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Message |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 129
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 12:22 am: | 
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we recently did the sturgeon from gervais landing to pilgrim triangle, then up to dougherty & the backdoor route and back up the sturgeon.
we expected the backdoor route to be rough, and it was, but it was the state of the portages on the sturgeon that really concerned us, especially the low-water and upstream portages, both extremely important in making the route navigable year-round.
this sort of thing:
the problem is, if everyone is waiting for someone else to do it (mnr and canoeists), it will never get done. in 5 years some of these portages will no longer be passable.
even the kettle falls portage has low-hanging branches that are a problem with the canoe.
my basic point here is to recommend that people budget some extra time on their trips to do a bit of portage clearing. it HAS to be a collaborative, accumulative effort because it would take one person weeks to do the whole river at this point.
my fear is that if this gets any worse mnr or someone else will bring in the chainsaws and slash out a 5-foot wide swath, destroying the character of the old portages. the only way to maintain the character of these trails is by constant light maintenance, not by going in every 10 years with a chainsaw.
i highly recommend the practice of carrying a pair of good-quality pruners (felco #2) and a japanese tooth-pattern saw with a 10-12" blade. the pruners will cut through a 1 1/4" softwood trunk or branch with no effort and are easy to deploy even while wearing a pack.
portages are difficult enough without having to fight your way through every time! |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 1091
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 7:39 am: |
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grncnu:
I agree with you, but from experience, we can't even convince canoeists to carry a small saw and an axe, let alone a pair of loppers.
The picture of the portage you posted indicates that it is not especially chain saw friendly, but those small diameter trees blocking the way could all be taken care of by a canoeist carrying a lopper.
Chainsaws are mostly useful for removing larger treefalls, blocking the route.
You don't mention where this portage is on the Sturgeon, but it looks as if it might be somewhere near the Gorge, where the rapids are runnable in higher water, reducing the need to use the portage? |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 130
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 11:59 am: |
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ed, yes, i think this one was north of kettle actually, and you're right, there is a bigger issue with the low-water/upstream portages.
we didn't see a problem with bigger blowdowns and such, only this small-but-rapidly getting-unmanageable stuff.
the felco pruners are one-hand pruners, not the 2-handed loppers. amazing what you can do with this small tool, and with very little effort- it's almost fun!! |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 1092
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 1:15 pm: |
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I have a hand pruner, always carry it in my day pack. A bit light though for some of the trees in your picture.
This works better and not too expensive either at the sale price:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/2/OutdoorLiv ing/GardeningTools/Loppers/PRD~0596751P/Fiskars+Po wer-Lever%AE+Telescopic+Lopper.jsp?locale=en
For other serious equipment go to :
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=652 48&cat=2,45794&ap=1
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=102 46&cat=2,45794&ap=1
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=589 34&cat=2,42706,40720&ap=1
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alscool
Moderator
Post Number: 348
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 4:17 pm: |
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This is how the lower Yorston and Pilgrim routes are. Forget about upstream travel. |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 131
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 10:29 pm: |
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yeah, when we did the lower yorston upstream (1992) it literally did not look like anybody had been there in years. we more or less cleared all the portages (i remember at one point portaging over a thin log spanning a creek for about 20 feet). the thing is, you expect a marginal route like that to be rough, in fact you want it to be- or like pilgrm creek which i've never done because it intimidates me!
i still think the sturgeon, one of the major river routes, needs to be navigable in both directions through the season...
ed, also available at lee valley is the felco #2, the world's best hand pruners (i.e. not loppers). these are not ordinary hand pruners and can handle 95% of basic small-branch and trunk portage maintenance. professional orchardists rely on them to cut through 1" dead apple limbs which are much harder than anything in temagami. they also come with a very handy clip-on leather holster.
with hand pruners you can have them in one hand and do maintenance as you pass through almost without breaking stride, whereas with loppers you need 2 hands and have to stop. |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 1095
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 4, 2011 - 9:11 am: |
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grn:
I have the Felco #2 pruner. I have had mine for about 30 years, purchasing it when they first came out.I carry it in my day pack, but I don't find it especially suitable for making much of a dent on portages with lots of small trees growing up on them.
For example let's look at the small pine tree in your picture above. As you are walking along with your pack on, the best you can do with that tree is maybe cut off the top of it as you pass by. After about 2-3 years the top will have grown out again but this time it will have several new branches on it's top as they all attempt to gain dominance. The result is a bushy tree that again blocks the portage trail.
In my experience it is best to remove the tree if it is in the middle of the portage trail by cutting it off at its base. Even then some of them grow back again after several years.
When they brush along old roads that have filled in they use a mechanical brusher that flails the brush with a chain. This process splits the base of the tree or bush and that seems to kill it off permanently.
Clearly we can't do that on a portage trail,so the best bet is to purposefully walk the trail and remove the offending new growth blocking the trail by cutting it low to the ground and hopefully it will not grow back so quickly.
With loppers you do have to stop and use both hands but you don't have to bend down every time you need to make a cut so ergonomically it is better for your body.Especially when you get to be old like I am or you are doing it all day long.
I do like my Felco pruner, but I use it mostly to clear away small shrubs and saplings on tent spots that I intend to use. |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 132
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, September 4, 2011 - 1:21 pm: |
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sure, point taken, i myself would clear the small trees in the photo from the base with my saw; the felcos are for the branches sticking out on bigger trees and saplings from waist to head level, which are a big part of the problem on these portages and are often "dealt with" by snapping the branch, usually leaving a stub at precisely the right height to snag the canoe...
i used to use my axe for this until one time my leg got in the way...
i do agree about loppers, it's just that i figured more people might be willing to carry the smaller/lighter hand pruners and at least accomplish something! |
fireman
Member
Post Number: 184
Registered: 08-2009
| | Posted on Monday, September 5, 2011 - 8:30 am: |
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what about a 12 gauge shotgun blast down the trail???
Loppers or pruners...thanks for clearing the trail.
All this talk of overgrown trails and low water has me quite apprehensive about my trip in two weeks. I am travelling the same area. Personally, i could care less, but we have three greenhorns coming along and I can imagine some whining. Oh well. Life could be a lot worse. cheers |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 1096
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 5, 2011 - 9:34 am: |
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Fireman:
I doubt if the Temagami trails are any better or worse than in previous years. I think that most but not all of the criticism is coming from people new to the area with different expectations based on where they have canoed before.
That doesn't mean that those of us who hang out in Temagami should not listen to them. We should listen and we should continue to advocate for more resources for trail maintenance as well as campaigns by the broader canoeing community in specific areas on a rotating basis.
___________
This week is supposed to be nice and the week after has rain in the forecast... so maybe there will be more water when you arrive. |
grncnu
Member
Post Number: 133
Registered: 08-2010
| | Posted on Thursday, September 8, 2011 - 2:57 pm: |
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ed, my comments are specifically about the sturgeon from gervais to pilgrim, which i've canoed for 20 years but not since 2002, and it really is worse than i've ever seen it.
that's not to say it will pose any real problems for anyone, (not for a year or two anyway) just a comment on pre-fee vs. post-fee maintenance on this key route. |
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