We spent Christmas in a cabin along the Shenandoah River, just west of Shenandoah National Park. The weather was warm enough to paddle, so we paired up siblings and went head to head in canoe races up and down the river. It was rare for all of us to have a holiday break together so we naturally had to make the most of this occasion. I had never been to the town of Shenandoah (population 2354 in 2013) before this outing. And as we drove through this sleepy town, it was hard for me to imagine that this place served a key role during the civil war. There were three iron ore furnaces around this town which smelted raw iron into pig iron. Apparently in the days before the war, this pig iron was shipped down the Shenandoah River to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia. During war time, these goods were transported by wagon to Gordonsville, VA and then subsequently by rail to Richmond where it could have been used at the Tredegar Iron Works. Both of these Virginia mountain towns now are peaceful and quiet as can be. I was especially impressed by Gordonsville’s display of Christmas Lights. It was certainly a welcoming sight while driving through the winding, dark and foggy roads of the mountains.
Trains at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Christmas lights at Lewis Ginter
Christmas cookies
I just realized that I have not been able to produce any new videos of canoe trips this year. I have several projects in the works right now but they have yet to be polished. I’ve been very happy overall with the performance of the Sony a6000 both as a still and video camera. Lately I’ve been experimenting with different lenses and shutter speeds in videography and have been able to catch some pretty decent footage. For our trip in Quebec, I also brought along an external audio recording device to see how the audio quality would compare to the native mic. Here is a demo reel of random shots I was able to capture in 2016.
2016 Demo Reel: by John Le
As the holidays come to a close and a new year around the corner, I look back at how much time I was able to spend with family and friends and the total number of nights I camped outdoors. While it was a good year for paddling and hiking, the total number of nights I spent outdoors, totaled just five. Four of those nights were in the La Verendrye Wilderness Reserve of Quebec, Canada and the other night was spent camping in St. Mary’s Wilderness. I’ve made up my mind….in 2017, I’m going for double digits. Happy New Years to all!
Gordonsville, Virginia – all decked out for Christmas. In the middle of the Virginia mountains.
South Entrance to Shenandoah National Park, Rockfish Gap.
Fall is the busiest time along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, and it’s easy to see why. The crisp mountain air and the gorgeous colors have us strapping on our hiking boots as much as possible. This last impromptu hike was actually suggested by our friends. They are preparing for a trek through Patagonia and wanted to get some good hikes in to build endurance. They suggested a trail I had never been on, the Rip Rap Trail Loop in Shenandoah National Park. A strenuous 9.8 mile that starts at Wildcat Ridge, then meets up with the Rip Rap Trail to finish the loop. We entered the park through the familiar Rockfish Gap Entrance and parked in the Wildcat Ridge Parking Area.
Chimney Rock
Mountain streams
The initial trail is a moderate descent down into the valley where we traveled along side the mountain stream known as Meadow Run. We crossed the streams several times and before beginning our ascent up to Chimney Rock. I would say that the first half of this hike is much prettier than the second half. I am partial however to hiking along the gentle streams as they meander through the valley. This hike is known for it’s beautiful watering hole at the bottom of the valley where two streams merge into one 50ft long watering hole. I’ll try to come back one day in the summer to camp and swim at this location. Peak fall colors seemed to arrive later than ever this year, attributable to the much warmer temperatures we have seen over the past years.
crossing streams
I often worry about how climate change will impact the fragile environment around us. This would mean hotter summers, longer mosquito seasons, a harsher environment for the brook trout that thrive in cold mountain streams. In Canada the effects can already be seen with ticks on the rise, as they are able to establish more stable populations in the increasingly warmer climates.
For those that have not seen it, Leonardo DiCaprio released his documentary “Before the Flood” last week. It highlights climate change and the barriers we face as a planet in addressing this pressing matter. I highly recommend this film to everyone. I thank DiCaprio for his efforts in raising awareness about global warming, an issue that affects us all.
St Mary’s Road is very well maintained, with a parking area before the trail head.
Virginia offers a truly diverse landscape to camp. From the sandy beaches of the eastern shore and Chesapeake bay to the blue ridge mountains and highlands to the west. Without a doubt, one of favorite places to camp, is next to a gently flowing stream in the mountains. I was recently on my one week vacation and I knew that at least one of these days would be reserved for some camping. My friend Min and I originally planned on camping at Ramsey’s Draft in the George Washington National Forest however we were unable to find any suitable campsites near the entrance. Ramsey’s Draft is a beautiful wilderness area I have explored previously, where giant hemlock trees once towered by a wild trout stream. The only problem was the hike to Hiner Spring and the campsites was several miles. We planned this trip as a relaxed camping trip, with minimal hiking and mostly focused on just cooking and fishing. So, we cut our losses and booked it for St. Mary’s Wilderness, a place where I knew there would be excellent camp sites along a river bed. We left the canoe at home this time and trekked in the old fashioned way – on foot. The first day was perfect, warm, sunny and dry. It took us only about a half hour to hike in to the first campsite. It was a perfect site situated at the river’s bend and allowed us easy access to clean mountain waters.
