CAMPING AND EXPEDITION PACKING LISTS

CHECK OFF AS YOU PACK THEM

• backpack or duffle bag lined with a garbage bag (bring a pack with handles but NOT a suitcase!)
• 1 pairs pants – army pants, track pants, etc

• 1 pair shorts

• 3 pairs socks
• 3 pairs underwear
• 3 T-shirts
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 1 sweater or light jacket
• 1 rain coat/poncho/Gore-Tex, etc
• 1 pair hiking boots/good walking shoes (broken in for at least 10 hours!)
• 1 pair water sandals (Teva’s), or shoes that can get wet (for getting in and out of the canoes)
• 1 swimsuit
• 1 towel
• sleeping bag (rated to about 5°C for spring or autumn trips)
• sunglasses
• toilet kit (toothbrush, Pears or any other unscented soap, toilet paper, etc)
• hat or bandana for head protection (for sun and bugs!), and a toque for spring/autumn trips
• shoulder bag (knapsack) for water, lunch, etc
• camera – put in a “Zip Lock” bag, or wrap in plastic bag for rain
• flashlight (new batteries!)
• mosquito repellent – Muskol is the best (make sure it is made with DEET)
• sunscreen and lip balm (chapstick)
• snack food (nuts, raisins, trail mix, etc)
• water, approximately 1-2 litres. Bring it full. We can refill with lake water and purifying chemicals along the way.
• personal 1st aid kit (including bandages, antiseptic ointment, and a blister kit)
• alcohol (optional)
• gloves & toque (hat) for trips in May, late September, or October

DO NOT BRING THE FOLLOWING

• jeans or jean jackets (heavy, and they take forever to dry if they get wet)

• aftershave, perfume, scented lotions or soaps (they attract the mosquitoes)

• bottles or cans (not allowed in the park and much too heavy to carry)

• radios (not appreciated by fellow campers – besides, Nature itself is great to listen to)

• dark coloured clothes – mosquitoes love them – wear light or bright colours

• new boots (or hiking shoes) – you WILL get BAD blisters, and it will seriously detract from your wilderness experience

• expensive jewelry – fingers shrink in the water and rings can slide off!

These items should be all you need for a great trip. The list includes the clothes you will be wearing on the first day so don’t pack extras (i.e. pack 2 T-shirts and wear 1). If you have special requirements (i.e. dietary), or aren’t sure about bringing something, just ask! The key factors in deciding what clothes to bring are weight and size. Bring clothes that are light-weight, loose-fitting, and that can dry quickly if they get wet.

Line the inside of your bag/pack with a garbage bag, and wrap your sleeping bag in another one, to keep everything dry in case it rains (or a canoe tips!). Or you can rent a drybag from us – please do so in advance.

Many people like to bring some alcohol for sitting around the campfire at night. If you would like to do so also, please transfer it to a plastic bottle (beer or liquor), or in a cardboard box (wine), since glass and cans are not allowed. And if you smoke, please bring a pouch or other container for your cigarette butts.

CHECK OFF AS YOU PACK THEM

• backpack or duffle bag lined with a garbage bag
• 2 pairs pants – fleece or wool

• 3 pairs thermal socks

• 1 pair polypro or silk socks

• 3 pairs synthetic or silk underwear

• 1 pair synthetic thermal long underwear

• 2 T-shirts
• 2 long sleeve shirts
• 2 wool sweaters or polar fleece jackets (or 1 of both!)

• 1 Gore-Tex or nylon wind breaker jacket

• 1 Gore-Tex or nylon wind breaker pants

• 1 pair snow boots – should be half knee high and rated to -15°C, with a removable liner

• slippers
• neck warmer (scarf)

• toque (hat)

• 1 pair winter mitts + 1 pair polypro gloves (or other thin gloves)

• winter jacket

• 1 towel & swimsuit

• sleeping bag (rated to about 5°C)

• sunglasses

• toilet kit (toothbrush, Pears or any other unscented soap, toilet paper, etc)

• cross country skis, snowshoes – if you don’t have your own, we’ll supply it

• shoulder bag (knapsack) for water, lunch, etc
• camera – put in a “Zip Lock” bag, or wrap in plastic bag for rain/snow
• flashlight (new batteries!)
• book
• sunscreen and lip balm (chapstick)
• snack food (nuts, raisins, trail mix, etc)
• water, approximately 1-2 litres. Bring it full. We can refill with lake water and purifying chemicals along the way.
• personal 1st aid kit (including bandages, antiseptic ointment, and a blister kit)
• alcohol (optional)
• Note: Winter Clothing (boots, pants, jacket, and gloves) can be rented.

These items should be all you need for a great trip. The list includes the clothes you will be wearing on the first day so don’t pack extras (i.e. pack 1 pair long pants and wear 1 pair). If you have special requirements (i.e. dietary), or aren’t sure about bringing something, just ask! The key factors in deciding what clothes to bring are weight and size. Bring clothes that are light-weight, loose-fitting, and that can dry quickly if they get wet. Also, the more you pack, the slower you go, so don’t get over zealous!

Line the inside of your bag/pack with a garbage bag, and wrap your sleeping bag in another one, to keep everything dry.

