View topic - Summers - Mace Route (Mississagi Region)

For this trip, Andrew and I head north of Elliot Lake, Ontario to canoe and combine a portion of the 'lost' Summers Lake loop with the well established and moderately traveled Dunlop, Ten Mile, Flack, Mace lake routes. A great route through some of the most scenic terrain in the Mississagi region. We cap it off with a hike to the summit of Old Baldy, a bare quartzite ridge with sweeping views of the land.



As of 2016, the route was well signed with aging metal markers. Trails were cleared and are in good condition. The only major obstacles may be potentially low water on the Swamp between Dunlop and Marsh and winds on Dunlop. Check out the trip report video for more!



I added a technical description of the 'Lost' Summers Lake roue to the database here: http://www.myccr.com/canoeroutes/summers-lake-loop

IMO - It's a nice addition to the route. If the swampwhack portage along the shores of the dried up lake scare you, one could always return to their vehicle via Dunlop-Gusty-Summers. There are numerous access points as well. From Hwy 108, north of Elliot Lake you can drive 11.7km down Dunlop Shores Rd to the boat launch and either paddle Dunlop or portage into Gusty.



Alternatively, you can drive 4.2km down Dunlop Shores Rd to the Marsh Lake launch (What we did). There is some curbside parking, but a better option is to park a few meters north to the side of a bush road. Don’t block the entrance. We pulled into a flat semi-shrubbed over opening.



The hike to Old Baldy was a little rough/faint in sections, but it's an enjoyable trek to the top with some rewarding views of the landscape below.

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My Backcountry Website: www.explorethebackcountry.com