Closest Access Point: Opeongo (Access Point 11 )
Distance To Access Point: 21-22 KM (1/2 – 1 1/2 days depending on whether you water taxi Opeongo)
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Easy/Medium (One portage over 1 KM, paddling Opeongo).
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date of Visit: September, 2018
This is a relatively enclosed site at the northern end of Proulx. While it’s flat enough and definitely useable, it’s also pretty basic. It doesn’t offer much in the way of views, swimming or amenities. On the plus side, the Thunderbox is weirdly close, and unsheltered from, the rest of the site.
Terrain: Like I said above, flat. The site’s nestled in among some well established evergreens so the ground cover is mostly hardpacked dirt and dead needles. There’s a small incline from the canoe landing, maybe three feet of slope.
Canoe Landing: The landing isn’t that great. There are a couple of places where you can pull up, right where the campsite sign is and just north of that, but neither make for optimal loading/unloading. That slope I mentioned from the canoe landing starts pretty much right at the water, so getting in and out without getting your boots wet takes some balancing. On the plus side, if you don’t mind getting your boots wet, the underwater topography is flat and relatively clear of obstructions.
Fire Pit: A basic circle of rocks in the middle of the site type of fire pit. The rock walls would protect a small fire from onshore wind, but more than anything it’s the tree cover along the shoreline that would give the most protection.
Swimability: I don’t love this spot for swimming. I mean, there’s water, and it’s accessible, but the tree cover and lack of shoreline rock mean that you don’t have many options for sitting in the sun afterwards to dry out. The shoreline isn’t particularly weedy, but it somehow gives the impression of being weedy regardless, which also detracts from the whole swimming vibe.
Tent Sites: Enough room for at least a couple 3/4 man tents. The ground is pretty flat, with multiple spots that looked reasonable for a tent. As an added bonus, you’re well sheltered by the overhead canopy, so this would be a good place to wait out a rainy day.
Thunderbox: In pretty good condition, but damn it’s close to the rest of the site. And it’s not exactly hidden from view, either. The only thing in between you and the site are a few tree trunks that are very nice to look at but do very little in the providing privacy department. I don’t know, at least the lid opens towards the site, not away from it.
Accessories: Not much. There are some small logs arranged around the fire pit that look like they’ve been there about as long as the Thunderbox on Little Crow – Site 3 has been on that site. that’s about it.
Views: Obstructed views to the west and northwest, everything else is hemmed in by trees.
Notes: This is a perfectly fine site if you need to stop for a night and don’t want to push on to Opeongo or Big Crow. Otherwise, I’d give it a miss.
Related Trip Report: Into the Wind Part Two: Homeward from Hogan
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