La Verendrye- fulfilling a boyhood dream

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

As I am new to the site… I wanted to express my thanks for everyone’s input over the past months both in my endeavor to restore my ol’ Yankee and to successfully complete my first canoe camping trip that I have dreamed of for 40 years since I was eight years old. A close family member and myself recently completed the 5-day Circuit 37 in La Verendrye. This was a momentous occasion for me as it was first bore out of listening to my father’s stories of his days in the Canadian bush as a geologist using canoes in camp to access remote areas. Fast forward to when I was eight and he and a friend did a 10 day canoe trip that stuck in my head to this day.

A long time awaited for this experience. It did not disappoint.

Day 1- wind and rain- fell 1km short of first camp due to weather. But a great site and a pike to boot

Day 2- better weather until Lake Axone- we had a short layover prior to this lake due to wind and rain, but then smooth paddling until we heard the roar on the lake. Again 1km short of our goal.

Day 3- battled a head wind for about 1.5 hours. Ended up at a nice site where we boiled up water and downed some bannock

Day 4- glass water- hot sun and two heavy downpours… one on our portage.

Day 5- 21km paddle back to Lac Camatose- beautiful paddle and made good time. Saw some great wildlife sign on the 2nd to last portage.

Thanks taking the time
DT

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Wonderful on many levels that this trip came true, CTC! Very nice pictures. May it be the first of many, and I hope you keep up your interesting participation here.

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Wonderful on many levels that this trip came true, CTC! Very nice pictures. May it be the first of many, and I hope you keep up your interesting participation here.

Thank you very much. Thank you for providing such a forum- it’s nice to have the vast experience available and such generous folks like yourself for encouragement!
Cheers

 

[Gerald]

Glad you fulfilled that dream and wish you many more. Nice to see a younger generation replacing us LV oldies.
Latest news from the SEPAQ people running canoe camping in LV is that they are going to build another headquarters at the North entrance to the park (actually it's a Reserve Faunique) + more circuits for trippers and also a couple of large lakes with many campsites for families and novices. Thanks for sharing.
G.

 

[Erica]

Beautiful photos. Verendrye is a special place. Like Gerald, I’m glad to see younger folk paddling. I wish you many more.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

Beautiful photos and trip. Thanks for sharing.

Bob

 

[RickR]

Well done all around! Thanks for taking the time to share your trip. Beautiful photos.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Curious about the trip planning. In the old days we just walked into Le Domaine and decided on a circuit. What is the planning these days? Complicated?

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Glad you fulfilled that dream and wish you many more. Nice to see a younger generation replacing us LV oldies.
Latest news from the SEPAQ people running canoe camping in LV is that they are going to build another headquarters at the North entrance to the park (actually it's a Reserve Faunique) + more circuits for trippers and also a couple of large lakes with many campsites for families and novices. Thanks for sharing.
G.

Thank you Gerald- that is good information to know! I will certainly be returning!

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Beautiful photos. Verendrye is a special place. Like Gerald, I’m glad to see younger folk paddling. I wish you many more.

Thank you Erica!

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Well done all around! Thanks for taking the time to share your trip. Beautiful photos.

Much appreciated!

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Beautiful photos and trip. Thanks for sharing.

Bob

Thank you Bob

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Curious about the trip planning. In the old days we just walked into Le Domaine and decided on a circuit. What is the planning these days? Complicated?

A little different- you must call and reserve within a window. Our route (37) was limited to 5 groups. Oddly everyone ends up at one of two campsites at the last evening. There were only 4 groups on our circuit. We only ran into one group. We stopped at the site just before the final site. We were happy we did for two reasons. One- we had the site to ourselves. 2- as we paddled by the last site in the early morning it was full and you heard the TransCanada from that site. We were fortunate.

 

[Robin]

Your report, responses, and pictures are very interesting to this LV tripper. Looks like a good time. Of course, I have to mention that beautiful canvas pack. Looks well used, can you tell us the history?

I'm excited about the park opening some new routes up north. Good news Gerald.

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Your report, responses, and pictures are very interesting to this LV tripper. Looks like a good time. Of course, I have to mention that beautiful canvas pack. Looks well used, can you tell us the history?

I'm excited about the park opening some new routes up north. Good news Gerald.

Thank you Robin-

I am sorry to disappoint- but that canvas pack was purchased by me from a fellow online for a very reasonable price. I have a penchant for the traditional and love Frost River and Duluth packs but price is a concern. The patches you see on the pack were put there by your’s truly to stem some of the holes from running out. This is the Monarch bag 8-21 envelope. Duluth did quote me a reasonable repair, but it would be not be completed before the trip and I felt my patches would hold up.

I am currently working around each patch with hand stitching. As for the condition of the pack when I received it, well…. That was an adventure. I gently soaked in dawn and used the sun to help deodorize. The leather require a lot of attention- I used Griots leather deodorizer and my friends bee wax balm he makes from his honeybees.

I just love canvas and can’t justify not giving something another life. The tump was a great help on the portages and I would often look at that back while paddling or in camp and wonder as you did….what are the stories it has.

my next venture is to build my wooden wanigan to accompany the pack. Hopefully in the Yankee soon... I just like the traditional materials I guess. I did use the nylofume liner of course
Drew

 

[smallworks]

Glad you fulfilled that dream and wish you many more. Nice to see a younger generation replacing us LV oldies.
Latest news from the SEPAQ people running canoe camping in LV is that they are going to build another headquarters at the North entrance to the park (actually it's a Reserve Faunique) + more circuits for trippers and also a couple of large lakes with many campsites for families and novices. Thanks for sharing.
G.

Thanks for this, we're thinking of heading that way this summer and was a bit confused re: nomenclature- Reserve Faunique/La Verendrye Provincial Park. Forever heading North~