Matagamasi Lake to Kukagami Lake
Submitted by admin on Fri, 11/13/2009 - 08:18
Submitter & Author Information
Additional Route Information
Portage Information
Difficulty Ratings
Background Trip Info
Route Description Technical Guide:
Start at the public access at Matagamasi Lake on Kukagami Road, north off highway 17, east of Sudbury.
Paddle north on Lake Matagamasi.
Turn northeast into McCarthy Bay and paddle nearly to the top of the bay.
Portage about 350 m into Golden Lake from a marshy bay at 368871.
Cross Golden Lake and portage at 374869 into Colin Scott Lake, about 200 m.
Paddle across to the portage at 381860 into Donald Lake, about 200 m.
Travel south on Donald Lake and portage at 374797 into Kukagami Lake, about 1000 m. The portage starts at the right side of the bay, not as shown on topo maps.
Paddle to the southwest bay and take out at or near Sportsman Lodge at 318742.
Other Special Comments:
We used this route as an extension to the Chiniguchi Lake/Laura Creek Route and did not paddle the length of McCarthy Bay.
Colin Scott Lake is an astonishing turquoise colour.
We found, or were told of, campsites at these coordinates: Matagamasi Lake, 297803 and others towards the end of the bay. Donald Lake, 379851, 373848, 375821, 380817. Kukagami Lake, 338806, 349798, 355788. We saw no useable campsites south of the narrows of Kukagami Lake.
The scenery on this route is superb.
There are a few places to park along the road at Kukagami Lake for a vehicle shuttle. Our request to park at Sportsman Lodge was evidently a novelty; one should call beforehand.
Comments
Watch out for the local gasoline thieves who will siphon your car's tank while you're paddling. Free go-juice for their ATVs.
Sportsman's Lodge is under new ownership, and is friendly toward canoers. They are open to parking and shuttleing. Call 705-853-4434.
The government dock on Matagamasi Lake is gone. A better put in, not in a housing development, is two kilometers north at the first water crossing. There is better parking and no shuttleing, whatever that is, will be needed.