Elliot Lake Vacation 2011

I am going to be doing a solo vacation to Elliot Lake this year. It's been years since I've gone alone. I have taken so many people up over the past few years so now it's time for me to go alone. I will be hiking alone, and I've booked a hotel room at the Algo Inn for a week, just for me :-) BTW, I got the weekly rate at the Algo, which is only about $480. Works out to less than $70 a day, which was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting to pay a lot more for accommodations...my family has a friend that lives there that I stay with when I visit, but she will be away as well. Even if she was in town, I still would prefer to get a hotel room this year, and be completely alone. Some people might not think vacationing alone is fun, but it is to me. Plus it is very healing and a great way to reconnect with myself, with Nature, with God (whoever or whatever that is). Hiking in the Northern wilderness alone is so, so spiritual, whether people even realize it or not. The memories of my solo hikes up there have stuck with me stronger than when I went with a friend or family. And I really need this now.

So I plan on hiking my usual trails, like Horne Lake/Sherriff Creek, Spine Rd. (and this time I am going all the way to Mink Lake. I visited Mink once and the experience never left me. But boy, it's a hike and a half!), Spruce Beach/Westview, Mount Dufour, etc., etc. I doubt I'll make it to Cobre Lake, unless I can get a ride, even though I would very much like to go there...I'm not quite ready or prepared to do an overnight hiking trip alone. If I had the proper gear, I would try. I can probably hike to Cobre in 2 days, then I would need a day there to hike and relax, and another 2 days of backpacking just get back to town...
Someday I'll do it!

You've probably guessed that I don't drive. And I prefer it that way. Driving is convenient sometimes, but I always prefer to go on foot to wherever I'm going. You see more and experience so much more with the ground under your feet and the air and sun's rays kissing your skin...

Anyway, I have decided for a new adventure, I am going to hike as far as I can in a day along Highway 108, towards the 639, and see how far I can make it. It looks like there's either a trail or snowmobile/ATV trail that runs along the highway. I'm going to take a day and just go. And see what I find along the way! I want to try to get to Banana Lake. But it looks like it'll be a 25K day if I attempt to do that (about 11K there and back, plus a few K just for exploring). Though it may not be as far as it appears on a map. So I'm just gonna walk and watch my time and see how far I can go! It'll be an adventure! And I am so in need of something like that. I'm looking forward to discovering the little lakes and ponds and forests that are hidden away in the bush.

Then on another day, I'm going to attempt the same thing but in the opposite direction. I also saw a whole bunch of trails and stuff out in the Westner Lake & Mount Dufour area, so I'm curious about those too...

Anyway, I will post about my adventures when I get there in about 2 weeks time :-)