I explored an off-road/ gravel route from Huntsville to Mattawa and then way over Lake Wanapitei by motorbike. Two different years we rode up Williamsport Road to connect ATV trails hugging the west side of the park. Second time we tried to follow a trail off the end of Williamsport and it was totally blown in with tree's and marked as a dog sled trail. Hit many private land dead ends by Sand and Widgeon etc Lakes. Tough to turn around on pedal power! ATV's really mucked up, mud bogged many of the trails on the way north.
Awesome! That first road where you turned right with the rope is private property (not the portage). The 2nd junction you turn right, then right again and follow the road to the gated 'no trespassing' sign. Other side of this sign takes you to Mcbrien Pond. We talked to the guy who owns the camp on the other side of this sign. It is a 'private road' that serves the properties up river. I think at the sign you went right and took the portage and then bushwhacked to McBrien Pond. From there you should be able to get to Cripple Creek Road. But, apparently it's a mess of ATV trails! LOL. PS this is awesome! Love it.
Sounds like you know the area well, which is awesome. Once you cross the bridge, the first right is where the chain is, and private. The next left is another road that is shown on the map as public and would lead up to the rail trail. But when I went down there, there was another gate that said private and a big dog barking on the other side. The only other way to go was where you say, second right, and then when I came to the gate with the private sign, I made a right to meet up with the portage and then a bushwack. After that, I was pretty much unable to match up any of the trails on the map with the actual routes. So I went down a very long trial and error strategy and essentially going down every road I could find. I kept looking at the map and the GPS and I seemed so close to the rail trail but couldn't physically get there. What may not come across in the episode is that I was absolutely wiped by the end. The muscles in my legs were cramping and I was dehydrated, it was a 40*C day...so I had to make a decision that evening to either camp in along the trails and try again the next day, or head back to where I had planned to camp and put a new plan together. It appeared on the map that if I could make it to the rail trail, it would be straight forward form there, but again, at that point my faith in the maps I had were pretty low and if I burned another day with little progress, I would jeopardize the entire trip. I go over all this at the beginning of next weeks episode, so I don't want to ruin it, but I will say being that this was the first time someone did this trip, I would hope the next person modifies my eventual actual route slightly to be more aligned with my original plan :) Yeah, this was a long response, but felt you would understand all this because of your knowledge of the area.
@@Suluk46 It came across as a very tough day in the video. I don't really know the area. I just did the Meanest Link a few weeks back. I recognized Billy Bear Road, the roped off driveway and some of the other spots you were at. Gord Baker at AO Oxtongue could help the next guy out who tries this. He filled us in on some details in roads (including the Cripple Creek road) which I think would have helped you get north. Great work and great video! Look forward to seeing what else screams at you in the night.
Ah, I see. Congrats on doing the link, can't imagine it was easy! I was, and still am hesitant, to reach out for help about this route...not sure how well it will be recieved by the community yet.
We will see, I've had mixed feedback so far. Some love it, some hate it (see my instagram account for the haters). Either way, the trip is done, so its going up on youtube!
What a brutal first day! That was creepy in a way, that you just couldn't get anywhere. It was even creepier hearing that sound in the very early morning. :( Well, at least since we have seen day one, we know you weren't eaten by whatever that was! hahaha! Looking forward to the next episode, thanks for sharing. :) :)
I'm wondering if those no trespassing signs are BS? I'm thinking they wanted that area all to them selves. But if tax payer money maintains that road, the public should have access. I hope the rest of the trip went better than the first sketchy day
@@Suluk46 lol, don't blame you at all. But I would look into it if there is supposed to be posted signs on those roads. They need to be removed, the sooner the better. The longer a situation like that goes on, the more and more protective they become over land that doesn't belong to them. That being said, people so mistreat public lands which makes me more disappointed. I do about 10 trips a year where I go to a public place in the woods that has been trashed and restore it back. The things I have picked up that people throw in the woods never ceases to amaze me and sadden me. I'm sure Canada is better, but humans seem to be the messiest animals on the planet. Looks like you survived the trip, can't wait for the rest
I've definitely seen crown land roads illegally chained up. That said, some lots are on long term leases and are essentially treated as private property (the CLUPA, BRMB and other maps can be misleading here).
I explored an off-road/ gravel route from Huntsville to Mattawa and then way over Lake Wanapitei by motorbike. Two different years we rode up Williamsport Road to connect ATV trails hugging the west side of the park. Second time we tried to follow a trail off the end of Williamsport and it was totally blown in with tree's and marked as a dog sled trail. Hit many private land dead ends by Sand and Widgeon etc Lakes. Tough to turn around on pedal power! ATV's really mucked up, mud bogged many of the trails on the way north.
Sounds like you know the area. Do you know if a route exists that connects the bridge over the East River up to the abandoned rail line?
Oh man, what a nightmare! Quite a way to start things off!
Awesome! That first road where you turned right with the rope is private property (not the portage). The 2nd junction you turn right, then right again and follow the road to the gated 'no trespassing' sign. Other side of this sign takes you to Mcbrien Pond. We talked to the guy who owns the camp on the other side of this sign. It is a 'private road' that serves the properties up river. I think at the sign you went right and took the portage and then bushwhacked to McBrien Pond. From there you should be able to get to Cripple Creek Road. But, apparently it's a mess of ATV trails! LOL. PS this is awesome! Love it.
