Temiskaming District Visitors Guide 2013

Submitted pictures a couple of months ago to find that 3 of mine had been chosen this year.  All were taken around Gowganda at the north powerline west of town, on Gowganda Lake fishing and canoeing on the Montreal River.

Back again finally

Been busy for quite some time now lots of work around home and shop work.  A few days taken up with cutting portages for the Friends of Temagami.  I volunteered to open up some old portages that hadn't been used for years, others were clearing old trails too.  This is part of a canoe route that was used a long time ago and are now open to canoeists to see some new country and be able to go as far as James Bay.  The blackflies and mosquitoes are very bad right now so anyone traveling up this way should be prepared.  Here is a shot of Outlook point tonight as the sun was setting.

Could be a great blueberry year

Lots of flowers on the blueberries today, hopefully there won't be a heavy frost from now on like last year (the year of no berries).

A bit further down the road a small creek with Marsh Marigolds. Like many other members of the buttercup family, the species contains a blistering sap, which can be dangerous.

Blackflys have started today

Our summer guests have finally arrived the blackflys.  Check out this link to the song blackfly.

Crisp and cool today

Great day today, frost in the morning and cool the rest of the day.  Very few blackflys in the bush today too thank goodness as I was clearing an old portage trail that hadn't seen use in many a year.  Didn't quite finish it today so will need a couple more hours to clean it up.  Not many flowers along the way, the ferns still hadn't uncurled fully yet either.  Lots of run off still.

More Gowganda sunset

Still having some problems with uploading, this way you get better quality video.  Click the blue link.   Here is a link to another video with better resolution.    -------------   gowganda sunset

Yesterday's sunset

Sitting along the shore watching the sunset last evening.  What more could you ask for.

Diabase Lake

This is the one I have been trying to upload for several days.

Diabase Lake outcrop

One of the first flowers in spring

Back from down south, way to busy for me and very hot.  Out to Single lake where I

knew I would find some Trailing Arbutus blooming, it took awhile until I found some where the sun has been kind to them.  Don't forget to click the pic.

ICE OUT

This is what I saw around 7:30 this morning as the day progressed you could not see any more ice at the south end from Gowganda.  That's not to say there may be patches around the other bays.

Montreal River at 560 bridge this AM

Pretty good flow of water going north this morning.

Date should say May 4 2013 oops.

Gowganda sunset

Be sure to click the pic

Burke Lake this afternoon

Went in to take some pics of the river flowing into the south end of Burke Lake but couldn't even get close with the flooding.  The water is flowing thru the trees on either side of the river some spots 6 feet deep.  Ice is all off of Burke Lake.

Gowganda Lake this evening

Lots of ice still on the lake.  Testing out a new video tool a slider, the camera runs on a track while filming to keep it steady.

Ice conditions

Here are a couple of pics of the shoreline across the road.  The mystics are betting on May 8th for ice out.

Notice the buds on the shrubs in the foreground of the second pic.  Finally a hint of things to come.

East Montreal River today

Down near the bridge today, water is rising now every day, good weather coming over the weekend.   Hopefully more of the snow will start to disappear faster.

 

                            

Following up with another bird

White throated sparrow

Even the birds are unhappy with the weather

By the look on this bird's face I think he's fed up with the weather too.

Sunny weather but not alot of melting

Here is a pic of the ice opening up between Duncan Lake and the Notch Dam.  Lots of snow still in the bush.  The rain has made the water levels come up in the creeks and rivers.  Click of pic for larger pic.

Creeks and Rivers starting to flow

After quite a bit of rain yesterday and warmer temps the snow is starting to go and the creeks and rivers are starting to flow.  The first pic is of the Makobe River at Elk Lake and a creek along highway 560.

Here is a video of yesterdays trip

Another video test, this time from yesterdays trip to Burke Lake.  This can be watched on Youtube by clicking on the Youtube at the bottom of the video a larger picture will be shown.

South end of Burke Lake

Snowshoed in to the Montreal River where it empties into Burke Lake, quite a bit of open water along the east side of lake.  Common Mergansers and Bufflehead ducks are back.

Remember that maybe I wrote about yesterday

Well it's all gone down with the sink water now.  Overnight another 20cm of heavy wet snow to get rid of.  Fortunately it still could be moved with snowblower.

A small sign of spring---maybe

Up the Everett Lake road to see what was going on, stopped by Miller Creek and some of it is starting to show a little bit.  Trying to improve my video skills over the next little while so stay tuned in.

Bald Eagle surprise

Got home from town around 1:30 and a few minutes later Mary Bullock phones from the post office to tell me there are 2 Bald Eagles in the trees.   I asked what trees she says the ones just in front of my house over the wood pile.  It didn't take much to see them as I was already upstairs and they were just 50 ft from the window.  Grabbed the camera and took some pics, didn't have time to put on the telephoto lens but shot with what I had. Be sure to click for larger image.

Montreal River yesterday

Snowshoed down to the river south of the bridge to get a couple of pics, lots of snow still in the bush and out of it.  Going to -15C tonight too.  Click for larger picture and then click on it again for an even bigger one.

Snowshoeing to Diabase Lake

Nice sunny day for a snowshoe today.  Snow has a good crust on it and it's easy going.  Went into Diabase Lake to take some pictures.

Out for hike

Took a walk up a forestry road that they just started to plow out just north of Sharon Lake west of Long Point Lake.  Loggers had done some cutting in there last year and are now opening up for the spring.  Further in there were some piles of wood that they hadn't moved out last year.  Hopefully they will take them this spring.

Sunny but still cold

Happy St. Patrick's day today for all that take part.  The weather is still dragging it's butt, cold nights and still lots of snow.  Last year a week ago or so we were out ATVing.  Mind you last year was unlike many years.  It will be quite awhile yet before the snow and ice goes.  Here's a pic of the homestead with quite a bit of snow still here and we haven't had our couple of spring storms yet.

More snow and freezing rain

Another 15 cm. of snow followed by freezing rain and then more snow has many of the trees bent over with some breaking.   The power went out on the west side of Gowganda Lake as a tree fell on the line. Click on pic for full view.

Out for my walk this morning

Left a little earlier this morning to take some pics of the fog just over the ice.

A first look at spring weather

 After a few clouds early this AM the sun finally came out the temperature rose and the melt started.  I felt like a groundhog today finally seeing my shadow.  Coming back from the dump and entering the two rock faces into Gowganda, I think we should put a gate up there.

Spear Lake Rd, today

The pictures this winter look all the same, hopefully there will be a break in the weather soon.  The only thing that changed is the depth of the snow.

Milder today

West of town at Single Lake on the snowmobile trail into the North arm on Gowganda Lake.  Lots of snow in the bush on the crossover.  Bottom picture is Gowganda Lake at the north end of the North Arm.

Foggy Morning

Temperatures on the rise this morning on the way to town.  Leaving Gowganda sun coming up brilliant red sky, by the time I got to New Liskeard fog and more fog.  It covered taller trees and high spots with frost.  This is Hooper's Hill a large outcrop on the way to town, sometimes called Triangle Hill.

Summer a long way off

By the look of these chairs summer is a long way off.  This morning another -31°C.

Makobe RIver, Elk Lake

Back to Elk Lake on Monday and another shot of the Makobe River, looks as if the water level has gone down quite a bit.  Check post of January 22 to see the difference.

Warmer weather on the way

Supposed to warm up overnight, from last nights -31°C, finally.  Coming back from the dump a pic looking west down Wigwam hill.

More snow and cold

Haven't been taking too many pics these days but some warmer weather by the weekend, maybe.  Walked along the snowmobile trail east of town near Page's pit.  Here are a couple I took after taking my glove and mitt off.  With the breeze the weather station at Lost Lake said it was -23C.