September is probably my
favourite month for canoe tripping. The weather is still warm, the days long
enough for making distance if required and a minimum of bugs. What’s not to
like about that? I had mentioned to friend that if he was looking to do some
canoeing to let me know. We talked about it over the summer and decided to try
the South Muskego area of Temagami with a loop trip starting/ending from the
public access point on Anima-Nipissing Lake.
The most common loop trip
in the area loops through Turner Lake via Whitefish Bay (Lake Temagami) and
Aston Lake. This is a 3-4 day trip, however I wanted to extend the trip a bit
longer. To this end we decided to push up through Diamond Lake from Sharp Rock
Inlet on Lake Temagami through Walsh and Sirdevan Lakes and then northwesterly
through a less travelled route into Ferguson, Isbister and Barter Lakes before
entering Turner Lake.
Day 1
I left Sudbury around 8:00
headed for North Bay to pick up Daniel. After a quick coffee we headed north on
Hwy 11 for the Anima Nip access point. It was a typical September day for
weather, warm and sunny with a light breeze. We loaded up the canoe and headed
off at 12:30 or so. Anima Nip Lake has some cottages scattered around, mostly
near the access point area and as we headed south we quickly lost sight of any
development as we headed through the second narrows area of the lake.
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| Second Narrows ahead |
We stopped for lunch at
the island campsite in the second narrows area. Anima Nipissing is a scenic lake
with ample opportunity for camping and fishing, plus it has several loops that
enter/leave the lake giving various trip options in the area.
We spent some time in the
area of the portage into Whitewater Lake searching for some native pictographs
on the rock face near a campsite. We didn’t spot the pictographs but did find a
wasp nest on the rock face - something neither of us had ever seen before!
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| Wasp Nest |
We continued south heading
for a campsite at the narrows from Anima Nip into McLean Lake. This is a small
site but since we were using a small tent (Daniel) and I had my hammock, space
wasn’t really much of a concern through out the trip. We set up camp, gathered
some firewood and enjoyed a steak and potato dinner – doesn’t get much better
that that!
Day 2
Morning dawned with mist
hanging over the lake with heavy dew coating the camp!
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| Morning mist |
We enjoyed a leisurely
breakfast, packed and hit the water with the intention of making a Sharp Rock
Inlet campsite. We paddle south through the narrows into McLean Lake to the first portage of the
day into Carrying Lake.
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| narrows to McLean Lake |
The portage starts up the creek a ways from the lake
and follows a ridge for about 700 m. before dropping down to Carrying Lake. A
quick paddle down the lake brought us to the longest portage of the day, 1000
m., to Red Squirrel Lake. We headed south around a point and then northwesterly
to the Anima Nipissing River. A short distance down the river is a portage left
for 780 m. around some rapids etc back to the river. You then paddle out to
Ferguson Bay on Lake Temagami passing a canoe camp sprawled over both banks of
the river - Camp Wanapitei.
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| Anima Nip River |
From here we headed west
to the Napolean Mountain portage from Ferguson Bay to Whitefish Bay. The
Napolean portage is about 800 m. with a fairly rough and rocky takeout and
climbs quickly. We stopped for lunch here watching a houseboat circle the bay
before tackling the port.
The more popular loop,
heads north from here through Whitefish Bay to the portage into Aston Lake.
Once we were back on the water we headed almost due west through a channel into
Sharp Rock Inlet and headed for an island campsite about a kilometer from the
portage into Diamond Lake. The campsite is nestled into the northeast corner of
the island under a stand of Red Pine. Several canoes passed headed for Diamond
Lake but we are in no great hurry and have settled into a relaxed pace,
enjoying the scenery and the weather.
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| Sharp Rock Inlet campsite view |
Day 3
Morning arrived and after
another leisurely breakfast we hit the water around 9:00 a heading for the
portage into Diamond Lake. The port is about 80 m. long and crosses the Red
Squirrel Road. With the low water levels it is a bit tricky to find a launch
point amongst the rocks.
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| Diamond Lake |
We paddle north on Diamond heading for the lift-over
into Lady Evelyn Lake. Once we hit the hub of the lake the wind springs up a
bit more but it isn’t very onerous once we pass through hub. Along the western
shore of the north arm of the lake is one of the premier native pictograph
sites in the Temagami region. It is well worth it to spend some time here
absorbing some of the ancient history of the area.
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| Diamond Lake pictographs |
It’s a fairly quick paddle
to the lift-over into Lady Evelyn Lake from the pictograph site and the next
portage of 520 m. into Walsh Lake. Walsh Lake is a fairly open Lake and the
southerly winds are kicking up a bit of a chop as we head across the bottom of
the lake to the 80 m. portage into 3 Knob Lake. This lake is also open and
exposed to the south winds and we quickly head for a stand of red pine on the
eastern shore looking for a lunch spot.
After lunch and a rest we head for the
Tundra Portage - longest port (1100 m.) of the trip. This portage encompasses
as mix of terrain on it’s way to Sirdevan Lake. It starts of rolling but drops
down into a large lowland area consisting of deep mosses and Black Spruce trees.
There is a fairly extensive network of log boardwalks constructed by the
Temagami MNR Canoe Rangers that cross the wettest areas of the portage. With
the dry summer we have had the boardwalk is actually 2-3’ above the ground in
some areas, but you can readily see the value of it if the water levels are
higher J. As we approach the last section of boardwalk, I
find the initials A.S. carved into one of the logs – Alison Smith, my cousin,
who worked as a canoe ranger in Temagami for a couple summers!
Sirdevan Lake has 1
campsite on an island in the north end of the lake and we decide to spend the
night here rather than push to Isbister Lake because after all this is a pretty
relaxed trip! There is an outpost cabin on the northwest shore of the lake and Lakeland
Airways Beaver is tied up at the dock and there are a few folks fishing for the
evening.
