Canoeing and Hiking the Barrens
Posted at 3:38 pm | Filed Under General Info
You are cordially invited to a
presentation, to be given by Murray Muir, that recounts the grand adventures of four intrepid explorers on a 2011 journey from
Yellowknife, NWT to
Baker Lake, Nunavut.
Date: Friday, March 2nd, 2012,
Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,
Place: Chat Noir, New Liskeard
AGM presentation 2011
Posted at 7:25 pm | Filed Under Uncategorized
& Hiking
The Barrens
On November 19th, 2011, at 8 p.m.,
in the Latchford Community Centre,
join Nastawgan Trails for a presentation by Murray Muir recounting this past summer’s grand adventure from Yellowknife, NWT to Baker Lake, Nunavut.
This immediately follows the Nastawgan 2011 Annual General Meeting.
Nastawgan Annual General Meeting
Posted at 7:11 pm | Filed Under Uncategorized
11th. Annual General Meeting & Dinner
Date: Saturday, November 19th, 2011.
Place: Latchford Community Centre, corner of Mowat Ave. & Mitchell St. in the Town of Latchford
(from Hwy #11, west on Mowat Ave. past covered bridge).
Schedule:
9 am - Hike: Devil’s Rock Trail - Participants please respond to Murray & Vicky Muir, 705 648 3310 re hike and car pooling.
5 pm - Registration & membership renewal at Latchford Community Centre.
6 pm - Dinner, by Rick’s Magic Touch: vegis & dip, salads, brazed beef, chicken Veronica, mashed potatoes, lasagna, tea & coffee, desserts - $30/plate.
7 pm - Annual General Meeting. (members please consider joining the Board of Directors).
9 pm - Audio/visual presentation: Canoeing & Hiking the Barrens by Murray Muir.
10 pm - Program ends.
Please respond by Friday, November 11th to:
Les, lwilcox@ontera.net , or Nadia at 705 672 2039, nadiapl@ntl.sympatico.ca
OTHT major blowdown
Posted at 7:52 am | Filed Under Trail Warnings, General Info
As mentioned in Murray’s reflection on this years OTHT hike, a major blowdown necessitated a lengthy detour on the trail.
A week of work is being planned for the last week of September. The object will be to recover this section of the trail.
This will occur starting the week of September 25th, 2011. More detail to follow on this “sleep over”
Wabbit Wake Woad Washout
Posted at 7:45 am | Filed Under Trail Warnings, General Info
An update from Les on the, (and I quote)
“Wabbit Wake Woad Washout.”
According to the MNR:
“On May 18, a a single wide causeway across the washout and suitable for small vehicles was constructed “
Annual OTHT hike report from Murray
Posted at 1:11 pm | Filed Under Hikes
May 7th to May 13th, 2011
The 7th Annual Ottawa Temiskaming Highland Trail Hike
Murray Muir, May 2011.
This year’s trip involved two major hurdles. One was a very destructive blow down which piled up trees two or three layers thick forming 10 foot high barricades. We hiked West beside a marsh where the trees were not quite as numerous. The detour took 1-1/2 hours. The second obstacle was a washout on the Rabbit Lake Road which extended out 84 k hike to 99k.
On the plus side, we had seven beautiful days for hiking with only one light rain during the night. Seven of us started the walk from Latchford. Les opted out at Snort Lake and Bryan finished at FourBass Lake. Victoria resupplied us at the Matabitchuan River by bringing fresh fruit and vegetables to our FourBass Lake camp. (Editors note: this is a first for catered hikes!) Roger and I continued along with three terrific hiking companions, Russ, Larry and Deborah, to our destination Grand Campment Bay.
Most evenings we were serenaded by loons with accompaniment by many other birds. My favourite songster, of all the birds, the hermit thrush, sang at a few of our camps (Editor: http://rogcad.com/hermitthrush/index.htm .) The first flowers were the tiny red hazel bush blossums. Next came the trailing arbutus and then lots of red maple flowers. No bugs, lots of new birds and great hiking company. The water was a little cool this year, so, I only took four swims. Lake Temiskaming was the coldest. Owain Creek was the warmest.
Our mornings typically started at 4:30 a.m. with an hour of bird song followed at 5:30 a.m. with howling. We generally started hiking at 7 a.m. and finished from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Everyone’s packs weighed in at from 32 to 42 pounds. Two young lads signed one of the hiker’s trail logbooks stating that they had 58 and 65 pound packs and went on to comment that they had to rethink their packing.
It would appear that more people are using the North part of the OTHT trail.
Editor’s note: Thanks to Murray for sharing his thoughts and reflections on the hike. This hike is an annual happening and is a terrific experience. Earl.
