You can view it with pics in the myccr forum here
http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=42768&p=394157#p3…
or read and follow the links here.
Queen Elizabeth Wildlands April 27 – 30. 2104
The annual trip to the area of my paddling roots, this year with a few challenges.
That being weather and ice, the original plan was to go in on the 26th but we delayed it a day a week and a half earlier just in case. I had received a report from my friend up there that the lake was open along the shore from the Laxton/Digby line to the out going Head River. By Wed. April 23 half the lake was open, but our only fear was if the wind should change to come out of the east…. which it start to do on the 24th. On the 25th the starting point was iced in but the ice was very soft so we would show up and see what the lake had to offer. When we got to the lake the starting point was clear with only a little ice in the bay to the south.
Margaret (solo), Ray and Marc (double), and I (solo) where bless with sunny clear skies with a good wind out of the east, we unloaded at the Laxton Digby line and had a good chat with the property owners on other side of the pit-in. There is no longer overnight parking there and it would seem that canoeists shoulder most of the blame for that for a lack respect for the cottagers. I would seem that some where a ….. tad rude parking there. If we wish to keep access to this area easy we need to show a whole lot more respect.
We parked the cars at a friends cottage and they drove us back to the put-in, we where on the water by 10:30. The lake was so high many of the cottages aong the way had water around them and we had to duck under the Head River bridge to get under it.
For those with concern when we talk about the “Head Lake dam” and the swift there this is what it looks like, even in low water when the dam is “IN” it is just a pull over on river right.
Margaret running the Head Lake dam/swift.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Q3gfEw19Uvg/U2LvzlKkjkI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
The trip this year was to follow a 3 pond chain just downstream of the dam into a small lake on the east side of the big ridge known locally as “The Mountain” or “Digby Mountain” or by those who I cottaged with as “Old baldy” I had last been into the lake in the early 70’s, but that was by hiking. I knew there used to be a trail into the lake back then, the hunters used one of those 6-wheeled Argus vehicles back then, so how much it was over grown was to be found out as we went. When we entered the stream system just over 200m downstream of the dam on river right I realized I forgot to bring a good pair of garden pruners for the alders on the approach to the first portage. The alders where too “whippy” to use the machete (dangerous from the boat) and to small for a saw to work from a canoe, the approach will have to wait for lower water and a good set of pruners. We where easily able to move through the alders to the first portage fairly easily because of the high water, go straight in along the creek and just before the first rock out-cropping veer right another 30m and land on your left. ( in lower water you would go left of the first rock outcroppings once cleared.)
The carry to the first pond is only about 30 m and except for a large dead fall we cleared a nice path. We broke for lunch as it was out of the wind and the view was very pleasant, looking towards the next takeout.
Lunch.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IbNUr3VHdEI/U2LvF2gydOI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
View towards 2nd takeout.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zFoM0YazjOs/U2LvGAnTgrI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Even though the paddle to the takeout is very short it is actually a quite large pond. On the north side the Lilly pads where starting to push the surface the shorter south arm still had ice in the shadows of the forest.
North Arm (looking south)
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mh0dmIqOYqs/U2Lv04OWKGI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
North arm (North edge.)
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-o9P1tYlaob8/U2Lv0Xti0HI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
South arm ice.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CfyaXGb7URk/U2Lv2w38HNI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
After exploring the pond we carried up and where surprised how clear the trail still was, but the second surprise was not good. The second pond was partially out and down more than a metre, the good news was that you could walk along the shore without sinking. It did double the length of the portage to approx. 300m but it was easy walking and we put in beside a log so we would not have to go out in the pond muck.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zvIKQG2Lx1g/U2Lv2el5KVI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f4cE8SULLx8/U2Lv1zMSWFI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
From the pond-out put-in looking southeast to the floating swamp plants and the next takeout to lake.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iCCwny2xt50/U2Lv3sR56fI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
The low shallow water made the approach to the next carry interesting and time consuming as we got stuck on mud flats and sunken logs. It took a little bit of clearing at both ends of the trail, but still a very easy job. The descent to the lake is a little steep and slippery but still fairly easy.
We knew the forecast was for strong winds out of the east and rain for Tuesday and since this was a base camp trip the site was chosen with protection in mind.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8ev4FdlbTdo/U2Lv7Ryk9yI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XjYLNPE2guk/U2Lv9GP7mMI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
The campsite is a great spot with easy access to the ridges for hiking and viewing and we where well out of site of the hunt camp at the south end of the lake.
