164) Backpacking with my Alpacka Packraft (Algonquin Park)

On Saturday, May 27th, 2023, I hiked into the back country of Algonquin Park, entering, for the first time, at the Rain Lake entrance to the Western Uplands Backpacking trail. I hiked 11.7 kilometres to a beautiful camp spot on Islet Lake. The bugs were ferocious, but being out there was still exponentially better than anything I could be doing in the city. This was especially true this weekend because I brought along my Alpacka packraft, a lightweight raft, suitable for carrying along on backpacking trips and for dreamy Sunday morning paddles in the lake. I do believe this weekend ranks among one of the best weekend adventures I’ve ever had. Please join me for an exciting and special episode! 
Thank you, Josh, for the impromptu photo shoot, haha! I can’t find your IG account, so be sure to say hello!

[@ervinslens]

Absolutely breathtaking thumbnail my friend. Great adventure 🔥🔥

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Long time no hear from you, Ervin! Thank you for saying hello! 🥰🙏🏼

[@wanderingstar1111]

Wow the bugs looked insane!! Hope you didn't get eaten alive lol. I'm so glad you had the raft on this adventure!! What a fun way to switch things up going back 😊

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Hello, Miss Star! Great to hear from you, as always. I did get eaten alive! Ha ha. My right eye even puffed up due to three bites on my right temple. Swelling didn’t go down until Wednesday. Anyhoo, I survived! And was right back at it again this past weekend, ha ha. 🥰

[@tessielou5110]

Another great video, very beautiful & peaceful place to camp. What seems to work well for me out on the trail to deter gnats, flys, and mosquitoes is Avon “Skin So Soft,” it keeps the bugs at bay for sure. Happy Trails, looking forward to your next video.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I am going to create a Thermacell necklace. Watch for it in video number 166. 😁😁😁

[@rogergiddy2634]

Great video thanks for sharing your weekend

[@Womaninthewoods13]

My absolute pleasure! Always great to hear from you, Mister Giddy! 🥰🙏🏼✌🏼

[@garagebrewer]

New tents are fun. I can't wait to see that 6 moons in action. I've read good things and the price seems reasonable.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I’ll be sure to showcase it well once it arrives!

[@bigcat880]

Great trip! Those darn bugs though!!😮

[@Womaninthewoods13]

They’re pretty ferocious! But! Still not enough to keep me away! 🥰

[@ansona705]

Wow way to persevere on this trip, great video! You never gave up on the raft!👏🏻🥰

[@Womaninthewoods13]

And now I love that thing so much! So fun. Hi, Anson! 🥰✌🏼

[@campfire52]

I just returned from a little over two weeks camping/travelling trip and am playing catch up with the internet things since I was away from a computer. It looks like you were putting up a few videos while I was gone so here I am playing catch up with the videos. I really enjoyed this one for a start Christina. It looked like a great time for you (even with the bugs and the difficult time with the inflating of the Alpacka Raft.) As usual, you powered through and sorted things out and got it done though. I am pretty sure that you are going to get a lot of enjoyment out of that packable raft in the future. Overall, you had a great time out by the lake and the trail so that's what counts. Thanks for allowing us to join you my friend, I had a great time too. See you on the next one. PS- I have heard for years that the Six Moons Design tents are awesome! Great choice.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I’m thrilled to hear you were away camping for a nice long time! What area are you in again? I can’t remember. Where did you go camping? Anyhoo, always great to hear from you, my friend! 🥰✌🏼

[@campfire52]

@@Womaninthewoods13 I live in the western part of Oregon and I went camping out by a desert lake in Central Oregon (Lake Billy Chinook.)

[@Richans]

Wow, awesome, cute and brave, cheers!

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Merci beaucoup! Subscribed to your channel!

[@Richans]

@@Womaninthewoods13 Mercy Beaucoup! :*

[@Yffud1999]

I absolutely love watching your videos and seeing you enjoying your raft I'm seriously considering purchasing one like it can fish from!

