Topic: Picanoc River

[JohnN]

Nice timing. I had the exact same questions about the Picanoc for the same reasons.

CEHQ has it running close to its average maximum.  Would around 25 m3/s then be considered the "best" level where most of the features are in? Are there any playable surf waves?

http://www.cehq.gouv.qc.ca/Suivihydro/graphique.asp?NoStation=040840

The Desert looks like it would be interesting to explore as well.

http://192.77.51.51/~cleduc/Canot/04/AigleDesertLeduc2009.pdf

Thanks,
John

[Bill Schlarb]

The Mississippi would be a good choice.
One spot to watch for is the ledges at the old broken dam, they can be scouted and carried around on river right.
They're marked as "Playfairville Rapids" on Google Maps   GPS 44.971478, -76.430043
The river is running at 70 cms which is a medium level.

Bill

[Francois Leclerc]

The rapids above the falls tend to flush out

Thanks for the info Bill. I want to bring a friend of mine who does not have a lot of experience. I don't want to scare the crap out of him but I still want him to have a bit of fun. Would the Mississipi be better in that case?

[Bill Schlarb]

The rapids above the falls tend to flush out. Padre Chute (R3 around marker KM 24) gets easier but the falls get bigger.
There are one or two rapids just after the falls (S3-4)which can get become  a bit trickier as the level goes up.
See the attached map for more info.

Bill

[Francois Leclerc]

Did the river a few times in 1997-98. I can't remember the name of the roads. The river is very easy. There is one water fall. We took the week-end to do the river and camped at the falls saturday night. Don't do it in a white water kayak mainly a canoe river. The desert is a better canoe river just north of maniwaki, more longer rapids. The rivers are mainly class 2 with some short class 3. Hope this helps?

Thanks for the input! It's mostly the high water levels that I'm worried about. Will it transform this easy river into a suicidal run or will the rapids be flushed out you think?

[waverider]

Did the river a few times in 1997-98. I can't remember the name of the roads. The river is very easy. There is one water fall. We took the week-end to do the river and camped at the falls saturday night. Don't do it in a white water kayak mainly a canoe river. The desert is a better canoe river just north of maniwaki, more longer rapids. The rivers are mainly class 2 with some short class 3. Hope this helps?

[Francois Leclerc]

Has anyone ever paddled the Picanoc in Gracefield? Read it's a nice little river that's perfect for beginners at 25 m3/s. Right now the river has a gauge of around 48 m3/s. Is it still runnable at this gauge? We'd be starting at WT Oufitter and taking out at Chemin des Cerises.