| Author |
Message |
brookieman
Member
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, April 8, 2007 - 6:18 pm: | 
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Hi folks,
great looking forum! I'm contemplating heading up to Temagami for a 5-6 day solo trip mid-May. It'll be my first time in the region. Any loop trips you can suggest? I have no problem with working to get into mmore remote areas.
Thanks |
rob_in_angus
Member
Post Number: 28
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 9, 2007 - 7:57 am: |
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This is the solo route I am planning the first week of May
Red Squirrel L
P795
Ferguson Bay
P825
Whitefish Bay
P1100
Aston L
P1375
Lynx L
P540
Unammed L
P460
Unammed L
P180
Unammed L
P580
Sirdevan L
P1140
Unammed L
P80
Walsh L
P600
Lady Evelyn L
From here I can decide on heading north to Maple Mountain and back or turn south to Diamond L
P 1200
Bob L
P275
Mud L
P850
Shishkong
P770
Obabika
P940
Obabika Inlet
P620
Devil Bay
Ferguson Bay
P795
Red Squirrel L
17 Portages
13125m
approx 60km total distance
On the advice of a few veterans I am likely to start at Sandy inlet becasue of parking. It will cut out the first(and last) portage.
(Message edited by rob in angus on April 9, 2007) |
gudwulf
Member
Post Number: 29
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 12:56 am: |
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brookieman...
Sandy Inlet is GREAT starting point. Parking lot is thrill to get to. First time in I thought we would never make it, but packed sand bottom lane makes it passable even with water in holes.
Trust you travelers are familiar with blackflies as they will be in abundance.
The Temagami, Diamond, Wakimaka, Obabika, Tamagami loop is one of my favorites. Lots of various scenery and lake contours... a good 5-7 day excercise. Remoteness... figured at least 20 clicks from nearest electric generator when on Wakimaka camping. Let us know how it goes! |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 411
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 9:24 am: |
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The trick with the blackflies in Temagami is to go out early and then leave before they get too obnoxious.
Although you will find a few of them around in early May they usually start to come out in some numbers about the 3rd week in May.
If you can plan your trip to be out of the bush by about the 23- 25 or thereabouts you might miss most of them.
But every year is a bit different.
I recall about 3 years ago arriving at a nice site on the south shore of Wawiagama Lake near the end of a trip, It was about 1PM on May 23rd.It was a pleasant afternoon with lots of sun and with a slight breeze coming off the lake. The site was relatively bug free and in fact I had hardly seen a black fly on the entire trip.I had a pleasant afternoon, setting up camp and swimming, doing a bit of laundry and meeting old Bill Popper and his friend who were on the lake fishing and came over to talk...
Later as I rumaged through the now scant remains of my food pack, I decided to bake a pizza for dinner.
A long process as you know and it was the wrong thing to choose for dinner that day.
About 5 PM I was ready and started to bake my crust. I had rehydrated red and green peppers, onions, mushrooms grated up mozarella cheese, rehydrated some pasta sauce and had pepperoni all ready to go.
Pepper my travelling companion was salivating at the thought of getting a piece of this for dinner. So was I, after 20 plus days of tripping.
The wind off the lake died down.
The hoard of black flies that had been hiding in the bush descended on me like a buzzing black cloud. A 100 of them got into my bug jacket as I struggled to get it on.The dog disappeared into the tent to escape them while I tried to finish cooking my pizza.Finally it was done and I too vacated to the tent to eat it and to lick my wounds.
The only good thing I can say about black flies is that when they are in your tent with you, they stop biting.
Mosquitoes will bite you in your tent all night long if they get in there with you.
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john_v
Member
Post Number: 65
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 10:52 am: |
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Great blackfly story Ed.
You swam in May?! I guess I might brave ice cold water too if I was on a 20 day trip. But when you are solo, only you have to put up with the smell. |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 412
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 7:26 pm: |
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It was late May and the water is not too bad by then.
Early May is a different story.
I have been in a few times then also, but not intentionally.
It is not the place to linger too long when the ice has just gone out and there is still some white stuff along the shore line.But as they say, sh..t happens and sometimes an unexpected dip can occur, especially when the water is in a hurry to get somewhere. |
doug_2
Member
Post Number: 116
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 7:30 pm: |
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I'm glad Ed added the Blackfly story because my experience in Temagami spring canoe tripping is similar. Last year we paddled the Lady Ev River from about May 18th to 24th; ending the trip at a "little bit buggy" Sandy Inlet. No Blackflies until the last 2 days on that trip. They weren't an issue. Other times we have had them earlier and other times even a lot later; usually later. In mid May , I wouldn;t be worrying much about bugs. I have noticed that Lady Ev river country does not seem as bad as Sturgeon river country for blackflies. In fact, I'm certain of that.
