| Author |
Message |
marc_brisson
Member
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 10:58 pm: | 
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Has anyone ever travelled to Florence going upstream on the south Lady Evelyn via Duff Lake. I located a trip description on google that claimed that this route could be done from the gate at Lady Evelyn river to Florence and back in a 4 days. Timeframe for travel would be July long weekend. |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 158
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:27 am: |
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You would need to know what the road conditions were like down to the gate. If the road is passable then you could do that trip.If there is a lot of rain in late June, then the paddle upstream on the South branch of the LER may be slow particularily if you are going solo.
You may want to post a question about the road conditions down from Elk Lake to the gate at the river sometime after the May long weekend. By then there will have been a number of people who will have been there and will be in a position to report on the road. A number of the locals also go down there to fish that weekend, so some of them might respond. |
john_v
Member
Post Number: 9
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 10:40 am: |
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Too bad you aren't going before the middle of June. Before then the gate is open and you can drive an extra 6 or 7kms to the second bridge. (which is not passable) From there you can paddle to Florence in one day. Also, there is one set of rapids that you will have to line up. I have only paddled that stretch in early May so I don't know what the water level is like in July, but I don't think it would be a big concern.
Ed is right, the road can be iffy. There is one spot at a culvert I know was partially washed out last year and I would not have made it safely in a car. I drive a Honda CRV (it has more clearance than a car) and I had to creep through a couple of spots. It is not so much as 4 wheel drive that you need as it is ground clearnace. You don't want a leaking tranny or oil pan back in there, it's a long walk to the highway. I always take a pick and shovel with me to make those spots a little more passable. |
marc_brisson
Member
Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 5:13 pm: |
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Thank you for the info.
I'm hoping the road will be passable.
What I'm really concerned about is the paddle upstream. Can we get to Florence in 1 day? We might only be 3 guys in 2 canoes. One of us would be solo.
The idea is to get to Florence the first day and then relax for 2 and come back the same way with a possible stop @ Duff. How does the South LE river compare to the Obabika River as far as turns and liftovers go?
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ed
Moderator
Post Number: 161
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 3:14 pm: |
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Marc:
I will be travelling south on the LER from Gamble in early May and I plan to go into Florence Lake.
About 400m south of the bridge crossing the LER is an old Nastawgan trail about 750m long that goes into Dees Lake. A second portage out of Dees, about 450m, joins up with the Florence River. I don't know if the trail is open or useable, but I am going to try to locate it and use it, so that I don't have to go way down the river to the junction just to come all the way back up.
You may want to contact me in June to see if I was able to locate it and if it was passable.
If it is not passable, then I can offer you more definitive times for the trip under the conditions I experienced.
In the meantime, if anyone from Keewaydin or Wabun knows about the condition of this route, and can offer advice, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Regards,
Ed.
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marc_brisson
Member
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:29 am: |
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Thanks Ed.
That sounds pretty good. If the portage is good we could actually loop and come back going downstream the LE.
I'll email you in June.
Marc. |
john_v
Member
Post Number: 10
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 8:38 am: |
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I know that from the second bridge you can paddle to the rapids that must be lined in about two hours. After those rapids there is a short section (maybe 1/2km) of swifts that you have to put your back into but once you are through that there is no strong current to Florence. I would think you could get get to Florence from the bridge in 5-7 hours. I've done it in early May when the water is high and it hasn't been that bad. As far as a trail from Dees Lake to the Florence River, I don't know. Personally, I would paddle the river but a loop is a nice option. |
Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel