| Author |
Message |
soreshoulders
Member
Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2019
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 - 3:27 pm: | 
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Looking for any info or experiences travelling from McConnell Bay south either through Laura lake or through Marjorie Lake. Planning a loop route through Matagamasi, Wolf, Chiniguchi and one of those return routes. |
eddy_turn
Member
Post Number: 212
Registered: 03-2011
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2023 - 1:48 pm: |
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Search on this forum for "Laura creek" or "Marjorie" will bring tons of advice. Laura creek leg is much longer, it starts with infamous boggy portage and provides multiple campsites on various lakes. The bog is not dangerous, but could be nasty in high water. Marjorie leg has only one site that I know of and has some hills. Both routes are well worth the effort. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 2008
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2023 - 10:10 am: |
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In a dry summer that bog between McConnell Bay and Laura Lake is not existent. But as eddy says, both routes are worth it. |
rainbird
Member
Post Number: 25
Registered: 08-2017
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2023 - 2:55 pm: |
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I am planning a trip second week of August: fly-in to Pilgrim Lk.and south through Yorston and Chiniguchi to access point on Matagamasi Rd (6 nights). Unfortunately we will arrive to Chiniguchi on a weekend so I was thinking to go Laura Lake-Laura Ck. route. Going through the posts I see conflicting info about the muddy portage and scenery on that route. I know Wolf and Paradise lagoon are beautiful but want to avoid the masses and chance that campsites are all taken. I have been through Wolf several times before but the folks I'm travelling with have not. The Marjorie Lake route is an option also but only one campsite. Any thoughts or recent intel appreciated.appreciated |
eddy_turn
Member
Post Number: 219
Registered: 03-2011
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2023 - 3:57 pm: |
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Are you considering taking Upper Yorston river to Yorston lake and Witch's crossover to the Sturgeon? Then you have an option to run the Sturgeon for a short while to Halleck creek and take Rawson crossover west to Laura creek just below Laura lake. Laura creek is very picturesque and still a popular route, but much less so than Wolf-Chiniguchi lake, and you'd avoid the muddy portage altogether. |
rainbird
Member
Post Number: 26
Registered: 08-2017
| | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2023 - 10:34 am: |
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Thanks Eddy. Yes, we're doing Witch's Portage through to Pilgrim Triangle. That is a great suggestion to take the Rawson crossover. My only concern is that we have kevlar/composite canoes- What's that section of the Sturgeon like for rapids? Also the portages on the crossover through to Rawson seem to be mostly along old logging roads, correct? |
eddy_turn
Member
Post Number: 221
Registered: 03-2011
| | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2023 - 2:00 pm: |
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I became more careful myself since starting to paddle UL kevlar layout. There's one or two C2s right under Pilgrim triangle with a portage around them, after that it's C1s and swifts (in summer levels) without portages down to Halleck creek and flatwater further on to Upper Goose Falls. If the current is reasonable you can take a detour and stay at Upper Goose site before returning upstream to Rawson crossover, it's probably 2 hours one way. Hap Wilson is your guide there.
Longer portages on the crossover are mostly along forest roads, except for the end of the first P1600 which is a tough 250m trail along the creek. And P600 into Laura creek is underused and littered with blowdowns. Also a small bay on Hammend lake leading to P280 is overgrown and very shallow, some pushing through the muck might be required. |
rainbird
Member
Post Number: 27
Registered: 08-2017
| | Posted on Saturday, July 15, 2023 - 3:29 pm: |
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Thanks for the additional info, much appreciated Eddy. |
rainbird
Member
Post Number: 28
Registered: 08-2017
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2023 - 9:32 am: |
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Thanks for the additional info, much appreciated Eddy. |
Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel