Share your experiences about trips you did, ask for info about trips you dream about...
Our group of whitewater trippers from Wisconsin (U.S.) have done the Spanish (Biscotaising to Lake Agnew) and the Missinaibi ( Peterbell to Mattice) in Ontario and are looking for another challenge for 2017. We run with tandem canoes and are quite experienced, also having done the Dumoine and Noire Rivers in Quebec. Any suggestions?
CreditRiver March 26th, 2016
Links died
SATURDAY March 26, 2016 - 1:00 PM START
Shape
Start: Below broken dam above Barbertown Road. Follow Culham trail north from the
Portico Community Church. Follow signs.
Finish: The footbridge in Erindale Park (north side of Dundas St. West, first entrance just
east of Mississauga Rd.) Awards handed out at this location.
Course: 10 km of Class I - II rapids.
Classes: K-1 Long, K-1 Jr Long, K-1 Women, K-1 Rec., K-1 Jr , Masters, C-1 Open,
C-2 Open, Adult & Child (Long = wildwater racing kayaks)
Cost: $15.00 per person;
Shape
Registration: Saturday 10am - Noon at Culham Trail Parkette, Barbertown Road.
Info: Linda Reiche 905-793-9970 x 223 (work) or 905-862-3157 (home)
e-mail : linda.reiche@hubergroup.com
Harold Van Winssen 613-848-6209
e-mail: hvanwinssen@tmlegal.ca
Call Harold at 905-848-6209 on Friday March 25th for Credit “go” or Credit “no” or Credit “alternate start” information.
Humber River April 2nd 2016
We are pleased to be involved in sponsoring the 39th Annual Humber River Downriver Race. Please note this race involves whitewater up to grade 2 and cold, rocky and possibly dangerous conditions.
Start
The start is anticipated to be Saturday 1 pm April 2, 2016 under the Islington Bridge at the bottom of Rowntree Mill Park. Parking at Irene Risk Centre. Ice has required us to get anew date.
Directions
Irene Rick Centre is north side of Finch at Islington Avenue.
Finish
The finish is at Dee Avenue, just south of Highway 401, west off of Weston Road.
Length
The length of the race is approximately 11 kilometres.
Classes
The classes are as follows:
Open Canoe (C-2) Maximum length 17 ft.
Open Canoe (C-2 - Adult and
Child)The child must be under 16. Maximum length - 16 ft.
Open Canoe Singles (C-1)Maximum length of canoe - 16 ft.
Other Open Canoe Classes(Womens, Mixed, Masters
as numbers permit)
Kayaks Slalom/Recreational(Womens, Mens, Jr. Women & Jr. Men as numbers permit)
Kayaks - Wildwater/DownriverWomens, Mens, Jr. Men & Jr. Women as numbers permit)
There must be a minimum of three entries per class.
Registration
Registration is $15.00 per person.
Registration
Alternate Contact
Harold Van WinssenEd Winacott
22 Georgian CourtBox 136, R. R. #2
Belleville, OntarioPefferlaw, Ontario
K8N 5R3L0E 1N0
Ph. (613)966-2620
Cell 613-848-6209Ph. (705) 437-2425
Fax (613) 966-2866
email - hvw@tmlegal.caemail - barnmusic73@hotmail.com
Moira River April 17th 2016
1 PM
Registration is from 11 am to 12:30 at the start
Classes:
Open Canoe; Single and tandem ( we will run additional classes if there is demand)
Recreational Kayaks; Men, women, junior men and women, cadet men and women
Wildwater Kayaks and Canoes: Men, women, junior and cadet, C-1 and C-2
A minimum of three boats for a class
Entries; $15 per person
Mail;
Harold Van Winssen
22 Georgian Court
Belleville, Ont
K8N 5R3
Email; hvw@tmlegal.ca
613-966-2620
613-848-6209
Water:
Generally Grade 2 with some easy grade 3 in high water
Start/Finish
The start is at the Chisholm Dam. Take Hwy #37 North form the #401 at Belleville or south from #7. In Roslin which is about 20 kilometers from the 401 and 30 k from #7 turn east on Shannonville Road and follow it about 2 km until it crosses the river at the start. The finish is at Latta on the west side just above the dam off Hwy #37
Jeff
Merry Christmas, and I am sorry for this very late urgent request I just received.
