View topic - Thlewiaza River

Hi. I am wondering if anyone on here has paddled the Thlewiaza River, particularly in recent years? I am particularly interested to hear about the stretch from Kasmere Lake to Nueltin Lake. Are there any serviceable portages, or would it be the choice between running the rapids and serious bush wacking? Thanks
-Steve

I paddled the Thlewiaza in 2005 from Fort Hall Lake to the Bay and Churchill. Definitely not recent, but hopefully still somewhat relevant. Hap Wilson's guide was pretty accurate and useful. Between Kasmere and Nueltin, we portaged twice-once at the rapid Hap called a "class IV chasm" at around 310 km in his guidebook and then again at Nahilin Falls at the entrance to Nueltin. All of the remaining rapids we either ran, lined or waded. The river was running high-it was late June/early July. One of the more significant series of rapids on this stretch is between Graves and Sucker Lakes. There are three distinct pitches here, the middle of which has a portage marked in Hap's book. We ran the first and third pitches, but waded the middle one. We did not see or look for the portage at the middle pitch, but I read a more recent report that said they looked and did not find it. There is another portage marked in Hap's guide around the "boulder garden plus" right below the "class IV chasm" already mentioned. This was a steep mine field of boulders and pitches that we waded. The surrounding forest was burned a few years before we paddled the river, I'm not sure the portage still exists. Overall, I enjoyed this stretch of the river, there is a lot of interesting history. We had decent fishing for lake trout and northerns, especially once we got to Nueltin. I would be happy to answer any more questions if you have them.

Downes did the Thlewiaza River in '39. I did the Thlewiaza River in the 80s/90s. Following his notes downriver was like reliving his and his friend John's experience.

Kasmere's grave - sleeping Island - gone now