Paddling the Burnt Lands | Temagami: Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Sufferfest
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- Опубліковано 30 лис 2020
- Teaser Trailer: • Lady Evelyn-Smoothwate...
Join Leah and Brad on a wild weekend through Temagami! We paddle a great little loop in Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park that taKes us down the North Branch of the Lady Evelyn River and up through the Grays River-Makobe Lake area; epicenter of a large 2018 forest fire. Oppressive heat, swarms of bugs and downed, charred trees made for some sufferfest slogs. We crammed a lot into a weekend..
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Thanks for watching.
So lucky to have a woman like Leah with you.
Go Leah...love watching you bust through those rapids! Brad...you would make an awesome instructor...great team work, you two!
You two communicate so well on the water.
Thanks! We've been paddling together for over 8 years now, feels natural.
Love the waterfall run...CRAZY COOL! ...and that 3K slog was wild...oh and congrats on your marriage! Cheers Colleen and Jonny🇨🇦🇺🇸
Thanks a lot you two! Leah and I were keen on paddling some bigger and technical rapids this year. Did a lot of whitewater day trips during the early days of COVID restrictions to practice. Has paid off!
Robert Bell and Lady Evelyn would be proud of you guys... makes me feel like painting again...
Great to see some of the same country we did so long ago. Parts of the Upper L. E. River were still smoldering when we went through, so that burn must have been 20-25 yrs. ago. We flew into Makobe & camped on an Island, saw a Bald Eagle, (diff. one the you did, I think). I think that time we parked at Ferguson Bay where the plane picked us up. Thanks for the flashbacks...paddle on.
Great trip guys! Thanks for letting us tag along!
Thanks a lot for watching!!
I love that Winter Wren singing in the background!
Thx for the video and close-up look at the route. Between the rough water and the rough trails this looks fairly inaccessible for the average canoeist.
I laughed when she said 'our post-COVID trip' at one point. We should be so lucky!!!
I was sadly wrong!
Great video thanks . That Leah is a trooper. Thanks 🇨🇦👍
You bet she is! Tough as nails and has a hardy adventurous spirit.
Thanks for bringing me along on the sufferfest from my comfy seat.
You're welcome! I can look back on it with fonder memories after reliving it from the comfort of my own home.
Another excellent video, this kind of trip requires a great sense of adventure away into the backcountry.
Leah you are one great paddler
Wonderful adventure..even with all the flies...
Thanks Jim!!
White water footage was sick! Looks like so much fun! Congratulations on the house, I am glad 2020 brought some positive change to your lives!
I did an Algonquin solo at the beginning of July. Average day temps were 35’c and average night around 30’c. I was battling dehydration the entire time and roasted my legs when I realized my new shorts were not UV resistant. Thankfully there wasn’t a bug in sight, but I know that feeling of heat and exhaustion.
Love your videos. It's so incredible to watch you two in rapids. What a great team! Thank you so much for sharing all the adventures..
That burn looks terrible, but you can already see the forest coming back, and there'll be a huge explosion of plant and animal life, thanks to the open ground.....sucks to walk through in a heat wave though. Nature is so well adapted.
And your gal did a great job. I can see her getting better and better with time.
Those bugs would drive me nuts.
Beasts! Thanks for sharing
Hard work and plenty of type II Fun!!!
Leah is a champ.. really, you both are. Great trip!
She really is! :D Thanks for watching!!
Great video. You can never get bored in your adventures.
Glad you enjoy it!
Wow those bugs looked horrendous Great video!!
No shortage of firewood on that trip. Sterling effort, I look forward to youre next adventure.
Ha, got that right. A big bonus of traveling through burns! Thanks for watching!
She is awesome in the front of the canoe!
Leah is a beast in the bow!
Thank you for including us on the trip. But also thank you for letting us be spectators, not participants, during the hell portage. Great video.
Thanks John! Was brutal. Leah and I were just wiped when we got to the lake. The paddle to our eventual campsite was an exhausted endeavor.
Wow great determination on that portage! Enjoyed the video alot.
One of the last routes of Temagami I have yet to trip. I’m not feeling confident. Thanks for a great trip report. I worry about getting lost in the burnt portages. Reminds me of Woodland Caribou in’18. Scorched earth.
Finding the trail was incredibly challenging... we had to stop almost every 150-300 metres to scout and try to find the trail... parks did the best job they could but all the blow downs definitely kept us on our toes
Another great video guys!
Thanks a bunch Josie!!!
Loved it as usual. ☺️
Rapids are fun if you have a good partner and by the looks of you look like a good team. Love your videos
I just fatbiked a 40 km loop around Yorston Lake. No bugs, no heat, nobody else around. Atv's couldnt get back there either as the ice conditions weren't thick enough.
I'm 3hrs north and yes, the ice is not thick enough yet. I've ordered studded tires for lake rides this year! Would be a beautiful area to ride though!!
The most epic canoe trip I’ve ever seen. Thanks for sharing. And to get all those amazing angles that would have meant that you had to set up your camera first. Truly amazing. You are a great team!