For those who don't don't know me I have been paddling for almost 50 years and am a former Sprint and White water National Champion. (70's and early 80's)
I am presently the Conservation chair for the Wilderness canoe Assoc. but still an active paddler.
This club could really use a written show of support on the major benefits of community based organizations.
Especially the more remote communities like blind river.
Thanks in advance for any support and please feel free to pass the information on.
Jeff McColl
Link to issue
Just got this message:
Hi all,
I don’t know whether you have heard, but the Algoma Paddlers have trouble with Town Council in Blind River and they could use our IMMEDIATE support.
Without consultation and with two weeks notice, they are being thrown out of the building where all their equipment is stored so that the Town can store two trucks. The building belongs to the Town; however, it was in bad shape before the Algoma Paddlers fixed it up at their own expense (reinforcing and fixing walls and doors, adding a sump pump, painting, etc.). They have to be out by December 24th and have no where else to store all their equipment! By the way, there is room for the trucks and the paddling equipment....but that wasn’t offered as an option by the Town.
I’ve written the attached letter and perhaps you would consider adding your voice in support before Monday evening’s Council meeting. Spread the word....
to provide support to email sue.jensen@blindriver.ca. She is Mayor
Sample letter (if you are not a member of the canoe club, tweek it)
December 12, 2015
Mayor and Council of the Town of Blind River
11 Hudson Street, P.O. Box 640
Blind River, ON
P0R 1B0
OPEN LETTER TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL – WITHOUT PREJUDICE
We are writing to express our dismay at the news that your Council has passed a resolution asking the Algoma Paddlers, with no consultation and at very short notice, to remove themselves and their equipment from a building which they refurbished at no expense to the Town.
Over the past two years, this group of your citizens have donated their time and materials to increase the value of this building to house three historically-significant Montreal canoes, plus trailers, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards etc.; more than $150,000 worth of equipment that supports Algoma Paddlers programming in your area.
The Algoma Paddlers (AP) has put Blind River on the map in the paddling community. They are well-associated with commercial outfitters and other paddling clubs across Ontario. This club has strong ties to the Barrie Canoe & Kayak Club. My husband and I are members of both Clubs. Because the Algoma Paddlers make their home in Blind River, paddlers like us visit, provision our trips in your stores, stay at your motels and support your restaurants. We come to participate in trips, voyageur re-enactments, community paddling events and to take instruction from provincially-qualified instructors.
The AP has built partnerships with First Nations communities on the North Shore by offering instruction to youth and re-enacting traditional journeys. This creates an opportunity for the Town to highlight the history of this beautiful area, and to build collaboration and partnerships with indigenous neighbours in keeping with provincial direction.
Your website says: Established in 1906, Blind River is an outdoor recreation hotspot on Lake Huron's North Channel at the mouth of the Blind River and the Mighty Mississauga River. Explore the many opportunities for fishing, hunting, boating and water sports, or the full range of winter and summer festivals that have put Blind River on the map as one of the "Top 50 Ontario Festivals". Supporting this club with a water-front facility, a place to store their equipment and run their programming (e.g., see Town website for summer youth camp opportunities) can only benefit the Town of Blind River. Their presence is an opportunity for you.
It is our hope that you will reconsider your decision to kick them out on Christmas Eve and take a more thoughtful, farsighted and collaborative approach. We understand there is enough room in this building for both AP equipment and Town equipment. Wouldn’t that be a more cooperative approach to protecting community assets?
Respectfully,
Topo Maps: The WCA connections you make are worth the price of admission.
Emmy Hendrickx, our membership secretary received an inquiry from Sandy Gage about some old topo maps. Sandy and a friend Jeremy Baumbach wanted to see if there is still life in them for another member to use. Emmy passed the email onto me and I met with Sandy for a coffee and conversation on our many canoe trips. Sandy and Jeremy passed on to me several topo maps to donate to any member of the WCA who is thinking of their next adventure down these rivers.
Some of the maps have trip information marked on them. Sandy Gage and Jeremy Baumbach might be able to add further information if asked too.
I have the following topo maps to donate if you have an adventure planned.
