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5/10/2018 9:55 am  #1


Nipissing River Loop in two nights

I am looking at starting at the Tim river access point early Tuesday morning and heading up through Big Bob and camping somewhere on the Nip for the first night, then Rosebary for the second night. I have never been to any of these lakes/river other than Tim Lake so I am wondering how travel would be down the Nipissing River right now? How many hours am I looking at total from Big Bob to Rosebary?
This trip isn't a sure thing yet, just trying to decide if I should wait until I have more time available for this particular route.
Because I will be working in Kearney the day prior to my trip I will be able to get my permit ahead of time which means I will be able to start as early as I want as well.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/10/2018 9:56 am)

 

5/10/2018 7:19 pm  #2


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

I did this exact loop last October in 3 days 2 nights. We camped at the 200m portage on the nip, I wouldn't recommend it as we had a couple people passing through as we cooked breakfast. They told us we were in for a long day and even told us we should consider turning around and paddling back upstream because the alders would be so bad past the point we were at. They were hiking and were surprised we had a permit as they thought the backcountry was closed to camping and didn't really wanna talk about where they came from or what they were doing. The nip was not bad at all, only a couple pullovers and the alders didn't bother us. The worst stretch was Latour creek to the 1300m portage into Floating Heart, not much water and really tight in spots and no bottom to get out and pull/push the canoe, but manageable for sure. If I remember correctly it took us around 5 hours to get from the 200m portage site to Rosebary, and we are by no means professional paddlers.

​Hope this helps, I know it didn't answer your question about time from Big Bob to Rosebary.

 

5/10/2018 7:30 pm  #3


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

Catto9 wrote:

I did this exact loop last October in 3 days 2 nights. We camped at the 200m portage on the nip, I wouldn't recommend it as we had a couple people passing through as we cooked breakfast. They told us we were in for a long day and even told us we should consider turning around and paddling back upstream because the alders would be so bad past the point we were at. They were hiking and were surprised we had a permit as they thought the backcountry was closed to camping and didn't really wanna talk about where they came from or what they were doing. The nip was not bad at all, only a couple pullovers and the alders didn't bother us. The worst stretch was Latour creek to the 1300m portage into Floating Heart, not much water and really tight in spots and no bottom to get out and pull/push the canoe, but manageable for sure. If I remember correctly it took us around 5 hours to get from the 200m portage site to Rosebary, and we are by no means professional paddlers.

​Hope this helps, I know it didn't answer your question about time from Big Bob to Rosebary.

It looks like they probably parked at the logging road by West Koko Pond and hiked in from there... by the looks of it it would only be around 6 or 7 km one way.
As for my questions you gave me pretty much all the info I need. If it only took you 5 hours from the 200m portage to Rosebary I'm good to go for sure. I will be single carrying all portages and would consider myself a seasoned paddler but I will be soloing a 17ft canoe.

How were the campsites on the Nip? Particularly the one you stayed at? I likely won't make it all the way to Grassy Lake if it would only take a couple hours to Rosebary from there.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/10/2018 7:31 pm)

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5/10/2018 9:55 pm  #4


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

I had a quick look at my journal from this trip, and I noted that I didn't think much of any of the campsites on that stretch of the nip, besides Grassy Lake (had lunch there) was good and Loontail Junction looked okay but didn't really check it out much because we were pushing for Rosebary and weren't sure how long it was going to take. One of the campsites on a short portage was closed, don't remember which one exactly. I also noted that out travel time was about 6hrs 15mins, so I was wrong when I said it took us 5 hours.

​The campsite we stayed at is literally right on the portage trail. There are rapids close by that are fairly loud, but I don't mind this for sleeping or fishing (although the season was already over at that point.) Pretty good fire pit, lots of wood around the site. It worked for us, but I wouldn't say I recommend it. 

​I'm sure I've heard someone on here say that you can start, unofficially, at wesk koko, which would make Grassy Lake doable on the first day. Could've been Peek, probably, he's been everywhere! It was a good little, challenging for us, loop. 

 

5/11/2018 6:01 pm  #5


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

Catto9 wrote:

I had a quick look at my journal from this trip, and I noted that I didn't think much of any of the campsites on that stretch of the nip, besides Grassy Lake (had lunch there) was good and Loontail Junction looked okay but didn't really check it out much because we were pushing for Rosebary and weren't sure how long it was going to take. One of the campsites on a short portage was closed, don't remember which one exactly. I also noted that out travel time was about 6hrs 15mins, so I was wrong when I said it took us 5 hours.

