Further Travels From Access Point 14  -   Part 2 of 1, 2 and 3            by: Michael Cowley

I managed to take a day off June 6th, and drive north for a little R&R. Determined to get at least to Rockaway Lake via the Golden Staircase, I got onto the water by 11 am.

The Real "Livingsone Lake Dam"

Note the recorded elevations between Kimball Lake (1175 feet) and Bear Lake (1165 feet) on the first map below (Govt NRC Topo 31 E/7). This data is based upon the supposition that a so called "Livingstone Lake Dam," or any dam "X", exists between lakes Bear and Kimball. But there is no such dam there any longer. The true "Livingstone Lake Dam" is where it belongs, on Livingstone Lake.

As for any dam on Kimball, this is all you will find where there was once a dam. The following shot is looking from Kimball toward the creek between the two lakes.


Correct Water Elevations and Non-existant Portage

On this Chrismar map-section, you'll notice the correct water elevations between the two lakes. (356 m.). However it shows a portage which is unnecessary and as far as I could find, nonexistant, because there is no dam to curcumvent. On June 6th the waterway between the two lakes was substantial enough to make it unnecessary. Do watch for very shallow conditions as you pass over that old dam site. I did loose a little paint at one point.

As I paddled up Kimball toward the Golden Staircase portage at the far North east end, I fought a strong headwind, especially between Aubry Island and the far eastern shore. My time (solo in an 18 ft Mad River) from Livingsone, through Bear and on to the far end of Kimball was 2 1/2 hours.

I was feeling adventurous and decided to get as far as I could up into the Kimball Creek bog. I figured, if the maps were right (I don't know why I would have been thinking like that given what I had found so far) I could go fairly far up Kimball Creek. I could and then carry the canoe over to the portage and keep going. Given the extreme length of my canoe I got pretty far. I paddled half way up the creek with 4 beaver dams or extremely narrow passages which I had to pull my canoe over. My last obsticle was a major boulder which saddened Freckles. She had to actually get out and walk.

On the other side of the boulder I came to a bridge over the creek which was a most welcome sight as I figured it meant a snowmoblie trail across the creek which could take me easily to the portage. About this point I was dreading carrying my canoe through the bog to find the portage.

I discovered that this was a bridge from the Golden Staircase portage across to a sheet metal lodge beside a man made grove of pine trees. It looked like an abandoned snowmobile route and club house. I pulled my canoe up onto the bridge had lunch, and proceeded to explore the hard part of the Golden Starcase with my trusty beast. Freckles.

It wasn't as bad as I expected, then again I wasn't portaging a 90 lb. 18 foot canoe. It was terribly wet but not as steep as the topo maps depict.

Note how far from the creek the first map had for the portage. Of the two maps the Chrismar map better depicts the portage route as used today. I did not explore the possibily of a route farther from the creek which might take one up several more contour levels on the side of the hill. As I travelled the route, the rush of the creek, rapids and falls was never out of earshot. At several points one can be treated to such a view as this ...

It took me 30 minutes to walk the harder half of the Golden Staircase without the canoe. It ends on Rockaway Lake at the lake's very end, so no vista is available to show. I came back to my canoe and portaged it out along the flatter half of the portage, which took 45 minutes. As I mentioned, my canoe is large and heavy and I would have loved to have found more large forked trees to rest its bow upon.

Alas, it was a good expedition and I made it back to my Livingstone Lake property in time to pack things up and head back to the city before it got dark. I had hoped to see moose in the Kimball Creek bog, but being in the middle of the day, I was not suprised to see none.

Back to the city, and on the way out Rt. 8, what did I meet but a twin pair of young moose. It was dusk and I did not get a chance to adjust my digital camera settings quickly enough for a good shot. But, according to my co-worker and paddling buddy, "You didn't see a moose unless you have a picture of a moose." So, Brad, here is my moose alongside the road near Thinbeaver Lake.

Text and photos by: Michael Cowley.

 Return to Part 1 or continue to Part 3.