"We accept it as normal that people who have never been on the land, who have no history or connection to the country, may legally secure the right to come in and by the very nature of their enterprises leave in their wake a cultural and physical landscape utterly transformed and desecrated.......We take this as a given for it is the foundation of our system, the way commerce extracts value and profit in a resource-driven economy. But if you think about it, especially from the perspective of so many other cultures, touched and inspired by quite different visions of life and land, it appears to be a very odd and highly anomalous human behavior."
-Wade Davis in The Wayfinders

Jun 1, 2009

Info For Running The Romaine River

Special Note: Boreal River is offering raft trips on the Romaine in August 2009. Visit their website for information on this once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Romaine before it is dammed. www.borealriver.com

*To see the trip report with lots of pictures please continue scrolling down the page.*

Romaine River:
Length: 130 miles

Difficulty: Whitewater is mostly class IV+- V with some spicey class V+ (if you're feeling up to it) @ 200cms. Lots of class III-IV boogie water and even more sections of moving current and flatwater. Portaging is done with moderate effort on all rapids.

Flow: according to http://www.myosis.ca/ 70cms-low, 110cms-med, 250-high, 400-too high
link to gauge: http://www.cehq.gouv.qc.ca/Suivihydro/graphique.asp?NoStation=073801

Remember the river is mostly done as a canoe trip with portages. It can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. One thing is for sure, regardless of the whitewater the Romaine is one of those classic "Trippin' Rivers". Floating through the Romaine Valley is an experience you will never forget. Around 200cms seemed to be a nice medium flow for the river. Difficulty would increase with more water obviously. Perhaps 300cms would be an interesting flow for adventerous groups to try. The first and second canyons had 4-5 scouts. Options exist on all the rapids from portaging to running the meat. Recommend kayakers put-in just above first canyon near 51.23' N 63.35' W. Then its a nice six day trip to the bridge at highway 138. Trying to camp at Fowlersville on Acid is highly recommended. If you go all the way to the ocean there is a hostel for a room and showers. Havre Saint Pierre has grocery stores and good eats like La Promenade on the street next to the water, and of course some excellent Casse Croute's to satisfy that poutine appetite.

Flight Info: Labrador Air Safari in Havre Saint Pierre ph: 418-538-3866 Fax: 418-538-3805
Located a couple kilometer's east of HSP exits on 138.

If you want the .kmz file for Google Earth with rapid names and waypoints for the hike out option, etc, etc. e-mail me at fredcoriell@gmail.com Thanks to Boyce for putting it together.
Posted by FredC

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