Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Wabakimi :: Couple of planning questions
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HighnDry |
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sns |
jcavenagh: "Thanks, T. I will finish this route this time. :-o" Can't wait to hear about it! |
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jcavenagh |
Per ONT MNR: Backcountry permits can be purchased up to 2 weeks in advance of your arrival date, online. Just go to reservations.ontarioparks.com and select "Backcountry Registration". Back in 2016 I obtained my permit several weeks in advance by emailing with the park administrator's office in T-Bay. |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
Our route plans have changed as our group make-up has been altered and we have a smaller adult to kid ratio than originally planned. Instead of Tamarack-Smoothwater-Shawanabis-Kopka, we are now planning on Tamarack-Smoothwater-(possibly explore a bit of Lookout River)-Caribou-Little Caribou to reduce portaging and leave more time for swimming and fishing. Does anyone have any good campsite recommendations for Smoothwater and Caribou Lakes? I have heard the one near the mouth of Boiling Sand River is nice. Also, any preference for the western arm vs. eastern arm of the lake? Thanks in advance. |
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jcavenagh |
It is narrow and canyon-like. Depending on wind direction it can be a wind tunnel. There is a nice big campsite at the top of the Fantasia portage between Spring and Smoothrock. At the top of Smoothrock, near 50.576, -89.445 there is a big wide open campsite. |
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goatroti |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
Thanks in advance. |
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user0317 |
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HighnDry |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
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jcavenagh |
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marsonite |
ArrowheadPaddler: "Hi all, I did that in a high water year and it was fine. The Lookout River is pool and drop and I don’t remember any issues; really pretty easy travel. The culvert under the tracks was interesting and I wound up belly button deep in moving water pulling the canoe but we made it. You could always portage over the tracks. The Kopka was fine. Are you using. Clem Quenville? He told me he could shuttle to Tamarack Lake as a First Nation band member. I’d take that over the hassle of the train, but I don’t know the status of the road now as that as 7 years ago. |
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jcavenagh |
How many? I've done 3 trips there and only saw other paddlers once. And those folks were at the take out point where we got the train to town. |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
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jcavenagh |
Made my lists, checking them thrice.....details, details.... |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
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jcavenagh |
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Jaywalker |
jcavenagh: "Jaywalker...Did you actually see other paddlers while you were in Wabakimi? Sorry for the slow response. I did see 4 other canoes; one paddled past my camp on their way out on Caribou, 2 near the Beckworth cabins when I was approaching, and one tandem canoe on the other side of a small lake south of Whitewater. I did not come across any on any portage or see any campsites that were taken. I did see a couple fishing boats/moose hunters on Caribou, and several fishing boats on Whitewater. |
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jcavenagh |
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jcavenagh |
Jaywalker: "jcavenagh: "Jaywalker...Did you actually see other paddlers while you were in Wabakimi? That sounds like a Wabakimi rush hour! :) |
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deerfoot |
bobbernumber3: "user0317: "ArrowheadPaddler: "I am planning my first Wabakimi trip this summer and I have a couple questions. I am planning on entering at Tamarack Lake (or nearby). As mentioned in another post, I probably will take a vehicle shuttle, as I will have a 20' canoe and was told VIA rail does not carry canoes of this length. Is this true? Also, I noticed you cannot reserve permits until 2 weeks before your arrival. Do people ever run into problems with permit availability? Thinking about the 18' length limit it may have to do the width of the baggage car itself and width of the doorway. Having used the train several times I know the loading/unloading process is quite rushed. On a first trip of the year with the Wabakimi Project maybe 10 yrs ago one of Uncle Phil's SR canoes was dropped off the baggage car before the crew could exit the passenger car resulting in a crack that had to be repeatedly covered with Gorilla Tape that entire season to keep the boat from leaking too bad. |
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Jaywalker |
jcavenagh: "Backcountry permits can be purchased up to 2 weeks in advance of your arrival date, online. Just go to reservations.ontarioparks.com and select "Backcountry Registration"." I got my permit online last year a few days before I entered. I remember it being very quick and easy, but with one odd question something like “what zone will you be in mostly” or something like that. I had seen somewhere online that that question was more for places like Algonquin, so I just entered something and did not worry about it. Given how few people I saw paddling, I doubt anyone else would worry about it either. |
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jcavenagh |
But call the office and they will set you up even a few months in advance. The staff are great! They will email everything you need. Absolutely no issue getting a permit. Very few folks use the park. Only 600-800 paddlers per year. |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
My Wabakimi route will run as follows: Tamarack Lake-Boiling Sand River-Smoothrock Lake-Lookout River-Onamakawash Lake-Shawanabis Lake-Boulder Lake-Kenakskanis Lake-Kopka River-Bukemiga Lake It looks like water levels are high in the region. Are there any high water concerns on this route, particularly Lookout River and especially the Seven Sisters area of the Kopka River? Thanks for any info |
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jcavenagh |
The culvert/tunnel under the tracks might be passable with the higher water. Look for the guide rope on the wall of the tunnel. Also, I think you will pass through the Walleye Kitchen. That's worth a few hours of casting! |
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bobbernumber3 |
user0317: "ArrowheadPaddler: "I am planning my first Wabakimi trip this summer and I have a couple questions. I am planning on entering at Tamarack Lake (or nearby). As mentioned in another post, I probably will take a vehicle shuttle, as I will have a 20' canoe and was told VIA rail does not carry canoes of this length. Is this true? Also, I noticed you cannot reserve permits until 2 weeks before your arrival. Do people ever run into problems with permit availability? I don't understand this limit. Inside dimension (length) of a boxcar is typically 50 to 60 feet. Door openings are usually 10-12 feet. |