Voyageur Canoe Adventures of 2006:

June 24 - July 1 - Columbia Lake (headwaters of the Columbia River ) to Golden, BC.
This will also be a trial trip for the 2008 Brigade and a trial trip for a possible event from Columbia Lake to Golden, to Revelstoke and then down the Columbia through Trail to the US border in 2007.

This trip will start at the headwaters of the Columbia River and will travel down stream (north) to Golden/Donald. We will begin the trip at Canal Flats. This is the name of the small community at the south end of Columbia Lake . The short strip of land between Columbia Lake and the Kootenay River was named McGilvray Portage by David Thompson in 1808.

The trip will travel north on Columbia Lake and into Lake Winderermere. At the North end of Lake Windermere we will stop at the beach in Invermere and have a visit with David Thompson and Charlotte Small (well, their statues anyway). From there we will proceed into the Columbia River and down through the Columbia River Wet Lands. This stretch of the Columbia is the only part of the River not controlled by a power dam. The trip will end either in Golden or Donald June 30th or July 1st.

We will camp at a private camp site in Brisco, 75 KM south of Golden and meet there the afternoon of June 5th. As there are very limited camping opportunities along the river and lakes, we will use the Brisco site as a staging area for at least the first 4 nights. We may then move to a site north of Golden.

Voyageur Canoe Adventures of 2004:

June 27 - July 2 Churchill River
Pinehouse Lake to Stanley Mission. Paddle on the historic waterways of the Canadian Fur Trade. There will be a number of small portages and some fast water. Great scenery and great fishing!
Graded strenuous.

July Tour de Athapap
Perhaps one portage on this one. Start on a lake in the Precambrian Shield and finish on one of the largest fresh water lakes in the Manitoba Lowlands. Visit Camp Whitney where NSG (Norm, Stew, Gib) met and got their start in canoeing at Boy Scout Camp. Visit the famous limestone cliffs and fish for trout and walleyes in the big lake.
Graded least strenuous.

Voyageur Canoe Adventures of 2001:

Dates: August 19-26, 2001

Route: Pelican Narrows to Denare Beach via the Sturgeon Wier River and Amisk Lake. Click here for Map

Description: Typical Precambrian shield country with two relatively large but uncomplicated lakes to cross as well as descending the Sturgeon Wier River. The Lakes are Mirond Lake and Amisk Lake. Both contain many small and large islands with clear water and great fishing. The Sturgeon Wier River is narrow and really a continuous chain of long narrow lakes connected with short sets of rapids. There will be no white water paddling and all rapids will be circumvented by the short carryover portages. Graded strenuous.

Report on the 2001 Trip: This trip started with an early breakfast in Flin Flon then transport to Pelican Narrows. The rest of the first day got us across Mirond Lake and into the Cornielle Lake. Great paddling day with sunshine and a brisk head wind. From there it was all downhill on the Sturgeon Wier River to Beaver Lake. The river is quite benign but all the rapids needed to be portaged around. We stopped to fish a couple of times but the many Pelicans, eagles and cormorants did better than we did. Our last camp on the river was at the mouth, very near where the Frobishers set up a trading post in 1776. The paddle on Beaver Lake was in direct contrast to the confines of the river. Big lake, big water but lots of islands for protection. A visit to the Monarch Gold mine of early '30s gave us a glimpse of what life was like in those times. The buildings and shaft of the mine are ruins but still evident. Finished the trip in time and intact!

Photos (click on small photo to view larger image, click BACK to return to this page):

Dates: August 25-September 2, 2001

Route: Snow Lake to Cranberry Portage via the Grassy River.

Description: This area too is part of the Precambrian shield but with a completely different type of land formation than the previous trip. This trip will feature many small, connected lakes as well as the Grassy River. No complicated water to cross or travel on. Good clear water and good fishing possibilities. Graded least strenuous. Click here for Map

Report on the 2001 Trip: The trip started with lunch in Flin Flon then transport to Cranberry Portage. This part of the fur traders route got the old time Voyageurs from the Saskatchewan River on to the Grass River. The first day ended at a remote camping spot on the 2nd Cranberry Lake. The trip continued on through the 3rd Cranberry Lake, Elbow Lake, Iskwasum Lake, Loukes Lake and then into Reed. The combination of small lakes connected by the Grass River made the trip very pleasant. Reed Lake was the end of the trip and everyone survived the paddling, fresh Bannock for breakfast every day plus more great food. This trip also had some interesting but short portages and one day of rain. All in all, just a wonderful trip.

Photos (click on small photo to view larger image, click BACK to return to this page):

Dates: September 2-9, 2001

Route: Cranberry Portage to The Pas via Cumberland house.

Description: This trip will take you over two quite large lakes, Namew Lake and Cumberland Lake. Namew is a clear lake with good water with good fishing possibilities. Cumberland Lake is really a widening in the Saskatchewan River and is a large, shallow lake. Cumberland House has many historical perspectives and a chance to meet with locals. The trip from Cumberland House to The Pas is on the Saskatchewan River, a slow moving body of water moving from the Precambrian shield country of rocks and forest and into the flat of the grass lands and prairies. Graded most strenuous. Click here for Map