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3/29/2023 1:26 pm  #1


Early August Brent Solo Loop

I am looking at doing a 4 Night, 5 Day loop. A couple of options I've devised are as follows: 
Option 1:
Cedar -> Nadine portage site
Nadine PS -> North Cucko
Rest day on Cucko
Cucko -> last site before 230M portage. (via 2960M thru luckless)

Can anyone provide insight on upstream paddle at that time of year?
do you think the stretch from Nadine port - Whiskey jack is worse than the Nadine portage(for reference)?
the 2960m portage from luckless looks to be all downhill, can anyone comment?

Option 2:
Cedar -> Catfish
Catfish -> Robinson
Rest day on Robinson
Robinson -> Long Marsh Nipissing River
LMNP - > out

I've paddled the Nip downstream in mid Sept and late August, don't recall the current being much of a speed enhancer..

Option 3: 
Cedar-> Cauchon
Cachon -> Erables
Erables -> Little Osler
Little Osler -> Perley Dam

This would be an entirely new area. I am not sure how difficult the section from Cauchon to the Nip is.. Would really appreciate insight here

Ryan

 

3/29/2023 4:36 pm  #2


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

We did almost the exact same thing as Option 3 in August 2020 as follows:
Cedar-> Cauchon
Cachon -> Erables
Erables -> Little Osler
Little Osler -> Nadine (spent a rest day here)
Nadine -> Rolling Dam

Looking back, I wouldn't make any changes to our itinerary. It's a really beautiful route, and once we left Erables it was extremely quiet (we only saw a solo trekker during a lunch stop at Skuce, and a couple entering Osler from the Nadine portage until we got back to Cedar). There was a slight current heading down the Nip - not enough to carry us much, but enough that we were thankful to be with it vs. against it.

As a frame of reference, there were 3 of us in a single canoe (me, wife and friend) and we are Intermediate level at best - we are all around 50, in good physical shape. We did single plus half (leapfrog) carries at each portage, and I remember some challenging elevation sections. 'Heart Attack Hill' was a steady uphill climb with no reprieve for about 2/3 of the way until it went back down. It wasn't crazy steep or in any way scary, just a grind, but the reward of Little Osler was totally worth it! We found the days to be well-paced, although the ones with more portaging were felt at times.

If you lean towards option 3 and there's any way you can swing an extra day, I would highly recommend spending a night at Nadine for two reasons:
1. Little Osler to Perley Dam seems like it would be a tough haul (though totally doable, especially if single carrying)
2. It's a gorgeous lake (the 2 northern sites are especially great)

Hope this helps!

Rich
 

Last edited by hiker72 (3/29/2023 9:18 pm)

 

3/30/2023 2:19 pm  #3


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Hi Rich,

I think option 3 is looking most attractive at this point. I am really looking to separate myself from the crowds and have found the other 2 routes to have more traffic in the summertime. 

I agree with your perspective on Nadine, I have stayed there 3 nights in the past, and it is definitely one of the prettiest lakes in the park imo. 

I am curious what the campsites on the north side of Caochon look like, and in club lake. Do you recall anything that stood out in that area?

Just for reference of my physical capabilities: I'm 31, lift weights 5x/week, run, etc. I am thinking of this trip as a physical and mental challenge. This will be my 3rd solo. the other two were 3 nighters (Devine, Devine, Rosebary), (Big crow, Lavielle, Little Dickson - water taxi in/out)

Last edited by Experience The Elements (3/30/2023 2:22 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

3/30/2023 2:40 pm  #4


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

I've done route 2 and it is a great trip, we stayed at the Perley Dam and the sites aren't great. I like the island site on Robinson. My least favourite part about all of those routes is I'm not fan of crossing Cedar Lake in a canoe. 

 

3/30/2023 7:16 pm  #5


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Experience The Elements wrote:

Hi Rich,

I am curious what the campsites on the north side of Caochon look like, and in club lake. Do you recall anything that stood out in that area?

Unfortunately we did not get a chance to explore much of Cauchon - the day was wet and cold, so we grabbed the first site we hit entering the lake. As for Club, I recall it being pretty shallow/weedy. I'm not sure how the water is around the sites so I'm afraid I can't offer much here either.

 

3/30/2023 11:14 pm  #6


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Experience The Elements wrote:

...
I've paddled the Nip downstream in mid Sept and late August, don't recall the current being much of a speed enhancer..
...

I've done the Nip in early August and I suspect  the current is more than you'd think.  Left Graham's Dam a bit before 9 AM, ended up on Cedar by 6:30 (about  12h on Jeff's map which I tend to only be a touch quicker than).  

I've stayed on Cauchon in the cluster on the East side.  Was mid week so we were the only ones on the lake and a nice breeze kept the bugs down.  I can't remember what the north site in the middle of the lake looked like but the two near the west end seemed the type I would only pick if I  had no choice.

