The Orphan Lake Trail is a 4.5 mile loop through some of the prettiest terrain in Lake Superior Provincial Park. The path leaves the Trans-Canada in the south end of the park. It climbs to a beautiful overlook of its namesake lake, which is landlocked some 400 feet above Lake Superior. From the overlook it follows Orphan Lake for a bit, crosses a burned area from the 1990's which offers beautiful views, and then makes the steep descent to the lakeshore. After a brief time along Superior the trail turns back inland past what, in warmer seasons, is a series of nice cascades and then makes the STEEP climb back to Orphan Lake past some impressive cliffs.
After a two year absence from Lake Superior Provincial Park my calendar and clear skies finally aligned and I was blessed to a truly amazing day on the trail. This hike is sure to be one of my most memorable from winter '09/10...
Mileage Hiked: 4.5 miles
Trailhead Temp: 24'F
Min. Elevation: 600'
Max Elevation: 1,020'
After a two year absence from Lake Superior Provincial Park my calendar and clear skies finally aligned and I was blessed to a truly amazing day on the trail. This hike is sure to be one of my most memorable from winter '09/10...
Mileage Hiked: 4.5 miles
Trailhead Temp: 24'F
Min. Elevation: 600'
Max Elevation: 1,020'
Ahhh...It's been far too long...returning to Lake Superior Provincial Park near Montreal River Harbour...
The first of many pleasant surprises...a well tracked trail will make things easier...
The route...I'd follow the trail around the west shore of Orphan Lake, out to Lake Superior at the Baldhead River, and back via Orphan Lake's east shore...
Patience pays off...the morning, while cold, was starting off absolutely beautiful...
One of those special sections of trail that will just put a smile on your face...
Let the loop begin...I'd head left now towards the Orphan Lake overlook...
The first three-quarters of trail are quite easy going, with only slight climbs on the way to the overlook...
Orphan Lake...my first BIG WOW moment of the day. The lake was named by a couple local trappers who, describing what they must have looked like at the time, were stuck here briefly during a fierce winter storm...
Gitchee Gumee from the Orphan Lake Overlook. The lake, though less than a mile from the lake, sits nearly 400 feet above it...
After a quick drop down to the lakeshore, I decided to stick to the nice flat ice rather than the un-tracked woods...
Panoramic still shots don't really do the trick some times, so here's a look at Orphan Lake from its west shore...
Back in the woods again...
Looking across at the cliff overlook I visited earlier, from the west chore of Orphan Lake...
The woods are very thick, right up to the lakeshore, giving only brief glimpses of the lake through the trees...
In May of 1998, a small fire broke out (don't smoke in the woods!!!) along the west shore of Orphan Lake. Twelve years later the scar is still quite noticeable but the next stage of succession, Speckled Alder, heralds the eventual return of the forest...
Spruce skeletons along the Orphan Lake shore...
Breaking into the open atop the ridge almost took my breath away, and not just from the wind...
Another look at the big lake from atop the burned ridge...
A look around from the top of the burned ridge...
The sweeping panorama from the top of the burned ridge...
Back at the main trail...my new hiking pole, which someone was kind enough to leave here for me, rests against the trail sign...
The trail from the ridge down to the lake was STEEP...for the first time it got me to thinking about the climb back to the car...
The trail here almost felt like a back country ski route...
The forests of Lake Superior Provincial Park sit along the border of the boreal woods to the north and the mixed deciduous woods to the south. The trail frequently passes from one such forest to another on several occasions. Here I pass through a boreal-type woodland dominated by Balsam Fir and Spruce...
At this point the trail flattened out and I thought I was finished with the climb down...in fact I was only about half way...
Descending again...
Not too much later I finally reached the bottom of the ridge...I knew my bad knee was not going to like the climb back up...
Arriving at Lake Superior and the Coastal Trail...
Looking back at the point where the trail breaks out of the forest onto the shore...
Baldhead Beach is a HUGE pebble beach that stretches quite a distance in either direction. This view looks north in the direction I'd be heading...
Looking south from the same spot as the previous shot, at Baldhead Beach...
A rock-hounds' paradise, no?
Snowshoes + rock = not recommended
Lake Superior agates...
The trail turned inland here, at the Baldhead River. I wanted to head out to the point first, though...
A large, rocky bar extended across the river mouth so, happily, I wouldn't have to cross as much ice as I first thought...
The Baldhead Rivermouth...
Arriving at the point I was treated to a beautiful panorama of the terrain I had just crossed. The bald peak left of center is the burned ridge I had passed earlier...
Another look a bit farther down Baldhead Beach...
Lake Superior was unnaturally calm...what a day!
The rugged shore to the north...
Hard to have a bad day when you visit places like this...
My new hiking pole and I...
A look around the rocky point...pardon all the heavy breathing...
There are a couple of backcountry campsites at the mouth of the Baldhead River...all have a nice beachfront view...
Coed camping approved...
Ever-so reluctantly I forced myself back inland...
Once again following the ice seemed easier (and prettier) than getting cooped up in the woods...
About a quarter mile inland is where the Coastal Trail crosses the Baldhead, and where I'd rejoin the trail...
The Baldhead doesn't look like much but I'm guessing it's more impressive when thawed. The clearing upstream hides what must be an impressive series of cascade...
Leaving the Coastal Trail...back on the Orphan Lake Loop...
Looking back across the Baldhead River...
It didn't take long after leaving the river to begin the return climb...
This must be an amazing spot during the snow-melt...as if I needed an excuse to come back...
Looking down one of the bigger cascades...
Another nice waterfall if you use your imagination...
One of the few flat stretches on the return trip, just before the trail leaves the Baldhead and heads for Orphan Lake...
After a series of brutal climbs the trail breaks out onto this overlook of the towering cliff-face that parallels the trail up to the lake...
This part of the loop was quite cool in that it follows the edge of a deep ravine bordered by the previously pictured cliff...
The cliffs call to me...I envision an added climb during a future visit...
By the time I made my way back up to Orphan Lake the 'ol bum knee was acting up so I opted for the direct route across the ice rather than following the shore...
Looks like someone was doing a bit of ice fishing here recently...
Across the lake the burn zone from earlier was clearly visible...
Just before heading back into the woods I stopped for a quick break and to enjoy the surrounding for just a bit longer...
After another short but steep climb brought me back up to the trail junction from earlier above the lake overlook...
Another day on the trail, more memories for the future...
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