| Author |
Message |
diplomat
Member
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 27, 2004 - 8:49 pm: | 
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yes, i am accustomed to the 1:50,000 maps as well, apparently in quebec they use Mercator 1:20,000 i believe for greater detail. The point remains for me that I have been on over 200 days of canoe trips in various areas yet in a push tripping situation, 30+ kilometer days, we simply don't have time to find the precise bay or entry to a portage, and anyways, on these 1:50,000 maps the portages are not marked are they? or rarely so? finding an old logging road is helpful for marking off where you are, but many old animal trails and clearings with NO portage are decieving. Anyhow, i am considering spending 1000.00$ plus on a GPS unit, can anybody give me the BEST GPS unit out there? the one they dream of owning.... i will post a seperate thread about this if i get no replies in this thread. I read about the 4cd GARMIN CANADA TOPO software tha is apparently very good. I have some quesitons, first of all it has some of the key lakes right on it like Canoe Lake in AlgonquinP, etc , do people find this software VERY useful,i really do think when used properly it could be used instead of a map, but always have a paper map in handy. Also the maps appear split just EAST of the ontario/quebec (temagami) line border. If i was making a say 20-25 day trip from lac kippawa or therabouts up and west over to ontario and down temagami to silvester/wolf/paradise lagoon, would i need to load 2 seperaTE cd's of data or would they all be on the ontario (east?) cd? Thanks, thats a bit confusing but those who know the garmin software may have a good awnser for me.
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paul_mclaren
Member
Post Number: 20
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 31, 2004 - 12:48 pm: |
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Sorry but your need for speed is not a reason to put up sign's for portages. I agree with Brian this is about safety issue here. And if you are in the woods on a 200 days trip you better know what your doing, and should not need road signs to get you any where. Or a GPS. Maps doen't need batteries.
On another thought I guess there are people who like the idea or road signs for portages because camping to them is a sport. Unfortunatly it is not about respecting the wild and respecting a craft. |
dan_carpenter
Moderator
Post Number: 15
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 8:47 pm: |
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I agree very much with the comments of Brian and Paul. Too often today, people on canoe trips tend to race on and depend on brawn instead of common sense. If all we do is rush, rush, rush, we can say that we got to the end of the trip, but what have we missed in the process?
In years of long trips at Keewaydin, we explored wild territory in Northern Quebec and Ontario. We had few if any 1:50,000 maps and had to rely on intuition and an understanding of the lay of the land to find portages and campsites. Often times, we had to make an educated guess about the location of a trail, and then we would hop out of our canoes and walk a few yards back in the bush parallel to the shore until we found the portage. And we'd take the time to clear the landing and the trail (damn those alders) to make the walking easier for ourselves and those who might follow. Many of the most satisfying days in the bush weren't measured in mileage attained, but rather in locating and opening up a key part of the route.
To the experienced tripper, the location of practically all of the portages in the Temagami area should be thoroughly obvious, found all the more easily because of today's 1:50,000 maps plus guidebooks and route descriptions such as Hap's. It's worth taking a few minutes to make sure I'm on the right trail, whether it's on the map or not.
Sure, if I see a blaze or sign, I'll investigate. But for me, getting to know the land I'm travelling through is a major part of any canoe trip, and I'm not sure whether an abundance of portage signs helps me to reach that goal. |
hillbilly
Member
Post Number: 107
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 3, 2005 - 11:03 am: |
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I too must agree with Brian, Paul and Dan. The portage signs are only beeing put up in the Provincial Parks with-in the Temagami Area. Since you have to canoe, portage and camp to get to most of the parks and then while in the parks you have signs but then you must leave the parks and porceed without signs. So if you can not read a map and find the portages and campsites outside the parks how are the signs in the parks going to do you anygood. To me the signs are of little use and they are so small that even with binoculars you will have to be very close to see them. As for speeding up a trip, I do not see it making much difference. Are you on a trip for speed or there for the enjoyment of the area. I go there for the enjoyment, peace and tranquility of the area. There is an old saying, you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy. Let's change that by saying you can takethe boy from the city but can't take the city out of the boy. With this change that would mean the the cith boy can't slow down and must always rush everywhere. Many need to learn to slow down when in the wilderness and they should bring that back to the city and learn to live life not just live.
Bill |
kanutripper
Member
Post Number: 13
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 - 12:59 pm: |
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dan_carpenter
You hit the nail right on the head with your last post. New age trippers don't seem to place enough importants on safety and skills. |
bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 55
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 6, 2005 - 12:21 pm: |
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I agree as well. Something I can't understand is this whole eco wilderness racing thing or whatever it's called. What is the point of tearing through the country side as fast as you can, taking chances and putting yourself and others at risk. What bothers me the most about it is that the racers like to portray themselves as friends of the wild. How can you appreciate the wild when you are delirious from exhaustion. These races seem to reinforce the notion that we must constantly do everything as fast as possible. To me a canoe trip should be a time for appreciation of the beauty of nature and a time to reflect on how we are living our lives.
But I guess Hillbilly is right you can't take the city out of the boy.
Don't get me started on GPS for a canoe trip, what a waste of money. |
canoebear
Member
Post Number: 179
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 6, 2005 - 3:56 pm: |
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bush_pilot,
Haste makes waste!
'Tis waste wood be time, energy & $ lost.
Could put trippers at bay/or harms-way to
doomed risk.
It be close to, group of canoes in fast current of river water not no-en whats round tha bend, Heya!
