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Halfway Haven closing


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16 minutes ago, Nunz said:

I saw a post on Fb from some guys that do adventure rides on their bikes, I believe it was Pat D and the comment made was that it looked abandoned and the bears had been around and everything was locked up. Hopefully something can be done to save it.

Disappointed to read this, I’ll definitely miss that area if it’s an end to halfway. 

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5 hours ago, Nunz said:

I saw a post on Fb from some guys that do adventure rides on their bikes, I believe it was Pat D and the comment made was that it looked abandoned and the bears had been around and everything was locked up. Hopefully something can be done to save it.

Good they have it locked up at least.

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5 hours ago, Nunz said:

I saw a post on Fb from some guys that do adventure rides on their bikes, I believe it was Pat D and the comment made was that it looked abandoned and the bears had been around and everything was locked up. Hopefully something can be done to save it.

Pat D had posted something after the announcement that halfway was closing, something about let's figure out a solution. He seemed to be one of the guys that understood the need for it. I'm sure the guy in Searchmont where everyone parks does too. From an outsider perspective it doesn't seem like there's enough people involved to keep the fragile trail network going. For my group, driving up from Indiana and Illinois, parking in Searchmont isn't a whole lot further than the UP and riding north of there is such a better experience. Got to be tough to keep something like that open. 

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5 hours ago, Nunz said:

I saw a post on Fb from some guys that do adventure rides on their bikes, I believe it was Pat D and the comment made was that it looked abandoned and the bears had been around and everything was locked up. Hopefully something can be done to save it.

Pat D same guy that runs motel in dub? Just wondering! 
Sounds like odds of it re opening are slipping away. With no revenue, no infrastructure dollars to throw back into place. Even in good years it was a struggle to survive until busy winter season they claim. 

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there are two Pat D's in Dubreuilville, involved in the motel. Patrick Bouchard who runs/manages the motel, and Pat's Wilderness Adventures (brother inlaw to) Patrice Dubreuil, grandson of the 4 brothers that founded the town, son of Raymond Dubreuil who owned the motel previously. Patrice is a heavy entrepreneur, involved in everything from getting the motel back, and running, to mining, to outdoor adventures, including sleds, and off road/adv motorcycles.

 

the above comment by Hoosier, referred to Patrice, while on one of the adv rides. 

 

Ski 

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1 hour ago, crispy said:

 

 

As for gas maybe the OFSC could start looking into Card Lock type filling stations? Priced accordingly of course and premium fuel only of course and NO ETHANOL of course. Might be a way to keep that run open?

 

 

Halfway is more then a fuel stop the groomer was kept there and fuel

for it too. Pretty remote area. If they are closed no way to get fuel into halfway for a card lock either. Too far off the main road. Maybe old F trail could be re opened if halfway is gone. Ernie’s would be a good fuel stop for riders coming from Elliot lake area and riders from soo, could connect and use F trail too. Ernie has some nice facilities,

so be nice to see him

benefit and busy again.  Ski said loggers are using some of those access roads too,  towards ernies as well. Some of current ofsc trail infrastructure isn’t good in the soo and half way area’s either for touring riders. Big wash outs that clubs try to fill in with tree branches and snow. Wait and see what happens. That old F trail was pretty hilly too, so clubs always had challenges trying to open it up. That trail would make a shorter loop via chapleau and back to Timmins then current D trail that goes south to halfway and then east as c101d I believe it was. Easy for Elliot lake riders to connect to it and go north and soo riders could connect further south and use it to go to north or east as well. 

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3 hours ago, crispy said:

 

 

As for gas maybe the OFSC could start looking into Card Lock type filling stations? Priced accordingly of course and premium fuel only of course and NO ETHANOL of course. Might be a way to keep that run open?

 

 

who would maintain the 30 km of driveway to get to the fuel tanks, to fill them? what happens when the card lock fails, locks up, gets vandalized? too many logistics, too much liability for the ofsc, they are not in the business of selling fuel. Ski

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2 hours ago, Strong Farmer said:

Halfway is more then a fuel stop the groomer was kept there and fuel

for it too. Pretty remote area. If they are closed no way to get fuel into halfway for a card lock either. Too far off the main road. Maybe old F trail could be re opened if halfway is gone. Ernie’s would be a good fuel stop for riders coming from Elliot lake area and riders from soo, could connect and use F trail too. Ernie has some nice facilities,

so be nice to see him

benefit and busy again.  Ski said loggers are using some of those access roads too,  towards ernies as well. Some of current ofsc trail infrastructure isn’t good in the soo and half way area’s either for touring riders. Big wash outs that clubs try to fill in with tree branches and snow. Wait and see what happens. That old F trail was pretty hilly too, so clubs always had challenges trying to open it up. That trail would make a shorter loop via chapleau and back to Timmins then current D trail that goes south to halfway and then east as c101d I believe it was. Easy for Elliot lake riders to connect to it and go north and soo riders could connect further south and use it to go to north or east as well. 

