View topic - Steel River Loop Maps Repost

You will pick up the Catlonite just before Terrace Bay and follow it straight up to Sun Road South. Dont have to go near Longlac. Ill send you some maps later, on a trip this weekend

If you're feeling adventurous you can take Sultan Industrial Rd to shave off almost an hour off the drive. It's about an hour on gravel though, but well traveled and maintained. I last took it two weeks ago and it's good.
Connects 144 to 129, then you take 101 west to Wawa. Here are the turnoffs:
https://goo.gl/maps/aUs4oQB9UzbTDn6dA
https://goo.gl/maps/3bzP1Mk4bPbjirfW9

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Hi Jonathan,

I just wanted clarification on this, and it might clarify it for others in the future reading this thread. I'm not heading through there anytime soon, but when I read your idea of saving time using the Sultan Industrial Road rather than the Hwy 17/Trans Canada I was surprised and thought I'd most definitely take that route in the future to save an hour on the way from the GTA to Marathon or whatever. But when I looked at the maps, it doesn't seem to save time.

I've attached a few images below. One is a direct trip from Chelmsford to Wawa along Hwy 17/Trans Canada. This is a distance of 511 km and a time of 5 hours, 31 minutes.



Going the other way, from Chelmsford to Watershed/Sultan Industrial Road, then from there to Wawa is in two legs in the maps below. First is 153 km and 1 hour, 39 minutes. The second is 280 km and 4 hours, 53 minutes. This would be a total distance of 433 km (78 km less than Hwy 17), and a total time of 6 hours, 32 minutes (About an hour more than on Hwy 17).




It's definitely a shorter distance, but do you say that it's a shorter time since in reality the driving time down Sultan Industrial Road is a lot less than Google estimates?

I just want to note for anyone who might be reading this, the drive along Hwy 17 (IMO) is far, far nicer with spectacular views along the shore of Lake Superior between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa. It might be worth the extra kilometers (and possibly extra time) if you haven't passed that way before.

Hey Brad, without a doubt...if you have the time, 17 is a far nicer drive with more amenities and easier on your car (actually I'm replacing a $750 windshield right now thanks to a rock chip from Sultan--but don't worry, it's well graded and maintained). On the other hand, eventually the 17 drive becomes less thrilling if you do it a lot and you just want to get the drive done ASAP. Not to mention you're less likely to hit highway repairs in the summer and probably a safer drive in the winter (LSPP is a bit notorious...I feel safer taking Sultan in snowy conditions).

But Google oddly has no perception of speed on Sultan despite the data they collect from people. It's definitely almost an hour faster. Google must think it's a 40km/h gavel road.

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YouTube Channel - Lost Lakes

You're right about the speed assumptions, Brad - I checked the route on Google Maps as well, and the driving directions state that it spends 96.5km on Sultan Industrial Road, with a predicted time of 2hrs, 27 mins. So, about 40 km/h.

If it's safe to go ~80 km/h then you're shaving half the time off of that, dropping the total to about 3hrs 45 mins for that leg, plus 1hr 39mins for the 153km to Sudbury (I used the Esso at the corner of Sultan Industrial and Hwy 144 as my waypoint), for a total of 433 km in about 5hrs 19 mins. Unless Google Maps is *really* wrong (it does some weird dipsy-doodle turning about 10km west of 144, for some reason), so if it's <1hr from 129 to 144 then it would save a lot of time.

All that said, we're definitely taking 17 on the way up for our trip in August, but we might take the other route on the way back if we're tired of scenery and just want to get home. Depends how much of a beating I want to put my vehicle through, I suppose

Nice to see all this new activity on an older thread. I will be watching for updates over the coming month as this route has made my short list for an Oct trip this fall, with the competitors being Ranger L. or the Sand River. I am off to do the Dunlop loop in 4 days time, but if Dunlop is too busy for Aug long weekend, than I may end up driving the other 6hr to head up that way and pick one of the other routes anyhow.
Have great safe safe trip PaddlingGal and we look forward to hearing about the current status.

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Outbound2Explore

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit. ~ Edward Abbey

We survived! My partner and I both made it home in one piece, and it was an unbelievable experience... Trip report upcoming in a few days, but first I need to unpack and take a much-needed shower!

(Post removed for editing, will re-file as a proper trip report)



As noted above, the Diablo Portage (SP9 in Rob’s maps) has been replaced by three smaller ports you can take instead. Here are the GPS coordinates, along with a map from the InReach data:

SP9(a): 16U 508260 5417236
The first of the new ports out of Santoy (to Pike Lake, as the locals called it) is located just to the left of a dock in the northwest corner of the lake. It’s right in front of a cottage, where a very kind couple have lived since 1983. The port is marked with the same yellow signs installed by Biigtigong First Nations (miigwech to those who cleared and marked the ports!) and they’re very well-maintained. It's pretty long (an estimated 1200 meters). with lots of ups and downs, wet terrain, and a fair amount of elevation gain. The only redeeming merit to this portage is that it's not as bad as the original Diablo portage.
SP9(a)E: 16U 507120 5417694

SP9(b): 16U 506473 5417963
The second port from Pike Lake to Little Diablo is quite a bit easier. It’s only about 350 meters long, slight elevation gain, and ends in a part of the creek instead of the lake proper. One iffy section where it goes over some fallen trees, but compared to the first port out of Santoy, this one is a breeze.
SP9(b)E: 16U 506117 5417902

SP9(c): 16U 505976 5417473
The third port from Little Diablo to Diablo is probably about 500-600 meters long, moderate incline, and a few tricky sections. It exits into the northeast part of Diablo, right where the “Poor Campsite” marker is on Rob’s map. You paddle south to the middle of Diablo, then turn back north to get to SP10.
SP9(c)E: 16U 506102 5417099

Hahah sounds like you got the full Steel River experience, complete with stiff wind on Santoy. Excellent TR, brings back great memories. Loved the ongoing divorce bit. Didn't realize you were 5'5"...that's tough with the 17' in TuffStuff. Kudos! And thanks for posting the new Diablo ports.

I was a bit concerned about you stepping up from short-ish Algonquin trips to this one (especially without an abundance of time to take it easy if needed) but all it takes is commitment to the mission and now you're better for it. This trip was a formative one for me and I sense the same for you two. I suspect you'll be itching for more next spring. Pick up Callan's Ontario Lost Canoe Routes if you don't have it yet. Some wonderful trips in there including this loop, many of which are closer to you and less likely to result in divorce. Congrats and cheers to the Steel!

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