Tag: Grand Chute

Camping in Dumoine Area

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Ottawa Valley Chapter (CPAWS-OV) has organized an art camp in the area of ZEC Dumoine and Grand Chute in southwestern Quebec. This wilderness area, which is managed by local communities, is attractive in any season of the year due to the beauty of natural landscapes and the richness of pristine biodiversity typical for Canadian boreal forests. If you are interested to explore Dumoine, please, contact us for details. The event will take place between August 2 and 8, but you can come for a day or several days to know more about CPAWS-OV activities and visit several amazing places.

We will organize excursions to various places for nature enthusiasts, including canoe trips, birdwatching and nature exploration excursions as well as mushroom identification tours. This place is very rich in both the variety of mushroom species and their abundance. If you are interested in the trip and would like to join, please communicate with us in advance.

Place and Subject of the Excursion:

The ZEC Dumoine is a controlled harvesting zone (Zone d’exploitation controlee – ZEC). It is located in the administrative region of the Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. You have the opportunity to come for a week or just for one or two nights as preferred.  We’ll have a number of various excursions including trips to Grand Chute – a picturesque waterfall with exciting rapids, we’ll visit also a place near Robertson Lake, Stevens Pond, and other interesting areas that to see the scenic landscapes and pristine nature.

After arrival to Swisha, you need to register at ZEC Dumoine Visitor Center for ZEC Rapides-des-Joachims Registration fees are 12$ per car. If you want to do the hike at Grande Chute, you will have to pay a second $12.00 car fee for that ZEC, but we can take you up there in the truck on Saturday or Sunday, so perhaps just have one of the cars capable of driving that road (to Robinson Lake) register at both ZECs.

There is an opportunity for carpooling from Ottawa on August 3 (evening) or 4 -morning (2 places).

Dress:

Watch for the weather forecast and be prepared accordingly. For the trip you will need a sleeping bag and a tent, as well as warm clothes, and a pair of changeable shoes – shoes should be good for hiking on the trails. In addition, you need to bring sunscreen and insect repellent. If you are planning to join the canoe trip, it is advisable to bring your own life jacket. We have a few vests there, but not enough. We also need to know the number of people who will join in order to organize food, hiking, and leisure activities. It will be good to have swimming suites. You need also to have headlamps for the evening.

Camping at Dumoine River in September

September is an amazing time in the area of the Dumoine River. Bright fall colors decorate the environment and highlight the beauty of running waters, rapids, and waterfalls. This really wild and pristine area is attractive for travelers with adventurous minds. Immersed in the wilderness, we gather around the campfire at the end of the day to share stories and impressions.

We will start our visit by hiking along an education trail running along Grande Chute – a stunning series of waterfalls, rapids, canyons, and coves that extends for over 500 meters – you will have plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery from a series of look-out spots.

The trail then proceeds along through old pine and mixed forests before coming out to Robinson Lake. While the Grande Chute trail represents a hike of about 3 km (each way from our campsite), several other sections of the trail are available, including one taking us to the historic Red Pine Rapids where we will borrow a portage trail that has been in constant use for over 5000 years! We’ll also have a chance to see beavers and moose from the wooden platform, established for nature observation at the Stevens Swamp.

The middle of September is an amazing time to enjoy the saturated fall colors and beauty of the Dumoine River, preparing for the long silent winter season. This is also a good time for mushroom exploring and foraging. We found around 200 species of fungi in the area in previous years! And the most abundant mushroom harvesting was in September!

Please, be advised that this is a real wilderness area. There is no cell signal, no electricity, no running water (no showers), and that we will be using an outhouse.

Место проведения и занятия во время поездки:

Мы устроим наш лагерь в лесу на реке Дюмуэн недалеко от Grande Chute, у кордона. Здесь раскинулась большая поляна, окруженная лесом, полным удивительных грибов в это время. На поляне достаточно места для 7-8 палаток. В центре поляны – место для костра, окруженное внушительными камнями – здесь можно готовить барбекю, что-то печь и собираться вечером для беседы. Все удобства – на улице, но они поддерживаются в чистоте и порядке. В самом домике – и на обширной веранде расположено несколько столов, где можно собираться во время завтрака, обеда и ужина. Также здесь есть плита для готовки. Таким образом, бытовые проблемы на месте решены.

Неподалеку от места кэмпинга расположен выход на берег реки Дюмуэн с каноэ и у нас будет возможность изучить окрестности реки не только с берега, но и с воды. Мы совершим водные экскурсии в несколько мест с заездом на острова и к порожистой части реки с видами на небольшие водопады и быстрины в районе, который называется “водопад у Красных сосен”. Кроме этого, мы организуем несколько пеших экскурсии вдоль реки Дюмуэн, на небольшое болото с бобрами, куда частенько приходят попить воду лоси. Мы исследуем места, где в это время может быть обильный урожай грибов и постараемся собрать корзиночки съедобных грибов для готовки или сушки.

В лесу в это время можно увидеть еще многие пролетные виды птиц тайги и северных лесов, а также местные “лесных курочек” или воротничковых рябчиков, которые часто любят прогуливаться вдоль тропинок и по дороге. В лесу вокруг кэмпинга обитают также многие хищники, здесь довольно обычны койоты и волки. Мы исследуем их присутствие по следам на дорожках, а также в один из вечеров пойдем к озеру Робертсон, чтобы проверить присутствие этих видов, проиграв их голоса на планшете. В это время они обычно уже откликаются на зов.

Что входит в стоимость?

Мы берем на себя расходы по регистрации всех участников и оплаты въезда на территорию ZEC Dumoine, как и пребывания на кэмпсайте для всех участников. Кэмпсайт и домик, арендуемый моим коллегой, также будут в нашем распоряжении. Мы организуем походы по тропам, сбор грибов и поездки на каноэ, а также утренние выходы для обзора ландшафтов и видов, места для наблюдения и съемки. Также мы обеспечиваем питание. Пожалуйста, сообщите заранее, если Вы вегетарианец или веган, а также, если у Вас есть аллергия на какие-то продукты. Рацион на время пребывания в лагере будет обсужден в чате. Помимо этого, у нас есть дополнительные палатки и спальные мешки.

Что брать с собой?

Мы организуем небольшой лагерь. Вам понадобятся палатки, спальные мешки и матрасики, а также все остальное, что может пригодиться для комфортной походной жизни. Кроме того, желательно при себе иметь свои кружки и ложки. Остальная посуда в домике имеется. Одежда должна быть удобной для походов, не забывайте теплую одежду – в это время может быть уже очень прохладно и утром, и вечером. Обувь – легкая и надежная для ходьбы по тропинкам, в это время лучше иметь при себе уже пару надежных туристических ботинок. Не забывайте спрей от насекомых. Палочки для ходьбы также не помешают. Желательно иметь при себе фонарики для вечерних и ночных прогулок.

Dumoine River 3-day Guided Tour Canada Day with Accommodations

Dumoine River 3-day Guided Tour Canada Day Long Weekend

 

Did you decide where to go on Canada Day? Do you like adventure? Would you like to explore the wilderness and rest from civilization in the charming corner of the boreal forest hidden in southwest Quebec? We invite you to join us for the Canada Day weekend in one of the most amazing places – on the Dumoine River.

Within a few days, you will have the opportunity to observe sunsets and dawn, both from the land and water, paddling in the canoe on Robinson Lake, watch beavers in the morning fog, look if first summer mushrooms started to grow, and listen for a variety of birds.

We may even see a moose!

… or kissing beavers …

We will start our visit by hiking along a newly restored education trail running along Grande Chute – a stunning series of waterfalls, rapids, canyons, and coves that extends for over 500 meters – you will have plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery from a series of look-out spots.

The trail then proceeds along through old pine and mixed forests before coming out to Robinson Lake. While the Grande Chute trail represents a hike of about 3 km (each way from our campsite), several other sections of the trail are available, including one taking us to the historic Red Pine Rapids where we will borrow a portage trail that has been in constant use for over 5000 years!

