Quote:
>Subject: Re: INFO REQUEST: N.Ont.Canoeing
>Date: 11 Oct 1994 16:38:30 GMT
>Kao) writes:
>> I am considering a canoe trip in Northern Ontario next
>> summer with a few friends. We are all fairly experienced
>> flat water canoeists, but have no white water experience.
>> "stuff deleted"
I missed the original post on this, but I see useful notes from others.
I, too, paddled the upper section of the Missinaibi a couple of years
ago. It was beautiful and there is much to recommend it. Just a few
points that I haven't seen mentioned yet...
1. The outfitter from whom we rented our canoes had participated the
previous summer in a body recovery from a hydraulic in a rapid near
Mattice. If you don't understand this, take a whitewater course.
2. The river is not as wild as you might imagine. Walk into the bush
at most points for a couple of hundred meters and you will find clear-
cut land. Laws forbid clearcutting within sight of the river, but
the lack of animal habitat nearby seriously limits the amount of large
wildlife you are likely to find.
3. It was mentioned that there are some 1700 people going through in
a year. Wow! I had no idea it was so many. But figure it out...
If there are 120 days (June to Sept) during which the river is used,
that's roughly 15 people a day passing any given spot. Of course, lots
of people do only the upper or the lower section, but then most do
so in July and August.
4. So there is a lot of traffic and not much really wild wilderness (at
least in the upper section), which leads to my last (negative) points.
Many of the campsites are in truly appalling condition. People have
crapped everywhere, and some sites are strewn with toilet paper and
used women's sanitary products. Really ugly. Finally, you may find
yourself in competition for campsites. We hop-skotched with a couple
of other groups for most of our 10 days on the river and nobody
found it easy to get very friendly because of the competition for camp
sites.
5. Oh yeah, one last point. One of our members got injured (back)
and we had to get him to hospital in Mattice and cancel the last half
of the trip. Point one, be prepared for this type of scenario (you
might have to do all the gear-carrying and portaging and paddling).
Point 2, watch your gear in Mattice. Some kids pissed in our water
bottles (c'mon, don't laugh) and stole our fishing gear and a paddle.
Forewarned is forearmed....
Rae
easy to be friendly