I am considering a trip from the East end of WCPP, traveling west to the Bloodvein and then to Lake Winnepeg. Has anyone done this? Do you have any suggestions?
Bob.
Bob.
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East end of WCPP to Lake Winnipeg via the Blood Vein - any suggestions?
- Thread starter Bob B.
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Here's a link to a fellow who researched this trip thoroughly and paddled it. I love his trip reports.
http://albinger.me/2014/08/24/canoeing-the-bloodvein-river-system-maps-planning/
http://albinger.me/2014/08/24/canoeing-the-bloodvein-river-system-maps-planning/
Excellent resource, thanks Odyssey!
Bob.
Bob.
After reading True North's trip report over at CCR's I ordered Hap Wilson's book "Wilderness Rivers of Manitoba". It seems like this river would be good for someone who is willing to walk the bigger rapids, and the pictographs are as good as it gets.
Bob, would you do it solo with a wood canvas canoe?
Bob, would you do it solo with a wood canvas canoe?
Robin, I am just in the research mode so far. That end, I am planning as solo, but would certainly welcome a few of my tripping buddies to come on along. My boat of choice would be my Wood Canvas for sure. I also would port many of the rapids as I have very limited experience with white water, but can handle most chutes ok. I have such a wander lust, especially since I did not get much back country time last year, I am lonesome for the north country. I reckon a good two to two and a half week trip would go a long way to scratching a deep itch.
Bob.
Bob.
That is a swell trip report. Now we all know what WPCC stands for. It is a great thing to have Beavers and power boats with racks for shuttle vehicles.
Me too, Just in the research mode. True North gave Hap Wilson's book high marks for accuracy. I found that to be true on the Noire in Quebec, the Montreal in Ontario, and Temaggami, his book/maps where excellent and the rapids well described.
I have 2 copies of Wilderness Rivers of Manitoba if someone is having difficulty in finding it. I paid $17 I think each.
I'm contemplating the same trip for next summer/fall as well. I've read the trip report linked above and recently got Hap's book. Not a whole lot else out there I've found as far as anything in depth. That's ok though, I'd just as soon discover on my own.
If I can get the time off from work and am still as excited about it then as I was this past fall I'd like to turn around at the end and paddle back upstream to Red Lake, probably picking up the Gammon on the way back. I'm guessing I'd need a month, maybe a bit more. That might be just a pipe dream but I have been mulling over designing and building a canoe specific for the task and I found a good river about 1 1/2 hours away that would make for good practice both up and downstream.
Good luck with your planning and dreaming. It's always half the fun.
Alan
If I can get the time off from work and am still as excited about it then as I was this past fall I'd like to turn around at the end and paddle back upstream to Red Lake, probably picking up the Gammon on the way back. I'm guessing I'd need a month, maybe a bit more. That might be just a pipe dream but I have been mulling over designing and building a canoe specific for the task and I found a good river about 1 1/2 hours away that would make for good practice both up and downstream.
Good luck with your planning and dreaming. It's always half the fun.
Alan
Bob B.,
I also recommend Hap's books. I was planning a solo trip for this year, but life had other plans. I planned to start as far up the headwaters as possible and run to the Village of Bloodvein. I would of used an RX canoe and ran the rapids (empty on the larger ones).
Good Luck,
Barry
I also recommend Hap's books. I was planning a solo trip for this year, but life had other plans. I planned to start as far up the headwaters as possible and run to the Village of Bloodvein. I would of used an RX canoe and ran the rapids (empty on the larger ones).
Good Luck,
Barry
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There is now all weather road access to the Bloodvein close to Lake Winnipeg. This MAY make your exit strategy a bit easier if you can arrange a shuttle, instead of trying to get across to Matheson Island or Pine Dock. We have been known to do shuttles.
Christy
Christy
Bob,
You might want to look into using the Wallace Lake access near Bissett, Manitoba to start your trip. From there you can do the Obukowin portages to Carroll http://canoestories.com/obukowin/obukowin_portages.pdf or go east into WCPP through Crystal,Broken Arrow and down the Haggart RIver to Carroll. You would then have three choices. Take the Gammon RIver to the Bloodvein, use Craven and Ford to access the Bloodvein at Artery Lake or paddle Wanda, Dunstan and Simeon to the Bloodvein close to Artery Lake and its must see pictographs. The latter would be my choice.
With the new road to Bloodvein Village a shuttle back to Wallace Lake is a great new option for your trip. Coming in from Lund Lake on the eastern side of WCPP would be the simplest but the return to your vehicle the most complicated. The route up through Wanda and Dunstan would keep you on small waters until you were near Artery Lake. Using six days for the travel from Wallace Lake to the Haggart River and then through Dunstan to the Bloodvein would work but allow some more to satisfy your fishing itch. Some would pound it out in 4 days but it would take a lot of the enjoyment away. Great scenery and wildlife on the route through WCPP.