Spanish River
41 P/5 Westree, Sudbury, Ontario 1:50
41 P/4 Low Water lake, 1:50
41 I/13 Pogamasing, 1:50
41 I/12 Cartier, 1:50
41 I/15 Espanola, 1:50
French
41 H/15 Key Harbour, 1:50
41 I/2 Delamere, 1:50
Moose River
42 P/2 Bushy Island, 1:50
42 I/14 Moose River, 1:50
Missinaibi River & Mattagami River
42 I/12 Pickett Creek, 1:50
42 J/8 Wawa lakes, 1:50
Abitibi River & Mattagami River
42 I/5 Ranoke, 1:50
42 H/13 Fraserdale, 1:50
Mattagami River
42 J/1 Smoky Falls, 1:50
42 G/16 Bennet Lake, 1:50
42 H/12 Abimatinu River, 1:50 (Ground Hog River)
42 H/5 Smooth Rock Falls (Ground Hog River)
Canada Department of Mines and Technical Surveys
Sheet 31 E/N.E. Algonquin, Ontario, 1:126,720
Department of Lands and Forests
Map showing Exploration Routes through the Huron and Ottawa Territory between years 1615-1854
Topo
Algonquin Park
31 E/16E Lake Lavieille, 1:50 (Petawawa River)
Topo
105-O Niddery Lake (Yukon Territory & NWT) Hess River, 1:250
Thank you Sandy and Jeremy for donating the maps to future adventures in the WCA.
May be other members can post a list of maps they have to pass on to the WCA website.
I can bring them to the WCA wine and cheese event or hand them off somewhere else.
P.S.
I, Gary James, have had the Abitibi, Mattagami and Ground Hog River on my “To Do List” for a while. If anyone is planning or what’s to plan a trip on one or more of these rivers let me know.
gary.james@sympatico.ca
Really, really long post,
very pic heavy.
So here is a link to the report on myccr
http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=44451
Jeff
Go to the face book Page,
https://www.facebook.com/2015.SavetheWhiteWater?fref=ts
My Letter
Dear Minden Hills Council and Whitewater Ontario:
To say I am horribly disappointed on the way this story on the proposed Hydro Plant on the Gull River has evolved is an understatement.
This falls/rapid site has long been a tourist attraction for the Region and the loss of revenues to your community will be much greater than the small benefits that have been mentioned in the proposal that is now being tabled.
The loss of this easily accessible, valuable public asset that attracts not only a huge number of recreational paddlers, but fisherman, hikers and tourists that come to view the falls shows little foresight on how it will negatively affect the community as a whole.
My family first paddled this section of river in September 1969. We where given the information of this location from a Mrs. Reynolds who along with her husband ran the Esso and store on the southwest corner or Head Lake on Monck rd. on what used to be HWY. 503. Our family cottage was on Head Lake, and Mrs. Reyndolds was already in her 60’s then. She told us she lived in Minden as a little girl and her Father took her and their row boat by wagon up to the falls and ran down into Minden, and that was before the dam was put in that created Minden Lake.
So this falls/rapids has attracted people to this area a long time.
I not only raced in the Olympic trials in 1972 there but have also been a volunteer since day 1, from clearing brush to moving rocks and fallen trees from the river plus helping build the building along side Roger Parsons. My footprints, my fingerprints and sweat are all over the building and property along with a lot of others.
I have also put in more than 30 years as a club representative, an executive member and as Provincial Coach of what was then the Ontario Wild Water Affiliation and I am sure I can speak for the many others who gave from their hearts to the Minden Wild Water Preserve project that this proposed hydro project should not go forward.
At 60 years old now I am still involved in paddle sport, not only as a recreational paddler but also as the Conservation Chair of the Wilderness Canoe Association.
As their representative we are deeply troubled and concerned at the loss of the access and use of this valuable Community asset and Preserve.
We feel there is a much higher return to all the Community both financially and environmentally if the Preserve is maintained as an all around outdoor destination.
I sincerely hope that this weighs heavily on your decision.
Jeff McColl
Conservation Chair
Wilderness Canoe Association
http://www.wildernesscanoe.ca/
Link to two day trips you can do from Neys Prov. Park.
Wether you can no longer trip yourself or your partner has issues.
It is very nice to get to those wild places.
http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=44272
Jeff
The bucket list paddle.
The bucket list, most know the movie, and most people have such a list of things to do or places to go.
I have been paddling for almost 50 years now and have done and seen some amazing things on the water. I have won National titles in both whitewater and sprint canoeing. I have trained, competed against, paddled with and have been friends with the best in the world both racing and recreational paddlers.
I have paddled many great rivers and waters around the world. I have paddle some great first descents and rapids that are on many peoples list such as the Skookumchuck Narrows in BC. And have paddled among huge icebergs in Newfoundland/Labrador.