Sounds like you know the area well, which is awesome. Once you cross the bridge, the first right is where the chain is, and private. The next left is another road that is shown on the map as public and would lead up to the rail trail. But when I went down there, there was another gate that said private and a big dog barking on the other side. The only other way to go was where you say, second right, and then when I came to the gate with the private sign, I made a right to meet up with the portage and then a bushwack. After that, I was pretty much unable to match up any of the trails on the map with the actual routes. So I went down a very long trial and error strategy and essentially going down every road I could find. I kept looking at the map and the GPS and I seemed so close to the rail trail but couldn't physically get there. What may not come across in the episode is that I was absolutely wiped by the end. The muscles in my legs were cramping and I was dehydrated, it was a 40*C day...so I had to make a decision that evening to either camp in along the trails and try again the next day, or head back to where I had planned to camp and put a new plan together. It appeared on the map that if I could make it to the rail trail, it would be straight forward form there, but again, at that point my faith in the maps I had were pretty low and if I burned another day with little progress, I would jeopardize the entire trip. I go over all this at the beginning of next weeks episode, so I don't want to ruin it, but I will say being that this was the first time someone did this trip, I would hope the next person modifies my eventual actual route slightly to be more aligned with my original plan :) Yeah, this was a long response, but felt you would understand all this because of your knowledge of the area.
@@Suluk46 It came across as a very tough day in the video. I don't really know the area. I just did the Meanest Link a few weeks back. I recognized Billy Bear Road, the roped off driveway and some of the other spots you were at. Gord Baker at AO Oxtongue could help the next guy out who tries this. He filled us in on some details in roads (including the Cripple Creek road) which I think would have helped you get north. Great work and great video! Look forward to seeing what else screams at you in the night.
Ah, I see. Congrats on doing the link, can't imagine it was easy! I was, and still am hesitant, to reach out for help about this route...not sure how well it will be recieved by the community yet.
@@Suluk46 There's a Meanest link Facebook page. Lots of people over there are GaGa over what you are doing. You should check it out.
Uh oh, not sure if that is good or bad...just checked it out, private group so I have asked to join.
I think you started something pretty cool here batman. 👍👍🇨🇦
We will see, I've had mixed feedback so far. Some love it, some hate it (see my instagram account for the haters). Either way, the trip is done, so its going up on youtube!
@@Suluk46 haters... lol nothing to Haye here. Only admire the hard work and the adventure. Great stuff
Thanks man. Stay safe out there.
You ROCK!
Haha.
What a brutal first day! That was creepy in a way, that you just couldn't get anywhere. It was even creepier hearing that sound in the very early morning. :( Well, at least since we have seen day one, we know you weren't eaten by whatever that was! hahaha! Looking forward to the next episode, thanks for sharing. :) :)
It was like the Blair Witch Project 😂 I couldn't find my way out! And that noise...what the heck was it?
@@Suluk46 Not sure but it certainly would have raised the hair on the back of my neck. :(
It's just a deer. Freaky but harmless 😉
Freaky is right...but nothing that makes that sound is harmless :)
Duuuude! That noise in the morning. Maybe a Fischer? Do we have those in Ontario? Epic adventure
We do have them. Rare to see one, and I have no idea what they sound like. Just wait, it gets better!
Yo man, I think you might be right, I just listened to some Fisher screaming videos you sent and it sounds just like it. Wow, I had no idea.
Hey it's up earlier than October!
Just by a few hours :) Good to see you around.
A solid beginning. Also, I couldn't help myself: I traced the route tonight!
Be careful...that route is not for the faint of heart!!!
@@Suluk46 I’ve been practicing! th-cam.com/video/1eenPxFOQd8/w-d-xo.html
Oh yeah! And now you've also got yourself new subscriber. FYI, I used that same song in my Baffin Island video :)
Heck yeah, great stuff :-)
Oh yeah!
It's a bit of a departure from the route you mapped, but maybe you could use the Park to Park Trail to get from Huntsville to Kearney?
Check out Day 2 of this series, I almost bailed and did that route.
@Suluk46 Hey Steve, at around 20:21, is that your Tim Marshall original quilt I see (mostly 0.33 cuben fiber and an 8" strip of momentum 90)?
Yep, that's the one. I talk about it a bit in Episode 4.
I'm wondering if those no trespassing signs are BS? I'm thinking they wanted that area all to them selves. But if tax payer money maintains that road, the public should have access. I hope the rest of the trip went better than the first sketchy day
Maybe, but I wasn't going to test it out with the owners 😃
@@Suluk46 lol, don't blame you at all. But I would look into it if there is supposed to be posted signs on those roads. They need to be removed, the sooner the better. The longer a situation like that goes on, the more and more protective they become over land that doesn't belong to them.
That being said, people so mistreat public lands which makes me more disappointed. I do about 10 trips a year where I go to a public place in the woods that has been trashed and restore it back. The things I have picked up that people throw in the woods never ceases to amaze me and sadden me.
I'm sure Canada is better, but humans seem to be the messiest animals on the planet.
Looks like you survived the trip, can't wait for the rest
I've definitely seen crown land roads illegally chained up. That said, some lots are on long term leases and are essentially treated as private property (the CLUPA, BRMB and other maps can be misleading here).
Yeah, on a couple of those blocked off roads there were dogs and stuff on the property. I wasn't going to ask any questions, just find another route 😃
vay.fyi
delightful