Dumoine River 9 Day The Trip at a Glance

Dumoine River 9 Day

The Dumoine River 9 Day is a wilderness whitewater
canoe trip in western Quebec. The river is unique in Whitewater canoe trip
having reliable water levels for canoeing through out the Length: 9 days
entire season from May to September. Skill Level 3 (see page 6)
(Trip Code) 2023 Dates:
This 100 km Dumoine trip travels the entire river - from
(23-44) July 8 - 16
Lac Dix Mille (Ten Mile Lake) to the Ottawa River. We’ll
Trip Fee: $3,295.00 CAD
paddle about 35 class I-III rapids including Big Steel,
Canoe Eater, the Snake, Thread the Needle and Red Trip Rendezvous:
Pine. The guides will provide instruction and on going Rapides-des-Joachims,
coaching as we descend the river. There are optional Quebec
portage trails if you choose to skip any particular rapid.

We’ll set up camp at the end of the day. Everyone

pitches in to prepare exceptional meals. There will be some time for swimming, fishing
and relaxing by the campfire.
This is an excellent river expedition for paddlers with some previous whitewater
experience. It is both an excellent stand-alone trip, or a perfect warm up for our
Nahanni or Snake River trips.

1-888-849-7668
www.blackfeather.com International: +1 705 746 1372
[email protected]
TICO #50024224
Dumoine River Itinerary

Day 1 Saturday July 8th, 2023

- 9:00 am, meet guides at Dumoine River Expeditions, near Stonecliffe, Ontario,
- cars may be left here for the duration of the trip.
- introductions, equipment check, travel by truck to Lac Dix Milles
- strokes review, set off across the lake towards the Riviere du Nord, a small creek
leading to Lac Brulart and the Dumoine River before camping.

Day 2 - paddle to Lac Brulart then through swifts to Lac Laforge and then Lac Manitou.
- lots of rapids and swifts as we descend to Lac Benoit
- continue down river through a long series of closely spaced rapids to Burnt Island
Lake, camping somewhere between here and Big Steel Rapids.
to - below Big Steel, paddle a section of narrow lakes divided by short rapids, on past
Sheerway, the The Dumoine Club, and Rowanton to Grande Chute.
- 1.5 km portage to Robinson Lake
- camp on the lake or at Red Pine Rapids
Day 8 - scout and paddle Red Pine Rapids.
- continue downstream through half a dozen rapids, several swifts, Bald Eagle Cliff
and one or two portages before camping above the last falls.

Day 9 Sunday July 16th, 2023

- break camp, carry Bowman’s Portage (70 m),
- paddle 9 km to the mouth of the Dumoine
- paddle across the Ottawa River (2.5 km) to Driftwood Provincial Park by mid afternoon
- load up van & shuttle to vehicles (approx 20 mins)
- departure
What is included in the trip fee? Dumoine River
•Guides - 6:1 ratio
•Trail Meals
• all meals from Day 1 lunch to Day 9 lunch
• snacks
•Canoeing Equipment:
• Prospector expedition canoes
• paddles, PFDs, helmets (you may bring your own)
• throw lines and other safety accessories
• Camping Equipment:
• tents - free standing expedition dome tents - 2 per tent
• ‘kitchen’ - tarp, fire box, cooking stoves, utensils, dishes, etc
• dry bags and containers for food and group equipment
•Safety Equipment:
• first aid and repair kits, communications equipment (satellite phone)
• canoe rescue gear
•Local Transportation:
• transportation of guides, group gear, canoe etc to and from trip
• road transport from Dumoine River Expeditions to Lac Dix Milles on the river, return shuttle
•Park Fees:
• the trip is in a ZEC - any fees are included.

What isn’t included?

• Quebec tax: 14.975% of the trip fee
• Personal clothing and gear - click here for a recommended clothing & equipment list
• Travel between your home and the trip rendezvous - a map will be provided
• Any hotel accommodation and restaurant meals
• Solo tent - add $34.49
• Any additional expenses or costs incurred as a result of delays or changes to the trip caused by
factors beyond our control - i.e. wind, waves, unsafe paddling conditions, forest fire, pandemic, etc
• Any costs associated with your emergency evacuation from the trip (see page 6)
• Gratuities - we recommend $25 - $30 per day, split amongst your guide team
About The River Dumoine River
The Dumoine River plunges some 500 ft. down the rocky granite margin of the Laurentian Highlands,
flowing 90 km due south of Lac Dumoine and emptying into the low lying Ottawa River valley. The
river is interspersed with picturesque lakes and framed by steep sided, pine-covered hills. For most
of its length, the Dumoine river traces a pattern of falls and exciting rapids, most sets can be run in
spring conditions but there are optional portages. Although heavily hunted, bear, deer and moose are
occasionally spotted as well as a variety of wildfowl
(including nesting eagles and hawks atop the many
riverside cliffs). Beaver, muskrat, mink and otter are
common and wolves have made a comeback since
the 1960’s when many were killed off by deer
hunters to eliminate competition.