Sunset
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CxhqL4GiUSY/U2LvIhh_5iI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
First night was a beautiful calm night with lots of stars and sightings of shooting stars. Several Sandhill cranes flew over in the evening twilight but there was not a lot of other birds around yet. Later we heard a Barred Owl not to far away, breaking the nighttime quiet. At around 2am I was awoken by a really bad leg cramp forcing me to get out of the tent to walk it off, it was after it wore off that I was able to listen to a large number of the owls talking back and forth. In hindsight I should have awoken the rest of the group and I should have at least taped the sound but it was a “doh” moment, too interested in relieving the leg and getting back into my warm bed. Which was really too bad because there was not a sound of any of them the next night, they had moved on.
Barred Owls sounds.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/barred_owl/sounds
Monday morning brought us cool temperatures just below freezing but nice sunny, calm conditions. I brought along my weather radio and the forecast for Tuesday was going downhill from the day before. Since Margaret was planning on leaving Tuesday morn I let her know what she was in for, heavy rains with winds sustained at 40kph with gusts over 60kph. After breakfast she decided she would break away half way through our day and head back. So before we departed to paddle the pond chains to the north, we carried her gear to the end of the first carry.
We paddled the stream system north and where happy to see the next beaver dam was in and active with just a short 25m carry. There are some boats cached here for travel between the two hunt camps but at this time of year we did not see anyone.
Dam
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8JXRPPYZKVM/U2LvMYg5toI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Looking south
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Vt8ubCJRuuk/U2LvMX5siPI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Looking north
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OU4vweHQrAY/U2LvNaADNTI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
This is a very old beaver pond and the growth is well established. You cannot make it around the west side, but the east side at this time of year you could easily make it. Once the growth is going later on in the spring and summer it would be very hard to find the small channels.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H_JHBqq8STc/U2LvQdNmOLI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
The Turkey vultures where hanging around the one cliff face, and one must keep in mind that the topo maps with their 10m contours shows little of what you encounter in the ridge areas of this park.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PzyKmAjdVio/U2LvTamw_YI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m86yQtr9kDw/U2LvTsAiLXI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
After a short hike we paddled up to the next hunt camp, Ray and Marc would continue to follow the pond chain and they could confirm that you could get to the elevated pond chain that would get you through to Long Lake on the other side of the ridge.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3C7t5qJPWT4/U2LvWBYe3OI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
I headed back with Margaret to help her through the first two portages and to see if there was an easier way through the mud flats. On the way in I had placed a stick in the mud to monitor water levels in the pond and the pond had not dropped. I also took my boat so we could spit her gear up and float a little higher. There was a little channel to the right along the cliff that led us to the swamp growth in the pond.
Again being a very old pond with some trees growing out of it, it was firm enough to cross to the part of the pond that was still paddle able. I helped her with the gear and boat over the next carry and watched her get over the 3rd carry quickly. She was able to get out to the lake in good time.
I decided to explore he pond area and found at the outlet that some repairs to the dam where taking place, so hopefully with the rain they where calling for we might be able to carry less.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EHWy8W6pNyQ/U2bktAaVdJI/AAAAAAAAI3I/…
The main stream coming in had good flow and some large minnows where spawning in the current.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U4pUsjLMdPc/U2bkpCGiIjI/AAAAAAAAI3I/…
The Beaver dam above was well used and the pond much bigger than what showed on the old Satellite shots.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jAI7uY2tBuc/U2bksQEi4BI/AAAAAAAAI3I/…
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gQvVMJm_CRQ/U2bkrrIENjI/AAAAAAAAI3I/…
When I got back to the bottom of the portage to the lake I sat there had a snack and just enjoyed watching the world go by.
I paddled down to the Hunt camp to check the way into the second lake; it would be easy except the last 50m of alders, blackberries and swamp. It could be done but some good bush clearing tools would be very helpful, probably a good half-day job for 2 people, depending on how far you might sink in the mud. You could carry along the ridge top and follow the snow mobile trail it would be about 800m one-way, the last 100 would be very brushy.
Along the top of the ridge there is a very nice trail of erratic rocks. In most of the park I have seen singular or few, but this ridge offers a line of several 100m of them.
