AQC Algonquin Canoe Trip - North Arm Escape

August 7-10th, 2026. 

Dust off your paddles and get ready for a weekend of pure wilderness magic! We’re heading deep into the heart of Algonquin Provincial Park from August 7th to 10th, 2026, for a 3-night canoe-trip getaway. Our journey begins at Lake Opeongo, the park’s crown jewel, known in the Algonquin language as "Sandy at the Narrows."
Please note: Though the backcountry is pet-friendly, we ask that you leave our furry-pals at home for this one. 

We’ll meet Friday morning, August 7th, at 9:00am!
To dive straight into the quiet parts of the park, we’re skipping the long paddle and taking a water taxi at 10:00am sharp! 
It’s a breezy 30-minute ride across the lake that drops us and our canoes right at our cozy North Arm home-base.

The weekend is all about the "camp life" we love.
You'll learn the ropes of setting up the perfect sleep system, mastering water filtration, and the art of the communal "bear hang."
Saturday and Sunday are yours to explore: paddle into the misty Hailstorm Creek to spot moose, test your grit on a portage into Proulx or Red Rock Lake, or just soak up the sun on a sandy beach.
Nights are for sharing chef-prepared meals, swapping ghost stories, and enjoying campfire treats under a blanket of stars. We’ll pack up Monday, August 10th, and catch our water taxi back to reality at 12:00pm.

What’s Included & What to Pack
To make your trip as seamless as possible, we provide the heavy lifting and core essentials, while you bring your personal "home away from home" gear.

This trip includes:
Meals: All breakfasts and dinners throughout the trip.
Navigation & Safety: Canoes, paddles, PFDs, bailer kits, and a group first aid kit.
Campsite Essentials: Food barrels for bear-proofing, all cooking equipment, and toilet paper.
Peace of Mind: All necessary backcountry gear for communal use.

You should bring:
Your Sleep System: Personal tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad.
If you need to rent a sleep-syste, our friends at Campa have you covered! Here
Mess Kit: A bowl, plate, cup/mug, and cutlery.
Personal Comfort: A tarp, headlamp or flashlight, and a camp chair for those fireside chats.
Lunch & Snacks: Trail-type snacks and non-perishables for "lunch-style" fuel during the day.
Clothing: Your personal clothing items (we will send out a detailed recommended packing list closer to our dates so you can pack specifically for the weather!).
Bag: a backpack or duffel to stow it all in with some dry sacs to keep your clothes and sleeping bag dry. A larger garbage bag within your pack can also help with water-proofing. 

Meet Your Hosts: Liam + Alex
Some of you may have met Liam at our other camps in 2025!
But Liam and Alex really are the heart and soul of this trip! 
For over a decade, these two have been embarking on self supported wilderness expeditions together. In fact, they spent their honeymoon enduring some of the nastiest portages in Northern Ontario! Liam and Alex have each traveled thousands of kilometers by foot and canoe through some of the most rugged and remote landscapes Canada has to offer- from the wildest corners of Temagami to the high alpine of the Rockies. Both healthcare workers by day, you can be sure you will be safe and fully supported by these two while exploring the backcountry. Liam is the nutritionist and chef who will be whipping up delicious and nourishing meals over the campfire. Alex is the PSW with a background in wilderness canoe trip guiding. He will lovingly tend to your cuts and scrapes, and patiently teach you the best way to maneuver your canoe through a windy creek. 

They are both First Aid and CPR certified and always keeps a satellite phone on hand, so you can focus on the fun while Liam and Alex handle the "what-ifs."

Important: Limited Spots & Waitlist
To keep our impact small and our connection to nature big, we only have 8 tickets available due to Algonquin’s backcountry site restrictions. If you miss out on a spot, please join our Waitlist. We hope to bring on more hosts in the future so we can share these experiences with a bigger group.

Accessibility & Safety Note
To ensure a safe and collective experience on this canoe-trip, this 3-night trip requires sustained physical engagement with rugged, unmaintained terrain. Participants should feel confident paddling for several hours at a time and carrying personal gear (approx. 50+ lbs), as we will work together as a group to transport food, and shared supplies, and canoes if a paddle out is on the schedule. Because this journey is held in remote wilderness and supported by two facilitators, we currently have limited capacity for 1:1 physical assistance or mobility-related adaptations. We invite you to check in with your capacity for heavy lifting and endurance before registering to ensure this specific trip feels supportive for you.

Please note that because the area is very remote, cellphone service will be limited or nonexistent; our trip facilitators will have a satellite-based phone service available in case of emergencies.

The Game Plan
Prep Call: We’ll host a one-hour video call one month before the trip (in July 2026) to go over the suggested gear list, review the itinerary, and get to know each other a bit more! Liam and Alex will host and answer any questions our group may have. 
Arrival: The group meets at 9:00am on the Friday of this trip to check in with Liam + Alex and get your parking permits sorted before the water taxi departure.