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Aubrey Falls - Black Creek Outfitters - 2021-2022 Season


Dan-Senior

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Today, Chad and I trailered  to Black Creek Outfitters (Aubrey Falls) on the Chapleau highway 129 in Northern Ontario and we had the opportunity to meet the new owners of Black Creek Outfitters.   They are very nice folks with incredible enthusiasm about supporting snowmobiling.  They were happy to see snowmobilers arriving at their door today and provided coffee and a nice warm lunch.   Snow depth ranged from 14" on the west side of highway 129 down the D106 trail, and 8" down the Kindiogami on the Elliot Lake F trail.  Basically, the closer we went to Elliot Lake, the less snow there was.  The closer we went towards Sault Ste. Marie, the snow kept getting deeper. Chad and I broke up the day with a variety of riding including some cross-country down the powerline from Black Creek Road to Seymour Lake, then shot out to highway 129 and grabbed the west 129 trail where we hit some deep powder back to Black Creek Outfitters.  It was a good day.

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Those hydro pics are from the SE side of 129 then?

I haven't been through that "Wilderness Trail" section before.

Looks pretty docile on the map for the most part - down to Wakamata. 

Been through down there on ATV's years ago.

It's BIG down there tho!

 

We should try to hit that slice one of these years when they get deep snow.

That would require staying somewhere around there, so maybe these Black Crick folks would be able to facilitate that for us? ;)

Where are they from Johnny's?

Doo they require us to have our own sleeping bags?

I know that someone around there had that several years ago.

I've never been to any of the establishments in that area - other than Johnny's (Stop 129) shortly before the torch job.

 

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Black Creek Outfitter's are south of where Johnnie's used to be, South of the Aubrey Falls trading post, on the other side of the hwy. Ski

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I have hardly ever ran that stretch from Ranger Lake south on 129.

 

If 17N is closed [and I am aiming for Wawa] I still cheat through 556 over to 129 and go up on what could/should be referred to as an Ice Road. ;)

 

Sure glad I don't normally tow a trailer!

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just south of Ranger lake road, a couple klicks. not far at all. Ski

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48 minutes ago, Ox said:

Those hydro pics are from the SE side of 129 then?

I haven't been through that "Wilderness Trail" section before.

Looks pretty docile on the map for the most part - down to Wakamata. 

Been through down there on ATV's years ago.

It's BIG down there tho!

 

We should try to hit that slice one of these years when they get deep snow.

That would require staying somewhere around there, so maybe these Black Crick folks would be able to facilitate that for us? ;)

Where are they from Johnny's?

Doo they require us to have our own sleeping bags?

I know that someone around there had that several years ago.

I've never been to any of the establishments in that area - other than Johnny's (Stop 129) shortly before the torch job.

 

 

The powerline connects the Aubrey Falls Dam with the Wharncliffe Dam and is on the east side of highway 129.  The section from Black Creek Road down to Wakomata Lake is a nice 26 mile endurance get-stuck workout with some very interesting hurdles along the way including open water and some steep hill climbs. We had our belts on fire yesterday on the southside of the Sharpsand River hillclimb.  Good think Chad had the long-track 800 to make it to the top.  I made it half way, then it hairpins to the right and straight up.  After several runs and thanks to studs, I made it to the top.  Attached is a photo I took the last time I took this cross-country run.  You drop down into the valley, cross the boulder-covered river, then up that mountain.  The fog is hiding the top half of the peak.  Can't wait to go back for more punishment.  

 

 

black creek powerline.jpg

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Here's a video of the Sharpsand River Hill Climb we did yesterday.  The mountain was a lot steeper than what the video shows.  I got stuck halfway up.  Chad with the long track 800 came up from behind and broke the top half of the mountain.  After several tries. I finally made it to the top, thanks to studs.  I like the old vintage Polaris Super Sport as I can pick it up and toss it around without issues when I get stuck.  The sled has a suspension lift kit for deeper snow, the heads have been milled for increased compression, the clutch weights were changed to lighter weights and a heavier spring to keep the engine in the chain-saw powerband and plastic skis were installed to lighten it up even more.

 

 

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That's a lug buster right there!

 

 

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Heading to Aubrey Falls with a group tomorrow to break trail and clear trees. Destination, Black Creek Outfitters on highway 129 coming in from the Sault Ste. Marie side via the Domtar.

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Unloading at Domtar and heading through the campground to Johnnies?

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4 minutes ago, Ox said:

Unloading at Domtar and heading through the campground to Johnnies?

Right-On OX.  You got it, going right by Johnny's Truckstop.  We might snag the powerline run at Domtar km 11 and shoot east, then south.  It's pretty scenic and there are 3 long track guys to break trail ahead of me.

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Boy, now that _ that area is clear cut, I might git lost in there in the winter! :o

 

I don't think there's any hopping on the hydro from that road tho.

As I recall, it is all grown up on both sides of the road.

 

From there out to the hwy is not kept clear AFAIK.

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Chad and I were in the Aubrey Falls area today clearing trees along the trails.  We stopped in at Black Creek Outfitters for an amazing lunch.

 

 

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A 1 Minute Summary video of our enjoyable wilderness ride north of Aubrey Falls.  Due to technical issues, I am missing video footage from 2 of the riders.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Dan-Senior said:

A 1 Minute Summary video of our enjoyable wilderness ride north of Aubrey Falls.  Due to technical issues, I am missing video footage from 2 of the riders.

 

 

 

That was awesome!!!!!

Thanks for sharing and have a great trip!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Chad and I were at Aubrey Falls Trading Post.  Unfortunately, another lodge closed up.  The gas pumps are gone and the place is locked up.  We had some amazing memories of this place over the decades.  I first starting visiting here in 1970, when the restaurant was on the main ground level and the Aubrey Falls dam was being finished.

Aubrey Falls Trading Post 2022.jpg

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1 hour ago, Dan-Senior said:

Chad and I were at Aubrey Falls Trading Post.  Unfortunately, another lodge closed up.  The gas pumps are gone and the place is locked up.  We had some amazing memories of this place over the decades.  I first starting visiting here in 1970, when the restaurant was on the main ground level and the Aubrey Falls dam was being finished.

Aubrey Falls Trading Post 2022.jpg

 

It's been about 6 or 7 years back that I spent the night in the "being remodeled" upper motel.  Came late 8:30pmish from Halfway on our way to Elliot Lake and stopped to get gas and decided to eat and stay.  Could not get BlackCreek on the phone and thought they might be away for the evening visiting family so we grabbed gas when we saw Aubrey Falls had lights on. 

Could not usually count on AF in the winter to be open since it was sold years back and so I usually tried to support BlackCreek as they lived there and would open up even after dark.  That evening we decided to call from Halfway before leaving but got no answer at blackCreek.  Guess they had a party line phone years back and were having issues with that.  

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2 hours ago, Dan-Senior said:

Chad and I were at Aubrey Falls Trading Post.  Unfortunately, another lodge closed up.  The gas pumps are gone and the place is locked up.  We had some amazing memories of this place over the decades.  I first starting visiting here in 1970, when the restaurant was on the main ground level and the Aubrey Falls dam was being finished.

Aubrey Falls Trading Post 2022.jpg

That’s shocking since they sold allot of fuel to highway travels not just sledders. I stopped in for a burger one busy day. They were pretty good and chap inside told me I better fill the sleds, since fuel

tanks almost empty and fuel truck never showed up in the morning. So got sleds full of gas before tank was empty. Half an hour later would have been no fuel left after a group came in and cleaned out the rest of fuel heading to halfway. 

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I remember both places working in conjunction. If Black Creek didn't have fuel or was closed, they'd send you to Aubrey Falls. And vice versa.

 

I also remember the big groups and the ' gulp ' ( literally ) as the finite supply of fuel was being used. 

 

It's been years since I last rode up there ( maybe that's the case for a lot of us, low snowmobile traffic impacted sales??? I think they had hwy 129; business as well). 

 

Thanks for the updates, Dan.

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3 hours ago, Dan-Senior said:

Chad and I were at Aubrey Falls Trading Post.  Unfortunately, another lodge closed up.  The gas pumps are gone and the place is locked up.  We had some amazing memories of this place over the decades.  I first starting visiting here in 1970, when the restaurant was on the main ground level and the Aubrey Falls dam was being finished.

Aubrey Falls Trading Post 2022.jpg

 

The owners would not allow the trail to go through their property for maybe 3 seasons now and there was a chain up on the driveways so not open.  The bridge near the D106 needed work for the groomer to use it.  The trail has been run next to the road now for a few seasons instead but gets bad sometimes.  You now just turn North up Hwy 129 coming out of the trail at BlackCreek and ride the shoulder up to Ranger Lake Road if you don't know the old trail, but I have had to cut trees in there 2 seasons back to get through. 

 

BlackCreek has to stay open or the trails will be done just the same as Halfway is needed to keep the F trail alive. 

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3 hours ago, AC+YA said:

BlackCreek has to stay open or the trails will be done just the same as Halfway is needed to keep the F trail alive. 

 

That sums it up. Fingers crossed in the years ahead.

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An Aubrey Falls Trading Post Video from the days when they were open and busy.  This was a day-trip from the Domtar Road (D201F) to Dunlop Lake Lodge and back.

 

 

 

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Thanks Dan, for the nostalgic look back. Had many great trips through that area and on up the old F trail to Chapleau, then north to Hearst, or east to Timmins. Really miss some of the places we stayed, like Flame Lake Lodge, and others that I can't remember.  

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