Hattie Cove to Picture Rock Harbour

Sep 15, 2021

We drove for about two hours from Wawa to Pukaskwa National Park early in the morning. An incredibly long checkin process ensued, where the friendly fellow at the gate went through step by step details of our planned hike to the point of being actually really annoying. Finally we got clearance to go and drove a little further to Hattie Cove to start our hike.

The boardwalk over the swamp is in the process of being replaced so an extra 1.5 kilometer detour was required to go around the construction zone. Predictably this was a mud-soup mess, but should the US border ever reopen to recreational travel, this stretch was very good training for the Adirondacks. We decided to hike the Mdaabii Miikna loop counter-clockwise, which was against the recommendation of the fellow from the gate. We climbed over the "very difficult mountain to surmount while carrying full packs" easily, and managed to stay on the "hard to follow" well trodden and well flagged path without even having to pull out the compass a single time. The hiking along the coastal section ws true to Pukaskwa form, not actually along the coast but was a spectacular highland hike across endless open granite slabs with fantastic views down into Picture Rock Harbour. I called this the "Ontario alpine zone". It was slow going due to the relentless up and down, but the was also the nicest part of the day. Despite being warned not to carry full packs across this section, we survived the challenge and arrived at our campsite on the southern shore of Picture Rock Harbour in time for afternoon tea. Our campsite is nestled in a pretty little blue water cove with a small sandy beach, which we share with a couple at the adjacent site to the west, and a solo woman at the site to the east.

Hattie Swamp circumnavigation gives the ADKs a run for their muddy

The unfinished boardwalk across Hattie Swamp

Strolling through the highlands

Scrambling with a view

Crevasse bridge

Beach walking as we approach camp

Later in the evening while cooking supper, I was drinking my first of two beers that I had carried in. Katharina suddenly pointed at something floating in the water and said "I hope that is not a can of beer!", to which I replied "I sure hope not too!". I checked my beer cooling hole and sure enough the lone can of Kitchisippi 1855 that I had stashed there was missing. As I was starting to get undressed for a heroic water rescue, our neighbour came over and offered to try wading out in her sandals. The water was almost too deep, but she managed to save the day (or at least the lonely beer can). She would not even accept half of the contents as a thank you reward. That Superior blessed 1855 was mighty tasty.

Beer escape zone

Hiking time: 6 hours

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