I've been to a few SEPAQ parks and I never got a sense that they understood canoeists. I always found that they were just oriented towards renting gear but didn't know how to advise me on where to camp, which park section was best, or how to avoid motor boat lakes.

I am from Ontario where the parks publish a lot more info and seem to have given much more though to the needs of canoe campers. I don't want to sound superior but do others find SEPAQ lacking too?

When SEPAQ took over La Vérendrye it seems that LV's mission changed. It went from an "explorer's type" wilderness experience to a more "canoe-camping" controlled environment. In the 70's and early 80's there were a few established and well maintained circuits. Some of these older identified circuits gave the paddler a more intimate journey as then a lot of small creeks and waterways were used to connect the traveller from one lake to another. Also a wider area of land was used and we were encouraged to explore and report back with any pertinent information (new possible circuits, portage locations and campsites) that could be added to the master map. There were less roads in those days as logging was still done in some areas using winter roads over frozen lakes. This logging technique, plus the presence of trappers meant that portages were actively used in the backcountry. Thus portage maintenance by a hired crew was not required in roadless areas off of today's identified circuits. A look at the linked map with a photo viewer with zoom option such as "XN VIEW" will give the reader an idea of what was already documented in 1989.

http://www.cartespleinair.org/Canot/04/LaVerendryeCarte1989.jpg

GG

_________________
A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
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email: geraldguay@hotmail.com
http://www.geraldguay.ca

I spend a considerable amount of time canoeing in some of the wildlife reserves and have to book with SEPAQ. I've found that trying to explain my detailed route to them, especially if launching anywhere but a motorboat lake is an exercise in futility. If I give them a route description that includes starting and finishing at a major motor boat accessible launch, they are perfectly happy, and efficient with approvals.

None of the SEPAQ employees I've spoken to have set foot in any of the more remote reserves I enjoy, so can't lend much advice in route selection/planning.

I was at La Verendrye 10+ years ago. I asked for advice about a paddle-in campsite and the told me to go to a site where I discovered there were logging trucks running nearby all through the night!

2 Weeks ago I was at Parc de Grands Jardins. The park person at the desk told me the only place I could paddle was at Arthabaska Lake and the connecting waterways to the south. But looking on the map, it seems like there are other lakes that one could access by road and then explore in a canoe. But because the the heatwave and black-flies, I was reluctant to explore to much.

I am looking for knowledge about Port Cartier-Sept Iles Wildlife Reserve. Have you ever canoed ther?

I've never been to Port Cartier, I spend most of my time up around Mistassini.

looks like a great area, look forward to some reports!