Jarvis Township Circle Route

Submitted by admin on Fri, 11/13/2009 - 07:41
Canada›Ontario›Lake Superior basin
Submitter & Author Information
Route submitted by: 
Admin
Trip Date : 
Route Author: 
Unknown
Additional Route Information
Distance: 
25 km
Duration: 
3 days
Loop Trip: 
Yes
Portage Information
No. of portages: 
16
Total Portage Distance: 
5500 m
Longest Portage: 
750 m
Difficulty Ratings
River Travel: 
Novice
Lake Travel: 
Not applicable
Portaging: 
Moderate
Remoteness: 
Novice
Background Trip Info
Water Levels: 
Unknown
Route Description
Technical Guide: 

Start/Finish at unmaintained public access point at north end of Northland Lake
South through Northland Lake
P 700m into White Birch Lake
[Now on the "circle"; route below listed in clockwise direction]
South through White Birch Lake
P 175m into unnamed beaver pond (#1)
Southeast through beaver pond (#1)
P 350m into Clearwater Lake
Southeast through Clearwater Lake
P 175m into unnamed beaver pond (#2)
Southeast through beaver pond (#2)
P 325m into wetland stream
South on stream to Crooked Lake
West through Crooked Lake
P 75m into Christman Lake
Southwest through Christman Lake
P 75m into small-unnamed lake (#1)
West through unnamed lake (#1)
P 500m into Weashkog Lake
West through Weashkog Lake
P 75m into small-unnamed lake (#2)
South through unnamed lake (#2)
P 175m into small-unnamed lake (#3)
Northwest through unnamed lake (#3)
P 275m into Reserve Lake
(Alternate Route from Weashkog Lake to Reserve Lake:

P 500m into unnamed lake (#4) (along ATV trail)

West through unnamed lake (#4)

P 350 m into Reserve Lake

Northwest through Reserve Lake
P 600m into Kaufman Lake
North through Kaufman Lake
P 750m into Jarvis Lake
East through Jarvis Lake
P 500m into Phelben Lake
Northeast through Phelben Lake
P 50m into White Birch Lake
East through White Birch Lake
[Circle complete]
P 700m into Northland Lake
North through Northland Lake
Start/Finish at unmaintained public access point at north end of Northland Lake

Trip Journal/Log/Report/Diary: 

Condition of Portage Trails:
P 700m Northland Lake into White Birch Lake (trail clean; mainly follows ATV trail; moderate changes in elevation)
P 175m White Birch Lake into unnamed beaver pond (#1) (trail clean; level)
P 350m unnamed beaver pond (#1) into Clearwater Lake (trail clean; moderate change in elevation; campsite at Clearwater Lake)
P 175m Clearwater Lake into unnamed beaver pond (#2) (trail clean; level)
P 325m unnamed beaver pond (#2) into wetland stream (trail flagged but needs clearing; can be bypassed through wetland and numerous small beaver dams; once cleared this trail will keep the feet dry and protect the stream wetland)
P 75m Crooked Lake into Christman Lake (trail clean; level)
P 75m into Christman Lake small-unnamed lake (#1) (trail needs cleaning; level)
P 500m small-unnamed lake (#1) into Weashkog Lake (trail flagged but needs cleaning)
P 75m Weashkog Lake into small-unnamed lake (#2) (trail flagged but needs clearing)
P 175m small-unnamed lake (#2) into small-unnamed lake (#3) (anticipated location; trail will need clearing)
P 275m small-unnamed lake (#3) into Reserve Lake (trail flagged but needs clearing)
(Alternate Route from Weashkog Lake to Reserve Lake:
P 500m into unnamed lake (#4) (along ATV trail; trail needs some cleaning)
P 350 m into Reserve Lake (trail clean)
P 600m Reserve Lake into Kaufman Lake (trail clean; mainly follows ATV trail)
P 750m Kaufman Lake into Jarvis Lake (trail clean; mainly follows ATV trail)
P 500m Jarvis Lake into Phelben Lake (trail clean)
P 50m Phelben Lake into White Birch Lake (trail clean; campsite)

Maps Required
Topo Maps (1:50,000): 
41 K/9
Other Maps: 
41 K/NE Prov. Series Map
Other
Special Comments: 

This route is said to have reasonable brook trout fishing.

Almost the entire route is contained on Crown land.

The hardwood forest of Jarvis Township was ravaged by logging in the mid 1970`s and many of the original portage trails where obliterated. The resulting natural regeneration has resulted in a healthy young hardwood forest of yellow birch and maple, which is intermixed with a number of older trees. As of 2000, some of the portage trails need to be reestablished, others now partially follow logging trails and many are used in the winter as snowmobile trails.

Many of the smaller lakes and ponds on this route owe their existence to beaver. Care should be taken not to disturb or damage an existing beaver dam, as lower water levels will increase the overall number, length and difficulty of portages upstream of the dam.

Don McGorman
mcgormd@hotmail.com

»