Whitewater

The Hart River is a tributary of the Peel River. It is in the traditional territory of the Tetlit Gwich’in, Tr'ondek Hwech'in and Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nations. The Peel watershed is popular with canoeists but very remote. Bushplane access in and out. We'll start at Elliott Lake with a slog down its tributary creek which could be hard or easy depending on water levels and ends on the Peel with class 3 rapids, ledges and big haystacks.

4 experienced tandem paddling teams sought. Both members should register individually and email me their partner names and credentials for consideration.

WCA members Chris & John Lepard shared their Hart River trip at the 2018 WCS. I have stored their video, UTMs of rapids and camp sites and photocopied sections of topo maps as well as an excerpt of guide book “Wild Rivers of the Yukon’s Peel Watershed”, 2008 ed. in a Google drive that applicants will be expected to peruse carefully before committing a $850 deposit (per canoe). Read the guide carefully so you know what I know and what you are getting into. This is a self-guided trip. Everyone is responsible for their own safety and risk management.

Total cost from Ottawa/Toronto is estimated at $4K, excepting food.

Bush Plane: ‘Alkan Air’ in Mayo. Beaver and Caravan planes; payload is 3100lb, boat weight (on floats) is doubled (ie. 151 lb ea.).
Outfitter: 'Up North Adventures' in Whitehorse.

Spring Run on the Beaver River located in Kimberley Ontario

From Access point #2  to Glen Clendenan Dam, depending water levels.

Open to river runners and whitewater paddlers with experience in moving water.

Paddlers should have experience in spotting sweepers and Strainers and avoid it.

All paddlers should follow WCA & Gov. Covid protocols.

yes you read this right..back by popular demand!

Over the May long weekend we will paddle from Saturday lunch until Monday noon, putting in at Aumond Rapids and taking out at Griffiths
As in the past,2 dinners and breakfasts will be supplied..you bring your lunch and a treat, appie or desert or more to share...this is above all a social outing. We all share in the costs and preparations
This will have big cold water so appropriate clothing and Intermediate WW skills required.

Day paddles on the Saugeen and Maitland Rivers.
Depending on levels,
April 1st, Saugeen River, Priceville to Durham, intermediate run, one needs to keep an eye for sweepers and strainers around each bend.
Approximately 30km.
April 2nd, Saugeen River, Lobies Park, Walkerton to Access #7. 21km
April 3rd, Maitland River. Ball’s Bridge to Benmiller, and, or Benmiller to Goderich. Benmiller to Goderich requires 2.5 level and is rated class 3 on paddlingmaps because of some of the features. Ball’s Bridge to Benmiller is a great paddle odd swift and ledge. Mainland run can be decided closer to date.

With a length of 110 km, this spectacular river is filled with breathtaking views, wildlife and classic class 2 and 3 rapids. The Cascapedia River is a river located in Gaspesie National Park and born in the heart Chic Choc Mountains and flows into the Baie the Chaleurs. The river is relatively small and low the terrain alternates between Mountains and Valleys, this is considerate a mountain river with spring cold water and high current We will be paddling during 5 days following the current trough swifts and rapids, salmon pools and beaches where will be camping every night.

The Magnetawan River is a river in Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada. The river flows 175 km from its source of Magnetawan Lake inside Algonquin Provincial Park to empty into Georgian Bay at the community of Britt on Byng Inlet. At the end of the 19th century, the river was used to float white pine logs to sawmills downstream. The river gained recent renown when it was featured in Bill Mason's film Waterwalker. The River has numerous rapids, such as, "The Thirty Dollar Rapids", "The Fourteen", "The Ten", the "Potato Rapids", "Lovesick Rapids", . We plan to start some where upstream around Maple Island area and end 4 days later in Bing Inlet on Georgian Bay. This works out to be ~55 Km. Thursday=13km, Friday~15km, Saturday~15km, Sunday~12km.   I did this trip back in May 18-21, 2013, so will be more or less following the same plan.

THE TRIP WILL BE MOVED TO 2021

Between Bolton and Weston, where rains brought by Hurricane Hazel washed away 14 homes in October 1954, the Humber River is now carefully flood controlled by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Though this stretch is completely open and accessible, the two dam projects along its length have successfully reduced the river to mainly a fast flowing stream. Passage requires the highest water levels, but this means several hours of nearly uninterrupted swifts and rock gardens with no actual classified rapids.

In each April of 2010, 2011, 2017, & 2018 the WCA navigated the 27 kilometre section between Bolton and Kleinburg. An experience we had in 2017 was blamed on the ice storm at Christmas of 2013. That occasion required an additional 2 hours over the planned 6, to deal with an accumulation of log jams and sweepers. We called it the canoe obstacle course. However, there was a severe flooding event in February of 2018 which resulted in the death of a toddler on the Grand River, and subsequent to this, the count was only 3 liftovers and 3 canoe limbos.

Again in March of 2019 an ice jam shortly downstream of the diversion project caused minor flooding in Bolton, such that the heavy machinery and dynamite was brought in to break it up. The expectation is that after several large flows like these, most of the tree litter has been washed away. Shortly downstream of the Bolton proper the river is open and unobstructed with nearly continuous, shallow, fast flowing swifts and rock gardens, and no actual classified rapids.

This outing is suitable for anyone interested in introductory level moving water experience in a relatively safe environment, where the only response needed in the case of a capsize, is to stand up and walk to shore.

Beginners and guests are welcome, however, small children are not recommended due to the length of the outing and the lack of any escape routes.

Get Directions here.

We will be running the Credit River from Inglewood to Glen Williams, water levels permitting. This run is suitable for novices but some competence in moving water is helpful. There are two weirs we must pull over and two other obstacles which generally can be run. Some years, navigating around sweepers has caused problems for novices. A potluck dinner will follow....details to follow.

Join us for a run down the Lower Madawaska on the May long weekend
Intermediate skills required and preparation for fast cold water and big rapids and variable weather
If it is warm there will be black flies.