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canoebear
Member
Post Number: 243
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 8:24 pm: |
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"Tump-Strap Fix"
Ways, as well as, means to-carry-on!
North American Indians made use of
leather tump-strap over forehead to
lend support plus ease tha pain of
weight Bearen of Canadian Canoe over-head.
Tump-line slung over forehead took stess
relief of tha shoulders, & then point-blank,
directed arrowed load weight right to tha back,
given it a shock-absorber impact out-come.
A felt hat mostly worn by portager to lighten tha
effects of/or cushen tha blow from harm/or
injury to forehead.
Brian, is this method still practiced up-north?
I,ve never layed eyes on any 1 usen this
carren technique, Heya.
Strap 'twas tied to centre thwart.
'Tis manner of worken adjustment,
was practiced by Natives so to displace
tha burden of dead weight & also counter-
balance tha portage load.
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brian
Moderator
Post Number: 407
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 9:46 am: |
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Yes, the tump is THE portage tool at Keewaydin and Wabun camps, and possibly at Camp Temagami. I also see a number of other folks with wannigans around Temagami using it, though some of those just take a short canvas strap and nail it to opposite sides. I wrote about the traditional carrying method and included diagrams and photos in The Keewaydin Way. |
canoebear
Member
Post Number: 245
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 7:12 pm: |
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Hey Brian,
Hav a mind to head further East 1 day
to catch a glimpse of that carry practice
portagers be engaged in, thanks. |
paul_hammersten
Member
Post Number: 200
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 4:32 pm: |
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canoebear...as I review the damage to my body because of canoeing and portaging I am glad early on I was introduced to styrofoam pads secured to the middle thwart under which I slipped the paddle blades.
Here is a diagram without the pads:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/j.pledger/misc/tump.htm
The lump/deposit of calcium on the back of my neck/shoulder would be twice the size otherwise!
Best
Paul |
canoebear
Member
Post Number: 246
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 6:48 pm: |
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"Tha Immence Severe Carren Place"
Autumn Falls leaf color brilliance be spender
along tha NE shores" of Superiors Chippewa's
water woods culture.
A rugged region composed of wind blown lakes,
serene moose ponds, sum falls, beaver tail creeks dammed-up, proddable river rapids &
poor portage paths in tha ruff.
Carren canoe in remoteness admist obstacles
on achen shoulders fer a great stretch isn't my past-time pick.
Isn't just tha weight of packsack + canoe
setten on yer shoulders, it be time tha
weight Bears load on my, now sore worn-down
shoulders.
I like tha notion of tumpline set-up
with my many water-proof army surplus duffle bags.
Good idea, hall now I'll be able to wolf-trot
Heya Paul!
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paul_hammersten
Member
Post Number: 201
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 5:08 pm: |
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Re: ' the wolf-trot ' :
An old song goes - " ...it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got tell it's gone. "
Try to plan your trips in order to have the time to split your carries into two crossings.
Portage trails are something of value.
Carry your pack over first and then the canoe.
Look for those natural ' V's ' made by the tree and it's limb above.
Take time to fit the bow of your canoe in the ' V ' and rest.
Listen to the ' Silence of the North '.
What The North leaves unsaid in such moments is of greater importance than that which it says.
Oh! - to once again be on the trail - I want to know more what the North has left unsaid. This is the vital key of our relationship.
Hoping to figure out this sizing business on the computer and post my painting THE CROSS OF THE NORTH.
Best
The Turtle |
canoebear
Member
Post Number: 248
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 7:35 am: |
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eavesdroppen!
'Tis unspoken fall quiet that blanket covers tha untamed NE, summons forth its October winds, white-cap lake waters along with waveren woods of density muffled absorbent, which keeps things a quiet, among wanderen look-alive wildlife about.
'Tis not tha sound-out echo missen, but rather tha away-off diversion lid-on mix. It be tha listen-in that falls onto 'tis beautiful Canadian Back Country of a witness stop-over.
It be much pleasen to look at, too quiet-downed to hear/or think about its peaceful button-up beauty.
Speechless backwoods forcast causes passen-by canoe portager to lend an ear to all tha clam-up,
Heya Paul!
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paul_hammersten
Member
Post Number: 203
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 6:38 pm: |
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Ah yes! canoebear, Northwoods blanket.
Best
Paul |
shiellb
Member
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 28, 2005 - 1:53 pm: |
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Leave the portage and camp signs in the parks further south! A major part of the enjoyment of canoeing is reading the land and your map. The gps I carry is used to show me what I already know...that I'm hopeless lost again |
gudwulf
Member
Post Number: 16
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, November 28, 2005 - 10:12 pm: |
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I agree... the only time I was truly lost was on a fall trek with my brother in Wisconsin two years ago when hurricane remnants came through fully confusing the sky watch.
The canoeing maps of the Temagami area are so detailed, you can find your access points with or without a GPS if you just take a little time to }"read" the shorelines. Have never yet been ~lost~ in the back country. What a wonderful place! |
doug_2
Member
Post Number: 89
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 5, 2005 - 9:22 pm: |
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The only thing that bothers me about having "no" portage signs is that some people start cutting and or blazing their own trails when they miss the real portage. I've seen lots of places where this has happens in Temagami. It happens for sure but maybe not as much now with GPS, for those that use it. Maybe there could be a case made for not using GPS on a Temagami canoe trip though. Thats a whole other topic. Undecided on that one....but with cell phones etc becoming an issue...maybe GPS too becomes a philosophical issue? Probably...I'm thinking...
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Canoeing and camping 
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