Video of the series of falls running into the big lake extend for almost two km down a steep slope. There are three portages to move from the big lake below to another big lake above (1430, 20, 140 metres).
July 30, camp 23, up by 3:30 a.m. before Wilson, with candlelight for a cold breakfast and packing sleep gear in the Tent. Mosquitoes greet me when I exit the Tent. The sky is clear initially but by the time I canoe one km to the falls, clouds roll in with heavy fog that lasts several of the five carries up the portage trail. I make my way through the thick pines and then dense alder, birch and willow saplings near the upper end of the 1430 metre path. By next year the pines will be a problem to carry through as they will be tall enough to interfere with the canoe on turns. The easiest time to clear the trail is past, when the pines would have been less than one metre high and easy to pull. It is very frustrating to be carrying the long canoe and get stuck in trees, with no choice but to set the canoe down and cut the trail wider. I usually carry the tool kit on the first carry and trim the trail before carrying another load, sometimes even before moving on with the first load, having to set it down a few times as I encounter impassable obstructions. When I did the two pre-portages from camp 23, I cleared the trail enough to allow loads through today.
July 30, camp 23, up by 3:30 a.m. before Wilson, with candlelight for a cold breakfast and packing sleep gear in the Tent. Mosquitoes greet me when I exit the Tent. The sky is clear initially but by the time I canoe one km to the falls, clouds roll in with heavy fog that lasts several of the five carries up the portage trail. I make my way through the thick pines and then dense alder, birch and willow saplings near the upper end of the 1430 metre path. By next year the pines will be a problem to carry through as they will be tall enough to interfere with the canoe on turns. The easiest time to clear the trail is past, when the pines would have been less than one metre high and easy to pull. It is very frustrating to be carrying the long canoe and get stuck in trees, with no choice but to set the canoe down and cut the trail wider. I usually carry the tool kit on the first carry and trim the trail before carrying another load, sometimes even before moving on with the first load, having to set it down a few times as I encounter impassable obstructions. When I did the two pre-portages from camp 23, I cleared the trail enough to allow loads through today.
Thickly growing pine trees on much of the 1430 metre trail up the falls.
Several fallen live and dead spruce trees that I sawed yesterday to clear the upper portion of the 1430 metre trail.
Because of high water levels I spend 30 minutes to extend the trail farther upstream by cutting brush and a few birch and spruce trees. Note that I tie the rope painters at both ends of the canoe to prevent the canoe from swinging out into the current, which is just above one of the falls. It takes a bit of jockeying to get each rope tied in the proper location with the correct tautness.
Then I canoe a short distance to the next rapids (visible near the top of the above photo) where it takes 30 minutes to clear the 20 metre portage. Loading the canoe again, I paddle 30 metres across the channel to the next portage. From my journal: "I announce out loud to the gods 'I have to eat, can't go any farther without food'. I know will probably have to wade at the rapids above the falls and I need all the energy I can get." After unloading the canoe, I eat lunch at 12:30 p.m. in the shade of a big jack pine on the bare rock face beside the falls. The reason I announce to the gods is because I do not want them to think I am dawdling after I asked them yesterday to hold off on rain if possible until I get to my next camp. Sweat-soaked, before lunch I start a small fire to shoo blackflies while I hang wet clothes to dry a bit. From my journal: "I forgot I would probably have to clear the two portages after the long one ... aie!"
From my journal: "Load canoe and shove off. The river is overflowing its normal route right across the extra width three times the usual. Right away I get grounded on boulders. I back off and try farther out in river ... a mistake and a dangerous one as I can only hold in place not make any headway. The falls are just downstream 20 metres. Currents can be very deceiving. Luckily I sideslip across to the launch side and hop out of canoe. I have my wading gear on, dressed just before launch. Soon up to my waist in one place as I navigate up the shallower side current on slippery boulders, otherwise only up to mid-calf. About half way up I get in canoe and paddle. Scrape bottom a few times but successfully get to upper lake. Now on to my old campsite. It's been four years since I was here, 2015. Landing on shore, looks totally different with all the young pines. At least just behind shore there is a more open strip of sandy area five metres wide and 80 metres long. Can't find trail to my old campsite which is inland about 100 metres. Walk over and on deadfall finally finding my old site but it is overgrown. There is my cache of stovewood and poles. Only one of the anchor trees for the canvas Tent still stands, so even if I wanted it would be impossible to erect it which is what I hoped. Plus would have to cut a long trail in and clear the site. Make a lucky find, a birch cylinder stuffed with dry birch bark. My old trail is obvious from here but when I get near shore it is completely blocked with deadfall for 30 metres. Aie! Camping at the exposed shore is best, there are no options otherwise. And a BIG thunderstorm with lots lightning moving slowly towards me. Get camp up and fire going to boil water as thunder and lightning continue to approach ominously. Blackflies BAD. Get gear under cover of canoe and tent vestibules. Laying out sleep gear will wait till I'm ready for bed. Hungry! Get supper on. The storm has fortunately continued on just missing me but still lots of black ominous clouds overhead and more lightning again moving slowly towards me. Supper - a mint, refried pike (in butter, Parmesan cheese), bulgur (with nutritional yeast, chicken soup base), hot water. Have the pan with butter on too hot and the butter chars to very dark brown. Oh well. It still tastes good, not as good as should be. A hearty meal. As finishing supper, starts to rain. Give thanks to the gods for a good day, with only the one heavy rain shower, camp set up and off to bed before the rain really starts. In bed by 9:15 p.m. Weary and tired! A busy hard day."
