Little Churchill River

Submitted by admin on Sat, 09/28/2013 - 05:30
Canada›Manitoba›North
Submitter & Author Information
Route submitted by: 
Rick Bergmann
Trip Date : 
Additional Route Information
Distance: 
65 km
Duration: 
4 days
Loop Trip: 
No
Portage Information
No. of portages: 
4
Total Portage Distance: 
0 m
Longest Portage: 
0 m
Difficulty Ratings
River Travel: 
Novice
Lake Travel: 
Novice
Portaging: 
Easy
Remoteness: 
Advanced
Background Trip Info
Water Levels: 
Unknown
Route Description
Technical Guide: 

July 1, 2012Drove to Thompson, Mb. Boarded float plane, dropped 2 canoes & 4 men into Recluse Lake. Four days on water, approx 65 km to pick up point.

Trip Journal/Log/Report/Diary: 

Father & son(s) annual canoe trip brought us to the Little Churchill River July 2012.
Four days on the water, approx 65 km to pick up point.
Very cool nights, very hot days.
No float planes ever flew overhead. No other canoes or people along the entire route.
Mild current & easy swifts. A shallow river system, gravel river bottom.
Water level approx 24" above normal.
River width approx. 200' - 500'
Sun rose at 4:00a.m. & set at 11:00 p.m. but never really got dark at night.
Bug repellent critical.
Relatively warm water with tanins.
Ran into no other humans, true seclusion.

Other
Special Comments: 

Wildlife:
Lots of moose.
Spotted no bears.
Struggled to land pickeral & northern's for each supper.
Wolf country.
Rabbits, beaver, otter, birds.
Perfect land for hooved animals that enjoy the new deciduous growth.

Special Note: The tall glacial eskers are amazing.
The land is loaded with caribou & moose antlers.
Interesting to see the different stages of natural regrowth from the numberous forest fires that have occured over the decades.

Tips:
Although I would rate this a beginners river for canoeists, one needs to be an outdoorsman for this dense shoreline. It is not granite precambrian shield land. There are no established tent sites, must create your own so bring tools to clear tent sites as it was a challenge in the thick growth.

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