This grill, used on canoe trips served as a handy tool to cook steak.
One of the most exciting parts of camping in my opinion is setting up basecamp. There are numerous factors that go in to creating a comfy home in the woods, albeit just a temporary one. The heart of the campsite, the fire pit is the most important part. Building a structurally sound pit that allows for cooking and efficient heat dispersion is a skill that I still build upon. Always remember to take in account, the wind direction, the location of your tent in respect to the fire pit as well as position of your seats around the fire so you are not downwind of the smoke. Finding a suitable location of your tent is also important. Flat ground can be difficult to find in the forest. It is never a pleasant way to sleep when you are sliding down an incline in your tent. Sometimes, you’ll also have to clear a suitable grid, void of sharp rocks, sticks that may damage your tent. Also keep it out of the way of any standing, dead trees that could potential topple in a heavy storm. The pathway to water is one that has to be safely mapped so it can be accessed at all hours. Access to firewood is also important and Min loves collecting and processing firewood, it is something he takes great pride in. A folding saw, and axe are two crucial camp tools that allow a members to live comfortably. It gives you the ability to topple dead standing trees, and also quickly prepare a stack of firewood to last days.
wild flowers
ferrule rod
rocks
workhorse of a tent
After developing a strong base of embers from the fire, we stabilized the portable grill into the fire pit and cooked up some delicious steaks. It cooked perfectly, and we served it with some baked potatoes. As the darkness set it, we threw more wood on the fire and spent the night chilling and catching up about our jobs, families and friends. In the middle of fall, I was surprised to say it felt comfortable in St. Mary’s Wilderness. We were in short sleeve shirts in the middle of the night. Camping in the valley provided us with protection from the wind and we were sitting in low 60s F weather.
Campfire
Trangia alcohol stove
Streams
We slept well that night, however awoke to rain starting at 6:00am. It continued as an autumn shower without any signs of stopping. We packed up our gear and decided to head home. It had been a long time since i had been caught out in the rain, camping in Virginia and although it can be a pain, there is certainly a beauty to it. All around us, we could hear the drops, beating on trees and plants, as leaves drifted in the forest all around. The river beds were fast to fill, especially since we were in the valley. The water was teeming with wildlife, brook trout, frogs, and countless crawfish made their appearance. The rain seemed to awaken the forest. Just goes to show you that if you only camp when the weather is nice, you’re missing half of what’s out there.
The changing of the seasons is always a special time in Virginia. Although the summers can be uncomfortably hot and humid, I’m always sad to see it go. Before the official end of summer, we traveled out to the Blue Ridge Mountains in George Washington National Forest to hike Spy Rock, near Montebello along Route VA 56 West. The hike is of moderate difficulty at 3.2 miles and we paired it with a quick run up Crabtree Falls, the tallest waterfall in Virginia.
Montebello Trout Hatchery
Hatchery
Rainbow Trout
In the mountains, the climate was noticeably different; it was at least 10 degrees cooler and the earliest hints of yellow and orange leaves signified that fall was already here. The trails at both hikes were packed filled with people as we expected on a pretty Saturday. We parked at the Montebello Trout Hatchery because the main parking lot was already full. This gave us a nice opportunity to examine the rainbows, browns and brook trouts that were being raised. While only the brook trout is native to Virginia, the browns and rainbows are a popular trout species to raise since they grow to massive sizes and promote a healthy fly fishing culture in the Virginia mountains.
Spy Rock at 3980ft provides a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains
The hike up Spy Rock took us along a rocky road for the initial segment until it intersected with the Appalachian Trail to take us to the top of Spy Rock. The view atop is impressive, allowing a full 360 degree view of central Virginia. We ate a quick lunch and made our descent and back into the car along VA 56 to Crabtree Falls. We then ascended the first mile up Crab Tree Falls to view the lower falls. The water was slow flowing at the end of summer but still a magical sight. On the way home we visited the Albermarle Ciderworks for a cool drink and dinner in downtown Charlottesville. I am sad to see summer go but excited for all the things fall has to offer: camping, changing colors, harvests and of course the start of the holiday season. Cheers to Summer 2016.
