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North Shore Loop Alternate Routes


Fergie

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I was planning to do the North Shore Loop Feb 9 through 11.  According to the Bruce Mines Snowmobile club, they have just cancelled their poker run for this weekend due to lack of snow.  With very little snow in the forecast over the next week, I am thinking I may need to alter my route.

 

Originally we had planned to stay at Elliot Lake on Thursday Feb 8 and head to Hilton Beach on Friday, Feb 9.  We were going to do the St. Joseph Island loop on the Saturday morning and are booked at Black Creek Outfitters for Saturday evening.  Sunday will be a short day back to Elliott lake as we need to drive back to Southern Ontario that day.

 

We would like to keep our reservation in Elliot Lake on the Thursday and our reservation for Black Creek Outfitters on the Saturday.  It looks like our best bet may be to head Northwest out of Elliot Lake and head for Searchmont.  This will mean we will likely need to backtrack on Saturday.   We have a Yamaha with us that seems limited to about 160km before needing fuel.

 

Does the route above make sense, or can anyone recommend an alternate?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Fergie

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We are booked to do the same loop, same weekend as well.

Not looking good.

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2 hours ago, Fergie said:

I was planning to do the North Shore Loop Feb 9 through 11.  According to the Bruce Mines Snowmobile club, they have just cancelled their poker run for this weekend due to lack of snow.  With very little snow in the forecast over the next week, I am thinking I may need to alter my route.

 

Originally we had planned to stay at Elliot Lake on Thursday Feb 8 and head to Hilton Beach on Friday, Feb 9.  We were going to do the St. Joseph Island loop on the Saturday morning and are booked at Black Creek Outfitters for Saturday evening.  Sunday will be a short day back to Elliott lake as we need to drive back to Southern Ontario that day.

 

We would like to keep our reservation in Elliot Lake on the Thursday and our reservation for Black Creek Outfitters on the Saturday.  It looks like our best bet may be to head Northwest out of Elliot Lake and head for Searchmont.  This will mean we will likely need to backtrack on Saturday.   We have a Yamaha with us that seems limited to about 160km before needing fuel.

 

Does the route above make sense, or can anyone recommend an alternate?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Fergie

 

If you are thinking about Searchmont, remember no gas in Searchmont unless you stay at Driftwood and ask Carl to get some for you.

 

Too bad the D106 is still RED although on FB people have posted they had a good trip from Echo Bay to Black Creek. 

 

The other way over is the D201F which may have a fix now going around the water crossing.  Last year it was routed over a frozen pond for a period.

 

**Get Gas at Black Creek Outfitters (never know when Aubrey Falls Trading Post will actually be open).

If you are going to use the D201F, it is actually less miles to gas pumps at Halfway Haven (120 miles) then going to Goulais River at The Zone through Searchmont (126 miles).  From The Zone you are only about 12 miles from the strip in SSM.  Hotels/Gas/Food/Bars.

 

If you go to Halfway, no road running.  You can stay there, or head to Chapleau (61 miles), or head to Wawa (70 miles).  Great trail to Chapleau almost guaranteed!  the trail to Wawa has been pretty good this year also and Wawa will have more options for food/bars.  Try to stay at Valentines B&B in Chapleau if not sold out already.

 

I love and have been waiting for the trails to open to run down to Drummond Island.   Maybe it can still happen this season, I hope.

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I am sure the D106 is in reasonable shape.  It is so remote the club will post closed until they can get a run down, could be trees... whatever.

There is going to be snow  form Black Creek heading south west to the D Trail.

 

If you get to Black Creek from Elliot Lake you can ask them about the D106. They will Know.  you can always head up the F if not. If you do this Bring Gas!

 

Heading southwest on the D106 towards the D Trail is an awesome ride.  the trouble is   getting into Echo Bay for gas.

 

It will be dicy getting into Echo Bay right now. At this point I do not know how much snow they have but to do a good job grooming the  D107 into the town of Echo Bay, they need a lot of snow.  That is a beautiful trail with spectacular views. I do not know if they have enough snow at this point.  Maybe Dan Senior will know.  The best plan would be to try to get to Searchmont.

 

There will be plenty of snow if you stay in the back country.  Your best riding will be to Searchmont on the D Trail  To make it from Black creek to Searchmont without fuel will be tough.

I have a 2016 800 Switchback and I could not make that trip without fuel.  If you can bring even a small gas can, there is no problem.

 

Make sure Carl will have gas for you in Searchmont.  You will have to pay a premium for his efforts but the trip will be worth it.

 

It this point stay away from the Blind river, Thessalon, Bruce mines, Desbarats, St. Joes. Island  They do not have much snow at all.

 

The trouble is that is where the gas is.  If you can find a way to carry fuel, you have opened up the north part of the loop and there is lots of snow up there.