Settlement along the river is now limited mainly to

recreational hunt and fish camps. Logging activities
are still carried out by E.B.Eddy and
Commonwealth Plywood but cutting is prohibited
within 300 feet of the shore. At Des Joachims
(Daswisha), near the trip rendezvous, you’ll see an
old hotel, a boarded up general store and a few
straggling houses shaded by ancient looking pines.
This stopping place has been known to travellers
on the Ottawa for over 400 years.

Human History
From 1611 on, when Champlain first came upriver, the Ottawa served as the main highway for
explorers traveling west. Algonquin First Nations had been migrating along the banks of the Dumoine
and other Ottawa tributaries for thousands of years before the arrival of the white man. Until very
recently, the faint remains of some pictographs were
still visible on the Dumoine. The native people
depended on hunting and fishing but when the
Hurons from Georgian Bay began transporting furs
to the French in Quebec, the Algonquins started
collecting a toll for travel on the Ottawa. In order to
avoid paying the toll and marauding Iroquois bands,
the Hurons began to use the Dumoine as an
alternate route to Quebec. Following the river north,
and then paddling east through a series of lakes,
they were eventually able to reach the St. Maurice
River and Trois Rivieres.

The Dumoine was probably named for one of the

members of a famous French trading family - the Le
Moynes. As the years passed, the fur trade grew in
importance. Every spring, huge freighter canoes surged up the Ottawa on their way to the
rendezvous at the lakehead with the fur traders from the west. Some of these voyageurs camped at
the mouth of the Dumoine and a trading fort was established there in 1730. The voyageurs did not
turn from their pell-mell race for furs in order to explore the Dumoine. That task was left to the
solitary, independent traders, the coureurs de bois.
Human History continued Dumoine River
They travelled alone or in small groups up the tributaries of the Ottawa, exploring the backwoods and
making contact with isolated bands of First Nations peoples. They traded axes, knives, glass beads
and liquor in return for fur, and the remnants of such goods have been found throughout the Ottawa
valley. When the French began, in the mid 1700’s, to withdraw their troops from wilderness outposts
in order to protect Montreal and Quebec from the English, Fort Dumoine was abandoned. The impact
on local people appears to have been considerable. After 1820, as travel on the Ottawa dwindled in
favour of the Great Lakes route, the buildings
gradually fell into a state of disrepair. In 1950, with
the construction of the hydro-electric dam at Des
Joachims, the site was drowned under the large,
man-made Lake Holden.

Farming is a thing of the past on the Dumoine;

trapping continues sporadically on a small scale,
logging is still a major activity but canoeing seems
to have become prominent over the last few years.
Paddling on the Dumoine is not a recreational
newcomer. Since the early 1900’s, boy’s canoe
camps shared the Dumoine watershed with the
loggers and other groups. Interest in river canoeing
has ballooned in the past 30 years and the
Dumoine is now known as the ‘perfect’ waterway for
adventuring paddlers.

Trip Description
Black Feather’s Dumoine River trip meets at
Dumoine River Expeditionst in Rapides-des-
Joachims, Quebec, where we can leave our
vehicles. We’ll travel by logging road to our put in at
Lac Dix Milles (Ten Mile Lake). The guides will
review paddling strokes and canoe maneuvers
before we head downstream. At the first rapids we’ll
go over river reading and route planning. From here
on it is a mix of swifts, rapids and lakes. Expect a
couple of portages (70m - 1500m) each day at small
waterfalls or rapids that you’d prefer to not paddle.
Typically the rapids are rocky with a few ledges.
Some of the colourful names include Canoe Eater,
Thread the Needle, Log Jam Rapids, Gooseneck,
Big Steel and Cliff Hanger. About 60 km downstream the river slows and the next 17 km is a series of
narrow lakes divided by short rapids or swifts. Distant thunder from downstream announces the
approach to Grand Chute, the largest falls on the river. After the 1.5 km portage we’ll take a breather
crossing Lac Robinson and warm up on a couple of short rapids before we navigate the 5 runs of Red
Pine Rapids and several swifts and rapids including Examination Rapids. Our last carry is “Bowman’s
Portage” shortly before the mouth of the Dumoine. On our last day, we’ll paddle about 2 1/2
kilometers of open water across the Ottawa River to Driftwood Provincial Park. From there we will
take a brief shuttle (~20 mins) back to our vehicles at Dumoine River Expeditions.

