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1/04/2022 9:31 am  #1


Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

Hi all, happy 2022 to all. Hope everyone was able to disconnect during the holidays.

I have a question about a planned late May/early June trip route out of Kiosk (I know the bugs will be bad but we'll be prepared/used to it).

Current plans stands as:
Night 1 - Manitou
Night 2 - Totem
Night 3 - Erables
Night 4 - Maple/Kiosk

My question is regarding the condition of Maple Creek inbetween Kawa and Erables. What is the best lake to stay on - Totem, Wahwahtaysee, or One Mile Lake?  Is Manitou to One Mile Lake too big of a day; or Totem to Erables too big of a day?

We'll be a group of 4 of late twenty year old guys who have a decade of experience tripping in the Park along with other areas.

Please let me know any further questions,
Cheers and thanks in advance.

 

1/04/2022 11:16 am  #2


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

Except when it has been recently cut the route between One Mile and the 695 to Skuce is brutal. About as hard as it gets in the park. I would do it as early as you can before the leaves are out.

 

1/05/2022 9:13 am  #3


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

Martin - thanks for the reply and warning. Saw your recent video on Youtube about the Meanest Link - the Big East looks soul crushing...

I'm thinking we might change up Night 2 to One Mile Lake. Or we may find a new area... We like to include some black portaging on our trips to enjoy some solitude and conquer new areas.

     Thread Starter
 

1/05/2022 4:24 pm  #4


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

geologicaldust wrote:

Martin - thanks for the reply and warning. Saw your recent video on Youtube about the Meanest Link - the Big East looks soul crushing...

LOL!

I'm sure Maple creek would be memorable! Give it a go and report back. No one goes down there. I had a friend do Birchcliffe Creek late summer this is what his canoe looked liked https://www.instagram.com/p/CVqhMXUJ1h4/ 

 

 

1/10/2022 9:50 am  #5


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

Great point... Seeing as I've benefitted from the wealth of knowledge shared on here the least I can do is report back after our adventures inbetween One Mile and Erables.

Thanks again for the advice Martin. Cheers.

     Thread Starter
 

6/22/2022 9:51 pm  #6


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables



Able to weigh in on this route now... taken in late May of this year.
Night 1 - Manitou
Night 2 - Totem
Nights 3 & 4 - Erables

Portages between Upper Kawa and Maple Creek were great for black portages. Lots of old tote roads.
Looks like big wind events have done work to Totem/Wahwahtaysee & One Mile - we stayed at Totem at the 1st site with a ton of deadfall everywhere.

Upper Maple between P535 and P645 is a beautiful sedge meadow. We had good water levels but even in low water you could easily walk your canoe along the fine grained sand bottom. 

Maple Creek between the 645 m and 360 m was variable in conditions - some closed in alder sections with some sedgey sections. The alder sections could be nasty in summer - we had an alright time as it's not as bad as downstream.

There's an old road cut at the end after the 360 m that beavers have damed up and I believe this is the reason for all the nasty conditions downstream. Seriously, this thing was huge... like 10-12 feet water difference as they just used the old road cut embankments to dam up.  Obviously it's not a watertight structure but you could see the seepage and water overflowing the old cut. There is a portage sign indicating this location.

The nastiest part of Maple creek is after the P245, which I believe is further upstream of the location indicated on Jeffs map. I didn't take a GPS location there but wishing I did. This was brutal. We cleared alder where we could put it was a stupid amount of pulling/pushing off the bank and sloshing through beaver muck. I couldn't imagine coming here in the summer. The mosquito's were insane - I looked like a leper even with the Bug Shirt on.

Just wanted to share some recent information on the Maple Creek area upstream of the Tillie portage... In reality the worst part of Maple Creek is downstream of Tillie portage. 

Cheers

     Thread Starter
 

6/22/2022 9:52 pm  #7


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

     Thread Starter
 

6/23/2022 10:19 am  #8


Re: Maple Creek Conditions Between Kawa/Erables

Here is the bad section heading against the current headed to Tillie Lake from May 2022. Skip to around the 6 miute mark for just the creek.



 

Last edited by Knox On Woods (6/23/2022 12:00 pm)


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