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I think I know the owner of that Arctic Cat.3rd from right?  The Cat is a Panther 440 fan rode by Grant Biesel third from right in the picture. That is XTC500 on the right. I had the dream of this trip since 2002 when I found a poster from Extream Tours. I floated an E-mail around and in about 2 weeks had 8 guys and at that point, it was too late for me to back out. The year we did this trip, there was no riding in D5 or 9. Most of us did not have a shake down run on the sleds. I rode my 2001 Thundercat and did a complete overhaul of clutches and driveline for piece of mind. We trailered to New Liskeard and met up at the Hotel. The first day was a ride on A all the way to the North Adventure Inn in Cochrane. It was still a happening place back then. I remember having very sore arms and shoulders upon arrival, so I took a few Advil and a ounce or two of whiskey and had an hour sleep. All good after that. Someone called Bill Fraud and his phone rang at the table behind us. Next day we had 1" fresh snow and rode the east side to the Base Camp. Got fuel, added oil, and had a $10 bowl of soup and hot dog. Our guide finally showed up with a gang he brought back from Onakwana. I think his name was Mike Frost (Frosty or Snowflake). He worked in Rankin Inlet at the time and was very knowledgeable of the area and was well equipped with a Crossfire. We crossed the dam and got on a road that seemed to go around in circles. This bypassed the canyon and it's hills. I believe it was the road to Otter Rapids. It was not far that we got on the power line beside the rail line to Mooseonee. We rode the trail there and stopped at Otter Rapids by the rail tracks beside the power station. After a rest and some instruction, we continued along the trail between the power line and the rail tracks. Snow was waist deep off the trail. Eventually we crossed the tracks got down on the Onakwana river and into William Tozers Camp. We met the train going south around 6pm which stopped to unload two barrels of gasoline, and our beer and chips. We had a good supper and got into the bunks for a nights sleep. Next morning was -18C. It was a long slog but I finally got the T-Cat loosened up and started. That was the year the revelation came that Cat 50:1 oil pulls a lot easier than Shell Advance. We rode back to the power line and then north for many miles. The power line makes a sharp left and crosses the Moose river. We turned left and followed the line and got on the river riding the right hand side. After a bit we got off and crossed the tracks then got back on the river. This move was to avoid going under the long rail bridge over the river. I think this is at Radisson. There was lots of ice jam under the bridge. Many more miles riding both sides of the river and going through some small tributary forks, we got to Moosonee. There were areas on the river were you could run 90 mph if you wanted to burn down, and areas were we had to pick our way through some big ice heaves. We rode past the post out on James Bay and took some picture and had a wiz in the bay. Then over to Moose Factory, across the ice road to Moosonee, to the gas station, and then the hotel for lunch. We then rode to Tozer's house, met his wife, and paid the bill. Got back on the river and rode back to the camp for supper and another nights sleep. Next day we had a lot of new snow. It was slower going and used a lot of gas. We crossed the dam at Otter Rapids and rode the road back to Fraserdale to save gas. Got gas and rode the west side down to SRF for food and fuel. Then rode back to the NAI for supper and sleep. The trip was very much like you read in the magazines. There were lots of things we seen and experienced that make good stories to tell. I think there are lots of people riding this trip without guides and I think it is possible to make it from Base Camp to Moosonee with an Ace and a fuel can. I believe there is even an annual ice road from Fraserdale to Moosonee so you can ride your FWD pickup with full heater and stereo. I here it is a 4 hr drive and there is NOTHING in bewtween. Maybe XTC500 can chime in with some stories or info that I forgot.

Pictures I took of that bridge a couple years back when my daughter and I ran over to Marathon for the day and back to Dubreuilville.

Could you be any more negative I

Frosty, our guide, told us that he was on vacation from repairing heavy equipment in Rankin Inlet. He flew to Ottawa and bought the Crossfire from a buddy, then drove to Cochrane and on to the Base Camp where his truck and trailer sat there idling. Yes idling for days. Go figure. Since he was on vacation, he said he wanted to have fun too, so he told us that up ahead there was a large long hill. He told us that we should not follow him, but stay to the right. He was going over the top. Well there was no track on the ground for somewhere from 50 to 100 ft as he fly that Crossfire. He also warned us to stay away from the rail line because there was lots of buried rail, ties and crap. Also to stay away from the power line due to the guy wires going down to the ground. He said that if one of us hooked a ski on one, we would fly end over end all the way to Moosonee. The packed trail was rather rough by groomed trail standards. The best way to ride it was with one ski on the trail and the other in the looser snow. This lessened the rough ride. It was pretty hard to pass a buddy because once out in the loose snow, your speed would get scrubbed off real quick. The best way was to chance it and follow an existing track that went out into no mans land. Since it was already packed somewhat, you didn't sink but sure hope the hell it came back to the main trail. That Panther with the 136" track did this real well. The rest of us had useless 121" tracks. The only Wildlife we encountered was the strange noise heard while sitting in the outhouse at Tozer's camp. No idea what animals were out there.

It would be the mid 90’s, just off the top of my head. I was heavily involved with the Nipigon club around then. I recall making the run a couple times on my 93 Enticer. Lol.

Been there, done that in 2009. That's me second from left.

Nothing will get it into those types of people's head until their loved ones are alone in a hospital on a ventilator. Then it will be someone else's fault

Looks like 40 klicks on the old Superior Snow Challenge map. Referred to as Dunc Lake intersection, but it seems to be a ways away from the actual lake. ???

That’s a nice pic with all of those chicken barns to left.

I've been to Moosonee on the train a long time ago, but not since. Marc G had a WT last I knew. Yeah, maybe. You thinking heading north from Ernies? I know Marc runs that, and I hope to try that one day too.

signfan, I'm located just south of you on Rice Lake. We have a member of our club who has been servicing and rebuilding shocks for several years now. Once this virus thingy is over, you are welcome to drop them off here and I will get them done for you at a much lesser cost than you will find elsewhere.

It would be incredibly difficult. The trail from Marathon to Terrace Bay can still probably be run, you’d want to pack a power saw. From Terrace Bay to Nipigon would be next to impossible. That trail was on and off the power line, and the off power line parts have not been ventured upon in years. If you could get to Gravel River, it’s possible to run on the lake to Red Rock. Beyond there to Thunder Bay, there’s lots of private land to get around. It would not be an easy trip. As mentioned previously, the province is basically on shut down right now, so this wouldn’t be something to try this year.

my latest "dream" is to put my foot in lake superior at wawa (sandy beach), then ride cross country, to james bay and stand on the ice. need some big help though. trying to get Denis, marc g, excited about this... you in? my thought is, one workhorse sled with supplies, spares and fuel. we all take turns riding it, and our own sleds. that way no one gets stuck riding the "tanker". Ski

Self isolation on hydroline , just son and I out for first little rip of the season (first year a full size adult bike will take some getting use too). Didn’t see , or expect to see, anyone. took pic of the only snow we found (from large drifting and in the shade).

Actually, Thunder Bay was not the black hole. At one time, they boasted the largest snowmobile club membership anywhere. A township south and west of Thunder Bay(Neebing) was the black hole. Thunder Bay was very pro snowmobile until 3 or 4 crappy winters, and the local economy tanking killed the number of permit holders. The club couldn’t recover and that was the end of organized snowmobiling here. Nobody has been interested enough to try and bring it back.

That's the short/sweet of it - yes. But they were just prepping the bank, not actually trying to cross. Just got out too far and broke through. One guy made it out and hoofed it back to Manitouwadge overnight in -30 temps, and walked straight into the hospital (Band-aid station?) there. Amazingly he made it, but the trainee did not surface.