zoso Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Last week three of us went out to the Blind river area. We stayed at Birch Lodge on Granary Lake, about 10km's North of Blind River off D trail. I honestly did noit think Marie at post 392 could be matched for hospitality, I was wrong. Klaus and Diane are awesome hosts. We stayed in a modern 3 bedroom cabin for two nights, we chose what to have for dinner both nights and Diane and Klaus cooked it and we ate in their home. They picked up any supplies we asked for and charged only what they had paid. The second day of riding one of our buddies decided he wanted a shorter day and took a faster route back. Upon our return we found him hanging out with Klause in the main house having a few beers and shooting the crap. You will be made to feel at home here. The price was 170.00 each for two nights two dinners and two breakfasts. Upon arriving Klaus was there to meet us on the lake wherethe trail crosses it to guide us into the lodge. We called him from Elliot, and due to us helping a fellow sledder get his sled out of a ditch we were 30 minutes behind, yet he had no complaints and waited on the dark lake in a windstorm for us. I would highly reccommend this lodge to anyone, you will be hard pressed to find a nicer place to stay or nicer more accommodating hosts. The riding out that way is also very ggod, we rode in from Sudbury on C108, D and F back onto D. The next day we went out to Bruce mines along D and took the northern pole line back into Elliot and back down to the lodge, third day was a similar route home as the first da with some minor changes. About 1100km of riding at an easy carefree pace with lots of stops and a few little detours along the way. Riding in to stay and the ride area from either Sudbury or the Sault is easy for any level of rider and the routes can be made longer for those that like to pile on the miles. I will be back for a week in the summer to visit Klaus and Diane as I cannot hink of a better place to stay in Northern Ontario summer or winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smellybox Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 good to hear customer satisfaction is number 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Burgo Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Great review and feedback. I gotta say Elliot Lake trails are my all time favorite trails to ride. Best I've ever seen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Great report, Zoso. We ran into a couple like them (young Swiss couple) operating Tornado's in Port Loring. http://www.tornadosresorts.com Large cottage for 5 riders, dinners and breakfast, very reasonable. I'll add Birch Lodge to my contacts list. Thx again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Elliott lake on our big trip, found the signage getting in there horrible. Will need to find somewhere else next time to stay in that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomo Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Great report, Zoso. We ran into a couple like them (young Swiss couple) operating Tornado's in Port Loring. http://www.tornadosresorts.com Large cottage for 5 riders, dinners and breakfast, very reasonable. I'll add Birch Lodge to my contacts list. Thx again. Did you get the schnitzel? That cottage is really nice and well set up for a group. (we stayed in the motel part last summer) Good to hear about Birch Lodge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC+YA Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Zoso, I tried to find the Birch Lodge by riding all over Lake Duborne and hunting for a trail to it last season. I had no reservations, but just thought of stopping by to see the place. Did you take the big lake to a trail which then took you over to Granary Lake, or did you have to take a road to the Lodge? Wish I could have found it as it sounds great. I am thinking about a short trip from the Soo and usually stay at the Hampton in Elliot, but this might work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Zoso, I've updated the spreadsheet to reflect a good rating. Thanks for the writeup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoso Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Zoso, I tried to find the Birch Lodge by riding all over Lake Duborne and hunting for a trail to it last season. I had no reservations, but just thought of stopping by to see the place. Did you take the big lake to a trail which then took you over to Granary Lake, or did you have to take a road to the Lodge? Wish I could have found it as it sounds great. I am thinking about a short trip from the Soo and usually stay at the Hampton in Elliot, but this might work well. It is hard to find if you do not know where to go, that is why he met us the first night. You ride up the lake right to the end. There is a river that enters duborne from granary and the water isopen where it flows into duborne, the open water is to the left of where you exit duborne. The A frame cottage is where you will exit, then you follow that trail to a road, turn right on the road, ride about 100 yards down the road and turn left onto a trail, follow that trail to granary lake, the camp is on the lake pretty much right there to the right. The nigh twe showed up may have been near impossibl to find the place, it was dark and windy with blowing snow and it would have been easy to go for a swim in that open water. If you do book in, Klaus is more