Anyone paddle the stretch from Sturgeon to LLC in the past few years? Am interested to know how many of the mapped rapids are runnable vs portage or lining. I'm under the impression the water flow is towards LLC, right? Also, I've read that there are areas closest to LLC that have been trashed from past guide business? Kicking some ideas around for a possible Beaverhouse to LLC trip in 2015.
Thanks in advance for your help.
AdamX

I have been through there several times in recent years. I do not recommend trying to run these Rapids. This Malign River drains everything from the east - from Saganagons to Agnes to Kawnipi and Cache River, etc. It is a beautiful area and there is no problem finding the Portages as long as you check the maps first to know which side to approach from upstream (most portages are on the north side). Most portages are fairly short.This would be a dangerous area to try to run Rapids.

I agree with Doc. These rapids are deceivingly dangerous. There is a lot of current even when the river seems to be rolling at a gentle space. Portage the rapids, and be REAL CAREFUL when approaching twin falls. Start hugging the right bank before you even hear the rumble of the falls. I made a careless mistake in this area, and it could of cost me my life . The only thing that saved me and my tripping partner was because we are both strong paddlers. If I would of had my wife or my young children with me in the canoe the end result would not have been good.

Notice the name of the river when considering the rapids.

Any one have GPS tracks from going down this stretch of the river.

You'll definitely want to portage those raps. The portages are very easy anyway.

Many years ago I ran the second set (if I recall correctly), and swamped in the standing waves. It was around sunset, and we had to camp on the 3rd portage where there are a couple of sites.

Chrismar map (2005) shows the top 3 on the West/North side as stated above. The one out of Tanner Lake is on the South side of May Island. Judging from the French names for all these portages on the map, I don't think they've moved in quite a while, and you probably want to be watching the water, not looking at your GPS anyway. Are you getting a pickup at LLC and shuttled back to the Atikokan area? Was talking to Jim at Canoe Canada about that and he charges $250 for the ride to/from the end of the road as I recall. --Goose

quote MagicPaddler: "Any one have GPS tracks from going down this stretch of the river."

I don't, but wonder what good they would do?

I did the maligne in the fall of 2011 (hunter island solo). its simple, just go with the current, the portages are obvious.

Approximately 13 years ago I came down from Sturgeon with one of my brothers, a close friend of ours and the friend's 16 year old son. It was mid May and the ice had just left the lakes. The water was incredibly high and of course incredibly cold. I remember standing for a few seconds in 4 inches of water, barefoot, on the sandy point halfway down the lake feeling like the cold water might make me hyperventilate.
We took the first two portages out of Sturgeon very cautiously. The river then opens up. It was full of whitecaps and plenty of sweepers overhanging the river. Throw in a few visible boulders and it gave me pause. I kept thinking "Betty (the 16 year olds mother) is going to kill me if I manage to drown her son on the Maligne."
I knew we should not risk it, tempting as it was. We walked ahead around a curve in the river but it looked even more treacherous. My mind was reeling since I knew turning around would not get us back to Ely at our required time. Eventually my brother and friend saw the wisdom of turning back. We ended up exiting at Beaverhouse but that is another story.
I always felt that the decision to turn back was likely the best call I have ever made in the Q.

On the Malign several times, but two notable in memory. One longest day of travel, left Chatterton Falls, ran the Russell Rapids, whole length of Sturgeon, Portages Tanner to Darky River, camped on Darky Lake. Even had time to paddle and view the glyphs. That was the day my wife said this should be a guy trip.
Several years later, there was still an entry ranger on LLC. Came up from US side, Nina Moose and Agnes, Boulder Bay, LLC,and Twin Falls. Big fish lunch, barely was able to paddle upstream above Falls. Finally made it to Tanner and Darky, Wicksteed.
If you go to Twin Falls, hug the NW bank above and there is a side inlet where a short portage is found.
Enjoy this area. Do not try to run the Rapids.

Guess I don't need to say it, everyone has made their point pretty good and I agree whole heartedly. We tried it several years back and thank the good lord we lived to tell about it. Gonna say it anyhow, PORTAGE, PORTAGE oh yea!

Thanks everyone. Caution prevails.

For what it's worth, the Rangers at the Dawson Trail Campground Office were recommending travelers avoid the Maligne River when I was there at the start my solo trip last July.

