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kavik2
Member
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 11:14 pm: | 
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Hi everyone, First, let me say how impressed I am by this web-site and especially the Chiniguchi Region Maps... Amazing!!
This is going to be long but here goes:
We are a group of 6 8 canoeists planning a trip in the first week of August (I know
.busy time of the season
.). We have 2 main trip options that we are considering and have a few questions. We are assuming approx. a 5-hour day incl. 1 hour lunch (on the water by 9:00 and finish by 3:00 pm-ish)
First, I understand that Sportsman Lodge will provide a shuttle to the access point on Matagamisi; -- but is there any shuttle service that would drop us off at the Gervais Road access point on the Sturgeon River (above Paul Lake)????
TRIP OPTON 1:
We are looking for a trip of 7-8 days, and knowing how busy it can be on Matagamisi especially the west arm thru to Sylvester and Wolf we were thinking to avoid that stretch with a trip that started at Gervais Rd access point as follows; would this be realistic? We are all experienced canoeists (Headwaters vintage) but would be travelling with some young people (ages 12, 14 & 16)
Day #1 - Twin Falls
Day #2 - Kettle Falls
Day # 3 - Stouffer L.
Day # 4 - Dougherty L. (is this too short?)
Day #5 - Laura L.
Day # 6 - Wessel (near log flume?)
Day # 7 - McCarthy Bay
Day # 8 - Out
Or is this too easy and maybe we could go further down the Sturgeon and cross-over at Parsons Lake summer? to Button to Adelaide to Chiniguchi to McConnell Bay. Or would this be too dry so late in the seaaon????
Many thanks - Stephanie
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kavik2
Member
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Friday, May 28, 2010 - 7:27 am: |
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Here is part 2 of our inquiry; re: a loop route:
TRIP OPTION 2:
Assuming that it is not possible to get dropped off at the Gervais Rd. access point on the Sturgeon River, we are thinking that we could do a loop from Matagamasi (a version of Hap Wilsons Wolf Lake - Trip #24; 1992 edition), as follows:
- Day #1 Start at Matagamasi to: Sylvester/Wolf Lake (hope for not too many crowds)
- Day #2 Chiniguchi L. north end (Check out the elephant and alligator logging amphibian - whatever that is????)
- Day #3 Stouffer L.
- Day # 4 Kettle Falls (via Backdoor Route) Is there a good campsite on Mudding?
- Day #5 Rest Day
- Day # 6 Dougherty
- Day # 7 McConnell Bay
- Day # 9 Evelyn L.
- Day #10 McCarthy Bay
- Day #11 Out
TRIP OPTION 3: Avoid Sylvester/Wolf Lake Canoe Congestion
- Day #1 Start at Matagamasi to: Wolf Lake
- Day #2 laundry/Rathwell/Marjorie L.(to avoid traffic) check campsites
- Day #3 Frederick L.
- Day #4 Kettle Falls via backdoor Route
- Day #5 Rest Day
- Day # 6 Dougherty
- Day # 7 McConnell Bay
- Day # 9 Evelyn L.
- Day #10 McCarthy Bay
- Day #11 Out
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brian
Moderator
Post Number: 1202
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 28, 2010 - 9:39 am: |
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Personally I would avoid the Gervais at all costs. Time and money is lost when you could be on the water.
Options 2 and 3 look good, but I don't understand doing Marjorie to avoid the crowds when you will be staying at the busiest spot: Wolf Lake. If you stay on Wolf then once you are above Chiniguchi the traffic drops off.
There is a large open campsite on Mudding, as marked on the Backdoor Route map, but if you are at Stouffer the night before, go all the way to Kettle Falls. It is a high point, and then you will be set up for your rest day. Depending upon how well you move and the weather, you could make it in a day to Kettle from Frederick.
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fireman
Member
Post Number: 75
Registered: 08-2009
| | Posted on Friday, May 28, 2010 - 2:36 pm: |
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Well, I have been via Wolf Lake and it is pretty, but I find the put in at Roly Jonas' Lodge to be
A)easy to get to
B)quiet and secure, and
C) accessing a beautiful lake with campsites everywhere
From there, one can get up to McConnell Bay for your second night.
doherty lake is very beautiful and worth aiming for as a campsite.
You could go UP the BackDoor Route to Kettle and then down the Sturgeon all the way to Kelly Lake.
Your last day on the Sturgeon below Lower Goose is a bit twisty turny, but a nice change after the endless portages below Kettle.
I went via Mattagamasi in September and it was still full of people. U of Sudbury uses it extensively for their outing club and Outdoor Ed. Program. Not a problem if you like bumping into people. August is probably busier.
The little lakes above Maskinonge are very lovely and there is a great campsite on Edna, great swimming spot at the top of the trail. |
kavik2
Member
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 5:03 pm: |
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Thanks to both of you for this feedback.
I see the reference to Roly Joans's Lodge in the web-site re: access points, can you send me his telephone number or email? Thanks - Stephanie???? |
fireman
Member
Post Number: 78
Registered: 08-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 6:53 pm: |
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I am not sure there is even a phone there. There is definitely no electricity, at least not from the grid.
Both times I have parked there I have just shown up unannounced and it is not an issue. They have lots of room, people have a few trailers there as well.
The fellow I dealt with is named Denis and he simply shows you where to park and lets you know what the fishing is like and maybe the bugs.
Last year it was six dollars per night per vehicle. Pretty cheap compared to what I have paid elsewhere.
The road in is rough only for the last third of the trip. I think I measured it as 16 kms from the turn just north of the bridge. takes half an hour or a bit more. There is nothing to purchase there so have everything with you. It is a beautiful old log building and outbuildings. The ice house is pretty cool to take a look at.
There is a campsite just out from the Lodge on an island with a picnic table, quite pretty and the lake has lots of campsites. The site I referred to earlier is on Karl Lake, not Edna by the way. It took me five hours to solo up to the campsite on Karl Lake, so if you get there by noon, you have plenty of time. The route is straightforward to get there, straight up through Hagar and follow the road all the way to where you cross a bridge. The main road goes left (west and then north). Take it all the way to the end until you see an ice hut blocking the way. The lodge is just down to your right on a long driveway. |
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Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel