Permits for Missainabi River

[Keeled Over]

Hi folks,

Well, provided the snow fall is appropriate my brother and I will tackle the Miss in June. We will jump on the train in Sudbury blah, blah, blah.

My issue is getting the permits. I don't want to start on Missainabi Lake because of the terrifying pictographs but it seems I might have to use this as my starting point. However, three phone numbers in to Ontario Parks and nobody can tell me how to do this. They have NO answers except to wait until May, which I find a bit low on the totem of good customer service. I have not posted on CCR yet - I like to go here first.

So how does a guy take a canoe trip?

Thank you!!

 

[recped]

Presume you are taking the "Budd Car" from Sudbury to Missinaibi Station. (be aware there are two Via Rail stations in Sudbury).

When booking with Ontario Parks your Starting point would be Missinaibi Lake because that is where the park starts. The portion from the train to the lake is Crown Land (some private land). If you REALLY want to have a permit for that stretch I suppose you could but it's a different process to obtain Crown Land Permits for non-residents.

It's about 20 miles from the train to where you enter the Park. I did this route about 40 years ago, I don't remember if we made it all the way to Missinaibi Lake or camped one night on the way. I wouldn't bother with the crown land permit for that one possible night. I do recall camping on the "big" island near the cliffs where the pictographs are.

You should be able to book 5 months before your start date, although the river isn't overcrowded they do restrict the flow of paddlers and it is a popular route. I would books as soon as possible although the busy season usually doesn't start until July 1st.

Note that the area may be very buggy in June. By July you will have the usual dusk swarms but reasonably bug free during the day and on the water.

Are you planning on doing the full river all the way to Moosonee?

 

[Keeled Over]

Thank you again recped - your batting 1000 on these trips of mine!

 

[Keeled Over]

Quick question - which train station do I want in Sudbury? This info was on here someplace - just can't find it!

 

[Alan Gage]

Quick question - which train station do I want in Sudbury? This info was on here someplace - just can't find it!

I believe the answer is in this thread:

Missainabi Question

Hello all, Assuming proper water levels will do this in June. Question on permits. I am jumping on the train is Sudbury and paddling the entire thing. Looking at the Parks website it doesn't reference fees for canoeing the entire river. If I jump on by the railroad which permits do I get...

www.canoetripping.net

Alan

 

[recped]

Quick question - which train station do I want in Sudbury? This info was on here someplace - just can't find it!

You want this one

Sudbury train station

Information on Sudbury's train station: address, business hours, available products and services, wheelchair access, etc.

www.viarail.ca

You DO NOT want this one

Sudbury Jct train station

Information on Sudbury Jct's train station: address, business hours, available products and services, wheelchair access, etc.

www.viarail.ca

 

[Keeled Over]

These folks seem a bit confused - can't get them to understand I want Elgin Street. What would happen if I took the trip below?

Receipt – Booking #: V19AUN​

Sudbury Jct - Oba / One-way / 2 passengers​

Departure | Wed. Jun. 11 | SUDJ OBAX​

MICHAEL RAY SALESS - Adult [td]Economy Plus fare

PETER RICHARD SALESS - Adult [td]Economy Plus fare

[td width="290.693px"] Departure​ ​

[td]

$81.48​

[/td]​

[td]Seat: Unassigned[/td]

[td]

—​

[/td]​

[td]Nautical Equipment - (1 x $100.00)[/td]

[td]

$100.00​

[/td]​

[/td]

[td]

$81.48​

[/td]​

[td]Seat: Unassigned[/td]

[td]

—​

[/td]​

[/td]

[td width="237.852px"]

$262.96​

[/td]​

[/td]

[td width="290.693px"] Subtotal​ ​

[td width="290.693px"] HST ON​ ​

[td width="237.852px"]

$262.96​

[/td]​

[/td]

[td width="237.852px"]

$34.18​

[/td]​

[/td]

[td width="301.693px"] Grand total​ ​

[td width="236.852px"]

$297.14​

[/td]​

[/td]

 

[Keeled Over]

I am driving to Sudbury and will have my car. Since I can't seem to get them to understand I want Elgin street station, will having my car negate the need for Sudbury and make Sudbury Junction feasible?

 

[recped]

You are booked on the wrong train! You will get dumped off at Peterbell and miss Missinabie Lake, The height of land portage, shorten your trip by 5 or 6 days and lose the ability to say you paddled the entire river.

You should be booked on the Sudbury to White River train (route #185) if you want to adhere to your original plan. The train you are now booked on is The Canadian which goes from Toronto to Vancouver (route #1). The train you wanted goes from Sudbury to White River, it is commonly referred to as the "Budd Car".

 

[Keeled Over]

Deepest apologies recped!

I am interested in starting at Peterbell, but I got my towns mixed up. I was SURE I remembered the map in Hap's book correctly, and hence the wild goose chase. I do hope it did not require too much effort on your part.

I am missing a bit I know, and I love the historical aspects of this river, but at this point I need a serious break from lakes. Surrounded by the things. That Rockstar of mine sat for years in my garage just waiting. I do love everything about rivers though and I am looking forward to this, and the Fon du Lac in August if everything goes right. Then back to lakes for 2 trips after that to wrap up the season.

Sorry again for the screw up!

 

[recped]

Well one good thing for you. For decades the Canadian train departed Toronto in the evening and would drop you at Peterbell around 2:00am, not very nice as there isn't much of anything in the way of camping there except the ditch beside the tracks which is a terrible place to sleep given the number of freight trains that will go by.

About 5+ years ago the schedule changed, trains now leaves Toronto in the morning and you will get dropped off in the afternoon. There is (or was) one campsite not far downstream on River Right (I've never stopped there) that you might want to use as a recovery location.

Get in touch with me in the Summer if you are serious about the Fond du Lac, I'm always looking for a ride share to Wolleston Lake/Points North.

 

[Keeled Over]

Thank you for the info recped. That will make it a bit easier. Had you previously mentioned a local shuttle guy for the return in Cochrane? I would do this.

I would LOVE to travel with you. Please know this would include about 10,000 questions. Issue is I need to pick up my brother back west so I to drive around Chicago so straight out of Rochester for me. However, this has given me a thought to noodle with.