Topic: Exp?dition d'Hydrospeed sur la Gens de Terre Partie 2

[ChristianG]

Cool! We'll be able to do the nearby spring runs! Looks like the Maffia has most of its volume in the front, kind of like my Booster--you may have to be paddling very aggressively to prevent catching the stern...

--C.

[cleo]

We bought two dragorossi boats from some dude in the states. We got a critical mass and a mafia. Both are creekers but are quite for different from one another. The critical mass looks like a tank that will go through everything. It's huge at almost 9 feet it's the longest creekboat i've seen. It also has a sealed stern bulkhead with a hatch to store gear. One interesting feature which i hope never to need is a hose with a one way valve at the end coming from the rear compartment that you can breathe from to get a few extra minutes of air in case of a pin. This is going to be an excellent expedition boat. Fast with a lot of capacity for gear. The mafia is shorter and sportier which will likely make it harder but probably more fun to paddle.

[ChristianG]

Hey Cl?o, what kind of boat did you guys get? Since I have a big boat too (76 gallons), and summer hours are very flexible for me, a self-supported trip down that river sounds interesting to me.

--C.

[DaveH]

Good info: Thanks! Yah the GdT seems to leave a favorable impression to all that visit her. Here is another site to garner information about Quebec rivers in general and there are two map entries there for the GdT:
http://www.cartespleinair.org/    click Canot -> Cartes
or you can navigate to some (most?) of those entries via a map here:
http://www.cartespleinair.org/Canot/canorama.html

Next summer....sounds good! From what I've heard this can be a good destination for late summer due to releases from Barrage Cabonga.

[cleo]

Hi

The gens de terre is the river that is responsible for getting Chris and I into whitewater paddling. There are 2 sections to it. The first is 25km and is good for a long weekend trip. We ran this section in a tandem inflatable kayak with all of our gear in dry bags strapped on top with no idea what was in store for us. The river is very scenic and very remote. It was after this trip and a few swims that we decided whitewater was the coolest thing since sliced bread. We took some lessons, discovered playboats and have not been trip paddling since. This year that will change. We have purchased creek boats with enough volume for all our gear and are looking to get back to the gens de terre to see what it looks like now that we actually know what whitewater is all about. The second part of the river looks more interesting it's considerably longer and more challenging. Here is a link to the La V?rendrye Canoe-Camping website: http://www.canot-kayak.qc.ca/la_verendrye/siteEn/index1.htm if you click on circuits in the top menu you will find a list of available paddling routes in the park with detailed descriptions the gens de terre is in there somewhere along with the Chochocouane river which also looks like it might have potential. Having paddled many of the shorter routes i can vouch for the fact that the park is beautiful and has great fishing. All this to say that if you decide to go let me know as I was planning to head up there some time this summer myself.

Cleo

[LouisD]

I read the name of Doug Poulter?s in there....

Provides interesting ideas to widen my very limted collection of river runs...

[DaveH]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KVJtr9ynwTQ&feature=related
THere are three other youtube parts to the trip, but the majority of the whitewater is on 2 and 3.

The Gens de Terre is less than 200 km north of Ottawa as the crow flys. I think that it would be worth a sniff next summer. There is a trip report that mostly starts on page 6 here:
http://www.blueridgevoyageurs.org/brv_nov07.pdf
Some of it can be a tough drive best for high clearance vehicles and bike trailers