Feb 2009 - Tour du Nord V: this time, it's personal

[MinorRoadsKill]

The northern reaches of the James Bay Road (Radisson, Robert Bourassa complex, Trans-Taiga) is accessed from either Matagami or Chibougamau.

Matagami is 621km from Radisson, running the entire length of the JBR. Our northbound driving time was about 7 hours last week. Total travel time, which includes all stops, is longer.

Chibougamau is 770km from Radisson: 17km via R-167, entire 406 km of Route du Nord (RdN) and JBR from km 274 to 621). However, using the Opinaca-Eastmain shortcut, this is cut to just 683km, or only 62km further from Radisson than Matagami. Our southbound driving time was about 7.5 hours last week.

RdN and the shortcut are gravel, but in winter, operating speed is similar to the asphalt JBR. In terms of services, Chibougamau is much bigger and offers more diversity than Matagami. Along the Chibougamau route, there are 2 gas stations and a restaurant. 15km off the route is JBR km 381 with gas, food and lodging. 18km off the route is the Cree village of Nemaska, with gas, food, lodging and a store. The Matagami route only has the facilities at JBR km 381.

It's worth mentioning that Chibougamau is closer to most ArcticMINI participants. In terms of longitude, It lies just west of NYC, and is closer for everyone from Philadelphia and points east. In contrast, Matagami lies north of Rochester, and is closer for those on the I-81 corridor (George and I).

Overall, at least in winter, Chibougamau appears to be the better of the two access points for Radisson and the Trans-Taiga

[Oldpaint]

Besides all that, Chibougamau offers an impressive number of traffic lights.

[DUCTTAPE]

Quote: Originally Posted by MinorRoadsKill (original)

The Opinaca Access Rd heads east from JBR km 396, and features an "Authorized Vehicles Only" sign at the entrance.

Why didn't anyone tell me that? I would have gone that way!

"Odder Side of Gate"

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by DUCTTAPE (original)

Why didn't anyone tell me that? I would have gone that way!

I think your response answers itself.

Besides, we felt you needed to practice your emergency S-curves.

[blalor]

Here's the "Opinaca Shortcut" as seen by my GPS:
Opinaca Shortcut on Google Maps
That's from the point that we left the JBR to just after dinner at the Nemaska work camp. Ross, let me know if you want me to extend that to Chibougamau. Feel free to share that link (or its direct-in-Google Earth variant) with anyone. There's also the entire trip (Google Earth version). It's funny to see just how little of our Monday trek was on that shortcut!

[Oldpaint]

Way cool. When you blow it up all the way you can see the driving you did in the gas station parking lot. Even more cool is us looking for the restaurant in Nemaska.

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by Oldpaint (original)

Way cool. When you blow it up all the way you can see the driving you did in the gas station parking lot. Even more cool is us looking for the restaurant in Nemaska.

The Nemaska camp is quite revealing. The guardhouse, and road that led from it to the residences, is newer than the Google sat photos. And they cut off the direct connection between the camp and Route du Nord, so you have to go through the gate. I wonder when that happened, and what prompted the decision.

For people unfamiliar with the Nemaska camp area as we were, it sure makes it more difficult to navigate intuitively. Of course, the roads were built for local camp workers, not us.

[MinorRoadsKill]

I've been giving more thought recently to logistics for a Trans-Taiga MINI Run. Apparently, the scenery is a better than JBR (more rolling hills, lakes). However, no underground tours. Ultimate driving trip - it's as far north as you can drive in Eastern North America - no caveats.

To help with the discussion, I've made my own stick-figure map.



Note the Rupert Maintenance road. Winter-only, looks like the Ice Dragon on Google Maps, but 3 times longer. Guardhouse at the bottom, but not the top. No idea how well it is plowed, or if we need permission. But saves 250km or 150 miles. If used both ways, allows for traditional 4 night / 5 day trip (Friday - Tuesday). Otherwise, at least 1 extra day is needed, although this is the same as Moosonee. Even if we can use it, I'd prefer to use it only one way, using the rest of Trans-Taiga the other way, to clinch the entire Trans-Taiga.

Hydro-Quebec recommends 4 wheel drive on the Trans-Taiga beyond Brisay, from km 582 to km 666. (666?) People report using regular vehicles with caution on the road. Round trip from Mirage (last gas) to Canipiscau is 616km / 382 miles. We'd each need gas cans or at least one big gas can in a 4WD support vehicle.

I've never seen any winter pics of the Trans-Taiga...

[DUCTTAPE]

I'm in. I need practice for the Alcan.

[blalor]

Quote: Originally Posted by DUCTTAPE (original)

I'm in. I need practice for the Alcan.

Just watched a Modern Marvels on the Alcan today. Looks like a fun road.

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by DUCTTAPE (original)

I'm in. I need practice for the Alcan.

It should be. We too averaged about 500 miles per day on this last trip. And on a trip like Labrador in 07 or Trans-Taiga, we're actually getting more gravel / ice road.

Need a partner in '12?

[MinorRoadsKill]

... taking a closer look at the Maintenance rd., I can't see it for about 20km in the middle, meaning that it may not be a through route.

Looking at Google Maps, out on James Bay near Chisasibi, we probably didn't make it over water in 2005, but did in 2009. Also, there were some offshore islands that are part of Nunavut only a half mile away that we could probably have visited in the twilight...

[DUCTTAPE]

Quote: Originally Posted by MinorRoadsKill (original)

... taking a closer look at the Maintenance rd., I can't see it for about 20km in the middle, meaning that it may not be a through route.

Looking at Google Maps, out on James Bay near Chisasibi, we probably didn't make it over water in 2005, but did in 2009. Also, there were some offshore islands that are part of Nunavut only a half mile away that we could probably have visited in the twilight...

I'll have None of Ut! Who is going to tell those folks in 05 they weren't on the water?

I think we should garner further interest in Alcan and maybe do a mini MINI run next year or the year after. Although the Alcan is 'passable' it is a tough ride I'm told. The organizers DO want folks to finish. However, that said, we could pick the toughest road in the east we can find, weather, etc wise, and try an easterly run. Maybe an EastCan? NECan? NYCan? MINICan?

Ross, lets chat in a few months and maybe put our mailing lists together and see if we can't garner up some preliminary interest for either an eastern run, an Alcan run, or both?

d

[Oldpaint]

Quote: Originally Posted by MinorRoadsKill (original)

...
Looking at Google Maps, out on James Bay near Chisasibi, we probably didn't make it over water in 2005

So where did you go?

[MinorRoadsKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by Oldpaint (original)

So where did you go?

Only about a third as far out onto the ice. If you look at google maps, it indicates that there is a a looping driveway below the parking lot, where the boats are stored. The snow was soft and deep in '05, so we didn't venture as far as we did this year.

It was quite interesting to see the contrasting hardpack snow in '09, and just how far up the ice is pushed, forming a bowl shape of maybe 250 yards.

If you recall, there was a long pile of stones way out in the ice, which DuctTape and Jacob, among others, climbed up. I figured this was a breakwater, and google maps hints at that too.

What matters is how it felt - in 2005, it was an amazing release to make it out to the ice. I believe the more hostile road and temperature, coupled with the accident, fueled the experience.

If we ever go again though, I'm walking to one of the nearby islands - Nunavut!