Very cool !
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0HIlstxC5Ec/U2LvY8YvQAI/AAAAAAAAIx4/…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XX_APQ1dSao/U2LvYXnTO-I/AAAAAAAAIxw/…
The ridges are all ancient mountains but the markings from the glaciers is great !
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zb8MSjCqzs0/U2J4B2tYWDI/AAAAAAAAIyA/…
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mLV8gBWkIiY/U2Lv-i56NfI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
The other lake is also small and very pretty with a couple of good nice camp spots, just not as protected as others in the bigger lake.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l3Q6x0_X9Qk/U2LvdnCwzUI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Looking north.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iR5SsNQL3zA/U2LvgcD9-uI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Looking South
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d3oL50qRek4/U2LvfBYJM-I/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Ray and Marc got back from their exploring and let me know that the ponds where in across to the big ridge by Long Lake and after supper I headed north on the ridgeline for some sun set shots and was rewarded with a sun dog besides great evening colours.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x3kNAwyDU58/U2Lvr_lrOXI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Pic find my shadow.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9U_ntcRv3Kw/U2Lvp8vXq8I/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
Fire in the trees… (close up)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-sC2EXa6Qors/U2LvwMN-3UI/AAAAAAAAIwo/…
No owls at all Monday night, but a few more songbirds going through, nice and calm and then sometime after midnight the winds picked up with a bit of a roar. By morning there had just been a few off/on again showers, I was up early and got some practice time in with my rope jute and got the fire going. (second spark for those wondering) We set up the tarps for the rain and got a good load of wood ready for the day. So after we where set up the heavy rains and stronger winds hit, Ray went for a walk and Marc and I stayed and the camp, but we both took notice with a large crack and a tree hitting the ground about 50m from the tents. That enticed us to double-check to make sure the trees around the camp looked sound, overall we where in a good spot to sit out the storm.
The temperature started nice and warm in the morning at 12c (I have a thermometer) but by the times the rains hit the temp had dropped to 8c and in the afternoon we where down to 6c, but we where dry and comfy which is always a bonus!
We all had a late afternoon nap and after listening to the weather report it was not going to be great for the next couple of days. The plan was to go out Thursday morning but it made no sense to sit out another day and still go home in the rain and wind. So the plan was if the forecast did not change we would head out.
The next morning brought no change in the weather, so we set off in very dark, cool breezy conditions. The rain was off/on again but never heavy, and once into the protection of the ponds actually quite nice. My measuring stick in the pond showed the water had raised over 1 inch, which I thought, would be enough to float through the shallows.
One of our flagging tapes at the put in/takeout was on the ground, torn off. We checked for tracks figuring bear, but there was only fresh deer tracks, so the deer had eat some of the branches and pulled our tape off. I got stuck on twice on the way back, which was quite nice and I was able to paddle to the top end of the pond cutting out the incoming portage by half. Ray and Marc took the route over the floating vegetation and where also able to get to the end of the pond. We used my boat as a dock so they could get past the muddiest part.
Half way down the portage another piece of flagging tape was torn down but this time it was beside a large pile of fresh bear scat, (it wasn’t there when I helped Margaret out) so now we knew the bears where around. We paddled into the north arms of the next pond hoping the inclimate weather would have driven some moose in for the fresh lily pads, but the weather was keeping everything except some canoeists out of the weather. We had a snack before heading out onto the river because from this point on we where going to have very strong headwinds.
The lake level had dropped enough we hardly had to duck to get under the bridge, we stuck close to the shore and once we got where the swamp ends the lake became very choppy with very strong winds out of the south east. Twice wave broke over the bow, so no matter which side you paddled it was almost all correction strokes. The last 500 m was a very slow paddle to the Laxton/Digby Line.
Once out we retrieved our vehicles from out parking spot and had a good long chat with the cottage owner and we very lucky as the heavy rains held off until we where packed up and leaving.
So it was a good trip, no bugs and no bad surprises, but it is such a great area to sit and enjoy.
Even though I have been going into the area since 67’ it always seems so fresh and new and I am glad I had a chance to share the area.
Jeff
Route into the ponds
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-83vgF6OHJVg/U2UPRzD5VbI/AAAAAAAAIyk/…
Link to album
https://picasaweb.google.com/114224116055024928868/QEWLPPApril272014?au…