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Ottertooth Forums * Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel * Archive through February 3, 2011 * Sturgeon to Hamlow (the 1650-metre portage) < Previous Next >

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yellowcanoe
Member

Post Number: 79
Registered: 01-2010


Posted on Saturday, January 1, 2011 - 12:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post

http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/Maps/heartland0 5.htm

What are the logistics involved in getting from the Gervais Road Landing to the 1650-metre portage that leads to Hamlow? Is it simply a question of paddling north on the Sturgeon until I reach what appears to be a creek and then taking that east until it intersects with the 1650 metre portage?

(Message edited by yellowcanoe on January 1, 2011)
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ed
Moderator

Post Number: 913
Registered: 03-2004


Posted on Saturday, January 1, 2011 - 4:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post

There is no specific answer to your question yellowcanoe. It will depend....

I suspect the ease of travelling upstream on the Sturgeon will depend on water levels. If the snow pack this winter is thick, the spring flow may be pretty high and paddling upstream may be difficult if not impossible.
The entrance to the portage is shown as being up Stull Creek from the Sturgeon. The creek is pretty shallow through here even in high flow conditions (maybe upper thigh) and you could walk it, with some difficulty, but in the early spring the water will be cold.
You will have better luck when the flow subsides, perhaps in late June.
This past spring, you probably could have travelled up there easily in early May.
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brian
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Post Number: 1269
Registered: 02-2004


Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2011 - 10:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post

I have been up twice. Once in low, low water and once in high summer water. Both are do-able. Only during spring runoff, as Ed points out, would I recommend avoiding it.

The distance from the landing is not far and there are no obstacles. As you said, Yellow, just turn upstream on Stull Creek. You can't miss it. And the distance to portage is short.
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yellowcanoe
Member

Post Number: 81
Registered: 01-2010


Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2011 - 9:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post

Sounds good. Let's see how water levels are this spring. I was on the Sturgeon/Kettle June 2010, and it seemed pretty slow/low due to the water levels, as you've pointed out.

Thanks ed and brian.

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