Great video, as always. And a real "Fun" portage too :)
Thanks Joe! Some good warmups for when we tripped in NW Ont later that summer
Cant wait
Epic content !
Looks like it was an intense trip. I was up in Kiosk Algonquin when the 2018 fires were burning, thanks for showing the area it was cool to see.
That was really nice. Very enjoyable.
#beast solid effort guys!! Thx for the great content !!
Nice, another trip that I am glad to have watch you go on as I won't be going on that one. Congrats on the new home. Hope it has air conditioning. Cheers, Nathan!
Beautiful trip. Congratulations on the new house.
Thanks a lot Cephas. New adventure in a way too!
Good job . Black fly inferno 😁👍
Lmao!!! The swarms we're pretty relentless. Blackflies on day 1 and then those nutty deerflies on day 2. day 3 was a mix of the two. Something was gonna get ya no matter what.
I enjoyed this reportage (sorry for the "portage" word) very much, such an honest and non-commercial representation of the great trip. Well done!
Great trip through some outstanding scenery. Think the bugs would have truly got me down. Cheers Mike.
Glad you enjoyed it. Those bugs are always pesky that time of year....
Ya, but no. You 2 are awesome. Thanks
I felt like I was there at the 12 minute mark in those rapids! well done
Thanks Matt!
Nice!😎
Thanks ✌
Nice video. Editing qnd camera views are great
Leah is awesome In the front of the boat in whitewater. Most of the time she is already doing what you are calling for before you say it
Hey guys. That port into Makobe looked insane. Thinking about paddling through this area in the spring. Missing Temagami! Thanks for sharing.
If you don't go when it's record setting hot, you should fair a little better! Still likely a bit tricky in spots with the trees being down etc. Pretty cool spot to paddle through nonetheless and I don't think you'd be disappointed!
Nice trip..looks super challenging. Rich suggested it and shared it...says he knows you. I love your tent. Great job!!
Hmm I know a few Rich's lol. That's a Hotcore Mantis 2. Great tent at price point. We've used them for years now.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry This Richard is last name Morrow..the Jockey. Just met him this month. Great guy! Eager to explore Temagami and area like you guys are doing!. I have film camera experience and some camping. If you ever need someone I plan to stick around!
Looking forward, I last paddled the Lady Evelyn following a fire probably 25 years ago. All should look familiar.
Around Macpherson? It burnt back in 92. We pass through that area.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry Could it have been that long? Yes I guess it was, We flew in to Florence Lake and paddled out to Sucker Gut Lake where we were picked up by plane. What memories, began probably 25 years of wilderness paddling. I'll turn 67 in April, can't do the long portages anymore but am planning a trip with my two grown sons sometime this late spring or early fall.
Incredible footage of the region! Thanks for sharing guys. We did this section of the LE River about a week after you two coming from Florence Lake. The heat was relentless then too. I remember seeing that waterfall in person and couldn't believe it was runnable. Impressive stuff!
Thanks! Such a gorgeous area! Was a really hot and humid summer up here. Lot's of rain too. Made for some interesting tripping conditions. I've yet to get to Florence lake, but hear it is beautiful.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry If you ever end up going to Florence Lake, the campsite in the northern bay is a gem
Liking it before I watched it, just know it’s going to be good.
Thanks for the preemptive and post support Paul! Glad you enjoyed it!
Don’t understand why Parks crews don’t use flagging tape when clearing portages in burn areas. Would certainly help navigation in the burn....
Well...you have a new subscriber. Really enjoyed your video.
Thanks and welcome! hope you enjoy the new content coming throughout the winter months.
Counting down, 26 mins to go😁👍
yea for Leah .......
She's tough as nails
@@ExploreTheBackcountry I second that . Rare to find a woman who will trip in June
Leahs body language during that portage said it all! Congrats on your house/marriage
Thanks!!
@@leahjennings8694 I think your videos speak for themselves. But there are some tough men here who give you the nod .A good woman in the bow can't be beat.
Hello Brad, always enjoyed your videos and trips. I was wondering if all you canoes from Nova Craft are in Tuffstuff expedition or you have some in Blue Steel, I noticed you have a green one with wood gunnels
Congrats on getting hitched this fall
PS, I noticed that you wussied out and portaged your luggage at 11:00
@@easternwoods4378 Thanks! Ah, for that run, taking the gear allowed us a little extra freeboard. It was a shallow lip and I didn't want to get hung up or needlessly gouge the gelcoat. We will run loaded vs unloaded depending upon the levels, flow and difficulty. Unloaded frees up weight at the cost of stability. In big pushy waters, having gear in the canoe improves stability.
I used to think any couple planning to get married should be required to do a two-week canoe trip in bug season before actually exchanging vows. My guess is that a lot of potential shaky marriages would be avoided. Flipping things around, this footage suggests you two can cheerfully handle what's thrown at you. You're gonna have a lot of happy anniversaries, I'd say.
