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Post by davidjeffrey on Dec 21, 2011 8:11:12 GMT -5
Hey Folks!
Has anyone ever paddled or have any information on the Gulquac River?
Closer to the Renous/Plaster Rock highway I see the river looks quite exciting, topographically that is.
I'm heading in that area today, so if I get the chance I'll try getting a peek at it myself.
It would be great to know if anyone has ever explored, or better yet, paddled this river.
Cheers to all!
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Post by Ken Corbett on Dec 21, 2011 10:02:32 GMT -5
Hi David, I thought I had posted a query about the Gulquac here last year, but I couldn't find it. A report written in 1894 had this to say about the Gulquac: The Gulquac enters the Tobique from the south, about twenty-five miles below the Nictaux, and Gulquac Lake, the source of the south and principal branch, is connected with Trousers Lake by a portage two miles and one half long. The stream is rather too rough for canoeing, as it winds around the bases of bold and rugged cliffs. THE ST. JOHN RIVER IN MAINE, QUEBEC, AND NEW BRUNSWICK BY J. W. BAILEY www.archive.org/stream/cihm_00811/cihm_00811_djvu.txtI emailed various local outfitters for info about the Gulquac, but got no answers. Tickles, another member of this board, gets his info from the local DNR folks, so you might try them. I drove across the Gulquac once on my way to Trousers, and it looked tempting from the bridge. Looking at the topo map ( atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map?layers=nodata_ntdb_50k%20north_arrow%20other_features%20million_grid%20t50k_grid%20grid_50k_3%20roads%20hydrography%20boundary%20builtup%20vegetation%20populated_places%20railway%20power_network%20manmade_features%20designated_areas%20water_features%20water_saturated_soils%20relief%20contours%20toponymy%20contour&scale=40000.000000&mapxy=2078695.1831305%20238322.635227&map_layer[northarrow]_class[0]_style[0]=ANGLE%20-25.208013236114596&mapsize=1150%201350&urlappend= ), you can tell there's a canyon with bars across the stream, but who knows what's down there? Oh yeah, there's a north branch of the Gulquac .... I often wonder about the Wapske too..... Ken |
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Post by davidjeffrey on Dec 21, 2011 21:00:46 GMT -5
Hey Ken,
I went on a big tour up to this area today. The amount of snow up there took me by big surprise, I would have been better off with snowshoes and a snowmobile.
I had another stream on the scouting agenda on my way to the Gulquac, the Clearwater brook.
Both of my ventures didn't pan out as well as I was hoping.
I was planning on driving in through some trails to the Clearwater, but after a few minutes of trail breaking with the jeep through sketchy snow, I had to turn around before something stupid happened... which happens far too easy with me. So I went back to safety on the highway.
By the time I made it to the Gulquac area, the sun was starting to make it's way down for the night. The road to the beginning of the gorge/canyon on the Gulquac is private and owned by a logging company and is gated, plowed and very active with logging trucks. I parked at the gate and only had to hike in a couple of minutes before being greeted by our lovely Gulquac.
Even this far up the stream, it still looks to have a nice flow and size to it.
Since there wasn't much sun left, I was only able to bushwack in enough to where the stream starts it's long journey downhill. It was looking amazing to that point, so it would only get better from there.
Now that we're into winter, I'll have to wait til next season to scope this beauty out.
There's a whole bunch of streams along this stretch that had me rubber necking the whole drive across. The topography shows many steep, nearly vertical, areas with streams running through them... could be a good opportunity for big waterfalls to scope out.
Our province is just crammed full of surprises in the woods!
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Post by Ken Corbett on Dec 21, 2011 22:23:33 GMT -5
David,
If you're looking for inside dope on the Clearwater, let me know and I'll hook you up with a buddy who ran that a couple of years ago. I know there are six waterfalls on the Clearwater, but all I've seen is the mouth and a little hike up from the Miramichi. You might have to know someone to get thru the gates.
Ken
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Post by davidjeffrey on Dec 21, 2011 22:47:23 GMT -5
Oh wow, it's been paddled eh. It's a big salmon fishing stream too I guess... maybe an overnighter with salmon rods would make quite an adventure. I'm sure that would spark dbradford's interest.
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Post by liquidmonkey on Dec 22, 2011 7:55:20 GMT -5
Hey DAve,
From talking with my uncle, he's told me of a Hell's Canyon on the Gulquac. To get there isn't the easeist because of gates and such. I'd have to look at some topos and maps to see if that was the main Gulguac or other one. He said no boat would ever go through there but he doesn't really understand what WW kayaks are capable of either.
Clearwater I've walked up a long ways from the confluence with the Miramichi and never really found any of what I would call 6 waterfalls. I walked a long ways and the maps show the last of the falls say 2 miles up the Clearwater. I'm sure I was past that unless I'm not as fast and motcho aas I think I am. Maybe the initial falls are true falls but I suspect some of them are just rapids or ledges. I never seen anything other than some class 2/3 rapids.
Wapske I have canoed and it is a lovely paddle.
Anything up in that area is very aggravating though because you have your route picked out on a map and get there and realise that somebody cutting our forests has a key to the gate. That is one thing that truly aggravates me about this province, we have so much wilderness but unless you work for a woods company you can't access it easily without a 4 wheeler.
Happy Christmas all
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Post by dbradford on Dec 22, 2011 7:56:17 GMT -5
Haha, yeah let's take next July off and do the Sevogle, both branches of the renous, upper LSW, and cap it all off with Clearwater!I'll get started on the divorce papers now...
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Post by Ken Corbett on Dec 22, 2011 14:43:41 GMT -5
Now DB, don't tip over our dreamboat. I'd like to hear more about the Wapske myself. I might actually get there. Howze about it, Liquid Monkey?
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Post by riveraddict on Jan 5, 2012 13:50:36 GMT -5
You should be able to get a forest recreation pass from Fraser Papers office in Plaster Rock, then you go through a remote gate with no lock like the one closest to their office on the 108. Barring that, you wait at the gate (Indian Lake Road off the 108 for the Lake or North Branch Gulquac?) for a logging truck, then drive through after he comes out/goes in. Leaving is the same procedure..... Been there, done it with no problems but you never know. Or, it may be a long wait. You should try the pass first, it's only like $10/day or something.
I have walked a short section of the Gulquac in the canyon and some other spots up and downstream. It was a mess of roads to get in there to the middle of the canyon. I took a few pics I could send if you like? There was a spot there that made me think twice- more for the strainers than anything. I would go at a medium water level if I were you.
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Post by davidjeffrey on Jan 6, 2012 9:03:46 GMT -5
Excellent! Great info. Pictures would be great to see!
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Post by Ken Corbett on Jan 6, 2012 19:56:25 GMT -5
Whilw we're at it, I see the North Branch of the Gulquac is marked with lines across its length indicating rapids. What does this mean? Someone must have run it once upon a time. It's likely smaller and shorter, and steeper too, than the Lake Branch.
I don't wanna be responsible for inspiring some hair boater to run up there and try it, and maybe have a hard go of it, but I confess this area intrigues me. I still want to learn more about the Wapske too.
Hey, if there are pictures out there, you can post them here. They have to be on a server somewhere, tho.
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Post by riveraddict on Jan 9, 2012 10:05:09 GMT -5
OK, way to drag me into the computer age... I set up a Picasa account (not sure if that is the best one?) so I could post some pics. I have only seen a few spots on the Gulquac. These Gulquac pics were a few km's up from Lombard Brook. Steep valley to get down there, but not overly steep stream gradient in this spot. Looks like there are much steeper areas for sure! No idea how to post them in this window, so check it out here: picasaweb.google.com/102727910213568646030/January9201202Next thing, I'll be on crackbook, ha! |
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Post by Ken Corbett on Jan 9, 2012 10:22:47 GMT -5
Hey riveraddict, Oops, I can't see them, the url is a 404. Give the picture posting thing another try. Copy the url of the picture on its web page (right-click on the picture, copy image url), then open this message board. Hit the fourth button in the second row of tags, three right over from Youtube (  ), this one  Then paste the url between the image tags. This will post the picture right on this page. That's how I posted the little piccys above. I hope it works for you. Lookin' 4ward to seeing those pictures, Ken P.s, Stay away from Crackbook, it's not real and steals your life!!! |
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Post by riveraddict on Jan 9, 2012 21:55:23 GMT -5
Sorry, no luck- maybe it's a Mac thing...... I'll boot up the old PC when I have a chance.
Just made the photos public- maybe that will help?
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Post by Ken Corbett on Jan 12, 2012 20:52:23 GMT -5
Yeah, lookin' good Aaron, thanks.
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