Ontario Iceout River Trip Tips

[Black_Fly]

Every year, I do a solo trip to lake country in May. This year, I'm exploring doing some Ontario rivers instead. Any suggestions for rivers that are not boiling whitewater in mid to late May? Multiple 3-4 day floats would be ideal.

 

[yellowcanoe]

The French comes to mind as much of it is not terribly remote and is pool and drop with portages. However in May the snowmelt increases the volume of water dramatically and can wash out some rapids and make others way worse than at summer levels. Ice out is often late May,

Drysuit is a good idea. The Sand is a good river for a group with rescue experience. Remote and runnable mostly early June. It requires a fair amount of whitewater experience though it is pool and drop. Miss a portage and you can be gone.

You are looking for a lazy float type river and in May I can't think of any offhand. Some may still be iced in. Down near Toronto there are some rivers that open up early but not very wildernessy.

The Mississippi over near Ottawa is lazier but has some rapids.

More to the point none are really three day river trips. None have shuttle services to the best of my knowledge. You might consider part of the RIdeau Canal which is quite pleasant.

 

[Iskweo]

Have a look at NewBrunswick.

 

[frozentripper]

The French-Pickerel-Fox rivers area probably offers the best bang for the buck in terms of scenery, fishing and campsites... lots of options available with loops and sidetrips as well as seeing Georgian Bay and the 30,000 islands if the weather isn't rough. The summertime rsuh won't be on in the spring and you'll get to see the scene uncrowded.

Tumblehome was on the French for a spring trip and produced two very good vids...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCbiWazdRBM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biA9t9rgnBc


Kevin Callan's book includes loops and trip options:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/toc/1550464...=UTF8&n=916520


One of many trip reports available:

https://www.myccr.com/canoeroutes/fr...pickerel-river



Something smaller and not so exposed to weather could be the Barron river starting in Algonquin Park and ending at Black Bass Bay near the Ottawa river. An outfitter on the Achray road should be able to provide shuttle service or your vehiccle parked at BBB. Cliffs, pine trees, fishing.


My ice-out slow-river trips have most often been the York and Little Mississippi rivers near Bancroft, but only because they're nearby, quick and easy... scenery doesn't match the above two and campsites are poorer, mostly. Lots of wildlife at Conroy's Marsh and the fishing at times may be good. If WW is an option, it's possible to keep paddling downstream through to the Madawaska river and the popular rapids there... take out at Griffith along with all the other WW craft. Or, if the WW isn't wanted, takeouts can be at the McPhee's Bay road, or further to the public boat launch at Combermere where there is Kawartha ice cream at the old general store and maybe a chip truck a short walk west on the highway... enjoy.

 

[Black_Fly]

Yeh, the French was my first thought. When do the black flies typically hatch up there?

 

[recped]

Bugs generally appear in the Sudbury area after the 24 weekend, generally biting by the last day of May, intolerable by second week of June.

Not yet suggested is the Spanish. I've paddled it in early May a couple of times, by the end of May all signs of ice are gone, peak flows are usually over by then depending on the depth of the snowpack.