1-888-849-7668
www.blackfeather.com International: +1 705 746 1372
[email protected]
TICO #50024224
 Where in the world is the Dumoine River?

Dumoine River

Lake Quebec
Superior Ontario
North Bay
Sudbury Des Joachims

Georgian Ottawa Montreal

Bay
Lake
Huron

Toronto Lake Ontario

Ontario New York

Lake
Michigan Michigan
Lake Erie
Detroit
Ohio

How do I get to the trip?

The Dumoine River Trip meets at 9:00 AM on Saturday, July 10th at the Dumoine River Expeditions in
Rapides-des-Joachims, Quebec. This is between Ottawa (215 km) and North Bay (135 km). There is a
basic motel in Rolphton, Ontario, just a few minutes from the trip rendezvous and a number of motels in
Pembroke, 75 km from the rendezvous. There is bus service to Rolphton from North Bay and Ottawa. If
you travel by bus we can pick you up from the motel in Rolphton on the first morning of the trip.

Can I do this trip?

This Trip is rated Skill Level 3 - Previous paddling & portaging experience is expected.
This trip is best for paddlers with some previous whitewater canoeing experience as well as a degree of
comfort and ability to portage food and equipment. This trip differs from the shorter Dumoine “Getaway”
in that there are several more portages and rapid sets to navigate. The rapids range from easy swifts
and short rapids to more challenging sustained whitewater with rocks, ledges, drops and large waves.
The water level varies throughout the summer affecting the speed of the current and the nature of the
rapids. The more difficult sets will have an optional portage trail. You can carry any rapid that is beyond
your comfort level or the guides may run your canoe down for you. The water will be warm. The pace
will be fairly brisk but we will have time for instruction and coaching along the way.

At the campsite everyone pitches in with setting up tents, collecting firewood, preparing meals, telling
stories etc. The guides coordinate things and are always ready to assist you in any tasks. On the river
they will provide expert coaching and lots of personal attention. Feel free to contact our office to discuss
your suitability for this trip.

Insurance
We highly recommend that you purchase insurance to protect you in the event of trip cancellation or
interruption, or a medical event that would require your evacuation by air or land. Click here to learn
more and get in touch with the dedicated team of travel specialists we work with.
The Guides Dumoine River
Your Black Feather guides are exceptionally qualified. Each principal guide has an extensive outdoor
background, formal training and leadership experience. On most expeditions there will be an assistant
guide. The guides are always ready to provide coaching and helpful advice on any aspect of the trip
and will attempt to maximize the spirit of adventure for each individual. Your safety is their prime
concern and your guide will make decisions with this in mind. We must stress that listening carefully to
instructions given by the guide is your responsibility and in the best interest of you and the group.
Each group member is encouraged to contribute to the tasks of the canoe trip and your guides will act
as helpful resource people. Lastly, as this is your holiday, the Black Feather guides have a real sense
of fun and excitement, and will help to make this your trip of a lifetime!

The Meals
Black Feather’s menus include a
combination of fresh, dried and freeze-dried
products and are cooked over a wood fire or
camping stove. Breakfasts consist of cereal,
fruit and a main course such as blueberry
pancakes or eggs and bacon. At lunch you
will enjoy a selection of breads (rye bread,
bagels, tortillas) with cheeses, sliced meats
or veggies ... and of course, good old
peanut butter and jam, followed up by
cookies or fruit. Dinner consists of hors
d’oeuvers, a main course then dessert.
Entrees include chicken stir fry and pesto /
pine nut / red pepper pasta. Perhaps we’ll
have a salad and finish up with brownies or
a lemon desert. On cooler days, a hearty mug of steaming soup is always available, along with tea,
coffee, hot chocolate or cold drinks. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions you should
contact our office. You will be required to assist in your menu preparation. We don’t want anyone
going hungry or reduced to eating boring food!

The Weather
Summer weather on the Dumoine is quite pleasant. Day time highs average 25°C. Night time lows
average 13°C. Extremes of 30+° C and single digits at night occur every summer. More often than not
it is sunny but there is some sort of precipitation two days out of five. Normally measurable
accumulation only occurs 5 or 6 day per month. The wind is mostly from the north but rarely affects
our paddling except when crossing the Ottawa River. The water will be warm and a wetsuit is not
required although the thermally sensitive might bring one for the June trip if the weather report calls
for cool temperatures. There will be some black flies and mosquitos, more so early in the season, on
very humid days or after a rainfall. You likely won’t notice any bugs while paddling but they can be an
issue on portages and at the campsite in the evening. A bug jacket or bug hat, and using insect
repellent will help keep you comfortable. A personal clothing and equipment list will be provided.

Ready for an adventure on the Dumoine River?

Click here to return to the trip’s webpage and to sign up.