Great stuff. I live in Temiskaming shores and have been meaning to paddle and fish this area...I always pictured the river as less challenging. Great to see the actual runs so I know what kind of skills I will need. Could I ask where you guys call home? Cheers
It was more fun than we expected. I would imagine in spring it would be even more pushy to run! We're up Timmins way, so it's not too far of a drive south for us.
Great video! However, the last thing you can do is be surprised about crazy bugs when going into the backcountry of Ontario in June. Some of the best weather you can get, but always have to question if the bug battle is worth it
Lol, yup, never surprised about bugs, especially in May-June. The deerflies only really swarm on those hot and sticky days, of which we don't tend to get a lot up here. However, this summer was especially hot and wet. It's always worth it in the end though. The bug bites fade but the memories last.
Can you tell me who makes the bug jackets you were wearing and where I can get one? Thank you.
I am here, but did you have your compass ? Deet!! Yes it was hot for the last days of June.. Notice that dark cloud following you?
I always carry a compass and navigate primarily by hardcopy map. The issue is not so much sticking to a bearing here, but trying to stay on trail. We could shoot an approximate bearing that lines up with the portage and follow it, but due to all the blowdowns, we wanted to stick to the existing trail as best as possible. The portage location is generalized on the 1:50K topo, making this a tricky feat as you'd need to have accuracy below 0.5 of a degree. Handles for bearings are a little tricky in a featureless landscape. Looking for trail clues such as sawn logs, cairns, compacted soil and old blazes was a more fruitful endeavor. The bug suit works well, I just open my hood every now and then to have a better scan of the landscape and they swarm. Not a fan of deet and haven't really used it in a longggg time.
Hey there! Great video, I just got back from a failed trip attempting to run past your portage and up to banks lake. We failed because one member suffered heat exhaustion and we decided to pull out because he was not managing to improve. Watching this I noticed your girlfriend said she was susceptible to heat stroke as well. What does she do to keep cool and recover when she feels it hitting her? Have you ever stopped a trip due to heat related illness? I'm sitting at home wishing I were back on Macpherson :{
What’s the length and make of that Nova Craft?
So inspiring, and I am full of respect! What a trip! I am a bit curious about the bug shirt. It seems like a clever kind of gear but how hot is it? Does it breathe at all or is it bearable only because an extreme level of bugs is even more unbearable?
Ralf/Sweden
Hey Ralph, glad you enjoyed it! We love the bugsuits, they're actually quite breathable. The white absorbs less heat and there is open mesh around some of the areas more prone to trapping heat. Adding another layer will surely add a slight amount of heat, but in reality I find the suit cooler than a light long-sleeved option. If you're in conditions where the suit is necessary, you'll want to have every part of your bare skin covered! It saves you from going insane at the amount of flies. I've tried a ton of systems over the years and this one has proved to be the real winner.
You accomplished a lot in a short period of time. Do you have any recommendations for what to add to your water to help hydrate (such as biosteel?) for those crazy hot days.
Because I get heat stroke so easy, I often add Nuun tablets to my water or other electrolyte powder. I also always have electrolyte gummies on new for emergencies (you can get these in the health food section of your grocery store).
@@leahjennings8694 thanks for the info. Will look for those tablets come spring time
@@ride-paddle-repeat Hammer Perpetuem is my go to ultimate picker-up. That stuff is like rocket fuel for bonking. I drink it on the most demanding times or when racing.
Very good ideas . Have had a partner puking from heat stroke and had a bad case of it myself one trip.
Does anybody combine goggles with contacts for whitewater?
I know some of the whitewater kayakers do. I have never had a contact flush in all my dumps. I always pack 2 sets as spares and some cheaper river glasses too, just in case.
NoBugZone for the win!
This is the older VCS system. Same idea. Wouldn't trip in the spring without it!
Wish it really was post-covid ; o
same! Leah meant post lockdown. Camping wasnt allowed during the initial phase.
Why do you guys always use whitewater paddles? Grab a Kettlewell special for flat water, you wont regret it.
Leah has a cherry Ottertail she'll use on flatwater trips. We typically paddle mixed or more river/creek over flatwater so the whitewater paddle is a predominate go to. I also tend not to film most of our flatwater weekend outings. I do need to replace some of my flatwater blades though, some have been heavily overused and have some damage....
This did not look fun lol but it was a great watch
Lol, plenty of type II fun that's for sure.
What an ugly portage!
Okay wait one minute that one rapid you went down where she lost her contact where was your gear and the second set of rapids you went through you had all your gear in the canoe the first set of that rapids that she lost her contact at you had no gear in that canoe and the second set before you got into where you're at now you got all your gear in there reason why I'm so observant ex military 🪖 here
Was a bit low and technical. Taking the gear out gives us a little more buoyancy and clearence over obstacles. We just took our gear across the short portage first and then ran it. Picked it up at the end of the trail.
Okay that sounds about right I just was wondering I noticed she didn't film the forecast though but running that rapid was pretty neat. I would love to do something like that but I would love to be flown in as far north as I could and then come down through the lakes and all that you know something like a 3-4 week trip I think that would be really cool but unfortunately with biden's price hikes on everything can not do it. Can't wait to see your next canoe trip God Bless