The twenty six kilometre trail from Grande Chute to the Ottawa River is and will remain a primitive wilderness hiking experience with no services other than primitive campsites with a fireplace ,tent sites, water access and a toilet ‘affectionately known as a thunder box’.

However, there are day tripping opportunities along the north and south ends that are accessible by boat (south) or car (north) that provide access to a softer walking adventure where you can return to local accommodations.  We are working with local tourism partners to make them aware of this opportunity for their clients.

Many canoeists (like me for forty years) preferred to rush through the Grande Chute portage, camp at Robinson Lake or Red Pine Rapids then paddle out to the Ottawa River the next day . 

Like me ,your were probably unaware there was a loggers road used to tote supplies to all the lumber camps in the Dumoine and Fildegrande Valleys ..just fifty metres from the west shore. 

You were probably unaware that thousands of men and horse drawn sleighs went up and down this tote road from 1850 to 1950. 

You probably didn’t know that loggers, teamsters, hunters, trappers and forest rangers in need of a place to eat and shelter counted on four homesteads alone this trail . 

You may be shocked to know that better paddlers and river dare devils than you named and ran these same rapids in birchbark canoes and pointer boats. Travelling Anishnabe families, river hunting, fishing and canoe trip guides in the 1900s and log drivers for centuries paddled this river before recorded time. 

Most of the new camps we created on the west shore were originally river drive campsite and the older ones on the east shore are traditional canoe traveller campsites .

There is much to do to make the www.SentierDumoine.ca 

 a complete and safe hiking experience. 

In 2023 we have as our goals to

1.create and install the eight interpretive signs as well as more blaze signs and trail name signs ($8000 )

2.further develop/interpret the two new river drive camps and four old stopping places (Robinson/Potvin/Bertrands and Dufoes) into self guided day visit sites. ($6000 )

3.work with local tourism partners to link hikers to shuttles by water and road to the southern and northern trailheads. Day and multi day access packages from camp grounds, cabin rentals and motels is an opportunity for local operators. 

($7000 to buy a shuttle boat  )

4.create a waterproof detailed trail map/souvenir for trail users to carry. A downloadable version will be available on our website.( $5000 to produce 2500 copies)

5.Buy Trail Maintenance Gear. ($ 5000)

In the past volunteers have donated both their time and their transportation and tools to access and maintain the trail. We  plan to slowly acquire the tools required so any volunteer can come and work (wheelbarrow, bush trailer/rescue trailer for ATV, bush gas powered trimmer, chainsaw, ATV for future employees ,generator, hand tools )

6.Trail Rescue Gear  ($6000)

The southern section of the trail (km 1-6) is accessible by boat for rescues and the northern section (km 1-6)of the trail is accessible by ATV, SUV and boat . The middle section ( km 6-18) is only accessible by helicopter, canoe or hiking.

In all cases we need a wilderness trail stretcher that operates on a mono wheel with the rescuers pulling and pushing from either end. The stretcher would move the inured party to the closest boat, ATV or helicopter landing spot for transport out to a hospital. 

The professionals (Air Medico or Sars) will take over at this point but often it will be Friends of Dumoine or travel partners with local knowledge that will have to move the injured party to a machine access point by canoe or the wilderness mono wheel stretcher. 

We need a rescue canoe and stretcher at two key points Red Pine Rapids and Bertrands

ROAD TRAVEL/STOPPING PLACE ($3000)

Work with Zec Dumoine and Zec Rapides des Joachims to stream line registration for canoeing and hiking groups and 

Create a communication centre at the Grande Chute Cabin/Visitor Centre

This cabin operated as the Zec Dumoine office from 1983-2003. It had  internet service for both emergency and general communication.We need to buy an annual service plan with Explornet and a generator or Solar Power to run the connection for cell phone linkage.

FINANCING THIS $40,000 CAPITAL EXPENSE PLUS REGULAR VOLUNTEER MAINTENANCE

Traditionally our income sources are

income from canoe rentals  $5000

income from private donors $5000

Income from trail partners $5000

income from sales of maps and books $2000

income from a percentage of Zec trail fees $2000

These sources will continue to generate the money we need for annual maintenance in 2023.

SILENT AUCTION

Our goals for 2023 will require a special campaign to raise money for these  one time expenses.