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9/20/2016 9:01 pm  #1


Crow River Rapids and Portages

Hey everyone!

I hope everyone has been enjoying the summer months!!

I'll be heading off on my last camping trip of the season in the next couple of weeks and I was hoping to get some feedback on certain sections of the loop we plan on doing.

It will be our first time departing from the Opeongo access point and we will be doing the Proulx, Big Crow, Lavieille, Dickson Loop.

I'm wondering about the Rapid sections I see on Jeff's Map.

The first section is right after the Former McLaughlin Logging Bros. Logging Camp.
The second is along the 1220M Portgage.
The third sets are along the last 4 small portages of the Crow.

There is no portage around the first set, so I'm assuming those are pretty mellow. How are the remaining sets??

Thank you for any input on my specific questions and any questions or comments on the route itself are also appreciated!!

 

9/20/2016 10:04 pm  #2


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

That's a difficult question to answer. It depends on your skill level and the water level. Water levels change everything. It can look like a completely different river from one trip to the next. If the water is up I would run everything except the 1220. Only reason I can't recommend running the 1220 is because the portage is a ways from the river and I didn't bother scouting it.

Given the drought this summer I don't know that there will be enough water to run any of the rapids. This spring water levels were mid and this is what my notes said:

240m - Lift over then straight run C1
155m - Start left move right to avoid obstacles and log in the river. C1/C2
1220m -???. You can cut off the end by putting in at the logging road but access is a bit awkward and it's probably not really worth it.
385m - C2 tech. Actually 3 parts to this rapid. I lifted over at the very beginning then eddied out and lifted around a downed tree after the first curve. Ran the middle bit with a chute and good size standing wave. End is a boulder garden lots of rocks and some scraping.
170m - Swift/C1
205m - C1/C2 except there is a lot of timber in the river. You have to be able to avoid this. Could be dangerous.
C110 - Same thing with wood in the river. C1/C2 start middle move right.

 

9/21/2016 8:32 am  #3


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

First off, good choice. Out of all the routes I've done in Algonquin that one was my favourite. When I did it I didn't do any of the portages on the crow and walked and lined the canoe down all of the rapids. If it's warm enough or you have a pair of waders that's what I would suggest. If the trout season is still open when you're going it will also allow you to fish the pools on the way down. The mosquitos were thick on the Dickson-Bonfield portage when I did it in July, good choice doing it so late in the year. Otherwise it isn't too bad of a portage, just make sure you fill up water on Lavielle above Hardy Bay as Dickson and lower Lavielle has blue green algae and Bonfield is more of a beaver pond than it is a lake. There are some great sites on Crow Bay. 

Last edited by Lenny (9/21/2016 8:36 am)

 

9/21/2016 12:51 pm  #4


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

Have done the route a couple of times and have portaged the 1220m and 385m portages and then run the rest...but those were May trips with higher water levels.  I would expect that autumn levels will be substantially lower unless you are graced with soaking weather in the coming weeks.  As such, the shorter portages may be quite boney and rock-filled.  One option is to scrape your way along; second option is to line the canoe but cooler water temps will call for good, high waterproof footwear; third option would be to float as much as you can and occasionally step out with one or both feet to lighten the load, fourth option is to portage.

Spending the first night on Big Crow and getting an early start would make portaging most of the rapids a relatively easy affair - although still a substantial day of six or seven hours of travel.  You shouldn't have to worry about wind until you hit Crow Bay and even that has many protected routes to get through.  If you want to plow through from Opeongo to Lavieille after an early water taxi...I can tell you from experience it is a long and difficult slog in good weather and will teach you a lesson in bad weather!

The route is beautiful with a great mix of broad river, confined river and open lake travel - a true classic Algonquin trip.  Enjoy the heck out of it! 

 

9/21/2016 4:10 pm  #5


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

Thank you very much for all the advice everyone! We are really looking forward to it. Now all we need to hope for is lots of rain right before our trip!

     Thread Starter
 

9/21/2016 5:18 pm  #6


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

we just returned from Big Crow, on sept 6 this is what the river looked like after the first short portage. Uo to portage river was shallow, but doable. There several canoes returning to big crow after trying, although others pushed on.

 

9/21/2016 5:20 pm  #7


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

and this is part of campsite #2 on pci map if im correct. forgot to check. campsite is very elongated, very large, multiple tents possible has sandy beach, very close to start of crow river

 

9/22/2016 5:43 am  #8


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

Based on those pics, forget everything I wrote above. It doesn't look like you will be running anything!

 

10/03/2016 8:09 am  #9


Re: Crow River Rapids and Portages

Thank you for the photos!!
We've been eyeing this loop for a while so I think we will definitely push on. Might make for a longer day but we are up for it. Leaves are at Peak now too... Should be awesome!

     Thread Starter
 

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