than happy to meet you and guide you in, after that it is easy on your own. You could take the road, but it was sanded over ice, hard on cooling or sliders. I regards to signage in Elliot, yes it sucks, the groomed trasil that runs to the esso or the hotel hasno signage, and many of the trails at intersections out that way have no trail numbers just destinations, which mean nothing if you can get to the same destination 3 ways. The signage in spanish is worse. We looked at the Hampton for our stay, but at 155 per night, sharing a room, and then meals on top it was more money and far less accommodating than the lodge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 It is hard to find if you do not know where to go, that is why he met us the first night. You ride up the lake right to the end. There is a river that enters duborne from granary and the water isopen where it flows into duborne, the open water is to the left of where you exit duborne. The A frame cottage is where you will exit, then you follow that trail to a road, turn right on the road, ride about 100 yards down the road and turn left onto a trail, follow that trail to granary lake, the camp is on the lake pretty much right there to the right. The nigh twe showed up may have been near impossibl to find the place, it was dark and windy with blowing snow and it would have been easy to go for a swim in that open water. If you do book in, Klaus is more than happy to meet you and guide you in, after that it is easy on your own. You could take the road, but it was sanded over ice, hard on cooling or sliders. I regards to signage in Elliot, yes it sucks, the groomed trasil that runs to the esso or the hotel hasno signage, and many of the trails at intersections out that way have no trail numbers just destinations, which mean nothing if you can get to the same destination 3 ways. The signage in spanish is worse. We looked at the Hampton for our stay, but at 155 per night, sharing a room, and then meals on top it was more money and far less accommodating than the lodge. Thanks, I think that's one the things I like about this forum is that there is so much good information and people sharing the good and the bad... Nunz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Here's a Google map link: http://www.sleddersworld.com/departments/ontarioDB/view.php?rec=95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliotgroomer Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 There is no signs for the Hampton Inn because there is no trail to the Inn. They wouldn't pay to put one in or pay for signage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoso Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 There is no signs for the Hampton Inn because there is no trail to the Inn. They wouldn't pay to put one in or pay for signage. Why no sign at the trail to esso? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 There is no signs for the Hampton Inn because there is no trail to the Inn. They wouldn't pay to put one in or pay for signage. that is short sighted on their part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoso Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 that is short sighted on their part I have read others in clubs having difficulties getting a little support from large hotel chains. The managers have little autonomy and corporate is not community minded so they never seem to participate but are happy to reap the benefits of slessers money coming to town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The Comfort Inn had signed the route into their location in Sturgeon Falls. A fellow in work clothes behind the counter asked us as we checked in about the signage. We said they were OK. I think he mentioned something about vandalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliotgroomer Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The inn also doesn't advertise on the trail map as for the Esso there was signs there last season but did a dissapearing act over the summer and it took a while for us to clue in and order a few fuel signs and they were installed last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The inn also doesn't advertise on the trail map I think that goes back to Zoso's post. Local staff can't do anything w/o corporate approval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC+YA Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The inn also doesn't advertise on the trail map as for the Esso there was signs there last season but did a dissapearing act over the summer and it took a while for us to clue in and order a few fuel signs and they were installed last week. I wondered why the fuel sign was gone from the trail. Because the Hampton Inn is about the only in town place to stay now, I will say that there is a trail along the street above which links the Gas station to the Tim Hortons to McDonalds to the Hampton Inn. There is also a trail which comes up the hill just north of the Gas Station Trail (a few hundred meters) which actually serves the McD's and Tim Hortons. You have to cut through the McD's parking lot to drive to the Hamptons parking lot. All is plowed once you hit the parking lots, but if the weather is good, the lots may have some snow or ice. So, if you find the gas in Elliot Lake, the Hampton is just up the same road a short distance. Maybe a minute or two if you go slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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