MAPS AND RESOURCES
MAPS:
Friends of Temagami Adventure Planning Map: This map has it all and shows pretty much the entire area of Temagami. It’s enormous because Temagami is enormous. I love to unroll this map on the dining room table and just search for my next place to explore. Such a great resource for the price. Click the photo or the link to be directed to the Friends of Temagami website where you can purchase one of your own. The Friends of Temagami is a FOT is a non-profit organization operated entirely by volunteers and part of their funding comes from map sales.
Friends of Temagami Obabika Loop/Maple Mountain Companion Map: Before I purchased the big FOT Planning Map above, I made due with the Companion Map pictured here. It covers quite a bit of the Temagami area that gets visited the most and folds up into a normal sized map. It is full of valuable information and was my favorite map before getting the Adventure Planning Map. The Friends of Temagami is a non-profit organization and part of their funding comes from map sales. Get yours today here.
Unlostify Maps, French River, Killarney, Massasauga, Kawartha Highlands: I have recently switched over to the Unlostify maps for the French River, Killarney, Massasauga and the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. I like the style of the maps, they provide a huge amount of information and they’re even waterproof. I have not taken these on any trips as yet, but will definately be using them this season and can not wait to test them out on trip and not just on coffee table. LOL. Great for planning so far though!
Frontenac Provincial Park Map: This map has been helpful for me when camping at Frontenac for my Wilderness First Aid Course and Map and Compass courses. Frontenac has many courses available and if you are coming from a far distance, as I am, it’s great to have camping options. This map can also be purchased at the park.
Algonquin Park Canoe Routes Map: I have had this map since my very first trip in 2002. It is very well worn but still works great and I have planned many the adventure with it. Just a note the link goes to a newer version of the map.
Algonquin Park Backpacking Trails Map: I have also had this map since my very first trip in 2002. As the canoe routes map, it is very well worn and has been on a lot of trips with me. Before I did solo canoe trips and most of my canoe trips in the park, I did a lot of backpacking trips. There are three main backpacking trails in Algonquin Park and this map will show you all of them and any information needed to go on a backpacking trip in Algonquin. Just a note the link goes to a newer version of the map.
Haliburton Highlands Water Trails/ Poker Lakes Area Map: When I first started doing trips in the Haliburton Water Trails, i picked up this map. It has been very useful for me to plan trips in the area, but I haven’t used it in quite some time. The Haliburton Highland Water Trails are a fairly small area and I currently print most of the maps I need right from the reservation website. I highly recommend this area when doing your first backcountry trip or first solo trip. It is somewhat remote, but still close to emergency facilities and it has cell service with most providers. A great place to go for an adventure.
CANADA CHART 2204 Byng Inlet to Killarney: When I go on kayaking trips out in Georgian Bay and similar areas, I prefer to use chart maps. These ones can be ordered through the government at the link attached to the photo and are awesome for navigating yourself through the waters. During my Ontario Sea Kayak Centre courses, we were taught how to use these maps during our navigation lessons and it is something I love to practice with when I am out on the Bay. The website this product is linked to offers a huge variety of other locations to choose from as well.
RESOURCES:
Hap Wilson, Canoeing, Kayaking & Hiking in Temagami: I have read this book a few times and use it for canoe tripping route ideas and information when I am looking to do a trip in Temagami. Hap’s books are amazing (the ones I’ve read so far) and they are full of information. For reference, this is my favorite book and my go to for learning about specific areas in Temagami before I do further research.
Hap Wilson, Canoeing and Hiking Wild Muskoka: When I moved to Muskoka, this is the book I chose to use to get information about the area and learn places that I could go to explore. Even though Muskoka is known for resorts and cottages, there are still some untouched areas to be explored here by canoe, kayak and by foot. This is a great book to use as reference if looking for those wild places in Muskoka.
Hap Wilson, River of Fire: Okay, there is a very good chance that I will never paddle the Seal River, let alone during a huge fire, or take others out on an expedition there. This book was used more for inspiration and recreation, than as a resource, but it helped me a great deal. At the time I was reading this epic adventure, I was making my way through the Obabika Loop. My favorite canoe trip in Temagami, thus far, because it was the hardest trip I’d ever done. Reading this book, I learned about the huge challenges Hap and his crew had to overcome to complete that trip and come out alive. This gave me the courage I needed to get through the Obabika River and 8 massive log jams I had to overcome while on my 6 day solo trip. If you would like to see that video series, click here. I highly recommend this book. It is one of my two favorite Hap Wilson books to date.
Hap Wilson, The Cabin: This is my other favorite book of Hap Wilsons, next to River of Fire. Don’t get me wrong, I love them all, but this book was a joy for me to read Like River of Fire, I read this book during some of my 2019 canoe tripping adventures that took place right in Temagami. This book was not really a resource, but also an inspiration for me. The Cabin is a type of biography about Hap and how he ended up doing what he does and owning the Cabin and all the challenges and adventures he went on in between. Hap is a great writer and I really enjoyed, not only the story, but how the story was told. If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it. It is not easy for me to actually sit still and read a book, especially while out on an adventure, but I had no issues reading this one, pretty much entirely, out in the backcountry, not that that was necessary but in my opinion, it added to the story for me personally.
Hap Wilson, Trials and Tribulations: I picked up this book at the Outdoor Adventure Show in the spring of 2020. I have not yet had a chance to read it, but it is on the list to be read next. If anyone has any comments they’d like to share about this book, please feel free. I’d love to see other peoples opinions, on this, or any of the other resources I have listed on my website.
Kevin Callan, Top 50 Canoe Routes of Ontario: Kevin sent me this book after doing a few trips together as I was constantly asking him questions about canoe tripping routes. It has been a huge help and I use this book as a reference guide A LOT. It has so much information, great photos and maps, and there are so many places I wouldn’t know about without this book. If you don’t have it as part of your trip resources, you should pick it up. I believe now there is a newer version out actually that has an additional 10 new routes. Bonus!
Kevin Callan, Complete Guide to Winter Camping: There aren’t a lot of books out there on winter camping and it is an activity that has been on the rise for a few years now. When Kevin posted on social media that he was looking for people who had winter tips, tricks etc to submit their ideas to him, I didn’t hesitate to send him a short entry about my homemade tipi hot tent. (That is the very first hot tent I made and can be found here). I am proud to say, I made it into the book and you can find my entry on pages 47 & 48. Super proud to be a part of this awesome book.