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| Sirdevan Lake |
Day 4
Sirdevan Lake has two
routes out of it – the most used route is east through Bates and Ottley lakes
into Lynx Lake which is part of the loop from Aston Lake into Turner Lake. We
however are headed out through the northwest corner through the less used
Ferguson, Isbister and Barter Lake link to Turner Lake. The portage out of
Sirdevan is part of the old Nastawgan network and has only been recently reestablished
from Sirdevan into Goss and Ferguson lakes. The port is hard to find but it is
around the corner from the outpost camp and you need to push through the
bulrushes in a small bay to find the port’s beginning on the shoreline. It’s
about 600 m. to Goss Lake and then a quick paddle to the next 460 m. portage
into Ferguson Lake. Goss Lake is a pretty lake surrounded by pine-covered
hills.
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| Goss Lake |
The port into Ferguson basically follows the old creek bed up to
Ferguson and the port crosses the boulder covered creek bed a couple times.Here's a map from the Ottertooth site showing the route we took from Lady Evelyn Lake through Walsh, Sirdevan and then northwesterly through Ferguson Lk. etc - South Muskego Canoe routes
The next portage (180 m.)
heads east up and down over a ridge to a small pothole with a short paddle and
a 50 m. port into Isbister Lake. This lake is a long and narrow lake running
basically north-south and has a nice red pine covered campsite on a point in
the south end. We push up the lake and stop for lunch on the west shore. Most
of the portages that connect the lakes and potholes between Ferguson and Turner
lakes cross over ridges. Consequently they are not excessive in length but you
do gain and lose a fair bit of height in between the water bodies!
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| portage out of Isbister Lake |
The portage
out of Isbister is quite steep on the ends and somewhere along this portage I
stretch out a calf muscle or tendon and find my mobility hampered. I have to
take small steps and not stretch my leg too much. We have been single portaging
all through the trip and this just means things have to slow down from our/my
previous pace. The portage from Dead Tree Lake goes up over a ridge and then
across a swampy area and then downhill again to Barter Lake. We decide that
this has been another good days travel to this point and we set up camp on a
point across from a log cabin for the night. This makes for an early day but I
soak my leg in the cool water and eat some ibruprofen to relax the
tendon/muscle cramps in my leg.
Day 5
Well, it’s clouded over
and humid when we get the next morning. Good chance of some precipitation
today! My calf is still somewhat sore although not near as tender as it was. We
eat and pack up and head off, stopping to have a look at the cabin across the
lake.
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| Barter Lake cabin |
From here it’s a short paddle down a creek between Barter and Avery
Lakes. The creek meanders a bit and there are a couple beaver dam lift-overs
along the way. The next portage (550 m.) as has been the case, heads up, over
and down another ridge into Turner Lake and is accessed via a floating mat
about halfway down the eastern shore of the lake. we pass a nice, large
campsite on the northern tip of the island in Turner Lake on our way to the
next portage. We meet a couple here who have entered Turner using the more
popular Aston Lake route and are headed back towards Ferguson Bay, where they
started their trip.
From Turner it’s a 170 m.
portage into Curt Lake and then a short paddle to a 1000 m. portage into Eagle
Lake. There is a high ridge on the east shore of Eagle that would have a
spectacular view but we decline to climb the ridge and push onward.
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| Eagle Lake |
The next
portage (240 m.) is along the creek flowing out of Eagle into a small pothole
and then back into the creek. There is a portion of the creek, crossed by a few
beaver dams, which necessitates some wading and lift-overs on our part. Once
clear of this it’s a short paddle to a 60 m portage over a small ridge into
Little Eagle Lake where we have lunch on the campsite by the next portage.
The next 3 portages
connect Little Eagle to Whitewater Lake, which is our objective for today. So
far it hasn’t rained on us yet and we’re hopeful we can make camp before it
does. The 870 m. portage from Little Eagle to Zee Lake crosses the Little Eagle
Rd which can be accessed from the Red Squirrel Road. The Little Eagle Rd is
gated just south of where the portage crosses the road and could provide
another access point for this loop. A quick paddle and another 340 m. portage
brings you to Birch Lake, which has a remote cabin on the northeast corner of
the lake. From here it’s another 410 m. portage into Whitewater Lake.
As the skies continue to
threaten rain, we paddle down the lake, through the narrows and land at the
campsite on the east end of the island in the main part of the lake. We move
our gear up to the campsite on the hill and set up camp. We manage to set up
everything including a tarp, gather wood for supper and breakfast before it begins
to shower.
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| Whitewater Lake campsite |
Day 6
It’s still raining lightly
with lots of fog and mist in the air when we get up in the morning. This will
be a short day as we have one portage of 150 m. back into Anima Nipissing Lake
and a couple hour paddle back to the vehicle at the access point. After breakfast
we’re off wearing rain gear for the first time since we left 5 days ago.
Whitewater Lake is popular with the fishing crowd and there must be 40 boats
cached at the landing area for the portage. We’re quickly across the port and
off down the lake in the mist and showers.
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| back on Anima Nipissing Lake |
We stop for a break from the wind
behind a small cliff and finally arrive back at the landing around noon. We
meet another pair of canoeists just heading out and chat briefly with them.
They are planning to do the more traditional loop through Aston and Turner
Lakes. We wish them well and load up our stuff and head for home. I dropped
Daniel off in North Bay and headed for Sudbury, managing to see Jan after she finished work and
before she headed off to an artist’s retreat for the weekend with friends on
Manitoulin Island.
This was an enjoyable trip
with some excellent weather and scenery. Although we saw people everyday that
we were out on the trip, it wasn’t excessive due to the time of the year and
the fact that we traveled through a less used area for a portion of the trip.
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