I haven’t been to New York City since 2009. I finally came back to the big apple in the summer of 2016 for a wedding and to visit Brian. This city is dope.
It was a particularly hot summer weekend in Charlottesville, with highs greater than 100 degrees F. We were on a getaway from Richmond and despite the heat, we somehow wanted to squeeze in a quick hike in Shenandoah National Park. During this time of year, the popular watering holes like White Oak Canyon, are packed, so we decided it was time to find a new trail.
Shenandoah shrooms
In the heat and humidity, we had to be conservative with what we hoped to accomplish. Naturally, we chose the easiest hike in the park: Blackrock Summit, a quick 1 mile loop around the mountain and back. This was more of a walk than a hike. The elevation was minimal and the trail very well maintained. Despite the ease of the hike, the vistas were awesome. Climbing upon the rock bed at the top allowed a full 360 degree view of the park and surroundings. The formation of the rocks at the top were certainly unusual and even appeared out of place. With the help of some trail signs, we were able to learn that this was once the floor of the ancient Iapetus Ocean that predates the Appalachian Mountains. Over time, geological forces transformed the seabed into solid quartzite rocks. Overtime, this region too will become overgrown with vegetation and will look like the surrounding mountains.
We reached the top in the early morning and descended the mountain just as the sun reached it’s peak. We sought refuge in the canopy of the forest where it was at least 10 degrees cooler. We searched for mushrooms and marveled at the lush forest in the peak summer time. It had been too long since my last visit to Shenandoah National Park, this outing reminded that she always has something special to offer in every season.
It is part of the human spirit to be curious. Our desire for exploration has helped define us as a species. When traveling through new lands, the rush of having your senses engaged in something new and unpredictable is hard to describe. For this reason, I often wonder if I will ever canoe trip the same routes again. While returning to a familiar park may offer comfort and reassurance, the allure of paddling new waters and trekking unfamiliar lands is always stronger. This need for exploration brought our latest trip to the great, Canadian, province of Quebec.
Richmond to Maniwaki, Quebec
Quebec, similar to Ontario, is a paddler’s dream. It is Canada’s largest province, (almost 3 times the size of Texas), and is 12% fresh water by surface area, holding 3% of the world’s renewable fresh water. The parks in Quebec, however are far less visited than Ontario’s, allowing for even more of a remote excursion. For our trip, we decided to venture into Réserve Faunique La Vérendrye (La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve). The park covers a massive 12 589 square km, with over 4000 lakes to explore. One could spend months at a time exploring this park without ever retracing your path. I was excited to bring along my good friend Min, who has been with me on countless trips in Virginia but never to the Canadian shield.
Breakfast with the locals
Our drive was 14 hours straight up north to the town of Maniwaki, Quebec in the provincial riding of Gatineau, Population 3930. On the last leg of our road trip, we found ourselves cruising through the back country roads of Quebec on a nearly empty gas tank. We arrived at 11:15pm with only 4 miles left in the gas tank…. (Rule of the northern road: never let the tank drop below half)….we got lucky. After a long day of last minute packing, wrapping up phone calls and e-mails from work, and a worthy drive, we were finally free from human society. We all slept soundly that night. A shot of whiskey with the local First Nations people helped too.
The next morning, we enjoyed a nice breakfast at a mom and pop diner and made a quick stop at Canadian Tire to pick up some last minute supplies before making our way off the grid and into Le Domaine.
Min charts our course over the next 5 days
Day 1: Le Domaine to Campsite (distance traveled 15km)
The wonderful sight of racked canoes, maps and photos on cabin walls, and sapphire blue waters greeted us when we reached Canot Camping La Verendrye. The staff was very helpful in helping us choose a suitable route. We sorted through the laminated maps and decided on Circuit 15, a short 45km loop.
Approaching the big waters of Lac Poulter
When we originally set the date for this trip, we were well aware, that we were going during peak black fly and mosquito season. I just don’t think any of us knew how bad it would actually be. As we started to unload our gear, we were greeted with swarms of black flies. We scrambled for our bug jackets and finished the gear load-out in our newly christined bug jackets, spotted with a little bit of our own fresh, blood. We left the Canot Camping beach at approximately 12:30pm and battled headwinds to get to our campsite. With an odd number crew, we would have one person paddling solo. Brian braved the first leg. This proved to be quite the challenge in the windy open waters. We lashed the canoes together for the second half of the trip to keep him from straying into the wind.
beach campsite
gransfors
life in the bug shelter
The portages in this park were short with the longest being approx 400m. Nevertheless, the black flies made us pay; we suffered heavy bug bite casualties. We realized that in order to have any peace from the bugs, we would need to choose our campsites wisely. We searched for a site that faced the wind and as far away from dense vegetation and moving water as possible. We were lucky enough to come across one of the pristine beach sites that La Verendrye is known for.