Immersed in the wilderness, we gather around the campfire at the end of the day to share stories and impressions.

We can also plan to talk about the past and future of our civilization (it would be good to discuss impression after reading “Sapience: a brief history of humankind” written by Yuval Noah Harari), thoughts about nature conservation in Canada and why it is so important now, in the challenging time of human development. We’ll talk also about “simple” and “complicated” natural things…

Please, be also advised that this is a real wilderness area. There is no cell signal, no electricity, no running water (no showers), and that we will be using an outhouse.

Place:

Robinson Lake site at ZEC Dumoine (approximately 2.5 hours from Ottawa)

 

binary comment

Venue:

Day 1:

  • Arrival in Swisha and registration at ZEC Dumoine – July 1, 9:30-10:00 am (time of driving from Ottawa to Swisha approximately 2 – 2.5 hours) – John MacDonnell, co-host of the event, will meet us there to help reach the destination place – the campsite on the Robinson Lake.
  • Cars can be left at the town hall in Swisha at 48, rue de l’Eglise. Please park away from the building and the mailboxes.
  • We’ll stop at the Grande Chute to look at the raging water streams and take several pictures of fascinating landscapes.
  • Establishment of camp at the Robinson Lake site (until lunchtime).
  • Lunch at the campsite – communication.
  • Hikes in the area around the camp, canoe tours.
  • Dinner around the campfire.

Day 2:

  • Morning hike to the Stevens Pond (beaver family observation in the morning fog).
  • Breakfast at the camp.
  • Hike on the education trail along Dumoine River: several lookouts with view on the picturesque rapids of the Dumoine River, landscape photography, observation of nature, we’ll talk about the history of the “Last of the wild rivers” (Wallace Schaber).
  • Lunch and communication.
  • Evening hikes, swimming, canoeing, fishing (you need to have the Quebec permit for fishing), picking mushrooms.
  • Dinner and stories around the fireplace.

Day 3:

  • Early morning breakfast.
  • Hike along the Red Pine trail (other picturesque rapids down of the river, new interesting trail for explorers).
  • Lunch at campsite, swimming, canoeing, fishing, picking mushrooms.
  • Return to Ottawa in the late afternoon (we plan to leave the area around 5:00 pm).

Special conditions:

  1. We register all participants at the campsite at Robertson Lake for 3 days and pay the fees to stay on the campsite for all participants, but you need to pay the entrance fees at the first place ZEC-Dumoine – 10$ for the car for all time to stay in the area;
  2. We need the following data for registration at the campsite:  names of the participants, addresses, including postal code, and a telephone number.
  3. If you wish to drive yourself to the campsite, you will need a high clearance vehicle as the roads are rough. We encourage carpooling and we have access to one high clearance vehicle which can take 5 people and gear. If you have a high clearance vehicle and wish to offer to drive to the campsite with others, please let us know.
  4. We have a canoe at the site, but you can also bring your own canoe or kayak. If you are planning to paddle, please bring a lifejacket.
  5. We provide food and all supplies for cooking at the camp, but you need to have your own plastic / reusable mugs, dishes, spoons as well as any alcoholic beverage if you plan to take any, we will provide fresh water, coffee, and tea.
  6. Do not forget sunscreen and mosquito spray! The forecast is for wet weather, but it should be very warm in the area.
  7. You need to have sportswear for hiking, swimming, canoeing, especially good hiking shoes. Do not forget the warm pullovers, because evening and morning at the Dumoine may be fresh and chilly! A light rain jacket will be also needed due to the forecast.
  8. If you need tents or sleeping bags, please, inform us. We have some extra!
  9. Please bring a backpack for hikes, a camera, and binoculars if you have them.

Please, contact us regarding all conditions of this trip and your diet, especially, if you are vegetarian.

Event Registration:


Type



 

If you Have any questions regarding this event, please feel free to contact us using the form below.