Canoeing Ontario

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Missinaibi River

My personal favourite. From the Trans-Canada Highway at Mattice, Ontario, to Moosonee, the lower river starts with a series of exciting rapids, such as Blackfeather Rapids, and quickly drains northward. The geological highlight is "Thunderhouse Falls" only some thirty miles into the trip.

The portage around the falls approaches rapidly, but is well marked on the west (left) bank. The portage is substantial but fairly well maintained. From the falls can be seen "Conjurouring House Rock" a tall, somewhat pyramidal shaped granite rock protruding from the river below. Legend has it that the rumbling of the falls and water running into the rock gave local natives the belief that spirits lived in this rock tee-pee and that the rumbling was their voices calling from within.

Immediately after this portage is a second, longer, portage on the east bank (right) which bypasses long rapids canyon. This can be a long, gruelling portage through sometimes muddy or boggy terrain with windfalls across the path but ends at what we called "the ranger station", which is nothing more than a large clearing where at some former date test drilling was conducted in order to determine the possibility of harnessing the river for hydroelectric power.

Happily it remains one of the last rivers in Northern Ontario which has not been altered by damming. Having finished this portage one can now enjoy the unobstructed running of strings of rapids, providing a quick and exhilarating trip off the Canadian Shield and through the transition belt to the Hudson Bay Lowlands.

The change in topography is very striking throughout the trip. A pleasant paddle now remains for the remainder of the trip to the Moose River and northward to Moosonee. One can end the trip at Moose River Crossing and either catch the Northlander northwards to Moosonee for some sightseeing, or catch the train southbound for an eight hour ride back to Cochrane, Ontario.

A provincial park is located on an island in the middle of Moose River where one may wish to terminate the trip or, alternatively, choose the Polar Bear or Moosonee Lodge in town. (Book ahead, they're always full!)

Again, the trip can be extended by starting at Chapleau, Ontario, and crossing Highway 17 at Mattice.