Freedom
Campsite 15-15
Campsite 15-15
We pulled our canoes up on the sandy beach and felt the powerful and liberating, gusts of wind against our faces as we emerged from our bug jackets. It seemed to keep the bugs at bay…for the moment. We left ourselves plenty of daylight to set up basecamp. Our most important piece of gear on this trip was Brian’s treasured Eureka Bug Shelter. It is basically a tarp with a fully enclosed meshed area that can be pegged to the ground, allowing us to live in a bug free zone and carry out basic camp chores. The last time we used the bug shelter was on Little Joe Lake in Algonquin Park (2014). We each set out to accomplish our camp chores, filtering water, chopping firewood, setting up tents, and unpacking bedding.
First Verendrye sunset
Min had the tall order of preparing meals for the trip. He has never let me down in the past and he certainly did not this time. He had elaborate menus arranged for us, ranging from pastas, variety of meats, corn breads and dried fruits. We ate like kings and slept early that night to the familiar cries of the loon, officially signifying our return to the northern land. We had made it.
wannigan and sleeping gear
Day 2: Campsite “15-15”
We awoke leisurely the next morning. Our objective this trip was to take things slow and simply enjoy the wilderness around us. Instead of moving to a new campsite, day after day. We found that 2 nights per campsite suited our tempo. It felt luxurious. We cooked meals, boiled coffee, and looked over the maps. The bugs limited our activity to mostly the bug shelter, so we turned it into the most comfortable place that we could. We dug a small hole to have a modest fire to keep us company.
camp furniture: bench
bfast
cooking eggs
Min made quick work of some pine with handy axe work to give us a bench to sit on. It certainly felt like a home away from home. While the flies and mosquitoes buzzed at the bug shelter, we were able to sit and relax and enjoy good conversation. We discovered that interestingly, every night, at approximately 9:30pm, the bug activity just suddenly stopped….no more buzzing, no more swatting at each other. After this time, we were free to enjoy the night without the jackets. We took this opportunity to brush our teeth, bathe in the freezing waters by moonlight and enjoy a large campfire by the stars. Life was good in La Verendrye.
Day 3: The Best Day
In my mind, Day 3 will go down as one of my favorite days of camping ever. It was my turn to paddle solo, and it was going to be a monster day. 26km ahead of us to the next campsite through some big waters. We set off early in the morning, having packed down the bug shelther the night before. The water was still calm when we launched and we made amazing time. Once we reached the main lakes, it was once again a battle upwind. we paddled against chop and waves to gain only feet at a time. At the halfway mark we came across an unusual set of small island rocks in the center of the lake. In the heart of the wind, we pulled ashore and lashed together the canoes. It was time to refuel.
Middle of Lac Poulterisland eggs
We needed to get food and water back into our sun beaten bodies. We hungrily devoured tuna wraps with onions, with generous helpings of dried fruit and plenty of water. Food had never tasted so good. We could feel our bodies recharging and our spirits lifted. We pushed on afterwards towards the second half of the trip. We all dreaded the 3 short portages that waited ahead for us. As we continued to paddle, the unmistakable sound of white water became louder and louder. We had reached “Les Rapides”, the short white water section of our trip.
This left us with two options: Portage around the rapids, or run it. No brainer. Running the short white water segments was exciting and the reward was two fold….we got to skip all portages. We estimated that we were able to shave at least 1.5 hours by running the rapids. This spirit boost was what we needed to finish the final leg of the journey to our next campsite. 26km done.
Min sneaks in a quick rest before approaching “Les Rapides”
Northern lights signify the beginning of summer
We didn’t speak much as we set up camp. We had only been out in the wilderness for 3 days but it our actions felt deliberate and well coordinated. It was clear that we were getting acclimated to our surroundings. This campsite was at a higher elevation with much less vegetation, the wind broke through camp easily and kept the bugs at bay. We were all exhausted and passed out for a nap shortly after dinner. I awoke around midnight to do some night fishing with Brian. While collecting some water by the shore, the unmistakable emerald hue of the northern lights danced over the forest canopy. We stood there and watched in awe. I have never considered myself much of a religious man, but I do believe that such moments are simply too beautiful for coincidence. They truly touch the spirit. We paddled 26km that day, ran whitewater, found a killer camp site, fished and were treated to a beautiful display of the northern lights. It was the best day of camping.
