Route:
Date: July 22-26, 2016
People: Wayne, Samantha, Steve, & Sue
Water Level: high
Length: 70 km, Days: 4
Dividing Lake is accessed from Dividing Lake Road, off of Hwy 144, 2 km
north of Hwy 560.
At the end of the road, turn left to access the MNR access. Parking is
available.
Poplar Point is located off of Old Gogama Road. There is plenty of parking
here.
Maps:
41 P/5 Westree; 41 P/12 Gogama; 41 O/9 Opeepeesway Lake; 41 P/13 Mattagami
Lake
Dividing Lake Lodge
Owner Dan and brother Don
were a big help. Contact regarding camping on your first night, car shuttles,
and leaving your vehicle. Very nice people.
Dividinglakelodge@hotmail.com
Last year, in the Gogama area, we paddled two
of the so called “Lost Canoe Routes”; the West Montreal River and the Nabakwasi
River. This spring we paddled the Tatachikapika River. Staying in the Gogama
area, this summer we decided on 4 M Circle or Dividing Lake route. It is
another lost canoe route and therefore, we had no idea what we would encounter
as far as portages and campsites were concerned. Another adventure awaited.
There are a few options for this route
varying from 4 to 6 days. We settled on a 4 day route that would take us from
Dividing Lake to Poplar Point in Gogama. The route is through a series of lakes
connected by creeks. My daughter Samantha and our friends, Steve and Sue, would
be the crew to tackle this route.
We left early on the morning of Friday, July 22 for the long
drive to Gogama. We stopped at the Onaping Falls rest area. It gives some
beautiful views of spectacular Onaping Falls and even a couple of geocaches. We
arrived at Dividing Lake at 2 pm, did our shuttle to Poplar Point, and were on
the water by 3:30pm.
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| Put-in at Dividing Lake. |
In our excitement to get started, the map was
read wrong and we headed down a dead end bay. By the time we had retraced our
steps, we had lost an hour. We would be getting into camp late tonight.
We finally got our bearings and headed north for about a km before
turning west to the Mollie River.
Here we came to our first portage, P1 a 50 m
around a rapid. The portage looked very overgrown with downed trees so we
decided to track the canoes up the rapid. The water was high for this time of
year so the current was a little strong and it wasn’t long before we were up to
our thighs in water. It was a very hot day, so it was actually a pleasure to be
in the water to cool down.
Soon we were on our way again and came to our second
portage, P2 another 50 m around a rapid. As in the first, it looked easier to
track the canoes than to do the portage. On a hot day I would rather be in the
water than carrying on the portage. There was strong current again telling us
the water level was high for this time of year.
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| Wading up P2. |
This took us into Three Duck Lake. Our
original plan was to camp at the far north end of Three Duck Lake but after
paddling a short ways, we found an unmarked campsite on the east shore. Not
knowing if the other campsite even existed, and that it was already 6 pm, we
decided to stop. We will have extra miles to do tomorrow. The campsite was
pleasant for this type of route. Our tents were set up on a soft cushion of
blueberry bushes and there was plenty of room for the tarp and kitchen. It was
a very warm evening with NO bugs. We never used the bug tent and decided to sit
outside instead. By 9:30pm we were tired after a very long day and headed for
our tents.
We woke on Day 2 to another nice, sunny day,
a little cooler than yesterday. We were up and on the water by 9 am. Five
portages were scheduled for today. I was hoping we could wade a few of these. We
started the day by paddling to the end of Three Duck Lake. The campsite we were
hoping to stay at yesterday did exist on the north east shore. That gave us hope for
other campsites along the way. The campsite was very large and flat and at one
time must have been a field. It was now getting overgrown and would have to be
flattened to make it usable. I liked the campsite we had stayed at better than
this one.
At the top end of Three Duck Lake we came across an
abandoned road. This was an easy lift over into Wee Duck Lake, and a short
paddle to P3, a 325m into Bagsverd Lake. This portage is the longest of the
trip and straight forward.
P3 is 325 m and is the longest of the trip. There is a collapsed
cabin and room for a small campsite at
its beginning.
Part way along, there is a fork in the portage. Stay to the left.
Back in the boats, we made our way across Bagsverd Lake.
There is a large campsite on a island in the centre of the lake and a smaller
but nicer campsite on the north shore before Bagsverd Creek.
Heading up Bagsverd Creek we came to P4, a 35 m wade and P5,
a mandatory, but easy 50 m portage around a falls. This led us into Schist Lake,
a large lake with many islands and bays that I found to be very scenic. We did
not investigate any of the possible campsites on this lake.
To get to Shou Lake, we had to do P6, a 90 m portage that
takes you over the watershed divide. All water now will be running to the
Arctic Ocean. Hopefully now we can run down some rapids instead of wading up them.
The entrance to the portage is at the end of a weedy bay and is hard to find.
We had to stand in the canoe to see the portage and then plow through some tall
grassed to get to it. The portage, though short, was tough with a few large
trees down. This caused some problems getting the boats and gear through.
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| Paddling the creek after P6. |
After the portage, we exited onto a small, meandering creek.
Luckily, we had high water and there was enough for us to meander our way until
it opened up into Shou Lake.
At the far end of Shou Lake was our last portage of the day.
The river was plugged with debris so P7 was mandatory but it was an easy 125 m.
Piece of cake.
It was getting late in the day and we were still trying to
make up distance lost from yesterday. We did not go down the east arm of Shou
Lake to investigate if the campsites are still there and what shape they are
in.
