View topic - Month Long Canoe Trip Suggestions?

My wife and I are looking to do a month-long canoe trip from about July 20 to August 20. The goal is to maximize the wildlife viewing and eliminate (to the extent possible) human contact. Ideally it would be somewhere where we could drive most of the way and then portage in (therfore allowing us to use our own gear and avoid the cost of a flight which would push the edge of our budget.)

Does anyone have any suggestions? We'd be heading up from the Minneapolis, MN area.

Brian

Brian try here:

http://www.se.gov.sk.ca/saskparks/canoe/
documented canoe routes for SK.

Ask here: http://www.churchillrivercanoe.com/
Ric Driediger as his staff are a wealth of knowledge.

Expect a long days drive to N SK, La Ronge/ Missinpe area from Winnipeg.

Hope this helps;
Hugh

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
M.T.

The Churchill is your best bet for a month-long trip (did three weeks myself last year). You might want to look at Ile-a-la-Crosse as your jumping off point. The upper Churchill is far less traveled and busy than the section below Black Bear Island Lake. The Haultain Marsh just west of Dipper Lake is a haven for water birds, otter, beaver and more.

There are usually good portages around rapids and a number of great camp sites along the way. As you get further down river, closer to Otter Rapids, you will run into more fishing parties. (we won't even talk about the annoying jet boat that runs up and down Otter Rapids) but in 15 years of canoeing on the Churchill I have always been able to find secluded camp sites and quiet sections of lake and river off the beaten path.

You can follow the river all the way to Sandy Bay, or leave the Churchill at Nistowiak Falls and take the Rapid River to Lac La Ronge. La Ronge is huge lake and there are lost of islands and bays in the north end. The weather can come up sometimes, so be ready to be winded out.

If you cache your vehicle in La Ronge you can hire a taxi to drive you to Ile-a-la-Crosse for substantially less than airfare.

You’ll find Laurel Archer’s book “Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips invaluable. It has detailed navigation notes; suggest camp site and information on the history of the river and the First Nations people. Well worth the price.

Hope this helps – who knows, might run into you this summer.

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JD

If you have a 4x4 you can drive to the community of Black Lake, paddle along the north shore of Black Lake to the Chipman portage, take it up to Selwryn Lake then come back down the Porcupine River which meets the very end of the Fon Du Lac. You would then paddle the south shore of Black Lake back to the community of Black Lake (35km) and drive home. The whole thing could be done in a month. I have not done this trip but I have researched it quite a bit and plan on doing this as part of a longer trip in a couple years. I know one thing for sure is that it is very heard (portaging and rapids) however it is probably the most remote route in N Sak, you would skim the N.W.T. border. If you don't have it already get Laurel Archers book. The trip I described can be seen in entirety on the 1:25000 topo 74P

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http://www.canoebeyond.com

Hi,
By now you may have your trip all planned, if not, here is my suggestion. Drive north of La Ronge to Missinipe or Stanley Mission.
From either you start your trip down Churchill to Reindeer River. Then up Reindeer River (mostly lake, practically no current) to Wapiskau River, then up Wapiskau to Brabant Lake. Same thing, not much current to go against, several short portages around beautiful falls.
From Brabant go south through Setti, Kemp and few other lakes back to Churchill (Mountain Lake) and to Stanley or Missinipe to close your loop. If you enjoy driving on gravel you can also park your vehicle at McLennan Lake campground and do this loop (slightly longer) from there. You'll see people on Churchill up to Keg Lake, then it should be pretty empty, maybe again boat or two on Reindeer, and then Brabant.
Not many goes between Brabant and Churchill and even less on Wapiskau. The route is technically easy, and doesn't have any super long portages (all below 1km), yet through beautiful country and never very far from civilization. For good route descriptions go to http://www.canoesaskatchewan.rkc.ca/skroute.htm , routes # 32, 33, 34. Very good site if you don't know it yet.

Hope you'll have a great trip!