Crown Land Canoe Route Maintenance

The Mission
At Explore the Backcountry, we're firm believers in sharing canoe route information, especially in this day and age of shrinking budgets and lack of regular maintenance for many routes outside of popular parks. Regular use is often the only way a canoe route can remain open for future paddlers. Unfortunately, there is a lack of information regarding the current state of many historically well used routes. Plenty of once well-trodden MNRF routes have fallen through the cracks, ultimately achieving a 'lost' canoe route status and potentially disappearing from the paddler’s route options forever.

By travelling, mapping, clearing and signing routes, users can help preserve these historical pathways for future generations to enjoy. Unfortunately, many of these routes have fallen into a state of disrepair. Portage signs have succumbed to the elements and trails have become overgrown. Would be canoeists are stymied by ‘trail hunting’ and the routes are only viable for the most hardy of adventures. 

An old campsite sign. Battered, and neglected. 


What are we doing?
Maintenance of existing portages, hiking trails and campsites along crown land routes in Ontario. The work is 'Lite Maintenance', i.e. if a route has been completely decimated by blow downs and power tools are required, we will not have the ability to clear said route.  We are also erecting signage at portages that once were marked, but the signs have disintegrated, broken, or fallen down, etc. This helps to ensure that future paddlers can find the historical landings and the trail, which helps to preserve the viability of paddling a route. 

What we aren't doing
We are not unnecessarily widening portages or creating new trails, nor are we enlarging or creating new campsites.

We are not creating new routes, simply revisiting and restoring 'lost' routes.

We are not maintaining routes on parkland unless authorized to do so.

Working on the trails: Jarvis Township Circle Route

So what's the money going towards?
UV Resistant Portage signs - At ~$1-2 a pop the cost for these quickly adds up. We're currently running low on signs, with just a few left!!

Nails - To hang the signs

Flagging tape - Rolls of this are needed to appropriately flag overgrown trails that see minimal use by paddlers


What routes are we targeting?
For the remainder of 2019, we’ve set our sights on routes near Timmins, Elliot Lake, Gogama and Northeastern Ontario . We typically spend 50-70 days a year on backcountry trips and we have a lot of canoeing left in the year! Updates will come.

What do you get out of it?
By contributing to this fund, you get the satisfaction of helping to preserve Ontario’s canoe route heritage for future generations. You also have the option to paddle the routes and we’ll make it worthwhile by posting maps, photos and videos of cleared routes at explorethebackcountry.com to assist in your route planning. 

Removing garbage from the 4M Circle Route

What has been accomplished to date?
Since 2016's initial donation drive of $350, this is what we have managed to achieve:

Fully Cleared, signed and mapped
Jarvis Township Circuit Route (Map | Video  | Technical Guide )
Nursey Circuit Route (Map | Video )
4M Circle Route

Partially brushed, partially signed and mapped
Upper White River (Map | Video )
Obatanga Area Canoe Routes  (Map  | Video )
Nagagami River (Video )
Quirke-Whisky Lake Canoe Route (Map | Video )
Tatachikapika River (Video )

Cleared and mapped
Summers Lake Loop (Map | Video  | Technical Guide )
West Spanish Forest (Map  | Video )

Signed and mapped
West Montreal - Duncan Loop (Map )

Mapped
Eastsand River (Map )
Aubrey Falls Loop

*Not all maps currently available due to basemap copyright (using google as interim). New maps to come eventually 

Happy Paddling! Let's keep those routes viable!