Canadian border closed

[Odyssey]

Ne panique pas estie. Most backcountry camping doesn't open till May anyway. Having said that I don't believe parks will open for some weeks yet. We'll likely see a Better Safe Than Sorry scenario. I myself had plans involving Crown Land, Provincial Parks and local Conservation Areas sprinkled throughout the 2020 camping season. These may get nixed.
The stay in my staycation may be emphasized. We'll see. I'm not panicking.

 

[Gerald]

Hey Odyssey, love your french.

G.

 

[Robin]

Northern Maine is a good option these days, they (North Maine Woods) waive the Day Use fee for over 70 years old users like myself so maybe a trip there is a good option.

I'm still holding out for an August trip to Canada but then that could be put too even without the boarder issues. Life Happens.

 

[Mihun09]

I have some spare Ontario licence plates I can send you Robin. I imagine since Mem lives in the middle of nowhere and the paddling up there is awesome, the likelihood of getting the virus is limited.

Much like here in Manitoba, again the middle of nowhere. Our friend Kim Pakwash Lake Camp in Ear Falls Ontario will likely suffer since 90% of her clientele are American but I still have 3 weeks booked there so that should help her.

 

[red langford]

I think all travel should be reconsidered. Let’s hold off until the infection rate slows down. Seems to be double the cases every few days. Exponential growth of this thing is what worries me the most. If there are too many cases the healthcare system will implode like in Italy.

I’m not the panicky type but I think we all need to contribute to the prevention rather than the spread of the virus.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Northern Maine is a good option these days, they (North Maine Woods) waive the Day Use fee for over 70 years old users like myself so maybe a trip there is a good option.

I'm still holding out for an August trip to Canada but then that could be put too even without the boarder issues. Life Happens.

But for some of us who are eligible for that we are impatient as we know the day approaches anyway where life doesn't happen! I do resent that some of life's experiences are being taken away. Though if the malls stayed closed forever that would be fine!

I resent being told not to go outdoors because I am at the broad brushed demographic of "frail". BS. I fear some army enforcing that belief. Hopefully they would not be interested in my non urban corner of Maine which if this goes on much longer will suffer economically. We have a lot of kids camps( some fifty or sixty). Closing them has a major impact and with the uncertainty of how long this will last they may very well stay closed forever.

 

[Odyssey]

I resent being told not to go outdoors because I am at the broad brushed demographic of "frail".

But no-one is saying this are they??

re: they (North Maine Woods) waive the Day Use fee for over 70 years old users.

​​​​​​​

 

[red langford]

Lol. If money is the driving force for your decision making I think you’re doomed. Economic ruin or societal collapse. That’s what the two choices are from my perspective. But, neither needs to happen if we all just stay put for a while. March 10 there were less than a thousand cases in the USA. Today it is 14,000. If behaviour doesn’t change you will have millions infected before ice out.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I resent being told not to go outdoors because I am at the broad brushed demographic of "frail".

But no-one is saying this are they??

re: they (North Maine Woods) waive the Day Use fee for over 70 years old users.

Yes. The government. Says stay inside. It is a blanket recommendation not a requirement. If they keep hammering it at the public I expect to be remarked at the next time I go to the grocery store where the nearest person is not next to me. These "special" shopping hours annoy me. They start at six to seven am when they end. This means leaving the house at five thirty. And driving in the dark.. Its the most dangerous time to run into moose or deer. Not being an early bird I will just go when I need to.

The season pass for Camping for a Senior in the NMW is $75. Otherwise its $12 a day. Take a long enough canoe trip ( which is not hard) and your season pass is worth it. It matters not that you live in Maine CT or Canada.

Had a nice hike in the woods today. The moose are browsing the striped maple already.

 

[Robin]

The season pass for Camping for a Senior in the NMW is $75. Otherwise its $12 a day. Take a long enough canoe trip ( which is not hard) and your season pass is worth it. It matters not that you live in Maine CT or Canada.
.

Q. What are the fees to visit North Maine Woods and how are the fees assessed?

North Maine Woods is a private, non-profit organization that manages public use of the private forest lands within the northwestern part of Maine. All of the roads in this region are private and fees are charged. NMW was established by the 30 or more private landowning companies to keep this region open to public use. Fees charged cover operations and NMW does not receive any public financial support.
NMW charges a day use fee of $11 per person for residents and $16 per person per day for non-residents.
NMW also charges a camping fee of $12 per person per night for residents and $15 pp/pn for non-residents. NMW camping fees also require payment of 9% Maine Sales Tax.
There are nearly 350 campsite locations on the private lands within the North Maine Woods region.
NMW does not charge visitors under age 18 day use or camping fees.
NMW does not charge senior citizens age 70 and older day use fees.


