Wallace to Sasaginnigak via the Bloodvein

[LF_tripper]

It is that time of year again for me to get serious about planning a mid to end of June canoe trip. The last few years I have gone on trips with 2 tandem canoes, but this year I am on my own - or stay home. The only choice I could live with is to go solo, because a 2 week june canoe trip is a necessity. Really, it is.

I wanted to do a Bloodvein trip because last fall I did a big chunk of the Gammon and really liked the experience. My plan is to go in through Wallace, up the Wanipigow to Crystal, Broken Arrow, Haggart, and then meet up with friends for a visit at Bulging. That should be a good time fishing for lake trout and sharing stories around the fire and feasting on trout! After that it is north on the Haggart river to Carroll, and past the entry of the Gammon and up to Craven, portage to Ford, and portage to Artery. I plan to hang out on Artery for a day or so and fish and check out the famous pictographs, and then go west and into Manitoba to explore the Bloodvein. Now I could take the Bloodvein to the Sasaginnigak river and on to Sasiginnigak Lake, but there is a portage (maybe) , which is at least 2 kilometres, to a lake connected to Sasaginnigak that is known as little Sas, that I am going to attempt. If that does not work out, then it is the long way, but if the portage is decent enough to attempt and I am successful, there will be enough time to check out the route to the Leond, which will be really interesting. The plan is to get airlifted back to Lac Du Bonnet for an hour ride home on paved roads.

This will be the longest solo trip that I have planned. My previous longest solo was 5 days, so this will be substantially longer. I am going to carry a tripod with my other photography equipment and double trip. The canoe is 30 pounds so that will help to keep the trips light. To me light loads are the only way to go. Also, the carbon bent shaft helps to keep energy levels high so that I feel like fishing and taking a few photos after a day of travel. I have been laughed at for my light methods and gear in the past, but I noticed that it was always me doing the evening exploring and fishing. Is there a connection?

I don't suppose anyone here knows anything about that portage from the Bloodvein to little Sas? It would be great to know what it is like before I set out.

 

[Iskweo]

That is a pretty ambitious trip. We are looking at a trip somewhere too around that time. I need to get out.

Laugh not at light gear...it works. I absolutely love our carbon bent shaft...you can paddle all day with it as it is light as a feather.

 

[LF_tripper]

Yes, it is ambitious, but last fall I went from Wallace to Donald , and then past Aikens to Wapeskapek on the Gammon in 4 days, so even if I get some bad weather or feel like going slow, I can make it to Sasaginnigak in 2 weeks easily. I do want to have a look at that Leond route for a future trip. Maybe put in at the Bloodvein at the lake and take the Leond to Sas. and then come out at Wallace. Maybe up the creek. Better take a couple spare paddles....

 

[red langford]

I'l be on Donald in 2 days, plan on paddling the Gammon east. I try to plan my trips west to east to avoid battling the winds more than I have to.

 

[LF_tripper]

Should be a nice trip with the weather on your side mostly. You must be flying in, then. Which route are you taking out? I have only been in the west side of the park. The south has those great lake trout lakes, but there are some farther north like Royd. Of course Sonald has trout, but I have never caught any in that lake. I love the trout fishing, which is the reason for the detour at the start of my trip. How long are you out for?

 

[wjmc]

Is this the portage you are thinking about?



It's described on Real Berard's "Sasaginnigak Canoe Country" map as: " 'long port' (100 chains)-trail fair-some windfall and swamp." Berard's maps relate to trips in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so this is hardly current information. I crossed the portage in 1975 on a loop trip out of Wallace Lake. I recall the northeast end being very wet and swampy, with more muskeg along the way. The walking wasn't great, but I don't recall any real problem following the trail. What the last 40 years of wind and fire may have done to the portage, I don't know: have fun exploring!

-wjmc

 

[red langford]

Should be a nice trip with the weather on your side mostly. You must be flying in, then. Which route are you taking out? I have only been in the west side of the park. The south has those great lake trout lakes, but there are some farther north like Royd. Of course Sonald has trout, but I have never caught any in that lake. I love the trout fishing, which is the reason for the detour at the start of my trip. How long are you out for?

Donald to Glenn, hopefully a side trip into Mexican Hat then due east through Telescope, Optic and out at Johnson. Not a whole ton of ports, first time in this part of the park. Plan on taking 10 days to do it. Leisurely pace I am told but want do some fishing and some relaxing.

 

[LF_tripper]

wjmc; Is this the portage you are thinking about?


It's described on Real Berard's "Sasaginnigak Canoe Country" map as: " 'long port' (100 chains)-trail fair-some windfall and swamp." Berard's maps relate to trips in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so this is hardly current information. I crossed the portage in 1975 on a loop trip out of Wallace Lake. I recall the northeast end being very wet and swampy, with more muskeg along the way. The walking wasn't great, but I don't recall any real problem following the trail. What the last 40 years of wind and fire may have done to the portage, I don't know: have fun exploring!

-wjmc


Yes, that is the one. Thanks for the info wjmc; 1975 was a while ago so you have a good memory! That area was hit really hard by the "snow down" a couple years ago, but hopefully it is passable. If not, well then I have to take the long way, which will be a scenic paddle with the usual; great fishing.

 

[LF_tripper]

Donald to Glenn, hopefully a side trip into Mexican Hat then due east through Telescope, Optic and out at Johnson. Not a whole ton of ports, first time in this part of the park. Plan on taking 10 days to do it. Leisurely pace I am told but want do some fishing and some relaxing.