Early June can be brutal for bugs though, especially around the Sturgeon River zone...
What was an issue last year was the late season snow storm ...ha ha.. |
brookieman
Member
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 2:39 pm: |
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Thanks for the responses guys. Any other routes to suggest? I may look at extending the trip a few more days.....maybe looking at up to 8-9 days in the bush! |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 413
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 12:32 pm: |
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Brookie:
The best thing is to look at the planning map for Temagami Canoe Routes, pick one that might interest you and then come back with any questions that you might have.
Also, get a copy of Hap Wilson's book which describes the routes in good detail and can help you choose one.
Some links on ottertooth.
http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/Wilson/sneak.ht m
http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/Canoeing/tem_be aten.htm
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ed
Moderator
Post Number: 414
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 2:08 pm: |
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Brookie:
A popular Spring route that you might be able to do in the time you have available is to go to Maple Mountain.You could start at Ferguson Bay(SandyInlet)as Rob is doing. Day 1 travel to the North arm of Diamond. Day 2 go into Lady Evelyn L and go north to the upper narrows.Day 3 travel through to Sucker Gut and up to Hobart.Camp there. Day 4 hike up Maple Mountain and in the afternoon move back to Hobart and travel out to Willow Island Lake. Day 5 portage back into the south end of LEL and go back into Diamond. From there you could either do the route Rob is doing and go into Bob L and Shish Kong and into Obabika or go from Diamond into Wakimika and then Obabika for Day 6. Day 7 do the Old Growth Trails in the North end of Obabika. Day 8 leave Obabika and go into Lake Temagami camping in Ferguson Bay and getting back to Sandy Inlet early the next morning. |
brookieman
Member
Post Number: 3
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 3:42 pm: |
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Thanks for the reply ED. I recently purchaed Hap's book and was overwhelmed with the info and choice of routes. I'm debating taking off most of May and spending at least 3 weeks in the bush. Some much country to paddle....I'll look into the route you're proposing.
Have you found many paddlers in the interior at this time of year in the past? |
ed
Moderator
Post Number: 415
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 7:33 pm: |
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You will only see a few people in early May. Maybe none if you are lucky. Around about the start of the trout season you will begin to see some fishermen depending on where you are heading. If you are in Lady Evelyn Smoothwater PP near the Liskeard Lumber road coming down from Elk Lake then you will likely see several groups.The Victoria day weekend brings out the fishermen and the canoeists, but they mostly only hang around for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then they disappear again.On the bigger Lakes such as Lady Evelyn, you will see a few fishermen about, who are staying at the lodges.Also some of the smaller lakes, such as Aston and Chris Willis etc. have outpost cabins where they fly in and these may have some traffic.
Of course if you want solitude,I would stay away from the Lady Evelyn River south channel this year on the long weekend unless you are planning to attend Hap's gathering.
In June you will likely run into school trips finishing up the year with an outdoor adventure.
Oh! and check the weather before you go. May can be really nice some years. Other years it can be be really lousy weather with snow and -10ºC temperatures. So... be prepared for both extremes. |
irishfield
Member
Post Number: 113
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, April 14, 2007 - 5:00 pm: |
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Brookieman...from OFN?  |
brookieman
Member
Post Number: 4
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 16, 2007 - 1:19 am: |
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Yes indeed! I'm heading up to your stomping grounds. |
irishfield
Member
Post Number: 115
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 16, 2007 - 9:52 pm: |
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If you have time...drop in. We'll be up there from the 14th to the 24th at least. If you aren't paddling by...Even if just for a coffee at the Shell on your way in or out.
Last year the blackflies, knowing food was arriving, came out of hiding at noon on the friday for the long weekend.
Wayne
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brookieman
Member
Post Number: 5
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 - 3:31 pm: |
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Thanks Wayne. I'll be up there until the 18th or so. Hope to see you there |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 672
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 9:44 am: |
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The middle section of your trip is known as the Muskego area. There is a map here with your missing lake names.
http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/Maps/muskego-so uth.htm
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Temagami canoe routes & backcountry travel