Hi Christy & Karin,
I'm interested in your interest in this river... my son's Beaver group uses the Maskwa Project to camp a couple times a year, and the kids go canoeing the 1-2 km from the camp up to the 1st rapids. So I'm curious to know what lies beyond!
I'm posting here because this thread has already got some info on the roads etc., but I see from your other, newer "No Pain, No Gain" post that you've been clearing some portages. How far up have you been? I tried following that report, but without photos and maps, I couldn't be sure where you were talking about. Do you have maps you could share so I could relate to the info that's there?
I was looking at accessing the N branch of the Maskwa R from the "Translicence Rd" (which is about 11-12 km up Hwy 304 after Broadlands Rd, and goes east to connect to with Hwy 314 just below Rabbit/Black Rivers, and touches the Maskwa R a few times along the road's eastern half). This would give about a 25 km paddle back down to the camp. However, the first access to the Maskwa ("N branch") is about 17-18 Km down the Translicence Rd, which I take it isn't passable any longer. I'm also not sure that "N branch" is anything - though it goes a long way up to connect to Black Lake area around 314, it may just be a little trickle of a creek?
Anyway, thanks for any info you have on the Maskwa between the camp (Maskwa Project) and at least the fork in the river about 17 km up from the camp.
On the camp's web page, they mention wanting to increase rec opportunities, including paddling to Maskwa Lake (approx. 50 km upstream from the camp following the S fork).
https://www.maskwaproject.org/After the first rapids it looks like there is some more fast water within the next few kms, including what looks like a stretch for several hundred metres (based on looking on Toporama) - I wonder what that's like?
Curious to know how far up you've been, and especially whether there is any nice camping for a young family. At the fork (17 km past the camp), have you ever taken the fork/tributary N up towards the road (7 km to the road), or have you always gone S & E on the main Maskwa R that eventually goes to Maskwa Lake?
At Maskwa Project in the winter we heard loads of snow machines across the river. ATV access is obvious at the 1st rapids (but likely just from access past the Maskwa Project Rd?). And the Translicence Rd parallels the river (south/main fork) for a good chunk (8-9 km) about 18 km in from Hwy 314. Given all that, I'm wondering about other users in the area - if one canoes 10, 20 or 40 km up the Maskwa River, will they be camping at places that are shared with ATVs?
What's the influence on the Maskwa River in terms of others' presence, noise and litter?
What's the character of the river in terms of swampy shores vs outcrops for camping?
Thanks very much for any info, Pat.
p.s. Having looked at Charles' video again, I can see what's at the 2nd rapids/falls and note there is a bridge - not sure what access that relates to, but raises my concerns about access by motorized vehicles. Beyond that, I'm not sure what's where, though I think Charles went 10 km upstream. All looks pretty low-lying in terms of frequent camp spots. And I'm guessing the "N fork" is nothing but a little trib.