Welcome to Restoule Provincial Park, The Fire Tower Trail and the Stormy Lake Bluffs. This Virtual Reward cache has been placed with the permission of the Superintendent of Restoule Provincial Park.
I grew up in this area visiting the park regularly camping and hiking the trails. This has always been my favourite hike - to the Bluffs and fire tower and whenever I am in the area I come back and make the hike. The view from the bluffs is breathtaking and a lovely spot to rest, relax and have a snack or lunch. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.
The entrance to Restoule Provincial Park has been waypointed. If you are not camping in the park, please stop at the office and purchase a Day Pass to place in your vehicle while you are hiking. There are many other trails in the park you can hike, or some you can bicycle on. Canoing and kayaking is fantastic on the lakes here so bring your boat along too! Canoe rentals are also available from the park.
Please park in the designated parking area to access the Fire Tower Trail.
Pets on leashes are allowed - be especially careful near the bluffs.
Wear suitable footwear and be sure to bring water and a snack for the hike and take out what you take in. No night hiking!
Fire Tower Trail
This 4.1 km hike will take you approximately two hours. The Fire Tower trail meanders through some beautiful mature forests, travelling across boardwalks and rugged rocky ridges. The trail offers a great rest location and view point at Amber Lake, and also passes by a historic Fire Tower. After a challenging climb this trail will continue to impress with a spectacular view from atop the 100 meter high Stormy Lake Bluff. There are some steep, narrow ascents along the trail so please take your time and be careful.
Along the way you may see many types of wildlife - deer, moose, bear, squirrels, chipmunks and various birds.
Stormy Lake
The cliff face is nearly 60 metres high in places and Stormy Lake, below reaches down another 60 metres. The precipice is formed by a fault in the earth's crust. Looking west you can see the Restoule River where it follows the fault like west. The white building at the head of the channel is the Storm Lake Hunt Club. Around the shore to the north are channels to Clear Lake and the Long Wing. In the 1930's rangers built a 15 metre wooden fire tower on the west shore of Clear Lake connected by phone to Restoule Village. In the shallows of Stormy Lake, in 1975, an ancient stone ax with possible connections to the Mayan civilization of the Central America was discovered.
The Fire Tower
The top of the 30 metre fire tower stands over 320 metres above sea level. The chief towerperson was Elmer Porter, who manned the cupola each fire season from 1958-1969, when aircraft fire patrols brought an end to tower fire detection, the system that had served for forty years. Elmer's tower was one of 22 in the district. He could listen to most of them on their radios, which was used to communicate with the Deputy Chief Ranger's Headquarters, then in Loring. His other equipment included binoculars and a map with a siting device and compass. The worst month for fires was July of 1964, when as Elmer put it, "a dry thunderstorm moved up the north sidde", leaving five fires in its wake.
Amber Lake
Amber Lake is a nice rest area with benches overlooking a small lake where you may see some wildlife. Amber Lake was named in memory of Amber Booth, who grew up in the nearby village of Commanda and worked in Restoule Provincial Park for several summers. Amber was an outdoor enthusiast and aspired to become a Conservation Officer. Sadly, Amber was killed in a vehicle accident while travelling to her summer job at another provincial park.
To claim a find, enjoy a beautiful hike on this rugged trail and at each of the waypoints take a picture with the view shown in my picture (see the logging requirements below) and include either yourself or a personal item identifying you or your team:
1. Stormy Lake Bluffs N 46° 4.420' W 79° 45.801 (Posted Coordinates)
Make sure the tree is in your photo!
2. The Fire Tower N 46° 4.429' W 79° 45.581
Be sure the cupola is in your photo!
3. Amber Lake N 46° 4.339' W 79° 45.649
Be sure the Amber Lake sign is in your photo!
Feel free to add other photos to your log as I love to see them!
Here are the rest of the logging requirements:
a) At each of the three waypoints listed take a picture at that spot showing the view indicated in my pictures above. The photo must include the view in my photo as well as you or your group and/or a personal item with your geoname on it. You do not need to show your face in the photo if you do not wish to.
b) Post your three pictures with your Found Log - no need to send them for confirmation ahead of time. I'll look at your log and if I have any questions, will reach out to you. Only those Found logs with the three required photos will be accepted.
As well as the photos, send me, the CO, the answers to the following two questions:
1. At the Fire Tower
What are the two initials eteched into the Northeast tower leg cement base.
2. At the "Trail Junction" waypoint waypoint N 46° 4.351' W 79° 45.776 there is a trail map and a sign (these coordinates may be off a bit due to tree cover, but you can't miss the junction, or the sign).
What two animals are shown in the circles on this map?
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. I am honour to be one of only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.