View topic - Serpent-Berens 2008 Video

This post is a bit of an update on the Serpent/ Berrens route.
We did it in June of 2008 then produced this short film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgLocB2jsw
It’s about 35 minutes long, broke up into 4 parts.
Despite the conditions of the portages it is a great trip for those with experience.

Mark

Mark I split this from the main topic so this fantastic video trip report can stand on it's own.

Good to see Albert and Kelly were right on top of things with the take out issue.

Was it just the two of you in solo boats?

I notice you dragged the canoes more than carried them, were they royalex?

Are you ready to talk about the swim yet?

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Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal--wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth.

I’m glad you liked the film.

We would have liked to have carried the canoes on our shoulders but with all the deadfall we had to push over or drag under it was easier to just drag them. Royalex has always been our material of choice, it’s heavy but we can always count on it holding up to just about anything. We also prefer paddling solos. We have much more freedom and independence that way, although when mistakes are made I only have myself to blame. No, I’m still not ready to talk about it.

At the time we used Goldseekers for a shuttle Albert’s neighbor Keith owned it. I had talked to Albert long before our trip; he also was under the impression that Nungesser Road was still passable. I guess we all learned something that day. Now there are trees 3-4 inches in diameter that have completely taken over the roadway, at least for the two miles that we walked from the takeout point till we were greeted by the gentleman on the quad. He was even having a heck of a time getting through; Merri and I actually had to help him clear some of the deadfall out of the way so he could give us a lift back to our canoes. I’m not sure what the name of the small stream is that we were towed up to reach the road, I do know that I probably wouldn’t be able to spot it on my own. Its mouth was pretty well hidden.

All and all it was a great trip. Very remote, other than a couple of fishing resorts on a couple of the larger lakes. We saw moose all day everyday, along with all the usually seen critters. Unfortunately we never saw any caribou, there was always the feeling that there were eyes on us though, but when ever we turned to look all we saw were branches moving, and the sound of leaves rustling.

This is definitely a trip for those with some experience. There are no cleared campsites, but there are plenty of flat spots big enough to set up a tent or two. The portages aren’t marked, except for an occasional grown over axe blaze. Most of the rapids, at least up on the Serpent were “must runs”, portaging and lining is just too difficult. I guess all the difficulties and hardships along this route make it one of my favorites; my wife may disagree.

Mark

Wow.

Thanks so much for putting all the effort into creating this video TR. Talk about "feels like being there"!



Barbara

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