There are many places I would like to go, but there is one that has been on the “list” for a long time and this will shock a lot of people that know “paddling” me.
We take you back to 1976, fastest in the Country in Downriver racing and most of my paddling is leaning to the “big” side of the scale.
We were traveling to the Nationals in Alberta when just to the west of Marathon Ontario, Highway 17, the Trans Canada makes a fairly sharp turn to the west around a small Boreal lake, nestled into a beautiful mountain setting. The threatening clouds and darkening skies added to the depth and beauty of this lake.
Right then and there, I said I had to paddle this lake!
I have been to Northern Ontario many times since then but had not been able to stop and paddle here for a variety of reasons.
So this year I knew we where going up to Northern Ontario for two weeks at the end of July so the plan was to definitely go and paddle this pretty little Boreal lake named “Wolf Camp Lake” on the maps.
Not much has changed on this lake from when I first saw it except there is now a microwave tower on top of the big hill at the north end. There is a little dirt road that follows the east shore but you don’t really see it from the lake.
Access is really easy as there is a turn off and parking area right beside the lake when you get off the highway and there is little sign that it gets used very much and there are no camps or cottages on the lake.
So for 39 years this lake has been in the back of my mind, that I should paddle it, why? I don’ know, but I will Share with you what I found.
Once we were ready to paddle and the boat was off and on the edge of the lake we gave a gift of tobacco to Mother Earth and the Lake.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YuNvLYd10OR0ZTKaF8iD7NMTjNZETYmyP…
My paddling roots run very deep in Northern Ontario, my Father worked on the Algoma Central railway after WWII and was partnered with a First Nations member who taught in paddle and bush skills, which has led to my life long love affair with paddling, so this gesture was more than appropriate.
As we move through the reeds to open water an Eagle circled overhead and cried out…. Very cool indeed.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/akS7XAfJ7blTzTZObpdNm9MTjNZETYmyP…
My wife Anne joined me for this pilgrimage, since I have been talking about this lake since we took the kids up for the Sault – Thunderbay loop 20 years ago.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FkNoP_qY_vtcFHwj8EPSzdMTjNZETYmyP…
We paddled along the east shore heading north, there was a small little island and the shoreline rises gently for a short distance then raised very steeply helping give that lake in the mountains effect.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6hTXU0nZBl6G2Qj3IMSsb9MTjNZETYmyP…
There was a nice wind blowing, not too strong, but enough to keep the bugs at bay as we slowly made are way along the shore. When we got to the north shore there was a tiny lagoon was a small stream flowed in and we were given this terrific view looking towards Hwy. 17
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zrvMd9jfYC-VI-ZwEt-hNtMTjNZETYmyP…
This end of the lake was definitely the “high end” beach strip/
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YRQeeW0cZx3MfYnWFEui0tMTjNZETYmyP…
This end of the lake has a little turn in it and you only hear the sounds of the wind as we paddled in some more reeds.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LtVaqmUGfL2eFI1lgz4vztMTjNZETYmyP…
As you paddle the south only the west shore the cliffs rise out of the water.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rb6zhopqYoZOhu-xuhAda9MTjNZETYmyP…
It is beautifully rugged and it feels you are being watched from the hills.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dHZQYCH4SYS9phwvaE7NZ9MTjNZETYmyP…
Looking at the eastern hills and shore.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZaSvmkBb7Z6lKek_46fSq9MTjNZETYmyP…
Another small stream enters the lake towards the south end.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NtMjncN3ycNqGIVW-0dibNMTjNZETYmyP…
Looking north from the southwest shore.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MZi7HX_e8FnfLhvIAQiRzdMTjNZETYmyP…
So what did I find?
A beautiful peaceful place to paddle on one Northern Ontario’s Boreal lakes.
What did I expect to happen?
That I don’t know, in the beginning there was just whisper in the back of my head that I should paddle there, but there where no visions or secret messages.
There was though a great sense of peace and relaxation, but that I have felt whenever I paddle and camp.
So maybe that is the message to share what I have found so others and also find these wonderful places.
Wolf Camp Lake, if you go here or any other special place to you, make sure you leave it for others as you found it.
I am planning a Kopka River trip starting May 27, 2015.
Would appreciate any trip reports or other information if available.
I would start at Beagle Lake off the railroad, work my way down to the Kopka and then follow the Kopka to the Bukemiga landing off Highway 527.
Any information would be welcome.
