Back Country Camping at Frontenac Provincial Park: Lynch Lake and Birch Lake
Channel: FRKTGRPHY SHRTS
Date: 11/07/2022

In today's video I am trying out backcountry camping for the very first time.

I told myself that at 47 years old, it was time for another challenge,  and I sure got one!

In the past I've put myself through things like a police services physical fitness test at 37 years old where I scored 75%

And twice I've climbed the CN Tower in 19 minutes and 22 minutes respectively.

For this challenge, I decided to try backcountry camping.

For my first time backcountry camping, I selected Frontenac Provincial Park as I figured it's a good beginner/intermediate level.

Join me on this adventure as I spend three days in the wilderness alone!

My first attempt at backcountry camping was a serious eye opener for me.  I internationally picked the farthest site that was available and I made the decision to start and end my adventure from the farthest parking lot in the park.

On this adventure I hiked a total of 45.5kms and 63,500 steps over the course of three days.

Confident as I was, and still am, in my own physical fitness - this challenge really took me to the edges of my abilities.

The one thing that I had not considered in all of this was how it feels to weigh 255 lbs, when I’m used to being 190 lbs.  The dead weight of my pack, at 65lbs seemed too much, and as a result I will be reassessing what I need and can do without on future excursions.


Frontenac Provincial Park was a beautiful location for this adventure and I really enjoyed my time specifically on Birch Lake, purchasing a waterproof map proved to be a great idea, since the majority of my 1st hike was in the rain.

The english novelist Samuel Butler said of exploring: 

“Exploring is delightful to look forward to and back upon, but it is not comfortable at the time, unless it be of such an easy nature as not to deserve the name.”

I didn’t want this to be easy, and it wasn’t, but looking back on the experience I have a strong sense of accomplishment and I’m already planning for my next backcountry trip.