dwyer said the park is home to hundreds of species of animal and plants. He also pointed out that the park is used by hundreds, pointing out that people can camp there and do outdoor activities there. Another use of the park according to Dwyer is a corridor for commercial and municipal traffic.

If the park was operational, Dwyer suggested that they would have more staff and funding to address these uses.

From Kawartha ATV Association March 24th 2019

Trails closed in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Park - As many of you have seen, there has been a lot of information going around regarding the QEII park now banning motorized users. We met with the park superintendent in September 2018 regarding the ATV trails in the park, specifically the KATVA trails at the south end. That's when we were advised that the park is now going to become an operational provincial park which means as per legislation motorized vehicles are no longer allowed within the park boundaries. We've been advised that this will be strictly enforced by park staff and we are aware of riders being stopped by the park wardens. We will continue to work with the park superintendent and his staff to try to seek a resolution that might allow us limited access, but until then the park trails are closed to motorized vehicles. The KATVA trails will be removed from the 2019 trail map. Please stay out of the park as trespassing only makes it harder for us to work on a resolution.

x

Murray's March Ski Trip

Four amigos brave some cold weather!

Looks like lunch at Robinson Lake.

Murray sets track for skiing!

Jamie wonders were this ski track actually goes !   and more importantly, how far back to the cabin.

Fox? Coyote? or wolf?

February Snowmobile Trip

6 planned to go and 5 made it! Rob had car trouble and had to turn back. Barry, Charlie, Warren, Bruce and myself braved the cold to snowmobile into the Cabin for the weekend.

Enjoyed bright sunshine ,deep snow and a winter wonderland all weekend.

Barry arrived on his newly acquired 380 Olympic ski-do, while I trailered up the Yamaha 600 VMAX  to carry people and supplies in.

While the Black River road was trail groomed to perfection, the snow in the bush was soft and crotch deep! Both machines did well to get in the last kilometer.


In case you are thinking that the snow doesn't look deep, we are on snowshoes!

1st trip in 2019 - Jan 5th

Arrived on Friday in sunshine,+2C with 4 inches of snow on top of a layer of ice. Everyone was able to drive in !
Installed 6 batteries donated by Al Dobson. Old batteries removed as they refused to take a charge anymore.

Replaced carpet in both lofts, some leftover for the trailer,too.

Installed a new kitchen stainless steel sink.

Added new posts for the dock. Had to cut holes in the ice as there was 8 inches on the lake with an inch of snow on top.

Barry tried out his dirt bike but due to the ice under the snow ,everywhere! had several bad crashes so he put it back in the shed while he could still walk.

Rob got his Polaris started and did a few laps around the lake, as did Charlie on the ATV.

Nick and Charlie were Euchre champs on Friday night but Nick and Barry couldn't win a game Saturday!

Great fun, good food and good times by all!

2018 Annual Meeting Nov 2nd - 4th

 Another successful Annual meeting / wood pile restocking weekend!

Beautiful weather!

Great help on the wood splitter!

2018 Annual Hunter Lake Fishing Derby for Friends and Family

the invite!
Summer is HERE! All our friends and family are invited to join us at our family cabin on the shores of Hunter Lake for a weekend of camping, canoing, hiking, fishing .. etc

Join us at the cabin anytime starting Aug 24th

The Cabin will host the Saturday night supper for everyone.

The Annual Fishing Derby will be held on Sunday (PRIZES!!!)

Swimming off the dock and an outing to the "beach" is planned.

Prospecting for Gold at Ragged Rapids for those interested while fishing for monster bass at Robinson Lake is an alternative.

Great campfires promised!!

The Cabin will be serving Hamburgers,Hot dogs, and corn on the cob for Sat supper. Salads and desert are pot luck. Please advise what you plan on bringing to better plan our meal.

Please let us know so accommodations can be planned.

thank you,

the Management

The Annual Fishing Derby results!!

Another successful Fishing Derby (even if the fish seemed smaller this year!)

Ukele was back! Sue lead the young and old through hours of songs that everyone enjoyed.

Warren and Lynn (the infamous "Up B4 Noon" team show off their canoe skills.

Craig and kids ,Tori and Zach swam across Hunters Lake .... and back... just because they could!!!

Atv rides were popular, with the kids always looking for a new driver to take them for a ride.

Excellent weather for the Sunday Fishing Derby!! (except for a few showers late Saturday)

Serious contenters in the fishing derby .... Team Un-ico-rns!

Felting proved popular for all age groups and Pat brought enough materials for everyone to give it a try!

Some of the boys!

Team "Older and Wiser + Zack" took home top honours in the Team fishing category and Craig took "Master Angler" for best fish.

Ron and Sue introduced drumming to the group and many tried their drumming skills.

Cabin Maintenance June 2018

Re stained the deck. Hope it lasts longer this time.

Installed a new kitchen stove. Five burners and an oven that works.

Taps and drains hooked up for the summer. Water barrels full.

Put the dock back together with Barry for summer use...Launched the raft ...had a swim and found the lake quite warm!

Barbecue fixed temporarily  .. . will need permanent fix or replacement by fall.

Hummingbirds are back,too!

Black Fly Reconnaissance May 17th - 19th

Yes, there were black flies! Doug,Marcy,Nick and Lou braved bug season to check out the Cabin after a long and late flood season. Great weather with a good breeze made for a good time and wonderful campfires.

Yamaha Winter Fun

Spring Flood season has started - April 27th 2018

A quick check of the Black River water levels on the government website (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=02EC002) shows that the water level went up quickly with the warm weather.
Anything over 9.2 (on the left side) indicates the road is already under water. Probably, a good 2 kilometers. Since the water level is measured at Washago a change of .1 meter measured there is equal to a foot at the Black River road.

Which looked like this in 2008.

Black River Road - April 2008

So a measured 9.5 is like 3 feet on the road. The danger is just not from flooding out your engine but there is a good chance of your vehicle being washed off the road and into the river which is 12 feet deep and moving fast.This from hard earned experience. Two ATVs and an UTC were lost last year.

The flooding is due to snow melt more than rainfall. Yes there was a fair amount of snow still at the cabin as can be seen from Barry's pictures from April 21st.