the groomer was never kept there very long. wawa, would stop, eat, stay, fuel up, and head back the next day (80 miles one way). the soo club did the same thing via searchmont (90 miles one way). chapleau did the same (60 miles one way), or send a relief driver, and come back the same trip. 

 

with no fuel in searchmont, no fuel at halfway, you would be hard pressed to make it from searchmont to chapleau, let alone the soo, or goulais river area, and or vise versa. for reference, that would be 150 miles, miles not Km's, the sled would need to make on fuel, from searchmont... the soo, or goulais would be even further. 

 

if you cant get from the soo to wawa, or the soo to chapleau, or elliot lake to chapleau... no need to open the old, old F trail to ernies, that chapleau basically refused to groom anyway, to get fuel at ernies. that trail hasnt been used in over 10 years, the bush has swallowed a lot of it up, and you would basically need to start over. and the other old F trail has too much terrain, and too far of a distance to groom, which is what ended it in the first place. it is something like 110 miles one way from chapleau to aubrey falls, and again... that trail hasnt been utilized in close to 10 years, and it was difficult to say the least for the club, groomers, and volunteers to get this done with what they had to work with. 

 

with all that said, just like last time, there is really no reason for wawa or the soo to groom to halfway, and open that trail. I see it being closed again, unless something remarkable happens.  then add in the new problem with Dubreuilville to Hornepayne, and this area becomes a destination for day riding local loops, v.s touring, and looping through the area, with giant areas of no services, fuel, lodging, food stops.  too much liability for the communities, volunteers, ofsc, and the clubs. Ski

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5 hours ago, skidooboy said:

who would maintain the 30 km of driveway to get to the fuel tanks, to fill them? what happens when the card lock fails, locks up, gets vandalized? too many logistics, too much liability for the ofsc, they are not in the business of selling fuel. Ski

I don't know that area too well admittedly, but I've wondered if they could locate a pump somewhere closer to the road that that driveway exits to, so that it could be accessible (for filling the pump and maybe for workers). I remember talking to the people at the Bristol in Wawa. They said when that trail closed before the last time halfway reopened, that it really took out all the sled traffic. So I do think there's an impact.

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again... who is going to pay for, build, and maintain this "new facility"? and follow all the gov't rules for fuel storage, and sales?

 

the biggest hurdle at halfway, is getting someone to commit to "living there", maintaining the place, and being available 24-7 for guests that may or may not show up. all while living under a high tension power line/hydro power corridor, while living off grid, on generator power. while being 50 miles from the nearest store, civilization, on poorly maintained gravel roads. 

 

it is just not sustainable for the average person. Ski 

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2 hours ago, skidooboy said:

again... who is going to pay for, build, and maintain this "new facility"? and follow all the gov't rules for fuel storage, and sales?

 

the biggest hurdle at halfway, is getting someone to commit to "living there", maintaining the place, and being available 24-7 for guests that may or may not show up. all while living under a high tension power line/hydro power corridor, while living off grid, on generator power. while being 50 miles from the nearest store, civilization, on poorly maintained gravel roads. 

 

it is just not sustainable for the average person. Ski 

Well said ski.  Most people have no idea what the planning of just one week of operation would involve I  running that lodge.

As far as the dream of a card lock.

Call wily Wonka and dream on.

Be a shame to see the loop close again but its reality..

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7 hours ago, Rich Saul said:

Well said ski.  Most people have no idea what the planning of just one week of operation would involve I  running that lodge.

As far as the dream of a card lock.

Call wily Wonka and dream on.

Be a shame to see the loop close again but its reality..

LOL! 

 

As a matter of fact, Willie did actually run something like that out there back in the day.

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6 hours ago, Ox said:

LOL! 

 

As a matter of fact, Willie did actually run something like that out there back in the day.

I dont believe Willie ran the lodge at halfway, Ox. he did have a fuel dump out there, on your honor, 5 gallon cans, and you paid him for what you used, and brought the empty can back to wawa for him. this was so wawa and soo people could ride between the two towns, and help out the trappers, fishermen. 

 

and if i remember correctly, that was pre Steve, and Gail. 