Per one Park Ranger, she reported that due to the unnaturally high water levels, many of the trail heads of the portages along the Maligne River were under water. So much so, she mentioned they were cutting some new trail heads to deal with trippers paddling down the Maligne.

As far as anyone trying to come up the river, they said it wasn't feasible and next to impossible. I can't attest to the conditions because I wasn't heading that way. Nevertheless, they were rather emphatic about not traveling the Maligne River in any direction during mid-July of 2014.

From my experiences with the Park Staff though, it seems that most of the Park Rangers are overly cautious about certain conditions in the park. I suppose they'd rather air on the side of caution for the sake of Quetico trippers.

Hans Solo

Thanks Hans. Trip route still in limbo. Doubt we would be going before Labor Day, so will definitely be checking on conditions. Hope water is low enough to do Maligne, but if not, I've heard there may be a couple other routes in Quetico to enjoy ;-)

quote OldGreyGoose: "Chrismar map (2005) shows the top 3 on the West/North side as stated above. The one out of Tanner Lake is on the South side of May Island. Judging from the French names for all these portages on the map, I don't think they've moved in quite a while, and you probably want to be watching the water, not looking at your GPS anyway. Are you getting a pickup at LLC and shuttled back to the Atikokan area? Was talking to Jim at Canoe Canada about that and he charges $250 for the ride to/from the end of the road as I recall. --Goose"

OGG - Beaverhouse put-in, then a pick-up at LLC. Possibly coming in from Crane Lake (US side), or our old go-to, Moose at Morris Camp. First option is a lot less driving, but significantly more expensive.

I am planning on going up the Maligne River the middle part of August. Has anyone done this trip this year? I plan to head to Sturgeon Lake and then take out at Beaverhouse.

quote Southernerpaddler: "I am planning on going up the Maligne River the middle part of August. Has anyone done this trip this year? I plan to head to Sturgeon Lake and then take out at Beaverhouse. "

I suggest doing this trip in the opposite direction.

Just returned from a 12-night loop from Beaverhouse through Jean/W. Sturgeon/Poohbah to LLC down the Namakan and up Quetico River back to Beaverhouse.

When we picked up our permit in Atikokan, ranger said they added a 4th portage between Sturgeon and Poohbah Creek. We only used 3 of the portages as shown on our Chrismar. I think the "new" 4th portage may have been after the 1st two portages as you head down from Sturgeon. We noticed a fairly swift current as we came to the 3rd portage on the Chrismar, and my thought was that would be a challenge if you were paddling upstream to get to Sturgeon. I'm guessing that's where the additional portage may have been created for upstream paddlers.

In fact, we passed by an older fella who was soloing his way up the Maligne. He was about 50 yards downstream and we thought he was waiting for us to clear the landing. When we passed him, we noticed he was in the water about thigh deep and looked to be moving his gear from his canoe to land. A day or two later, I thought maybe he was putting his gear back in the canoe and had just completed the "new" portage. Still not sure, but all I do know is we only did three portages on that stretch of the upper Maligne.

When we left Poohbah, there were two portages on the lower Maligne. Tanner Rapids and Twin Falls. Twin Falls was really impressive.

On the Namakan as you leave LLC, there were two portages--Snake Falls and Ivy Falls. I remember Snake Falls because we exited at a landing a few hundred yards before the falls and before you go under the bridge. The water was really moving fast with several rapids. We walked along a lightly used trail, crossed under the bridge to the actual portage prior to the falls. We figured we had to stay along the northern shoreline to get through the swift to the landing. As we walked back to our canoe, we noticed one particular drop over a boulder (about 100 yards downstream of our canoe) and told ourselves to make sure we stayed left of that drop and then paddle back to the right to hit the portage landing before the falls. Of course, we hit the boulder anyways. We get back to our canoe, put on our lifevests, and head down with the current which was faster than we thought. Before we knew it, we were heading right towards the drop and the boulder. My son tried to move the bow left while I dug in ruddering. We go over the drop, the bow missed the boulder, but my stern hit the boulder with a distinct thump. We stayed upright, barely, and made it to the landing. All I thought was we are idiots. Scout the river, note the spot not to hit, and hit it anyways.

