Left home in Brampton, Ont. at 6:15am, arrived at River Valley around 11:00am to meet Claude and Shelley and had lunch at Claude’s aunt and uncle’s. Arrived at access to Obabika Lake at 3:30pm and camped.


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Sun. July 1

Paddled to Ceremonial Site, we had a strong head wind and waves; Kurt got a little wet in the bow, and arrived around 11:00am, set up. We then walked the portage and canoed Shish Kong Lake to the Spirit Rock. Climbed to the base and took pictures and left a tobacco offering. Canoed back to the portage and then walked the tail to the 3 Sisters and then to the first lookout. Alex Mathias and Mary came over around 8:00pm to visit and left around 9:30pm.


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Mon. July 2

We left camp around 9:30am for Diamond Lake. We canoed across the north end of the lake and headed up the Wakimika River. We encountered our first beaver damn at the old bridge. It had been broken near the right side (east) and Kurt and I tried to paddle up but the current was to strong. Ed and Dick tried to go up and Ed broke one of his paddles. We then got out and pulled over it. A short ways up the river we had another beaver damn and we pulled over it. Once in Wakimika Lake we had a stiff head wind again but the waves were not as bad as on Obabika Lake on Sun. We stopped at the island on Wakimika Lake to see the petroglyphs. Then we headed for the portage to Lain Lake. This portage starts at a narrow landing that has tree roots growing out and 2 small pebble landings about 5 foot wide each. The 435mt. portage starts with a small bush trail up a slope for about 100mt, then a right turn at the Red Squirrel Road. We walked about 300mt along the road to the sloping rock campsite on the left at Lain Lake put in. Paddle 100mt to the north east shore and take out at the slopping rock. The portage 435mt is over and around large boulders and several ledge steps then over open bedrock for about 30mt. to a down hill sloping bedrock and around some large boulder to the put in at the slopping rock. Once paddling again you have to maneuver around jagged rock before you are in open water and the southwestern arm of Diamond Lake. You can see on the east shore a unique fault line crevice in the rock cliff. We passed the two boulder islands and then turned east on Diamond Lake to a large island near the east shore before turning into the north arm and we camped there. Two fishermen were using the site to cook their shore dinner but said they would be done soon and let us start setting up camp. They had filleted the fish and thrown the rest in the water near the shore where we landed. The gulls were landing and eating the remains but the shore smelled fishy.


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Tues. July 3

Started from camp around 9:30am and paddled the north arm of Diamond to the Pictographs and took pictures, then on to the lift over in Lady Evelyn Lake. The lift over is more like a 45mt. portage. We landed on the right or north side at the large rock. Once in the water again we paddled to the second large bay on the west side and paddled to the portage. This portage is 450mt. and a typical uphill and bolder laden portage at the start and downhill and bolder laden to the put in. We paddled a small lake and put in for another portage of 500mt. We met a camp group from Keewaydin and another from Algonquin there. Then on to willow Island Lake and north through the narrows to Sucker Gut Lake and camped on the island at the entrance to Betty’s Hole.


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Wed. July 4

Ed and Dick will not be going to the mountain with us they have to return home as scheduled. We left Dick and Ed at camp and headed out for Maple Mountain at 9:30am.

We entered Betty’s Hole and turn north on Chris Willis River to Hobart Lake. We saw some campers on the high rock campsite; we had a head wind on Hobart Lake. We turned west before Bill Lake and paddled up the creek to the beaver dam and pulled over. After a few hundred meters of paddling the creek we were in Tupper Lake. We paddled to the southwest shore and the beginning of the trail to Maple Mountain. The landing was wet and soft and we went down to almost ankle deep.

The trial up Maple Mountain was not bad, some rocks and marshy areas but the incline is not steep until near the end. We had to climb a steel ladder and then up a very steep trail to the top. This was the last 100mt. Shelley was very apprehensive about the ladder climb and steep slop at the end but she persevered and made it. Once on top we followed the trails to the tower, took pictures, looked around and had lunch. It was cool and breezy on top. Due to the cloudy overcast day we were unable to get any real great pictures of the lakes below but it was impressive none the less. We spent about an hour on top. We met a father and son on top after we finished lunch. Our time to get up the mountain was 1 ½ hrs and the same to return. On our way back to camp we saw a moose and calf just before we got back to Hobart Lake and got pictures of the two. We were back in camp by 4:00pm. In the evening we could see lightning and heard thunder most of the evening but not much rain.

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Thur. July 5

Started from camp 9:20am and headed south on Sucker Gut Lake to the Lady Evelyn River, North Channel. The first portage is 120mt around Frank Falls. This portage starts as a rocky portage and up to the top of the falls and a small pond. We met up with a group of boys and a group of girls from Northwest Camp. Again another rocky put in. We paddled the small pond to Center Falls and the Golden Staircase portage. Center Falls is spectacular; Kurt took many pictures of the falls. The portage is the hardest of the trip. It is 630mt of rocky and steep terrain, in one spot about a third of the way thru is a steep rock face with a natural staircase. Then over bedrock and down to the put in, after a short paddle we had to line up a rock garden rapids on the north shore. Now onto Helen Falls. Another portage, 480mt, typical rocky and bedrock portage up hill and a rocky put in. By now we are use to these portages but they are all difficult. Most of us are not as young as we use to be. The last time I was through this area was July 1991 and they were bad then. We paddle on the north shore and then turned north to the next portage around rapids, 345mt. Put in and paddle a small pond. The next portage was another set of rapids is 270mt, a rock bolder landing. We camped at the end of the portage. I had talked to the girls group councilor and they wanted to camp at the narrows with the boys group from the same camp. It seems one of their members had to be taken out for medical attention and they wanted to be close to the boys group guide since their guide did the medical evacuation. Our campsite at the south end of Katherine Lake (Divide Lake) was a good spot. We had pasted the two groups along the way and we watched them as they now passed us. The girls group was headed north on the river and the boys group were heading south. We wanted to make sure we were ahead of the boys group. We did not want to have to pass them on the south channel.