So a non resident pays $16 a day for the "day use" permit and under 70 years old pays $15 (plus 9% tax) for "daily camping". Yikes, a 5 day trip would cost a solo $131, a couple $262. LaVerendrye is about $50 (including the exchange rate) for 5 days solo.
Now I remember why I drove to LaVerendrye (about the same mileage for me)
LaVerendrye is closed because of virus now.

 

[yellowcanoe]

In perspective there is a bit of a problem with Ontario Parks. A solo trip to Massassauga or Temagami is now way out of reach. Those parks or cluster of parks as Temagami is are now a flat fee per campsite per night.$36-46. Of course now Ontario Parks are all closed.
Its all relative so you have to do some research.

This fee structure makes no sense to me.
https://www.ontarioparks.com/fees/backcountry/2020

 

[goonstroke]

Q. What are the fees to visit North Maine Woods and how are the fees assessed?

North Maine Woods is a private, non-profit organization that manages public use of the private forest lands within the northwestern part of Maine. All of the roads in this region are private and fees are charged. NMW was established by the 30 or more private landowning companies to keep this region open to public use. Fees charged cover operations and NMW does not receive any public financial support.
NMW charges a day use fee of $11 per person for residents and $16 per person per day for non-residents.
NMW also charges a camping fee of $12 per person per night for residents and $15 pp/pn for non-residents. NMW camping fees also require payment of 9% Maine Sales Tax.
There are nearly 350 campsite locations on the private lands within the North Maine Woods region.
NMW does not charge visitors under age 18 day use or camping fees.
NMW does not charge senior citizens age 70 and older day use fees.

So a non resident pays $16 a day for the "day use" permit and under 70 years old pays $15 (plus 9% tax) for "daily camping". Yikes, a 5 day trip would cost a solo $131, a couple $262. LaVerendrye is about $50 (including the exchange rate) for 5 days solo.
Now I remember why I drove to LaVerendrye (about the same mileage for me)
LaVerendrye is closed because of virus now.

It's unfortunate that the fees are so prohibitive for nonresidents. The group I usually trip with is mostly Mainers but with one New Brunswickite and one Floridian (defrocked Mainer), and the fees are a real deterrant.

However, one can (legitimately!) wander into the North Woods through the back door, camp at Penobscot River Corridor / Allagash Wilderness Waterway sites (no St John) and pay only $6.54 (res) or $13.08 (nonres) per person per night. You just need to start from the south end of Chuesuncook: Allagash Gateway Campground or the nearby state landing, or the state landing on Caribou Lake (SW arm of Chesuncook). Also, paddling the length of Chesuncook builds character, especially if there's a breeze.

 

[Black_Fly]

Those are crazy fees. Sign of the times. Federal land is so precious.

 

[Robin]

On the bright side, you can camp/paddle for free in southeastern Maine (Downeast), the Machias River is a great destination. Grand Lake Stream area, St Croix River, all free and some really nice paddling.
There are even some good options if the wind becomes an issue on the big lakes.
I did a great little river that is seldom paddled in Downeast, 3 days, nice trout fishing, nice little campsites, all free. The Pleasant River, starts at the Pleasant River Lake on Rt 9, took out at Columbia Falls, near rt 1. Free

 

[alsg]

Very timely, Robin! A friend was just asking me about the Grand Lake Stream area and I know nothing! What's the best source of info about paddling opportunities there?

 

[yellowcanoe]

Very timely, Robin! A friend was just asking me about the Grand Lake Stream area and I know nothing! What's the best source of info about paddling opportunities there?

Appalachian Mountain Club Quiet Water Canoe Guide: Maine
Along with the DeLorme Gazetteer : Maine
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/water_activities/paddling.shtml

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parksearch/PropertyGuides/PDF_GUIDE/machiasriverguide.pdf

I am quite sure there are more online guides but the maine.gov portal is quite informative with maps.

 

[Robin]

That book YC mentioned is very good, as is the Gazetteer. Lots of smaller lakes to canoe/camp on if the wind blows on the bigger lakes. 3rd and 4th Mathias are nice.

 

[goonstroke]

Another good resource is the Downeast Lakes Land Trust.
https://downeastlakes.org/visitors-guide/paddling-camping/

 

[woodswalker]

The Saint Croix is still open, when paddling that it is back and forth between the borders.

 

[Iskweo]

I rather doubt that anyone who actually knows yoiu wouild class you as frail YC. That is kind of cute. For my part, I will admit to being less able than I used to be.

I went for a walk today too but I have been painting a boat and reinsulating my attic this week so I didnt have much left in me for that.