I'm planning to do a longer version of your #3 in early July from Kiosk through Manitou, Kakasamic, Three Mile before hitting your route (though depending on a few things, might split it into two trips).


p.s.  Love the Nip, even the alder section at the top.
 

Last edited by keg (3/30/2023 11:17 pm)

 

3/31/2023 8:29 am  #7


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Lenny wrote:

I've done route 2 and it is a great trip, we stayed at the Perley Dam and the sites aren't great. I like the island site on Robinson. My least favourite part about all of those routes is I'm not fan of crossing Cedar Lake in a canoe. 

I will keep that in mind, I was planning on staying at Rolling dam, as I have been there twice before. 

I've stayed at Robinson Island 4 nights in the past, it's worth a visit.

Agreed, Cedar can be a beast. In the 6 times ive crossed it, it has only cooperated twice.. 

     Thread Starter
 

3/31/2023 10:14 am  #8


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

keg wrote:

Experience The Elements wrote:

...
I've paddled the Nip downstream in mid Sept and late August, don't recall the current being much of a speed enhancer..
...

I've done the Nip in early August and I suspect  the current is more than you'd think.  Left Graham's Dam a bit before 9 AM, ended up on Cedar by 6:30 (about  12h on Jeff's map which I tend to only be a touch quicker than).  

I've stayed on Cauchon in the cluster on the East side.  Was mid week so we were the only ones on the lake and a nice breeze kept the bugs down.  I can't remember what the north site in the middle of the lake looked like but the two near the west end seemed the type I would only pick if I  had no choice.

I'm planning to do a longer version of your #3 in early July from Kiosk through Manitou, Kakasamic, Three Mile before hitting your route (though depending on a few things, might split it into two trips).


p.s.  Love the Nip, even the alder section at the top.
 

that would only play in my favour for option 3, as I have a lot of ground to cover from Little Osler -> Nip. im going to try and go as far down as I can that day. I have an 8 hour drive back home from Brent.

I typically prefer something with a nice view from the firepit, doesnt really matter where the tent pad is, as long as its flat. appreciate the insite. I think i might try to push onto Mink or Club. to try and shorten day 2/3.

Thats pretty amibitous, are you going to go through maple creek or Erables? Sounds like a route you would need to take 2 vehicles or have 2 weeks to complete. 

- not sure if you have been up birchcliffe creek, but curious if it is anything like that? only done the lower nip from whiskeyjack. 

Last edited by Experience The Elements (3/31/2023 10:15 am)

     Thread Starter
 

3/31/2023 12:21 pm  #9


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Haven't found the current going up the Nipissing difficult. Been up to Luckless via the Nip with no issues. Portage is nice for a long one. It would be a long day to paddle Cedar to the Nadine portage on the Nipissing. That being said it's not bad to paddle the other way downstream. Easy to do in a day downstream. Prefer the Nip over portaging the Pet with Unicorn Hill. Done heart attack hill (Little Nadine - Little Olser), coming from Erables, one time to many. This year, like last, booked to go to the Osler's via Cedar - Nip - Luckless - Plumb - Whiskey Jack - Nadine - Little Osler then backtrack down the Nip. Avoiding heart attack hill again this year. May decide to venture up heart attack hill the easy way, from Little Osler to make a cell call. Yes... always been able to make phone calls on top of heart attack hill. Spotty reception but good enough to usually make a call. Nice rock to sit on right at the top of the hill. 

Maybe some of the ramblings help?

Cheers!

Last edited by Dwight (3/31/2023 12:23 pm)

 

3/31/2023 4:08 pm  #10


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Just a note about Perley Dam... When we were there in 2020 it looked like a fresh trail had been cut to access the higher campsite (the one noted as inaccessible as of 2013 on Jeffsmap). I recall it having the orange camp sign/arrow, so in all likelihood blazed by a parks worker  We went up to explore and nearly stayed there as it had a beautiful up river view. The one downside was that it looked like it hadn't been used yet after being dormant for many years - i.e. lots of moss, plus some low vegetation where the tents would go. I can't recall what the seating around the firepit was like. The other downside is that your canoe would need to be left near the put-in as it can't be carried up the path. Wondering if anyone has used it since then?

 

3/31/2023 7:04 pm  #11


Re: Early August Brent Solo Loop

Experience The Elements wrote:

...
Thats pretty amibitous, are you going to go through maple creek or Erables? Sounds like a route you would need to take 2 vehicles or have 2 weeks to complete.

2 weeks it is (or 12 days).  I'm thinking of Manitou (through 3 mile) --> Maple --> Skuce .....

As for alders, I haven't done Birchcliffe but the section on the Nip was far easier than when I when down White Partridge creek where it was pretty much constant alders the whole way.

 

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