 

I will be there Feb 26, I hope they get a few storms between now and then.  That North Shore area is a beautiful ride.  The pic below is the D Trail Bridge over the Garden River last year

 

 

IMG_20170206_151555802.jpg

IMG_20170206_160037019.jpg

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In the time it took to write this the D107 went green into Echo Bay. you can get from Black Creek Out fitters to Echo bay on one tank.

Elliot Lake to Echo Bay via TOP F, D106, D107 with a fuel stop in Black Creek will be a beautiful ride.  And ready for this weekend!

 

The D100 into the Sault is now open and there are some Good eating places on the way there too... and Fuel.

 

You can now loop around on the D back to the D106.  I would stay in the Sault, or there abouts then head back to Elliot Lake the next day.

 

That is alot of riding but doo-able.

 

I wish I was heading up this weekend.

This pic was taken at the junction of the D107 and the TOP D a few years back.  lets hope they get more snow and the trails look like that this year!!

DSCN0233.JPG

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If you cannot get to the gas station in echo bay there is gas on the reserve, just off the D100

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Like said already, The D106 is now open all the way to Echo Bay which has a gas station at the OLD HWY 17 on the trail.  75 miles from Black Creek Outfitters.  Then you can take the D100 over to the golf course and have a bite.  then follow the D100 back up to the D trail and go into Heyden which has gas during the day but not sure of hours.

 

from there the trail will T once down the hill from 17.  Go south to SSM city proper or north to Goulais River which is where The Zone Bar/Food is and gas.  You will need gas going or coming back from Searchmont if using the big loop trail through Searchmont.  You can always drop back down the D100 for gas or maybe go from Heyden to The Zone for gas.

 

You should probably carry a couple gallons of gas for a sled that can only go 100 miles/tank.  That area is not flush with fuel stations.  Once you have that you could maybe loop around the D201F?

 

Always good to have a little extra fuel.

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That is big, remote country.  The scale on the map can be deceiving.  

Use the distance guide on the OFSC Trail guide to gat approximate distanced.

 

From the Sault heading north through Searchmont , With no gas in Searchmont, you will need to gas, particularly heading the Aubrey Falls from the Sault.

 

The TOP D north east to the TOP F then south to Black Creek (Aubrey fFalls) is a long way

 

Echo bay to Aubrey falls is 115 KM so quite doable.  It is the northern routes that will require you to carry gas.  Check you distances

 

 

Map Dist.png

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Sorry to hijack...

Is Elliot Lake to Halfway Haven easily doable in a day? (Never been up there, so I don't know how fast the trails are)

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Elliot lake to Halfway Haven is about 250km - alot of it in the twistys.  As you see above it is possible

 

If you get gas in aubrey falls you are still 190 KM without any fuel It would be better if you were to carry some.

 

I would take two days and enjoy some time in the sault

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2 hours ago, On My AXYS said:

That is big, remote country.  The scale on the map can be deceiving.  

Use the distance guide on the OFSC Trail guide to gat approximate distanced.

 

From the Sault heading north through Searchmont , With no gas in Searchmont, you will need to gas, particularly heading the Aubrey Falls from the Sault.

 

The TOP D north east to the TOP F then south to Black Creek (Aubrey fFalls) is a long way

 

Echo bay to Aubrey falls is 115 KM so quite doable.  It is the northern routes that will require you to carry gas.  Check you distances

 

 

Map Dist.png

 

We run from The Zone in Goulias River and go to Halfway, or Black Creek Outfitters (Aubrey falls) via D201F or D106, or down to Bruce Mines or Echo Bay on one tank of fuel.  Even the Cat's with Yamaha engines and smaller tanks make those runs. 

 

If you ride these areas it is good to carry a couple gallons of fuel anyway. 

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For those planning upcoming trips along the North Shore Loop, just to let you know, the area has received fresh snow from 2 days of storms.   Although not significant, it may be enough to get some of those trails open in the Iron Bridge / Thessalon area.  Attached is a photo from my camp window this morning. Camp is located between Iron Bridge and Thessalon.

 

Dan

Iron Bridge.jpg

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My Camp is in Desbarats.  The road is not plowed but I could likely drive in if that is all the snow they have.

I do not want to drive in...

 

Let's hope it keeps snowing and we get this much...and I cannot drive to my door.

DSCN0205.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

We left Dunlop Lk Lodge on Friday morning, rode F trail to Black Creek for fuel, then continued on D106, D, D107 to Echo Bay, fueled again, and then took the D100 over to the Sault for the night. The next morning left the Sault and rode north on D and fueled in Goulais River (gas station is a little off the trail, follow road to the highway). We then carried on to Searchmont via D, and then D201F to Aubrey Falls. We did carry extra fuel but managed this stretch without needing it. (roughly 120 miles). Then back to Dunlop via D201F. First day was roughly 165 miles I believe, second day was about 200 miles.

Most trails were great, a little bit thin coming out of Dunlop. Signage was a bit tricky in and around Echo Bay. All in all a great trip.

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