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jwartman59
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the bloodvein is considered a drop and pool type of river, like the bwca long sections of lake like water interspersed by rapids and waterfalls. typically there is little current in the river. the climate in this area is noticeably drier and less humid than the bwca and wabakimi. most of the forest is scrubby jack pine struggling for growth in the bedrock. i guess it is less than ideal mosquito country, or maybe it had something to do with the continuous 40+ mile per hour winds.
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jwartman59
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Atikaki Provincial Park means the Bloodvein River. This is a Canadian Heritage river, for good reason. World class fishing, easily portaged rapids and no mosquitoes. Access is difficult. We flew into Woodland Caribou park, Ontario from Matheson Island on Lake Winnipeg. Cost in 2005 was $600 Canadian. The trip ends at the town of Bloodvein and a ferry trip accross Lake Winipeg back to Matheson Island. The ferry trip was a highlite, the huge waves on Lake Winnipeg have to be experienced to be believed. Do not plan to spend much time in the town of Bloodvein, it is bleak and there is a serious issue with drug and alcohol abuse.
One other note, this river is at the edge of the Canadian prairie and the winds blow very strong and continuous from the west. Even with a current progress was difficult. Once on the river, there is little air traffic and we only encountered one other group of canoeists. They had come all the way from Germany to experience this river.
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bstrege
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Thanks for the reply! It looks like we'll go there next year, and I'm really looking forward to it.
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nojobro
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bstrege, I hope you'll post a trip report and pics. Sounds great!
I wonder why there are there no bugs? Winds and current in the river?
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bstrege
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Has anyone been to Atikaki Park? I've been looking into taking a trip up there, and since it is as close to my house as the BWCA/Quetico is, I thought I'd try to find some more information about it. I just have general questions about the park for anyone that has been there
What are the portages, campsites, fishing, etc. like? Where is the best place to enter the park? Are the planes and lodges a problem/annoyance? Where can I find more information on it? Anything else I should know?
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bstrege
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quote yellowcanoe: "There is a pile of information on a Canadian paddling site
Link
It's just a start."
I eventually found all of that, too, as I've been planning our trip for this year. The Manitoba route information has all of the compiled information for Atikaki and other MB routes. It has been very helpful.
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jwartman59
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i canoed the bloodvein in 2005. it along with several other rivers that flow into lake winnipeg, the berens, poplar and pigeon are renowned for the excellent river canoeing. if you can paddle the BWCA you can paddle any of these rivers, several of them are quite remote however. you really should have solid canoeing and wilderness skills. many of the portages start right at the top of rapids and waterfalls, not a good place to be learning canoe technique. a trip on any of these rivers will be enhanced if you have solid whitewater canoeing skills, while most of the rapids have portages part of the fun here is running the rapids. 
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Jackfish
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Anyone have any experience on the Bloodvein River? I've heard good things about it, but would like to hear some first-person reports.
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jcavenagh
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Looks like a UL kevlar canoe may not be the right boat for such a trip. Maybe aluminum or royalex is better??
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jwartman59
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a couple of crappy scans of the bloodvein,
 
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yellowcanoe
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There is a pile of information on a Canadian paddling site
Link
It's just a start.
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jwartman59
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Aluminum would be last choice for whitewater, rocks touch it and the aluminum has a tendency to stick, causing all sorts of navigating problems. Kevlar is fine, much tougher that you realize, although it is so expensive it really hurts when you hear the boat run up on a rock. Royalex does give you that feel of indestructibility, although that can lead to poor choices.
For what it is worth, I have paddled many whitewater rivers in canada in wood / canvas chestnut prospectors. They are very flexible, the canvas strong, but sitting in the stern and watching all the ribs bend as you sideswipe a rock is an unnerving feeling, especially when help could be days away. As it is, I would prefer royalex, the 17' old town the best i have paddled. The newer plastic designs by Bell and Wenonah may be okay. I have not paddled them in whitewater but have in lakes, they did not impress me. Dagger makes (or made) a huge boat. If I had to use a canoe to move furniture, this would be my choice.
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