​The campsite we stayed at is literally right on the portage trail. There are rapids close by that are fairly loud, but I don't mind this for sleeping or fishing (although the season was already over at that point.) Pretty good fire pit, lots of wood around the site. It worked for us, but I wouldn't say I recommend it. 

​I'm sure I've heard someone on here say that you can start, unofficially, at wesk koko, which would make Grassy Lake doable on the first day. Could've been Peek, probably, he's been everywhere! It was a good little, challenging for us, loop. 

Thank for very much for the info!
It was indeed Peek that started at West Koko, it was the first thing that came up when I googled it. Haha
Some guys went through Basecamp today that were doing the same route I want to do and are doing it in 2 nights as well, I'll find out if its a good idea come Sunday when they return... if not I'll go somewhere else. Haha
The joys of working at an outfitter.
I also forgot to mention that I tried the road that goes up to KoKo Pond late last fall and there was a washout that was way too deep for my car.. not sure if it's been fixed though.

Last edited by ATVenture (5/11/2018 6:11 pm)

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5/11/2018 8:47 pm  #6


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

You're welcome! I've got David Lake booked for the upcoming long weekend and my partner just backed out, so I guess I'm going solo. Maybe I'll drop into Basecamp and say hello when I grab my permit. Happy paddling!

​PS before I had my own canoe I rented from Canoe Algonquin (sorry, lol), and a guy from Algonquin Basecamp helped me out with an almost flat tire at the Rain Lake access back in 2015. Big thanks if that was you.

 

5/11/2018 10:25 pm  #7


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

Catto9 wrote:

You're welcome! I've got David Lake booked for the upcoming long weekend and my partner just backed out, so I guess I'm going solo. Maybe I'll drop into Basecamp and say hello when I grab my permit. Happy paddling!

​PS before I had my own canoe I rented from Canoe Algonquin (sorry, lol), and a guy from Algonquin Basecamp helped me out with an almost flat tire at the Rain Lake access back in 2015. Big thanks if that was you.

I've got David booked for August. I've seen some pictures online of the island site, but if you happen to take some more feel free to share them with me


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5/12/2018 12:44 pm  #8


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

I did Latour and Loontail last August going the other way.

I'd mention that I didn't even notice the junction at loontail/Nippising so keep an eye out or you will suddenly realize you're at high dam.

The 50 m on Latour near the Floating Heart portage was really just a bunch of tiny water flows through the grass.  If I hadn't been coming from the portage I would have been seriously doubting if I was in the right place and the turns were tight even in a solo.  Hopefully with spring water levels it shouldn't be as bad.

As for campsites, I haven't been on the stretch of the Nip you are doing but most of the low maintenance sites along the next section are best described as functional rather than picturesque (though one or two were hardly even that).

 

5/12/2018 1:59 pm  #9


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

trippythings wrote:

Catto9 wrote:

You're welcome! I've got David Lake booked for the upcoming long weekend and my partner just backed out, so I guess I'm going solo. Maybe I'll drop into Basecamp and say hello when I grab my permit. Happy paddling!

​PS before I had my own canoe I rented from Canoe Algonquin (sorry, lol), and a guy from Algonquin Basecamp helped me out with an almost flat tire at the Rain Lake access back in 2015. Big thanks if that was you.

I've got David booked for August. I've seen some pictures online of the island site, but if you happen to take some more feel free to share them with me

​I will definitely share some pics. I recently purchased a Nikon D3400, my first real camera, so I'll be playing with that a lot hopefully.
 

 

5/17/2018 6:07 am  #10


Re: Nipissing River Loop in two nights

I ended up doing a slightly tamer route, I started a Cache and went to Kirkwood and back up through the small chain of lakes (Plough, South Cannisbay, Delano, etc). I ended up doing this over one single night and had an amazing time, what a way to kick off the season! I caught over 10 lake trout all around 20-22 inches, but the problem was I forgot my KNIFE at home. I decided to have a trout for supper, but I had to gut it with my hatchet. :\

Last edited by ATVenture (5/17/2018 7:21 am)

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