]Hello,

Wondering if there is a doable loop heading down the Albany from Osnaburgh lake (south of pickle lake) turning south before getting past the island, and back west into Poshkokogan and back down into Osnaburgh. From what I can tell the only real obstacle is 3 miles of marshy creek that would probably require some dragging for most of the 1st mile. Portages are visible amongst the other lakes on Bing imagery, so the creek is my only concern. Total loop is about 40 miles, so my thought is it could be an extremely laid back 8 day trip, leaving plenty of time for that creek and some layover days.

Editing this as I don’t think I asked the right question. I understand terrain in my own backyard, but looking at imagery, I don’t know how a mile of slogging through pick-up-sticks in the north translates into time. If I have a mile of crawling over deadfall, how many hours/days would that take as a portage? My guess is at least a half day.

Karl

Karl, here is a link to the coverage map of the Wabakimi Project's Volume 2 map. It has a little bit of what you're looking for -

http://wabakimi.org/maps/files/VolumeTwo_Map_v2.pdf

If an "extremely laid back 8 day trip" is not an essential ingredient, you could always paddle down to the mouth of the Misehkow and then head upriver to one of the routes shown on the map above!

_________________
http://albinger.me/canoe-tripping/

Thank you sir! I had considered that too, but with two little kids at home, the most I can do is a taste...I just want to get out of a park, and not be limited by float planes, or rail lines, etc. test my acumen...that kind of thing. This is helpful though. Problem is there’s a lot of white space where I want to go. Thanks!

Karl, some more specific information came to me from one of the Wabakimi Project people involved in creating that map volume linked above, as well as clearing the actual portage trails. Here are his suggestions -

1) Take the Pashkokogan River from Hamilton, south to Fitchie and Neverfreeze Lakes, Seldom to Elwood, cut into the northeast arm of Savant Lake, follow the Savant River to Velos Lake, go northeast to McCrea Creek and Lake, then back to Pashkokogan and Hamilton and his put in.

2) Cut over from the Pashkokogan River through Velos Lake, down the Savant River, past Velos Lake to Redmond, Takeoff and Shoe Lake, then back through McCrea Creek, Pashkokogan and back to the put in.

There’s no need to do the Albany that far upstream, it’s mostly big lake anyways. The river routes will have rapids to run, waterfalls to avoid and portages that were cleared only 9 years ago. (Yikes, time flies). The Savant River is beautiful, as is all the area up there in the Crown Lands.

That should give you more to mull over as you plant the seeds of what should be a nice one-week escape from those two munchkins!

_________________
http://albinger.me/canoe-tripping/

Awesome! Thank you!

Or you could change your destination completely. We just completed clearing all the ports on the Marshall Lake loop. This six to nine day loop is a couple of hours northwest of Nakina Ontario, all on Crown Land, and you can drive right to it.
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums/for ... s-and-info

The link isn’t taking me to the page. I’m intrigued, however.

Try this link instead.....
http://www.canoetripping.net/forums/for ... d-on-imugr