Route des Montagnais

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 10/13/2012 - 16:46
Canada›Quebec›07 Lower St Lawrence, N Shore
Submitter & Author Information
Route submitted by: 
Brian Traverse
Trip Date : 
Additional Route Information
Distance: 
355 km
Duration: 
14 days
Loop Trip: 
No
Portage Information
No. of portages: 
27
Total Portage Distance: 
39 m
Longest Portage: 
8 m
Difficulty Ratings
River Travel: 
Intermediate
Lake Travel: 
Intermediate
Portaging: 
Difficult
Remoteness: 
Advanced
Background Trip Info
Water Levels: 
Low
Route Description
Technical Guide: 

In the ancient times, the Sept-Îles Montagnais Indiens used this route to hunt caribou. They adventured on this route upto Petatstekupau, known today as Shefferville. When the spring came along, they came back down to Sept-Îles ending in the Moisie Rivier. Fauther Louis Babel, o.m.i. used this route during his evangilistic mission from 1866 to 1872. He left us a few hand drawn maps and notes that we used in planning our expedition.

Trip Journal/Log/Report/Diary: 

The present maps that we have draw the route from Lake Ashuanipi to Sept-Îles. It is the most difficult part of the total route, but by far the most beautiful and diversified scenary. The canoeists have to change a few times hydrographique bassins leaping from one river to another and portaging between lakes to avoid the many dangerous rapids. The most spectacular portage is the one to the region of Lake Kakatiak. In total, you will portage 9,4 kilomètres allowing you to avoid the spectacular canyon that plunges us 1150 feet to the bottom of the canyon. It is THE expedition if you want to relive the seasonal migration of the Montgnais people.

Maps Required
Other Maps: 
I tried, unsuccessfully, to upload a few maps... I have hand drawn maps to all those interested.<br />
Other
Special Comments: 

From Sept-Îles to Shefferville, the navigated the fallowing waterways : the Moisie River, the Nipsisses River right to it's source, the Matinipi Rivier before portaging to the Caopacho River. Another portage allows us to cross the water line, where the water starts running north. There the Esquimaux River brings us through Lake Ashuanipi, to the Menihek River and finally Lake Menihek carries us to Shefferville

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Comments

Post date: Mon, 02/04/2019 - 18:01

Email: 
greeneradventures@gmail.com
Comments: 

Hey Brian, 

 

I would love to see the maps of this!  

Did you actually paddle this route upriver to Schefferville?  Incredible.  

I am also very interested in the traditional route bypassing the canyons on the Romaine. Going up the St. Jean, Romaine to Lac Brule, crossing over into Labrador via the Atikonak Lake/River, Unknown lake (Ossokmanuan L), into the Unknown river, Churchill.  I know J.B. Tyrrell did this following traditional routes from Goose Bay to the St. Lawrence.  Would be one hell of a trip!

Thanks,

Dave Greene