We started paddling along Wolf Lake heading to Somme Lake.
This is where we hoped to camp and it would put us back on schedule. We passed
some campsites on Wolf Lake that looked acceptable and really hoped the one we
were shooting for was there and decent.
As we paddled along the Somme River to Somme Lake we came
across 3 sets of rapids. There are no portages around these rapids and all
three were easy CI. In very low water, some of these may need to be lined.
Finally, at 6pm we arrived at the campsite on the west shore
of Somme Lake. The day had been long but the weather had been nice. We put up
camp, went for a swim, and got to work making dinner. The weather looked like
it would change for tomorrow so I was glad we had pushed on and made the extra
miles today.
Day 3 we awoke to clouds. It looked like it would be a wet
day. On the water at 9 am, we arrived to an interesting P8. Ahead of us we saw
4 culverts running under the road. Take either of the 2 left culverts. If the
water is very low, there is an easy portage on the left. Once through the culvert, you will see the portage
on the left. The portage is 40 m and bypasses an unrunnable set of rapids.
It was a short paddle across Neville Lake to P9. Though only
a 150 m portage, there were numerous blow downs that make this the worst
portage so far. There was a lot is struggling to get the canoe and gears across
all of the blow downs. There is a campsite on Neville Lake located on an island
in the middle.
Perseverance prevailed and soon we were on Mesomikenda Lake.
This is a very large lake running north-south. If we had followed the lake
south, we would have returned to Dividing Lake, via portages P10 and P11. This would be a good choice if
you were looking to do this route as a loop. The only campsite on Mesomikenda
Lake is located on an island as you enter the lake proper.
We crossed the lake heading east. Here we came across a
short portage, P12 50 m around a hydro dam. It also seemed a good place for
lunch. There is a geocache in this area, but it eluded us to find.
Just down river is P13, a 150 m portage around the rapid.
The rapid is a technical CII. The water was high giving a decent channel. Sam
and I ran the rapid and Steve and Sue decided against it and carried around on
the portage. From here there is very good current right to P14.
We were hoping to stay on the marked campsite on the south
side of Makami Lake. The day was getting long and we were getting tired. We
passed one potential campsite half way down the lake, but kept going. Arriving
at the end of Makimi Lake, the campsite we were looking for NEVER materialized.
There are now no more campsites marked on the map. We discussed this for a
while and decided to continue on hoping to find someplace suitable.
There is quite good current and if we weren’t so concerned where
we were going to sleep tonight we would have enjoyed the swifts much more. We
passed under the railway line and arrived at P14. Here we found home for the night. Not the best
campsite in the world but we made due. Just a short way along the portage there
was a spot for a couple of tents. We arrived here at 4 pm. The tarp and bug tent went up. Soon
we were dry, comfortable and relaxing with a dram of rum. All was good.
It was nice camping at the rapids and hearing its sounds all
night. The portage, P14 is 120m around a CI rapid. We had high water for this
trip so it was an easy run. In low water this rapid could be lined on the left.
The portage is also quite flat and straight forward.
We awoke on Day 4 to a clearing day from the rain from
yesterday. It should be a good day for our paddle out. On the water at 9:30, the day was starting to clear and soon
would be sunny and warm. Shortly after running P14 we were at P15.
P15 can be quite difficult and confusing. Please read this description
carefully. Some reports indicated that this rapid could be lined. At our high
water level that was impossible.
P15 can be quite difficult and confusing.
Please read this description carefully. Some reports indicated that this rapid
could be lined. At our high water level that was impossible.
The portage can be broken down into two parts. The first
part of the portage is covered in large, very wet and slippery boulders. It
would be very difficult to carry anything, let alone walk along here. This
section, thankfully, can be avoided. When you arrive at the takeout, look back
just up river on river right and there is an entrance to a pond. This pond can
be paddled/waded to bypass this first, very difficult section.
As we approached the end of this pond, we noticed a portage
sign lying in the bush. We searched for a trail but none existed. Continue all
the way around the pond to where you can almost see the rapids on the other
side of the portage. From here you can carry the rest of the way.
The second part of this portage can be an easy portage. The
trail however is very hard to find. The trail is very close to the river’s
edge, up above the river. It can be difficult to find but look for it right at
the river’s edge. It’s there and it’s good.
We couldn’t find the trail so Sam and I decided to run the
rapid, not seeing much of a choice. We did make it down but not after bouncing
off a large rock, broaching, and running the tail end backwards.
Just down river was P16 of 20 m. On the left is a nice
cottage and the owners came down to the water to watch us run the rapid. The
rapid is straight forward and there is no portage, but it might be possible to
lift/carry over the exposed rocks on river left.
With the high water we had, the
rapid had a large haystack at the end. It was a nice, little run putting a
little water over the bow paddlers.
After P16, at the bend in the river, the map indicates a
campsite. We saw no evidence of this and even if there was, the site would be
up a very steep, very high, sandy bank making it inaccessible.
From here it is a straight paddle out to Poplar Point. There
was good current for about half that distance and we enjoyed our last lunch on
a sandy bank at a curve in the river.
From P16, it was a 3.5 hour paddle back
to our car. We passed under Hwy 144, arrived at Poplar Point on Minisinakwa
Lake at 3:30 and had finished the car shuttle back to Dividing Lake by 5 pm.
Soon we were on our way south looking forward to the Dairy Queen in Chelmsford.
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| Montage of pictures. |
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