I have never been in that part of the park, either, Wrist, Jigsaw, and Haven are the farthest east that I have ventured. Have a great trip. The fish will be biting.

 

[red langford]

I sure hope so, but so will the black-flies mosquitos and ticks as well or so I have been told.

 

[LF_tripper]

Hope you are enjoying your trip, Red.

Well, I got my flight out of Little Sass confirmed today and the permits for 5 nights in WCPP, so I am committed to a 16 day solo trip now.

My preliminary gear tally/weight is 1- #65 pack, 1- #20 pack, and #35 for the canoe, paddles, and life jacket. So it is double trip portaging with a #65 load, and a #55 load. The #20 pack has #13 of photography gear, rain gear, and travel food. I also bring 2 rods, 2 reels, and 2 tackle boxes with extra line. I bring a machete instead of an axe, and rarely use it or the saw when I am by myself. Those are bathroom scale weights, so not real accurate.

Can't wait to get out on the water in the boreal forest. The Swainson's thrushes are probably as loud and early out there as the robins are here at home. There is something special about the Swainson's thrush song even at 4:30 am. It would be nice if the woodland caribou and moose would pose for some pictures! That would be the icing on the cake!

 

[LF_tripper]

Oh, I almost forgot. The biolite that I got from Mihun09 is coming on this trip. It will be used for cooking under the tarp in rain and for charging the go pro that I am going to borrow from my son.

One other thing; I am also borrowing a spot so curious family members can spy on me under the pretence of "safety".

 

[southcove]

Having a spot or similar makes sense to me for your solo trip. Enjoy and be safe!

 

[Marten]

Wish you luck on that mystery portage. Glad you are willing to check it out. I came across a few comments on it is this thread.
http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=1462&p=11366&hilit=Sasaginnigak+lake#p11366http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=1462&p=11366&hilit=Sasaginnigak+lake#p11366

 

[LF_tripper]

Wish you luck on that mystery portage. Glad you are willing to check it out. I came across a few comments on it is this thread.
http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=1462&p=11366&hilit=Sasaginnigak+lake#p11366http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=1462&p=11366&hilit=Sasaginnigak+lake#p11366

Thanks, Marten. This is what I found right away from that thread from 2002:
I did the Portage from Bloodvein River into Sasaginnigak Lake last year. The Portage is`t recommendable because it leads for more then 1800m trough a muddy creek with a lot of small trees. You can`t portage the Canoe, you have to drag it more then the half way.

Does that sound like a good time or what? At least I know what I could be in for. Maybe bring the Go Pro for that attempt just for posterity. Well since I skipped the " 3 mothers" from Siderock to Obukowin maybe I need this one instead! But then again this portage could be not bad after all. I suppose I will find out...

 

[Marten]

Does that sound like a good time or what? At least I know what I could be in for. Maybe bring the Go Pro for that attempt just for posterity. Well since I skipped the " 3 mothers" from Siderock to Obukowin maybe I need this one instead! But then again this portage could be not bad after all. I suppose I will find out...

A few comments about that portage description form 2002 in regard to the Oct. 2012 "snowdown." I have had an extreme amount of exposure to the snowdown damage in the last two years. On the positive side the smallest trees were not affected as much. On the negative side the terrain near the creeks allowed the wind to do the most damage. In some areas 5 meter trees will all be laid horizontal in a tangle a squirrel could not get through. I also noted how the damage varied a lot from one area to another.

 

[Iskweo]

Yes that storm did A LOT of damage to the routes and where an axe used to suffice, a chainsaw is now more appropriate. We saw a tangle like that on the Broadleaf two years ago and turned around and went home. There was no way we were going to get through it.

This year we are going prepared for the worst and since it is an in/out type of route we can always leave the saw and pick it up on the way back if it comes to that. Alll part of tripping in the Boreal on primitive routes. Myself, I have to watch how ambitious I get as what I used to be able to do and what I can reasonably attempt now are a long ways apart. It's more an issue of time than anything...I have to take more breaks now and that sometimes makes my timelines unrealistic. The good part is I like cutting trails and if there is decent fishing nearby then its all good with me.

That truly sounds like a nasty, long, ugly, poorly marked imitation of a portage. You would almost do better to cut your own given the description of what awaits you. I for sure want to see pictures...video would be outstanding. Especially if you can script in hordes of bugs, torrential rain and marauding bears. We could sell tickets.


Christy

 

[Odyssey]

I'm looking forward to hearing about your Bloodvein trip LF. I hope it'll be epic. Epic in a good way.

 

[LF_tripper]

That truly sounds like a nasty, long, ugly, poorly marked imitation of a portage. You would almost do better to cut your own given the description of what awaits you. I for sure want to see pictures...video would be outstanding. Especially if you can script in hordes of bugs, torrential rain and marauding bears. We could sell tickets.


Christy

LOL. I will make a video of that portage just for you.

 

[LF_tripper]

I'm looking forward to hearing about your Bloodvein trip LF. I hope it'll be epic. Epic in a good way.

Thanks, Brad, I will do a report when I get back.


After some more research, I learned that the Bloodvein to Sasaginnigak portage is called the Sakakoneekum portage and it goes to Kawaseecheewank lake (commonly called Little Sass). Now if that portage has a native name, it must be ancient. It was probably used in the winter especially, and it is probably still used by a trapper or trappers, but it was also likely used to shorten the route to the Leond, just as I am hopefully using it. I can only imagine living in that area with stone tools and bark canoes. There are a lot of pictographs along the Bloodvein and Leond routes so it must have been well used by native people. I will have to bring some tobacco to show respect. Does anyone know what Sakakoneekum means?