Then I canoe a short distance to the next rapids (visible near the top of the above photo) where it takes 30 minutes to clear the 20 metre portage. Loading the canoe again, I paddle 30 metres across the channel to the next portage. From my journal: "I announce out loud to the gods 'I have to eat, can't go any farther without food'. I know will probably have to wade at the rapids above the falls and I need all the energy I can get." After unloading the canoe, I eat lunch at 12:30 p.m. in the shade of a big jack pine on the bare rock face beside the falls. The reason I announce to the gods is because I do not want them to think I am dawdling after I asked them yesterday to hold off on rain if possible until I get to my next camp. Sweat-soaked, before lunch I start a small fire to shoo blackflies while I hang wet clothes to dry a bit. From my journal: "I forgot I would probably have to clear the two portages after the long one ... aie!"
Feeling refreshed after lunch and a rest, I take my usual first load up the hill on what should be a 140 metre portage but at the upper end I cannot find the remainder of the trail. I have walked around and over many down trees. Aie! From my journal: "I set my gear down (proving to be 70 metres past the actual trail) and walk through the thick bush along river, finally finding the landing. The trail has several small and medium-size trees fallen across. Takes one hour to clear back about half the distance of the 140 metre trail. Several larger down trees I leave across the trail but saw and axe their branches at the path." (If I have to portage over or under fallen trees, it is best to remove their boughs at the path or risk tripping or even worse getting hung up while carrying a heavy load. Once I got a bootlace loop caught on a jutting branch stub and had to set my load down in precarious conditions. So it is important not just to cut the branches off but to do so flush with the trunk of the tree.)
Just before fetching the last load, the canoe, it pours heavy rain so I shelter under a big spruce at the upper end of the trail. Luckily I do not get very wet, but I am sweat-soaked though, everything I am wearing from the crotch up. My pantlegs and boots are wet from the dew and now heavy rain, so I am wet one way or another from top to toes.
Camp 24 above the falls three km from the previous camp, including the three portages (1430, 20, 140 metres). There is a sparsity of campsites, as are the number of tall enough trees to tie the tarp shelter. There are only two trees available, fire-killed their days are numbered before they topple to the ground. These trees are not quite far enough apart to stretch the tarp properly. Note the two firepits, the closer one to the tarp when it rains.
My wading gear hanging to dry on July 31, after wading the canoe up 50 metres of the last 100 metre rapids above the falls. Paddling can be boring ... until it is not ... until getting to rapids when I might wish it would be boring.
Clothes hanging to dry in a brisk wind and sunny day on August 2.
Birchbark tinder, brought from my old inland camp, and dry wood for kindling under the tarp shelter.
To keep my feet dry while walking to the moss fridge, I create a bridge by laying several poles on the soaking wet moss. This was the only spot I could find adequate for a "fridge" and making it the first day I got my feet soaked in the water-sogged moss.
This campsite is way too exposed but the only available spot without travelling farther, which I definitely did not wish to do after a long hard day. In a very strong wind on August 2, I place the canoe to help shield the tent. To situate the tent I had to level the spot with the shovel and saw limbs off the two dead down trees beside it.
The burn from the forest fire of 2010 extends as far as the eye can see.
Looking down towards the top of the upper falls. The water level is so high that it has extended the width of the outlet of the upper lake by over 100 metres.
July 31, approaching the next rapids one km from camp, first checking out the right hand side, then settling for the left where I can wade upstream through the rapids. Because of such high levels, the succeeding short rapids has enough water to flatten it out so I can paddle up.
I pre-portage three loads up the rapids, and to the lake proper above a small falls, before I will move on August 3.
A wasp nest along the shore where I wade upstream. So far this year I have not been bitten.
August 1, 5:14 to 5:20 a.m., forest fire smoke-tinged sunrise appears just under the thick clouds before it is occluded.