 

Ski

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Yes, very aware.

I was there...

 

Did not need to drag home the emptys tho.

 

We spent 3 days in the bush when the one fuel dump was empty.

 

 

Steve (Gail) and Dennis (Margie) built Halfway, so no - there was nothing there prior.

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Met Gail, years ago, on a ride south. Gas and go. Great person. One of those " you're better for having met " type of peope.

 

Sean ( successor ) was great the few times we stayed overnight. Glad he go out. Hard living dude. 

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I was only there once. Back in 2003 I think. We kept talking about going that way again and never did. He who hesitates..........makes me think of many things we have enjoyed over the years and have talked of doing once again. I should be more determined to act instead of saying, maybe next year.

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6 hours ago, zoso said:

I was only there once. Back in 2003 I think. We kept talking about going that way again and never did. He who hesitates..........makes me think of many things we have enjoyed over the years and have talked of doing once again. I should be more determined to act instead of saying, maybe next year.

I have a very different outlook on "next year thinking". My dad said this all the time, and also said, "when I retire, we are going to..." He was diagnosed with multiple Myeloma cancer, in his back, at 48, I was still in high school, he retired, lived in pain on the couch, thinking of what could have been, and passed at 53. in those 5 years, he was never in any condition to enjoy much of anything anymore. he passed 10 days before my daughter was born, their first, and only grandchild. mom was gone less than 7 years later.

 

this is why my wife and I live like we do. play hard, enjoy life, eat, drink, be merry, be good to yourself. tomorrow is never guaranteed. I have friends like my dad, cant beg them enough to enjoy a trip to our place, or fish, dirt bike, go to the track, go out west, go down south. I just stop trying, and find a new group, that want to go. My brother in law told me a few weeks ago, "you guys do so much, have so many good times, and stories, I dont have any of that, I live through you". I told him, he could change that if he wanted, he was always invited, and welcomed... just another, maybe next time. 

 

we only have so much time here, and even less when we are physically, and mentally able to do, enjoy, and remember, things in life. dont wait, I beg you. make memories, be the person in the nursing home, with all the stories, to go with a good life. Ski 

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2 hours ago, skidooboy said:

we only have so much time here, and even less when we are physically, and mentally able to do, enjoy, and remember, things in life. dont wait, I beg you. make memories, be the person in the nursing home, with all the stories, to go with a good life. Ski 

 

This is what my signature is about too..

 

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

 

A amazing way to live, and having a great wife is what makes that all possible. Respect for both Lynne and you.. Cheers

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I'd give it a go at running it, if I could convince my wife to cash out here....and find working partners.

 

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On 8/25/2021 at 6:20 PM, Rich Saul said:

Well said ski.  Most people have no idea what the planning of just one week of operation would involve I  running that lodge.

As far as the dream of a card lock.

Call wily Wonka and dream on.

Be a shame to see the loop close again but its reality..

I haven't been up to the albiti canyon, but isn't that something similar up there?

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1 minute ago, Hoosier said:

I haven't been up to the albiti canyon, but isn't that something similar up there?

I would say the trailer at the canyon is not as remote as HH and the canyon is just a relatively small loop to the dam vs a major trail that connects two northern regions.

But it is similar that a person stays there for a period as a remote destination that allows sledders to ride there, get some gas, very basic food and now they offer lodging too.

Another location is devils mountain in QC where a person stays there for a stint to serve those that make it up there, but an even shorter distance than both of the above.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Hoosier said:

I haven't been up to the albiti canyon, but isn't that something similar up there?

Canyon is easy access. 

Road  is ploughed..

Half way is you own and operate you own grader to maintain the road..

Quite a different story..

Hopefully it is open this winter..

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It could be more like Abitibi if someone wanted it to be.

 

It would be MUCH more manageable for someone to just have gas and snacks, and only housing enough for that person and groomer drivers.

 

I don't see why they couldn't just fetch an old groomer or whatnot and throw a 500 gallon tank on a sledge and drag it down the road?

 

Lot easier than trying to plow 60* klicks of bush road.

 

Now that Shirley wouldn't be the place that we have known and loved all these years, but it could serve the porpoise and keep the trails open. But if the bridge aint open to ALL Yanks this winter, I sure wouldn't bother opening it. 

 

I wouldn't have opened it last year with the border closed either tho.

W/O Yanks, there aint much traffic on that line.

 

I highly expect heavy lake effect this year, so I hope the bridge is open!

[but not "expecting" it to be]

 

 

 

* Depending on the year.

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