Many people like to bring some alcohol for sitting around the fire at night. If you would like to do so also please bring it with you as there is no place to get it at the lodge (wine boxes or beer cans are ideal). And if you must smoke, please bring a pouch or other container for your cigarette butts.

DO NOT BRING THE FOLLOWING

• jeans or jean jackets (heavy, and they take forever to dry if they get wet)

• cotton clothing of any kind (it gets damp from your sweat and keeps you COLD!)

• bottles (they can freeze and burst – cans are OK)

• expensive jewelry – fingers shrink in the cold and rings can slide off!

HOW TO DRESS (IN CASE YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T TELL YOU!)

The best way to stay warm in winter is to go to Mexico! But, failing that, you should dress in layers. You don’t need any fancy, high tech clothing to stay warm. Natural materials such as wool are very warm and help wick moisture away from your skin. There are, generally, 3 layers to consider. As you get warmer you can strip off layers and, as you get colder, you can put them back on.

Layer 1
The idea is to have a thin “wicking” layer next to your skin. This is usually a synthetic material like polypropylene, but silk, wool, or “thermal” underwear all work well. They move the moisture, away from your skin, to the outer layers, keeping you dry and warm.

Layer 2
This layer is your warmth layer. Have a wool sweater or polar fleece jacket over top of your shirt. Loose fitting wool or fleece pants complete the layer.

Layer 3
This is where you have your protective outer shell. You want something that will protect you from both the wind and water (wet snow or, gasp!, even rain). A light wind breaker (jacket and pants) or Gore-Tex outfit is needed for this purpose. If you don’t have a waterproof outer jacket, you can use whatever you have and spray on some Scotch-Guard, or Dubbins (for leathers). A thick winter coat completes this layer when you are not active (i.e. standing around).

Extremities
Your hands and feet are what feel the cold first. It’s very important to have good waterproof boots and mitts. Both should have a removable liner that you can dry at night. A thin pair of gloves is also useful when you need your hands for some delicate task. A warm toque (wool hat) is also essential – you lose about 60% of your body heat through your head, so keep it covered!

CHECK OFF AS YOU PACK THEM

• backpack or duffle bag lined with a garbage bag
• 1 pair pants – fleece or wool

• 2 pairs thermal socks

• 1 pair polypro or silk socks

• 3 pairs synthetic or silk underwear

• 1 pair synthetic thermal long underwear

• 2 T-shirts
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• neck warmer (scarf)

• toque (hat)

• swimsuit

• sunglasses

• toilet kit (toothbrush, Pears or any other unscented soap, toilet paper, etc)

• camera – put in a “Zip Lock” bag, or wrap in plastic bag for rain/snow
• flashlight (new batteries!)
• sunscreen and lip balm (chapstick)
• personal 1st aid kit (including bandages, antiseptic ointment, and a blister kit)
• drivers license
• 1 pair snow boots – should be half knee high and rated to -15°C, with a removable liner
• shoes (to wear in the evening)
• 1 pair winter mitts + 1 pair polypro gloves (or other thin gloves)
• winter jacket

• Note: The boots, gloves, snow pants, and winter jacket can be supplied with the snowmobile rental. So you only need to bring them if you have your own stuff that you would like to use (ie. since you know it is warm and it fits!)

These items should be all you need for a great trip. The list includes the clothes you will be wearing on the first day so don’t pack extras. If you have special requirements (i.e. dietary), or aren’t sure about bringing something, just ask! The key factors in deciding what clothes to bring are weight and size. Bring clothes that are light-weight, loose-fitting, and that can dry quickly if they get wet. Also, all your stuff must fit into 2 saddlebags, so don’t get over zealous!

DO NOT BRING THE FOLLOWING

• cotton clothing of any kind (it gets damp from your sweat and keeps you COLD!)

• bottles or cans (they can freeze and burst)

• expensive jewelry – fingers shrink in the cold and rings can slide off!

HOW TO DRESS (IN CASE YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T TELL YOU!)

The best way to stay warm in winter is to go to Mexico! But, failing that, you should dress in layers. You don’t need any fancy, high tech clothing to stay warm. Natural materials such as wool are very warm and help wick moisture away from your skin. There are, generally, 3 layers to consider. As you get warmer you can strip off layers and, as you get colder, you can put them back on.

Layer 1
The idea is to have a thin “wicking” layer next to your skin. This is usually a synthetic material like polypropylene, but silk, wool, or “thermal” underwear all work well. They move the moisture, away from your skin, to the outer layers, keeping you dry and warm.

Layer 2
This layer is your warmth layer. Have a wool sweater or polar fleece jacket over top of your shirt. Loose fitting wool or fleece pants complete the layer.

Layer 3
This is where you have your protective outer shell. You want something that will protect you from both the wind and water (wet snow or, gasp!, even rain). A light wind breaker (jacket and pants) or Gore-Tex outfit is needed for this purpose. If you don’t have a waterproof outer jacket, you can use whatever you have and spray on some Scotch-Guard, or Dubbins (for leathers). A thick winter coat completes this layer when you are not active (i.e. standing around).

Extremities
Your hands and feet are what feel the cold first. It’s very important to have good waterproof boots and mitts. Both should have a removable liner that you can dry at night. A thin pair of gloves is also useful when you need your hands for some delicate task. A warm toque (wool hat) is also essential – you lose about 60% of your body heat through your head, so keep it covered!