Magnetawan River - Maple Island to Hwy 169 Takeout

CanadaOntarioGeorgian Bay basin
Submitter & Author Information
Route submitted by: 
Daniel Elia
Trip Date : 
August 2018
Additional Route Information
Distance: 
44 km
Duration: 
7 days
Loop Trip: 
No
Portage Information
No. of portages: 
7
Total Portage Distance: 
4000 m
Longest Portage: 
1200 m
Difficulty Ratings
River Travel: 
Advanced
Lake Travel: 
Intermediate
Portaging: 
Moderate
Remoteness: 
Novice
Background Trip Info
Water Levels: 
Low
Route Description
Access to Put-In Information: 

Access Points:

Knoefli Falls

17T 31 E/12 599500E/5057900N
Seven day put in

Poverty Bay Entrance

17T 31 E/12 597900E/5059100N

Cody Rapids

17T 31 E/12 590100E/5060900N

Maple Island

17T 31 E/12 587400E/506200N

Bennets Bay

17T 41 H/9 575650E/5062800N
Five day put in

Three Snye Rapids

17T 41 H/9 553700E/5065100N

Harris Lake

17T 41 H/9 549085E/5065254N

Technical Guide: 

7 day August 2018 @9-16m3/s

Put in: Maple Island

Route:

Maple Island – Bennett’s Bay – The Top Lake – Magnetawan River

 

Porter Rapides – CI/CII RC

Upper Burnt Chute - CIII Technical, ran RR with switch to RL

Lower Burnt Chute - CII Second part is a chute, Portage RL (1100m)

Lovesick Rapids – CI RL easy fun, big V

The Top Lake – pine ridge point

Before Canal Rapids – Great Cliff jumping in Deep Bay RR

Portage for Canal in Deep Bay – RR (1200m)

Grave Rapids – CI, RC

Trout Lake Island – Great site RL island

Mountain Chute – ledge huge, Portages on RR or RL, only RR exit, Lined RL

Stovepipe Rapids – fun CI, great learner rapid, ran paddle signals

Three Snye Rapids – Portage RL (150M), great site at the end with cliff jumping

1st set after 3S – Ledgy CIII+, Lined RR

2nd set after 3S – CII, ran RC

CN Set – CII+, Ran RC, then RL around slanted hole

4th set after 3S – CIII+, a lot of holes, Portage RR (300m)

Thirty Dollar – easy at beginning CI, then to a CIII+ ledge, Portage RL (700m)

CII at end eddy hoping

Miner Lake campsite RL

1st set after Miner Lake – Portage RL (300m)

2nd set after Miner Lake – Ran RL sneak, RR is a bit ledgy

3rd set after Miner Lake – Ran RL around small hole, rocky after the set

4th set after Miner Lake – Ran RR sneak, almost looks like a dam, deceiving

Takeout: After highway 169 @ boat launch RR, Really windy at 11AM

Campsite 1: Lower Burnt Chute Portage Trail

Campsite 2: Before Canal near cliff jumping spot in Deep Bay

Campsite 3: Trout Lake Island

Campsite 4: Three Snye Campsite

Campsite 5: Miner Lake

Campsite 6: Miner Lake

Trip Journal/Log/Report/Diary: 
Maps Required
Topo Maps (1:50,000): 
Topo Maps (1:250,000): 
Other Maps: 
Other
Suggested Resource Material: 

Comments

Post date: Tue, 12/10/2019 - 10:45

Comments: 

be sure to check out the video for an idea of what you'll encounter on this route. Ee ran it mid-June 2019 at high flows: Click for Trip Video

Post date: Mon, 11/18/2019 - 14:03

Comments: 

Correction to above for Seller Rapids (lower).  Take RR main channel, (NOT RL) through island chain

Post date: Mon, 11/18/2019 - 14:01

Comments: 

We left from Poverty Bay and paddled to Wahwashkesh in a 2-day trip at high, June flows. Some additional notes/corrections to the above:

Lower Burnt Chute - The first part is a chute (portage RL by the cabin), the remainder is CII-III depending on flows. We put in below the chutes (June 2019 - extremely high water) and dumped in the CIII.

This report is missing Needle Eye Rapids (after Lower Burnt Chute). First drop is CI with small campsite on rocky point, pool, then second part is CIV/Chutes. Long portage RL ~1km
 

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Additional details for the stretch from Poverty Bay to Porter Rapids as follows:

Poverty Bay Chutes (upper) Chutes

Poverty Bay Chutes (middle) CIII

Poverty Bay Chutes (lower) CII-III

2 unnamed rapids - CI

Seller Rapids (upper) - CI-II, Run RL. Can be rocky.

Seller Rapids (lower) Chute IV, then CII, then CI. Portage trail 250m RL bypasses chute (there’s a nice campsite here!), can run or line the CII, run the CI through island maze, take RL main channel.

Ross Rapids - CIII-IV, Big rooster tail at high flows with boils and irregular waves. Solo decked canoe flipped here. Portage RL ~100m

Unnamed Rapids - CI-II-III. Can run upper CI, line middle CIII+ rocky drop or portage 50m RL, run bottom CII

Cody Rapids - CIII, irregular waves at high levels. sketchier than it appears from the bridge. Take our RR and cross bridge to RL. Bushwhack/road portage ~100m