Hey folks,

I am having trouble locating my GPS file Martin provided me last year of the Minjim route and Martin is in Opasquia...can somebody please share.

Anybody been threw there yet this year?

Thanks
Scot

I don't have the x/y...but Opasquia?? Cool! I hope he posts up a report on his website.

quote jcavenagh: "I don't have the x/y...but Opasquia?? Cool! I hope he posts up a report on his website."

You might have to wait for 'copia. I think he has plans to talk about his trip in Madison next year ... but I'm guessing he'll give us enough to build more interest. If all goes according to plan, he will do an "established" route that begins and ends at Central ("Big Hook") Lake.

Scot, If you wait for Martin to provide you with the GPS file, it could be a while. Once finished with Opasquia, he has like a day to re-load gear before he heads back into WCPP. You might send nctry an e-mail to see if he has it. (I don't think I do, but I'll re-check files tonite.)

dd

Whether or not you secure that file, I would avoid the Minjim route at all costs. That not only comes from myself, but Marten as well. We talked about it at dinner here in Red Lake last week. That entire route is blown out and impassable.

My crews may get in there for next spring but no guarantees. The park crews surely won't be in there any sooner as it's not a priority route.

Harlan

Thanks dd
I talked with Martin's wife earlier this week and she gave me his agenda...was hoping to bump into him while I was their but the get together is a little to early for me, I won't get in till around August 2nd.

Hey Harlan,
If my son had more time I would bring a chainsaw along and open it up, but we only have 10 days to do the loop and I think that would be cutting things close.

Claire told me the same thing you did

Thanks guys
Scot

Harlan, do you know where Paddleman (Greg) went in? He was heading toward the Minjim last I heard. That is so sad... I love that route.

I just came back from the area, and due to the snow & wind last October, It's completely blocked off with down trees. The last message I got from Marten and Clare @ Park Headquarters was, don't try this year.

We had planned to go thru, but changed plans after hearing it. It's amazing how many trees are down, the portage crews and Red Lake Outfitters are working hard to open up portages. Still lots of work to do.

Greg

Folks I should mention that virtually all major and secondary routes are cleared, it's just the peripheral routes that have no seen crews. The Gammon and Bloodvein Rivers are all cleared, all approaches in and out of Johnson, Onnie, Lund and Leano are cleared. In fact, trails are in better shape right now than they have been in a very long time.

Harlan

Is there a map showing what the Minjim Route actually is? I've seen the youtube video but there aren't enough details about which lakes and portages (hidden in some cases?) make up this route. Very intriguing!

Before the snowdown the Minjim route between Indian House and Royd Lakes could be traveled with GPS coordinates I had recorded. With the storm damage most portages in WCPP were impacted. Some lightly and some so jammed you could not crawl through without a pack.

Harlan at Red Lake Outfitters knew the park could not get crews in early in the season so he put together some crews so the park would have open routes when the first paddlers arrived. With the 23,000 meters of portages cleared through his efforts the park was ready with a lot of routes available. The park crews arrived after that and have opened up at least that amount. Other groups cleared even more. WCPP portages are in the best shape in years. There are still some routes awaiting work crews.

So, what about the Minjim? The good news is that the park may be able to get a crew through there this fall. That is one reason the map did not go the printers late in the paddling season. Hopefully it will get cleared this fall and be included in the new map. It will open up the possibility for doing various loop trips from the Johnson or Lund access points.

I think the park would be doing a great service if they could get the route reopened. I was amazed at the damage I saw in the few days I was there. So it amazes me a lot that the efforts put forward on the park so far has yielded so much as far as what's done so far. I did note a couple campsites I'd used in the past were blown shut, but there are others I found that were better and that was pretty cool to me.