It is not done much but it would be possible to make a loop out of it by coming back up the Gammon and back to your vehicle at Wallace Lake. As I entered WCPP form Wallace Lake one time I met a big group that had been out for three weeks. They spent it going up and down the Gammon and Bloodvein. This was a year with extremely high water on those rivers.
You might want to look into using the Wallace Lake access near Bissett, Manitoba to start your trip. From there you can do the Obukowin portages to Carroll http://canoestories.com/obukowin/obukowin_portages.pdf or go east into WCPP through Crystal,Broken Arrow and down the Haggart RIver to Carroll. You would then have three choices. Take the Gammon RIver to the Bloodvein, use Craven and Ford to access the Bloodvein at Artery Lake or paddle Wanda, Dunstan and Simeon to the Bloodvein close to Artery Lake and its must see pictographs. The latter would be my choice.
With the new road to Bloodvein Village a shuttle back to Wallace Lake is a great new option for your trip. Coming in from Lund Lake on the eastern side of WCPP would be the simplest but the return to your vehicle the most complicated. The route up through Wanda and Dunstan would keep you on small waters until you were near Artery Lake. Using six days for the travel from Wallace Lake to the Haggart River and then through Dunstan to the Bloodvein would work but allow some more to satisfy your fishing itch. Some would pound it out in 4 days but it would take a lot of the enjoyment away. Great scenery and wildlife on the route through WCPP.
It is not done much but it would be possible to make a loop out of it by coming back up the Gammon and back to your vehicle at Wallace Lake. As I entered WCPP form Wallace Lake one time I met a big group that had been out for three weeks. They spent it going up and down the Gammon and Bloodvein. This was a year with extremely high water on those rivers.
Boy, a lot to think about - Thanks Martin. I will be in touch, I like some of those ideas, especially the Simeon and Dunstan part ... lots to think about as I stoke the fire this winter.
I appreciate all the responses everyone.
Bob.
I appreciate all the responses everyone.
Bob.
Jeez Marten, you want to punish him with the Obukowin ports while carrying a w/c canoe?
We hope to get out and cut out all the ports from Wallace to Kosteck (Wanipigow and Broadleaf Rivers) next year. They still have not been fully cleared since the Snowdown event or the fire.
We hope to get out and cut out all the ports from Wallace to Kosteck (Wanipigow and Broadleaf Rivers) next year. They still have not been fully cleared since the Snowdown event or the fire.
WCPP has been on my mind since the days of Solotripping. I hungrily read and enjoy pics of other's trips there. It's funny that the Bloodvein - Gammon loop was mentioned. I thought about it too, along with fly in trips and shorter loops. We're still in the questionable process of taking bites (more like nibbles) as we move north and trip. One could spend a lifetime just staying put in one canoeing region on this continent, let alone travelling further to explore. I keep telling my wife "WCPP is 2 years away for us." I've been saying that for 5+ years. We'll see how my "planning" goes. In the meantime I hope you make it there Bob, and enjoy a successful trip.
Bob's a football coach and needs to stay tough as an example for his team. Besides I think that you will be able to assist him in using the Broadleaf on a return from the Gammon River to avoid the three hauls to Siderock from Obukowin.
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So, if I put in at Wallace and head to Obukowin,Carol, etc to the Bloodvein, assuming I get good weather, how many days can I expect it to take to hit Artery and ultimately the Bloodvein? How many miles to the BV? I do not have enough maps to figure that out yet.
Bob.
Bob.
Hi Bob. Artery is the Bloodvein, and you could leave Wallace and camp in Artery in 2 days via the Mothers if you want to make time. However, the Mothers are not fun, especially in wet years, and you could take an extra few days and head to Haggart Lake, and take the Haggart river to Carroll and enjoy some of the best canoeing, lake trout fishing, and camping that you will ever experience.
Bob,
Check out this map on G4. You may have to copy and paste the URL. I am having trouble getting it to show up with my info overlaid.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap...edirects=0&d=1
Seems to be working OK now. Zoom in on the basic map it opens with and then select Canada Topo 5 from the drop down menu in upper right corner.
Also be aware that the new Minjim route from Royd Lake to Indian House via Lightning and East Royd Creek has been improved from what this map shows. Check with WCPP office for latest info.
Check out this map on G4. You may have to copy and paste the URL. I am having trouble getting it to show up with my info overlaid.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap...edirects=0&d=1
Seems to be working OK now. Zoom in on the basic map it opens with and then select Canada Topo 5 from the drop down menu in upper right corner.
Also be aware that the new Minjim route from Royd Lake to Indian House via Lightning and East Royd Creek has been improved from what this map shows. Check with WCPP office for latest info.
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Thanks guys, Martin - excellent map that helps a lot. So are the mothers tough because they are swampy, mucky - hard to find, steep, looooong ... what is it that make them so difficult? Also, are they open from the snow event - I am guessing there are not a lot of travelers in that area until the Bloodvein.
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