Snake Falls was impressive. At the base of the falls, there was all kinds of debris, including a shredded Grumman canoe, torn in half and flattened. Lots of garbage all over. After Ivy Falls, there is one more larger rapids called Squaw Rapids that we ran, followed by 4 portages on the Quetico River to get from the Namakan to Beaverhouse. There was a fast swift after the first portage and we had to line the canoe up another swift after the second portage. The Quetico River area was the most scenic part of our trip and something I'll remember for a long time.

Thank you for the advice and information. I will look into changing the direction of the trip. I assumed the later level would drop and being a kayaker paddling upstream would not be that bad. If the Maligne and Quetico were more of a rapid and pool type of river, going west to east should be doable.

quote PineKnot: "Just returned from a 12-night loop from Beaverhouse through Jean/W. Sturgeon/Poohbah to LLC down the Namakan and up Quetico River back to Beaverhouse.


When we picked up our permit in Atikokan, ranger said they added a 4th portage between Sturgeon and Poohbah Creek. We only used 3 of the portages as shown on our Chrismar. I think the "new" 4th portage may have been after the 1st two portages as you head down from Sturgeon. We noticed a fairly swift current as we came to the 3rd portage on the Chrismar, and my thought was that would be a challenge if you were paddling upstream to get to Sturgeon. I'm guessing that's where the additional portage may have been created for upstream paddlers.


In fact, we passed by an older fella who was soloing his way up the Maligne. He was about 50 yards downstream and we thought he was waiting for us to clear the landing. When we passed him, we noticed he was in the water about thigh deep and looked to be moving his gear from his canoe to land. A day or two later, I thought maybe he was putting his gear back in the canoe and had just completed the "new" portage. Still not sure, but all I do know is we only did three portages on that stretch of the upper Maligne.


When we left Poohbah, there were two portages on the lower Maligne. Tanner Rapids and Twin Falls. Twin Falls was really impressive.


On the Namakan as you leave LLC, there were two portages--Snake Falls and Ivy Falls. I remember Snake Falls because we exited at a landing a few hundred yards before the falls and before you go under the bridge. The water was really moving fast with several rapids. We walked along a lightly used trail, crossed under the bridge to the actual portage prior to the falls. We figured we had to stay along the northern shoreline to get through the swift to the landing. As we walked back to our canoe, we noticed one particular drop over a boulder (about 100 yards downstream of our canoe) and told ourselves to make sure we stayed left of that drop and then paddle back to the right to hit the portage landing before the falls. Of course, we hit the boulder anyways. We get back to our canoe, put on our lifevests, and head down with the current which was faster than we thought. Before we knew it, we were heading right towards the drop and the boulder. My son tried to move the bow left while I dug in ruddering. We go over the drop, the bow missed the boulder, but my stern hit the boulder with a distinct thump. We stayed upright, barely, and made it to the landing. All I thought was we are idiots. Scout the river, note the spot not to hit, and hit it anyways.


Snake Falls was impressive. At the base of the falls, there was all kinds of debris, including a shredded Grumman canoe, torn in half and flattened. Lots of garbage all over. After Ivy Falls, there is one more larger rapids called Squaw Rapids that we ran, followed by 4 portages on the Quetico River to get from the Namakan to Beaverhouse. There was a fast swift after the first portage and we had to line the canoe up another swift after the second portage. The Quetico River area was the most scenic part of our trip and something I'll remember for a long time.
"

quote jeroldharter: "

quote Southernerpaddler: "I am planning on going up the Maligne River the middle part of August. Has anyone done this trip this year? I plan to head to Sturgeon Lake and then take out at Beaverhouse. "

I suggest doing this trip in the opposite direction."

+1000

In addition to this year's trip, my other son and I made it from Beaverhouse through Jean and Sturgeon to Poobah and back to to Beaverhouse by going up the Maligne in 2008 during a high-water year in mid-June. We almost didn't make it back up the Maligne as we neared the last couple of portages due to the swift current. We hugged the northern shoreline most of the way and eventually made it. So it can be done. I would think a strong paddler in a good canoe or kayak should be able to make it up the Maligne in August. All I can say is it much easier to go downstream than upstream....

I did Beaverhouse to LLC in late May this year with a side trip up to Allan Lake and back. The Maligne was not rough this year and consequently it is an easy trip as long as you take the well marked portages. Just make sure you know which side of the river they can be found.