On my Chrismar it looks like a note that states" Trough Lake 48km" to enter the park to Olive. My question: Has anyone attempted this entry? It would be about 27 miles of paddlling give or take and camping on Crown Land. The nearest entry lake on CL that I can see on Google Earth is most likely Little Vermillion because a "road" appears to runs up next to it.

Any ideas, thoughts or harrowing stories to share for advice?

Yeah, you start off that road to Lund on the chikuni river. Did I spell that right? Talk to Harlan this weekend.

I think their is a report from Jim Heigi on cnanoestories.com

I have been warned the current on the Chukuni can fast at times.

I didn't see much of a parking area.

Good points gentlemen. I didn't see a turnout to park eitber. There wete some rapids as well in some places with no discernable portave that I could see. I'm jhst curious about the option for some future route. I'lll look for the trip report. It looks possible from Littl Vermillion but one would need a
GPS going up those roads.

Talked to Harlan at the show about this. The Pine Ridge road (if that's right) goes out to Lund lake entry and once you get around Red Lake and take a left onto this you continue a short distance to the a portage or a road (I'm not clear on this exactly) that will take you up to Little Vermillion lake where one can start this adventure.

He warned me that the Chukuni into Valhalla and eventually Olive will twist and turn after LVL and you need a good GPS to keep you on track. It's a two-day adventure to get into the park from there.

I followed the Jim Heigi canoe trip report however I haven't yet found his trip from the eastern end of WCPP on this route. The one I found was an interesting entry from Wallace lake in Atikaki to Crystal and beyond into WCPP. Interesting portages into Siderock and Obukuwin.....hmmm.

Sounds great! I bet there are some nice brook trout to be had along this route.

http://canoestories.com/chukuni2f.htm Chukuni story from canoestories.com

quote Marten: "http://canoestories.com/chukuni2f.htm Chukuni story from canoestories.com "

Thanks Marten! I found this trip report right after my last post. What an epic trip those two gents had! Lots of jackfish on the way in, they eventually landed a fair amount of walleye and lake trout. The portages were (mostly) easy enough to find and traverse. I believe they ended the trip by portaging out and past Lund to hop a small lake or pond to Pipestone where they were windbound for a while.

I also found another report on a couple that entered via Trout Bay and paddled north to the Bloodvein and then out via Artery to Atikaki and 80 portages out to Lake Winnipeg....that was another "epic" trip for another time.

This access is known as the Upper Chukuni River access and begins at the Pine Ridge rd at the Upper Chukuni Ri crossing (bridge). There is a Woodland Caribou sign that points to it and a map of the route appears on the flip side of the Chrismar map. This route is maintained as part of the park even though portion falls on Crown Land. In fact, it was visited by the park maintenance crew late last summer so it should be in good shape. It takes at least 1 overnight before you reach the park. There can be some current in early season (May), enough to make paddling upstream a bit tiresome. It is moose country here until you reach areas west of Valhalla Lk where caribou hang out. No brook trout ... good walleye and northern fishing. For non-resident of Canada, a crown land camping permit is required for your stay on Crown Land and no camping is permitted within the Green Zone (map available at the park office). Hope this helps. For additional information, you may contact the Ontario Park office at woodland.caribou.mnr@ontario.ca

Thanks Claire, I'll take a look at my Chrismar again. I'm interested in whether anyone has photos of the portage in and some of the route from LV to Valhalla and then Trough. I'll probably call you folks too to check up on the conditions and campsites.

Depending on the rains the creeks can be challenging. We had folks turned back last summer and early fall due to current, but again this is dependent on weather. The trails between Olive and Valhalla are in top shape as our own crews went through there late last summer and cleaned up. Same with the trails heading to Bigshell.

This proposed entry really has my attention........I like covering new ground and this entry to access Big Shell seems more interesting than via Knox lake which I have already done.

The parking at Lund seems fairly secure being so far in.......any problems with long term parking at the Chukani access? I noticed quite a bit of activity where the Chukani and Pine Ridge rd intersect (I had assumed they were trout fishing). Would a person have to park along side of the road?

There is no Trout in that area, just walleye and pike. The bridge at the Chukuni river gets a lot of traffic from locals and contractors looking to fish in the evenings and weekends. You would have to leave your vehicle alongside the road or in the "mud pit" just before the bridge.

Personally, i would not want my vehicle there long term as it would seem that most of those that walk up to the rapids tend to drink and i've seen "shenanigans" go on. Always garbage left on the trail and at the campsite where they fish....beer bottles, can's etc. My personal thoughts.....

It looks like there are about 7 or so known portages between Rathouse and Valhalla. I wonder if you are greeted by a Viking longboat on that lake? I guess not but it's a great name for a lake nonetheless. After that, there are 2 portages to get into the park. Not much in the way of campsites that I can see, at least, not more than 2 or 3 on that route. I'll do some more digging.

I'm also wondering if you "hit" current leaving Rathouse or does it become a general slog upriver and upcurrent the whole way? It looks the terrain becomes floating grass, marsh and bog so if there is low water levels, you are poling it upriver or turning around and floating back down for a shorter trip :)