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I’m thrilled you are enjoying my videos so much, Robert! 🥰🙏🏼✌🏼

[@TravelHungryForLife]

Bugs Gone Wild here it's no fun being eaten alive it's torture. Your food looked delish and watch out for Moose I like the sound of water going into your bottle be safe always out there.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Hello, Travel Hungry for Life! Great name you have! Yes, I’ll admit, the bugs were pretty bad. But, as I always say, I have quickly recovered from 100% of every mosquito bite I’ve ever received, ha ha. The annoyance is definitely worth the payoff. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! 🥰✌🏼

[@darrellkaczynski7531]

Hi Christina. Tip. Top off the raft by blowing air into the nozzle. Also put the raft into the water, the cool water will soften the raft. Then Blow air into the raft one more time. The nozzle will allow you to allow you To blow into it.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

That is what I did.

[@garys_shave]

Awesome video, stay safe, have a blast and Ill see ya on your next video! ~cheers

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Thanks as always, Mister Rox. 🥰🙏🏼✌🏼

[@stephenbouchard8075]

Thanks for sharing. During bug season look at the backpacking thermacell. It uses your fuel canister

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Backpacking Thermacell? I used a handheld Thermacell this weekend and was going to create a “Thermacell necklace.” Let me look into this backpacking version that you speak of. Never heard of it. Thanks for the tip! 🥰🙏🏼✌🏼

[@dan393]

Beautiful area! Glad you got to use your raft. Take care and god bless

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Thank you so much, Dan! 🥰🙏✌

[@shannonm2689]

Love all the videos and adventures from Orillia ontario im also a camper but out of a small car

[@Womaninthewoods13]

The video that I will be releasing this week is a weekend camping adventure out of my small car, actually. Watch for that video to be released by, the latest, Wednesday. What kind of small car do you have?

[@karenbergmann209]

Such a pretty lake! So happy for you to get the raft inflated so you could enjoy the ride. You are so adventurous! But those bugs!!!

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Yeah, my right eye is puffed out (almost gone now) and I’m covered in bites. Oh, well! I still had a great time! 😁

[@billjohn2079]

Awesome video Christina. You might try fishing next time...

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I really want to learn to fish and how to clean a fish and then cook it! 😁

[@Okikor1]

Are the flies biting or just being a nuisance?

[@Womaninthewoods13]

They’re not biting, they’re FEASTING! I am covered in bites. But it ain’t no thang. I’ll be back out again this weekend! 😁

[@Okikor1]

@@Womaninthewoods13 nice!

[@maggievenables9472]

Omg. I couldn't stop scratching during this video. Glad the raft worked out. Looks like a wonderful place for camp. Hope u brought benadryl. I am dying to see where you're going for the summer. Can't wait for videos 😁

[@Womaninthewoods13]

@@maggievenables9472 Ever since last summer when I was stung by a yellowjacket hornet and had an anaphylactic reaction and had to be carried off the trail by paramedics (see my video #123) I always carry Benadryl and an EpiPen. The experience was worth the thousand or so bites I suffered, haha! 😄

[@mobezzy1]

You should inflate your pack raft and then place it in the water for a bit...then top it off.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

Actually, it’s ready to be used right away, then you always do a check before each use and can add more air later.

[@mobezzy1]

That's awesome that you responded !!! But I was saying that because you inflated it when it was hot then you placed it in the water, the difference in temperature (water being cooler) causes it to lose pressure.. toping it off after its ben conditioned to the water temperature ensures you have proper pressure .. ok gonna watch some more videos from you channel especially now that you responded 🙂@@Womaninthewoods13

[@Womaninthewoods13]

@@mobezzy1 Haha, hello! Are you a new subscriber, Mobezzy?

[@mobezzy1]

well I haven't clicked subscribe but I will now! just watching your Eastern Pines Trail, Algonquin Park vid! . @@Womaninthewoods13

[@Womaninthewoods13]

@@mobezzy1 Awesome! I hope you enjoy! And thank you for subscribing! 🥰🙏🏼🙏🏼✌🏼

[@lindaraysamazingadventures]

Goodness...the 🦟 were awful and you're amazing for surviving the adventure. We appreciated the time lapse when you inflated your craft and had no idea how that worked.

[@Womaninthewoods13]

I’m in love with that pack raft. Nice to hear from you, Lind and Ray! 🥰🤘🏼