Upsalquitch SE Branch

[tickles]

I am Looking for any Info on running this starting from Upsalquitch lake. Any info anyone can dig up would be much appreciated. So far the only info I have is from the back roads map book under Paddling routes.
mapshare.delorme.com/Consumer/V.aspx?p=zt1ksgkt

[tickles]

Some info from the ranger in that area..

Hello Joel

Yes, the S.E. Upsalquitch can be done in early spring since you want to start from the lake. First six miles you will encounter a few down trees across the river and some beaver dams. Then, passing under route 180 heading north the river gets larger. You will pass underneath an old wooden bridge about 3 mile pass route 180, soon afterwards you start entering a gorge with a falls at the head of it. I think you can detour the falls with a kayak and paddle the one mile length of the gorge. If too rough you will have to take out on the left before the falls, bushwack through and find the road that is sort of parallel with river. This road is good travelling and perfect to use as a portage to rejoin the river. The road joins the river next to where the Ramsay brook and Murray brook dumps its waters into the Upsalquitch. It is clear sailing afterwards with only class one and two rapids.

Good luck and Bon Voyage

Gerry LeBlanc
Gérald LeBlanc
Forest Ranger IV/ Garde Forestier IV
Forest Management / Gestion de forêt
Headquarters / Bureau Régional
DNR - MNR Bathurst N.B.
mapshare.delorme.com/Consumer/V.aspx?p=7pcftk5c
Falls in this section I think

[Ken Corbett]

Wow, well done Tickles. Good digging, I gotta rethink my ideas on that one. I was told it was not navigable. It would be great to extend the trip down to the village of Upsalquitch on the main Upsalquitch itself.

Ken

[tickles]

I'll keep trying for some more info, I'll try a few of the local outfitters as well.

Hello Joel,

Nice to see you have some interest in this beautiful river. The highest we personally took off from this branch is at the flying eddy pool witch is around 10 km up the main branch. From this point there is one class 2-3 rapid on the south east and two class 2 rapids on the main branch. Other than that is small stuff but in general it is a very calm river and very remote. From the fling eddy the distance of paddling would be around 50km to the rafting ground on the Restigouche or 60 to Matapedia.

If you think taking off higher than this point (like the lake) you must be careful since there is a canyon between Ramsay brook and the bridge after the 180 road. This canyon is not paddable and must be portage with no trail and tick forest. I've been to this area before, just to see what it was and it doesn't attract me very much because there is no portage trail. It's probably with log jam and beaver dam on this area, we haven't heard about a lot of people paddling this section. There is a lunch off after the canyon that we plan taking off when we get the chance.

Another alternative would be paddling the north west branch witch we know better and gives you 90 km to the rafting ground. I'll be sending you a map of what we did when we went down.

The Assemetquagan river might interest you, have a look at the map. We can give you more details on this one if you like it.

If you have more question you can always send another email or phone if you want more precise info.

Thank you and have a nice day.

Nature Aventure
Jesse Allain et Geneviève Labonté
CP. 156 Matapédia, Québec, G0J 1V0
Tél: [phone]

This sounds a little more like the story you got Nanook.
I was going to go old school and try the library
mapshare.delorme.com/Consumer/V.aspx?p=k1gdqzvg

[ldmrt]

And stop in at my place on the way through the village for a chat!

[tickles]

Will do
Hopefully we won't need any body bags if we do this run:)

[tickles]

Email From Governors Resort in Popple Depot

Hey Joel
Have no photos or a hole lot of info on that river. There are not many people that I know of that run it. Everyone does the Nipisiguit, either from Mt Carleton to here at Popple. Or from here down river to where there are various pullout spots.
The last I herd of anyone running that river I think they had to be rescued some where around the falls or gorge because they could not get threw and the river gets very narrow in places. And with high winds here over time the river is probably plugged up with wind falls.
Mark.


This is kind of starting to sound like not a good idea:(

[tickles]

Hello Joey,
It is impossible to do the south east Upsalquitch from the lake because it is full of falls, no partage trails. My ex-employee (well-experience) tried it a few years ago but we had to go get him back because some falls were quite high (15 -20 feet drop) and practically impossible to walk or partage. On the North east Upsalquitch, you would have better chance. You can start at 28 miles but it is less challenging. You can do this river when the roads are dry enough to get to the starting point which is usually mid-May. Hope this information will help you in planning your canoe trip.
André Arpin


I have a few more people who will hopefully get back to me yet.
Seems to be a common theme here....

[Ken Corbett]

Tickles,

Arpin told me the same thing. So .... not necessarily to discourage you, but perhaps there is another stream, closer to home, smaller perhaps, that you could explore and make a "first descent"-type run on. I know I've got a few in my back pockets in Charlotte County and elsewhere I am dying to run .... as long as we don't take that literally, of course.

Keep plugging.

Ken

[tickles]

Message from canoekayaknb.org

Joel, I have not paddled that stretch of water but I have hiked the gorge on the SE Upsalquitch.
I would say that the gorge is not canoe-able but I cannot say that it is not possible by a skilled River white water kayaker. At the same time I would state clearly that one must actually check out the gorge before running it because you may not know if there are logs jammed anywhere that may be very dangerous. This might be even more pronounced after the weather we have had this month.
In addition, to check the gorge, the warning is to be prudent since access requires covering the whole stretch & where there are drop offs, etc to negotiate the whole stretch.

I would further suggest that it not be paddled alone but in the company of other skilled safety conscious white water kayakers. When I say skilled, I do not only mean actual paddling skills but in all aspects of safety, first aid, etc.

Hope this is of value.

[ldmrt]

Just wanted to add that I talked to my buddy that works for the DFO doing the electro fish counting and snorkeling fish counting for our local watershed. He basically told me what you stated in your first post from the DNR ranger from Bathurst. He said that they have a base camp/counting area a little way below the gorge that people have been saying are un runnable. They keep the road maintained i.e. trees and brush removed during the summer. It is along the Ramsey Brook Road off the 180.

He did say that they have seen one group of people come through the gorge; it was in May, and they had a pretty rough go of it due to water height. He didn't mention if they were in canoe or kayak though and I never thought to ask. They have the station manned(periodically ofcourse) through out the summer when they are in that area counting fish. I would assume there is not cell phone service in that area, but I am not sure.

Other than that, he says that there is one other set of whitewater below Flying Eddy, right below a place that is locally known as the Minister's Field. It is runnable in a canoe though, I've done it myself in the summer.

Just thought you would like to know what I found out.

[tickles]

Thank you so much!!!!
You gave me some hope for this branch.
I think this spring we might drive out there and scout/camp at the gorge and take a few pictures, Before planning a full blown run down this river....

[ldmrt]

Ivan starts work in late April, though I'm not sure when exactly they go into the SE. We haven't gotten alot of snow this winter(yet) so if this continues, I'm sure the roads will be open early in May.