Day 4: Campsite “10-53”
One thing is certain when you’re out on a camping trip. It will reset your circadian rhythm. Having just come off a night float rotation, it took only a couple of days for me to be fully adjusted. Out in the wilderness, there are no alarm clocks, you simply obey the sun in the sky. When it rises, you rise. We woke to the early cries of loons and the sun beating on our tents. It was a relaxing day of swimming, fishing, photography and paddling. Life out here is pretty simple, and I certainly love it. No busy schedules out here, no pagers, no phone calls, no e-mails. When you’re thirsty, go filter water. You’re hungry? Get the fire going and heat up some food. Dirty? Go swim in the lake. That afternoon we paddled out and fished on different islands. None of us claim to be great fisherman and only had a few bites here and there. Nevertheless it was still a great time. Maybe one day we will land that giant northern pike.
Fishing
Campsite
Day 5: Paddle out
I guess all good things must eventually come to an end. Before we knew it, our time in La Verendrye had approached it’s end. After 5 days in the sunshine, it was time to head home. The water was calm that day as we packed up the remaining bits of gear and tied up the wannigan. It was a good half a day of paddling to reach the Le Domaine beach. We arrived at approximately noon where we met with some fellow canoeists. We chatted briefly and shared our experiences of the circuit. These experiences are what make canoe camping so special. The launch sites are always filled with interesting people from all over the continent, who have traveled great distances to enjoy the same beauty.
Our time in La Verendrye felt far too short and we were able to explore only a fraction of this gigantic wilderness area. I am truly glad we decided to come here and canoe in French Canada. I don’t think any of us could have asked for anything more: no rain, no accidents, and a spectacular viewing of the northern lights on the first day of summer. I will always remember this land for the incredible scenery, the blue waters and the magnificent sunsets. Au revoir La Verendrye.
The Rapidan River is one of my favorite rivers in Virginia, especially the segment which courses through Shenandoah National Park. The flowing cascades, peaceful scenery and good population of brook trout has earned this river a top 100 trout stream spot according to Trout Unlimited coming in at #38.
Shenandoah National Park
The Rapidan plays a significant role in history as well. Originally named the Rapid Anne river after Queen Anne of England it has since changed it’s name to “Rapidan”, a combination of the words “rapids” and “Anne”. The river was also the site of numerous, bloody, civil war battles. After the war, it’s beauty continued to attract visitors from all over. It even caught the eye of one of the US Presidents. During the Hoover administration (1929-1933), Camp Hoover was built by President Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou Henry Hoover to serve as their wilderness getaway, where they fished these pristine waters. The camp still stands today, although officially named Rapidan Camp now and open to the public, situated at the beginnings of the Rapidan River.
peace
stream hopping
lunch
home of the brookies
I was glad that at 15 years old, our Jack Russell Terrier was able to join us on this trip. He thoroughly enjoyed himself although he did not swim much as the current was fast flowing and the waters frigid. We leisurely climbed from stream to stream casting our flies. Before we knew it, the sun was setting and we had been out for over seven hours. Although we caught nothing (no surprise), we had several bites and I got my brother hooked on the sport. He just told me the other day, he was looking for a rod.
Casting
trout stream
cascades
While we have fished all of our lives, Tenkara is a whole new ball game. It is a form of traditional Japanese fly fishing without the use of a reel. This allows everything to be packed nicely into my backpack without the need for tackle box or much gear. Essentially it is just rod, line and fly. The rod itself collapses to just over 20 inches. I found Tenkara to be a much more active form of fishing which I thoroughly enjoy. First off, your main target is trout, and here in Virginia, they are found only in the coldest and cleanest mountain waters. A hike of some sort is almost always needed. Secondly, while you’re fishing, you’re constantly casting and moving from one spot on the stream to another. The only thing about this time of year is that it is tick season! I pulled one off myself and a couple off of our dog. Nasty little buggers that on rare occasions can serve as a vector for transmitting Lyme Disease. I always try to be good with tick checks before getting back in the car. Spraying your shoes and lower legs with bug spray will definitely help as well. Ticks are typically found south of the Canada-US border although of late, climate change has changed that, with reports of tick bites becoming more and more common in Ontario.
It was a particularly hot summer weekend in Charlottesville, with highs greater than 100 degrees F. We were on a getaway from Richmond and despite the heat, we somehow wanted to squeeze in a quick hike in Shenandoah National Park. During this time of year, the popular watering holes like 
WAY NORTH 