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Fri. July 6

Left camp around 9:30am and headed down the south channel. We ran a small rapid or swift just south of our campsite. Shelley had a slightly upset stomach this morning but the rapids cured that. Next up is Ladyrinth Rapids 215mt portage, as always it is rocky up and over to the put in. Then onto Cabin Falls. As we approached I saw two canoes leaving the dock area with two people per canoe. Then I saw a canoe being soloed. I could tell but the way the person canoed it was Hap Wilson. When Hap was close enough I spoke to him and he came over to our canoes. Hap was not paying attention to who was in the canoes; he just figured it was another group going by. When he recognized me he paddle over to shake my hand and I introduced the others to him. He said there was coffee at the cabin and to make some and sign the Visitors Book while we were there. We did sign the Visitor Book but pasted on the coffee, we had to get going. There were pictures taken of the cabins. We crossed the river to make the portage 315mt around Cabin Falls. Now onto Bridal Veil Falls a 450mt portage. Another spectacular falls to take pictures of. Now onto Temptation Alley, a set of rapids with a 910mt. portage. All the portages on the south channel are steep and strenuous. We had decided to portage all the rapids due to the inexperience of most of the group with rapids. Now onto Fat Man’s, you have to be careful and stay to the left shore and land at the portage. If you are on the right you might be pulled through the chute. The portage has been changed and now does not go through the fault line crevice that is known as Fat Man’s portage, 215mt. If you go through Fat man’s portage there is a very steep and rocky down hill to the river. The new way is easier to portage but if you want you can go back and walk through the fault line crevice. Next was two small rapids to run and we were now in Willow Island Lake. We camped at the 2 miler campsite. The first portage tomorrow is the 2 miler also know as Dead Man’s March.


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Sat. July 7

Left camp around 9:20am to portage the 3200mt (2 miles), some reports say it is 4000mt. That maybe true if you portage through the marsh to get to deep water or you could walk that same distance in the water and mud through the shallow channel. Kurt made the portage to the beginning of the marsh in 41 min. I did it in 55 min. and I believe Claude and Shelley made in 60 minutes. The first 800mt. is the easy part, going over a slightly rolling area and then into the bog with slippery rocks and logs, since we had had rain for 5 days off and on everything was wet and slippery. Then the trail gets a little steep but not as bad as some of the other portages we have done on this trip. Now we get to the marsh. You can see a channel through it but it was shallow. Hap’s book says in the spring you can put in there, otherwise you walk the marsh. We walked in ankle deep muck for the last 750 to 1000mt. We then canoed down the southwest arm of Diamond Lake and had lunch across from the bolder islands we pasted at the start of our trip. The campsite is across from the old 1950’s logging camp. Now we are back tracking our way to Wakimika Lake and camped on the island in the lake. The first portage heading from Diamond Lake to Wakimika Lake seemed easier than it was when we did it going the other way. I think it might be because we have done so many portages on this trip that was much harder.


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Sun. July 8

Left around 10:00am and headed south on Wakimika Lake to the river. When we reach the small pond between Wakimika Lake and Obabika Lake we saw a group of two canoes heading coming out of a small channel. They must have thought that channel was the Wakimika River. I motioned to the right spot and we headed down river. We were able to run the two beaver damns that we had to pull over earlier in the trip.

We made it to Obabika Lake and stopped by to see Alex Mathias. Then we canoed to Ranger Point and Camped. Later in the evening Alex, Mary, and Mary’s two girls Sophie and Natasha along with victor, he worked for Earthroots, an environmental group in Toronto (the old Temagami Wilderness Society). Victor is going to be studying at the University of Manitoba this fall. They all came by for a visit and stayed a couple of hours.


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Mon. July 9

Up early and canoed to our vehicles. Drove to River Valley and stopped at Claude’s aunt and uncle’s. Said our good by’s and Kurt and I drove home. We arrived in Brampton,Ont. at 5:00pm. Kurt still had to drive to Cambridge, Ont..



p.s.
In my opinion it was an excellent trip. The Lady Evelyn River, north and south channels were a lot harder than I had remembered and a lot harder than everyone expected but I think everyone enjoyed it and had a good feeling of accomplishment. I know it was harder than anyone else had been on.

Good job to all. I enjoyed your company. Special congratulation to Shelley, she was able to keep up with the boys, or should I say the 2 old guys and a younger man. Also, I would like to thank again Kurt for carrying my canoe the whole trip. He also carried Claude and Shelly’s canoe for 2/3 of the trip after Claude fell and slightly injured his back, he also carried one of Shelly’s packs for part of the last leg of the trip.

Copyright © 2007
Bill Lafferre