Wollaston or Black Lake to Kasba Lake

I am considering a trip from Wollaston or Black Lake to Kasba Lake, and so I am looking for any rout and other info that might be applicable. I have done ten day trips on unnamed rivers in the Kewatin as a youngster with my family, but nothing this long or arduous. I do not have a lot of white water river experience.

Thinking of Summer 2026 and in the very early stages of investigation. Just trying to make some contacts and gather info. ANY suggestions welcome.

Canada? ?Where is it?

Canada. Wollaaston Lake Saskatchewan to Kasba Lake NWT/Nunavut Territories.

At the very top of my bucket list (been in that position for 15 years) is a trip from Wollaston Lake to Baker Lake via Kasba Lake and the Kazan River.

I made a preliminary map of the route here:


The map shows all the "portages" from Wollaston to Kasba, the part from Kasba to Baker Lake has camp locations used by previous paddlers plus some markings for the most significant rapids.

It has some details of the route from Wollaston to Kasba. Of all the various options to get to Kasba Lake I think my planned route is the easiest. People who have done the version that starts from Reindeer Lake and accesses Kasba from the east side have pretty much all reported long stretches of "no water" with extensive dragging/portaging. The route of my plan looks to avoid most of that low/no water issue.

I have communicated with a few people who have paddled a few parts of my route, it seems like it would be relatively easy, the upstream portion is mostly lake to lake to the headwaters of the Schwandt River and then all downhill to Kasba.

Are you planning to fly out from Kasba Lake or continue on using the Kazan or Dubawnt? Would this be a solo or "group" trip? The biggest logistics issue for me is how to get to Wolleston Lake without having to return there at the end of the trip (My plan was to fly out from Baker back to Toronto while my boat and gear would go by ocean cargo to Montreal.

If you want to discuss in detail you can send me a PM.

recped said:

At the very top of my bucket list (been in that position for 15 years) is a trip from Wollaston Lake to Baker Lake via Kasba Lake and the Kazan River.

I made a preliminary map of the route here:

Wolleston to Baker - CalTopo

Route from Wollaston Lake to Kasba Lake, Kazan River to Baker Lake

caltopo.com

The map shows all the "portages" from Wollaston to Kasba, the part from Kasba to Baker Lake has camp locations used by previous paddlers plus some markings for the most significant rapids.

It has some details of the route from Wollaston to Kasba. Of all the various options to get to Kasba Lake I think my planned route is the easiest. People who have done the version that starts from Reindeer Lake and accesses Kasba from the east side have pretty much all reported long stretches of "no water" with extensive dragging/portaging. The route of my plan looks to avoid most of that low/no water issue.

I have communicated with a few people who have paddled a few parts of my route, it seems like it would be relatively easy, the upstream portion is mostly lake to lake to the headwaters of the Schwandt River and then all downhill to Kasba.

Are you planning to fly out from Kasba Lake or continue on using the Kazan or Dubawnt? Would this be a solo or "group" trip? The biggest logistics issue for me is how to get to Wolleston Lake without having to return there at the end of the trip (My plan was to fly out from Baker back to Toronto while my boat and gear would go by ocean cargo to Montreal.

If you want to discuss in detail you can send me a PM.

Click to expand...

Thank you....surprised to get such a good reply so quickly. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for. This would be solo or maybe 2 to four people. I have never done a solo trip before however, and not sure I would want to.

I have been very interested in fishing Wholdaia a bit of the south end of Snowbird Lake and what little water I have not fished on the Kazan between there and Kasba. Thus my reasoning to drive to Black Lake and start there, north to Selwyn and then to Wholdaia and Snowbird and into the Kazan. But that is a long trip, so your route is appealing to me. I would ideally like to go for six weeks or even two months, as fishing, for me, is a huge part of the trip. I love fishing for big pike. I could eat fish twice a day no problem, so could probably carry enough food without resupply. Never go hungry up there with a rod and reel!

I have guiding buddies at Wollaston and would likely drive up with them in the end of May and get one of them to drive my car back to Saskatoon or Winnipeg, when their season is over. If you wanted to do the same I could very likely help you arrange that.

I started guiding at Kasba in 1983 and recently retired from that. The water from Atzinging Lake (10 miles downstream from Snowbird) to Kasba I know like the back of my hand--I've run all but a small stretch in 16' boats. Also the Kazan from Kasba to Ennadai. But I have done relatively little whitewater canoeing, and most of that was as a kid and teenager in the Kewatin.

I just signed up and have to figure out the PM. Thank you and yes we shall connect soon!

Colin

If I'm not mistaken @Mason has done this route or a similar one. I believe that's also the route Dan Cooke and company did a few years back. I don't know if there was ever a trip report posted but I do remember seeing pictures posted. Possibly by Bear?

I attempted to go from Wollaston to Nueltin a few years back. The rapids were bigger than I and my boat could handle and the portages were seemingly non-existent around many of the rapids. I worried about running out of time as a result of this so instead of continuing to Nueltin I went north after leaving Kasmere lake and headed up to the Putahow River until I reached the Nunavut border and then came back.

It's a trip I'd like to attempt again. Really wonderful country. I'll link my trip report below. I realize it won't provide any direct answers to your specific route but it might help give an idea of what to expect if tackling it solo. There are some odd symbols in many of the posts due to apostrophes causing a problem with the software. One of these days I need to go back and edit it.


Alan

Alan Gage said:

I believe that's also the route Dan Cooke and company did a few years back. I don't know if there was ever a trip report posted but I do remember seeing pictures posted.

Click to expand...

Never mind. I just did some digging and it looks like Dan started at Kasba Lake and continued on to Baker Lake.

Alan

Should be some good info in this old post on myccr


Alan

Colin: Welcome. PM is easy... hover your cursor over the screen name and you'll see that a "send direct message" balloon opens. Click on that & message away.

Sounds like a cool trip and I highly recommend going solo but... maybe not 2 months on your first solo trip. Might be better to do a 2 week solo in 2025 and see if you like it. (much more freedom but some get lonely).

I'll look for your TR when you return.

I’ve done too much research and not enough action on this exact route and would have to agree that Recpeds route would be the one I would choose. I’ve heard lots stories of the White Partridge River being a canoe eater and that the route leaving Snowbird is a tough go through lower ground with thick, not so portage friendly sections.
Any which way you go it’s a guaranteed adventure!

I've paddled from Wollaston Lake to Hudson Bay, via the Cochrane, Kognac, Thetinne, Windy, Thlewiaza and ThaAnne rivers. Last year I paddled from Wholdaia Lake to Baker Lake via the Dubawnt and Thelon rivers. All of these rivers have a fair bit of whitewater.

Direct message (PM) sent.