Summer 1998 Vol. 25 No.2 Quarterly Journal of the Wilderness Canoe Association PISHKANOGAMI CANOE ROUTE Don Haig The Pishkanogami canoe route follows the Kinogama 19 July 1997 After waving my truck goodbye, I turned and Ivanhoe Rivers for 105 kilometres from the once towards the Kinogama River where my canoe and gear thriving, but now deserted, town of Kormak to Ivanhoe were strewn about on the ground. The grass leading Lake Provincial Park near Folyet on Highway 10l. down to the river had been flattened as if another boat Pishkanogami is the Indian name for the Ivanhoe River; had recently been launched - perhaps I wouldn't be it means "farther still." The area is accessible only by alone after all. I loaded the gear into the boat and slid canoe or fly-in and features great fishing as well as a it down the bank and into the water. It had been a hot, nine-metre waterfall. A three-kilometre portage near dry summer, so consequently water levels were really the end pretty well ensures solitude; a local outfitter low and at first glance the Kinogama didn't appear like says that this route gets as few as 10 parties a year. This much of a river. After paddling about 50 metres it area is due to be logged over the next few years so now looked considerably less so as I was met by a seemingly is the perfect time to visit this relatively untouched impenetrable wall of cattails. It took about half an hour wilderness. An excellent trip guide is available from: to push, pull, pole, slide, and wiggle through them, all Ministry of Natural Resources, 190 Cherry Street, Chap- to gain 300 metres of river. I was beginning to doubt leau, Ontario, POM1KO,tel. (705) 864-1710. my choice of route; what was I going to do if the rest Nastawgan Summer1998 of the river was like this? pants on when I got back to the boat. But then the river opened up into a small lake, also The bigger problem was that the trail had disap- choked with weeds, but at least there was a narrow peared. I searched for 20 minutes with no luck and was channel through them. Swimming along beside me beginning to get very worried; what if this was not the about 50 metres to my left was bear number one of the portage but only some game trail, where was the real trip; as soon as he spotted me he took off for the far trail then? I had to fight back the feeling of panic that shore. Soon I was in the river proper, which was was starting to set in. There was nothing to do but work marshy, full of small log jams and beaver dams requir- my way back to the boat and see if I could find another ing a lift-over every 100 to 150 metres, making it pass- way. After 15 more minutes of pushing through the able but not easy. I started looking for the first carry, a underbrush I was back at the boat, searching up and SOO-metreportage on river left that goes up over a hill down the river bank for another path, all to no avail. and into a small lake before rejoining the river. It would The path I had been on had to be the one. I put on long bypass the worst of the log jams and a marsh. I was pants, a long-sleeve shirt, picked up the water jug, and beginning to really worry that I had missed it when I started back up the track. saw a bit of a landing and a broken-off tree with a small About halfway to the clearing I noticed some old blaze carved on it - this blue flagging tape on a tree, must be the place. There furthering my determination was fresh vegetation tram- that this indeed was the right pled down with tracks trail. Once again reaching heading off in five direc- the clearing, I started a tions or so, no doubt made calmer, more methodical by the people I assumed search and was rewarded by were in front of me. I fol- finding another piece of the lowed the tracks for several flagging tape on a small metres and discovered fallen tree. This gave me a what their makers had al- starting point for the search ready found before me: and within a few minutes I there was no portage here. had found the trail again. It I had wasted half an hour was difficult to follow and I and got my legs scratched, lost it a couple of times, but all for nothing. I finally emerged from the Anyway, now that I bush onto an old logging knew where the portage road. I knew that the trail was not, there remained the crossed this road because task of finding where itwas. nailed to a big tree on the I got back into the boat, other side was a big, shiny, paddled 10 metres, lifted over a small beaver dam, and yellow portage sign! The trail started down a steep hill continued on for about another kilometre, repeating and I could see water below, so I knew that I had finally this operation a few more times before coming to an made it through. It occurred to me that people may be dense jumble of logs, trees, and swamp that went on accessing this route from the road and if! ever do this as far as I could see. There was no signage and little route again I will definitely check it out. evidence of a path, but this MUST be the take-out. I Now that I knew that I wasn't lost, the work of hauled the boat out onto the soft, muddy bank and sure getting the gear across could begin. I walked back, enough there was a faint trail with only some old moose clearing the trail as best I could as I went. I usually make tracks in it, heading into the forest. a carry in two trips, but in these conditions I knew this I picked up one of the bags and the water jug and was out of the question. Two trips later, I had all the headed inland. After about 20 metres all semblance of baggage across but I was getting tired and still had the a path disappeared. To say that the trail was overgrown boat to carry. I plodded back, doing a little more was an understatement, what a mess! I stumbled housekeeping on the trail. I shouldered the boat and around deadfalls and the jumble of undergrowth trying started up the path but didn't get far before I had to put to keep the trail in sight. Many times I lost it, then found it down - there just wasn't enough room above me in it again, all the while working my way steadily up the this jungle to carry it, so I ended up dragging it a lot of incline. After about 300 metres I got to the top where the way. Thank God for ABS. Finally, physically and there was a clearing, thick with mosquitoes and deer emotionally exhausted, I had filled the boat with gear flies. The repellent worked fine for the mosquitoes but and had water under her. It had been four and a half the deer flies were treating it as an aphrodisiac - I hours since the start of the trip. I did not see so much could see why these things can drive people insane. as a broken twig on this portage trail. What happened Looking down I saw that my legs were covered with to the people in the phantom boat that I was following? streaks of blood. I'd have to remember to put long I never saw another trace of them. -2- Summer1998 Nastawgan I had originally planned to paddle as far as the lake and because of the deteriorating weather, as well campsite on Tooms Lake, but given my physical con- as all the presence of portages between here and the dition that was now out of the question. Thankfully next spot, I decided to camp here. It was a good choice there was a spot on the north end of this little lake about - big sunny spot, lots of firewood, and even a lawn one kilometre away. Fifteen minutes paddling later I chair. I got the rainflyup just as the rain started. It rained pulled up on a small sand beach, unloaded the boat, off and on all night, not heavily - more of a heavy fog and set up camp on the large, airy site. After supper, - but everything was soaked next morning just the with sagging eyes, I watched the sun go down behind same. the trees and by 9 0'clock I was in my tent, 21 July I waited till sound asleep. 10:30 a.m. to give the Pishkanogami weather time to start clearing, and then 20 July By 8 a.m. I was Canoe Route up 'and around getting headed out. It wasn't the coffee brewed. It Prov.Park long before I got to (Finish) had been a chilly night the rapids at P-2 (100 and I realised that I had m) as indicated on the guessed wrong about to Chapleau trip guide. It's a small which sleeping bag to drop with some bea- ver workings at the bring - the light Ivanhoe Lake Thinsulate bag just does start that required a not perform as the label liftover and then I ran says it will.