Rabbit Lake washout
Posted at 8:21 pm | Filed Under Trail Warnings, Hikes
The Rabbit Lake Road is washed out just past the 27 km sign. About 20 metres is missing to a depth of 1 – 2 metres. The culvert is still in place under the road bed with the creek flowing through it and everything appears normal except for the flotsam stranded in the bush about 2 metres above the creek. So if you’re looking to get to Grand Campment Bay, Lakeland can fly 5 hikers with normal backpacks in the Beaver. The ice is just about gone.
Les.
The Ottawa-Temiskaming Highland Trail - Les Wilcox
Posted at 9:12 pm | Filed Under Uncategorized
The Ottawa-Temiskaming Highland Trail
By Les Wilcox
(TLUP) became public in 1997. It took a
while to sort through it; to read all of the fine print. And there it was! In the zone prescription for area CR4a and
the adjacent area 4, was the requirement for an “adequate trail corridor” along
the Lake Temiskaming/Ottawa River shoreline.
This became known as the Temiskaming Trail Corridor which has
since been developed into the Ottawa-Temiskaming Highland Tail (OTHT). With only one exception, all of the zones in
the TLUP allow for new hiking trail development. Viewscape management is written in as a
strategy for the protection of trail values but the struggle to achieve adequate trail buffer zones is ongoing.
Back in April 1996 a small group of local Temagami
trail enthusiasts came together to form a loose-knit organization called the Nastawgan
Working Group. In June the MNR
hosted a trails meeting at the Temagami Welcome Centre. The Nastawgan Working Group presented
its vision of what it was then calling the Trans Temagami Trail. There was also a presentation by Discovery
Routes and two other local trail
groups. At the end of the meeting six
people came forward to form a trail group under the direction of the MNR and
Ontario Parks. This group, also called
the Nastawgan Working Group incorporated as Nastawgan Trails Inc.(NTI)
on May 5th, 2000. Charitable
status came a year later.
NTI members began extensive field and documentary
trail research but it wasn’t until a political change in 2004 that the MNR
requested the submission of a Proposal to Develop the Temiskaming Trail
Corridor. The proposal was submitted
in 2006. It was reviewed and accepted by the MNR but there was never any formal
approval. Construction was well underway
at this point with the trail opened between Grand Campment Bay, on Lake
Temiskaming, to the Town of Latchford on Hwy. #11. All of the Temagami/Temiskaming Area hiking
trails promoted by NTI, including the OTHT, are Crown land trails which
constitute the free use of Crown land within the context of the TLUP and other
land use documents. NTI has no tenure
what-so-ever.
There is currently 134 km of trail on the ground
and a proposal to extend the trail, south along the Ottawa River, another 26 km
from Ottertail Creek to the Town of Thorne where Hwy. #63 crosses the Ottawa
River at Temiscaming Quebec. There is
drive in access with parking at Ottertail Creek (McLaren’s Bay), Grand Campment
Bay (end of Rabbit Lake Rd), the Matabitchuan River (end of Hwy. #567), South
Roosevelt Rd to Friday Lake, North Roosevelt Rd near Roosevelt Lake and the
Latchford Dump Rd right at Hwy. #11. The
average walking distance between access points is about 20 km. Lakeland Airways will fly-in to Ottertail
Creek, Grand Campment Bay or any other accessible point on the
Ottawa/Temiskaming shoreline. Local
outfitters provide vehicle shuttles.
7th Annual end-to-end Ottawa Temiskaming Highland Trail Group Hike
Posted at 7:40 pm | Filed Under Hikes, General Info
The Nastawgan 7th
annual Ottawa Temiskming Highland Trail end-to-end group hike is scheduled for
May 7th thru to May 15 2010.
Yes you heard right, the
7th annual. It has definitely become a tradition.
If interested please
call the Muirs at 705 648 3310.
This hike is unique
for its length and near complete escape into the wilderness. There are few trails
that can go this distance without crossing roads or passing cottages. A must do!
Saturday Feb 26 2011 hike
Posted at 9:11 pm | Filed Under Hikes, General Info
Join us for a 14 km snowshoe hike on Sat Feb 26, 2011.
We’ll be leaving New Liskeard at 8 AM from behind the downtown Tim Horton’s
or
from Granma Chippers in North Cobalt at 8:20.
1. The hike starts at
the Matabitchuan River powerhouse and follows the O.T. H. Trail along the river
for the first 2 km.
2. Next we climb a steep
hill for 1/2 km culminating in a beautiful look-out,
3. Then, continue for 2
km of 90% open bushwhacking North-west to an unnamed lake,
4. Subsequently we will
cross 2.5 km on ponds and 1 km of uncharted bushwhacking to Gorrie Lake.
5. The last 6 km will be
an easy way out crossing on lakes and trails back to the start.
Estimated return time is 4 PM.
Warning - could be tough going for dogs.
Call Murray at 648-3310 for car pooling
and to join the gang.
Reminder
to call the Muirs if looking to coordinate at the carpool juncture
points. No use waiting for someone who is not coming. 705-648-3310
If
you can’t beat winter then get out there and join it!