Ottawa Valley Weekend Gravel Road - May 28-30 2021 (cancelled)

Changed the title to Ottawa, tentatively to sometime in May.

I had enough of shoveling snow in the last days...

 

lets see where the spring takes us. Dont get too caught up in the ofsc chatter. They don’t own the trails. They can bitch all day long, during a normal winter ruts get packed well...

I think we all want out of out cages asap!

as the snow melts lets see how it goes!

we coule hit up rusty bat/wabun lk trail, the tue Calabogie line with some detours, hike up to crag, then exit at vennachar for a nice very full day soon as it is possible

 

If you crazies (myself being one) still want to be out for the weekend of beginning of April, we could think of doing the darling line and other roads like you suggest.
I have bad memories from calabogie line with deep snow on the roller-coaster , so I am kinda out of that one for now.

 

I am sure you can not make that a blanket statement. Around my area they do own the rights to have the trails where they have them.

OFSC and other snow mobile groups have made agreements with private land owners, hydro, and gas companies to have trails run long distances. They alone have the rights to use them.

Assuming you are allowed to just use them, is not the correct way to go about it.

 

I want to state that darling line is not part of ofsc. Neither black donald and calabogie line. Almost Everything else might be

 

good to know

 

Agreed, snow wheeling is where its at. As long as its not on snowmobile trails

 

There are women on here that wheel as well so let's keep the chatter respectable.

I don't mind a bit of snow but if I have to get out every 10ft to shovel snow and winch, I would rather not go.

 

I have talked with guys that do the darling line, and it's not a grueling snow trail.
The calabogie line would be way more difficult

 

I'm up for it. Get camping before the bugs come out from their depths of hell.

 

Let me know about the trips I'll be down to go

 

is it the ovo crew who are sharing that with you? i ask because the majority of the crew have very built rigs that our pickups just don't quite keep up with!

either way i am hoping for the best, you seem to really want out there and i love exploring so i get it!!

 

Went on darling line last weekend and it was pretty deep, made it almost to the 511 but had to turn around because of all the snow at one of the last hills. But will be back out in a month ish when the snow melts a bit

 

Yes, i think they are from the ovo group.
Calabogie is more difficult that darling, and i could do it, if there isnt much ice. but still needed winch. On the darling line there seems to be only one hill that is more steep, but still not too much.
I hope to have the winch ready by that time and if there is more than one winch, the better.
i dont thin having an super built truck will make too much difference in snow, its more about tires, truck weight, and a winch as a backup just in case.

 

Yeap, had to do the same here.

It should be less deep in a month.
Is there anyone here that could scout the trail for us before we go? Or at least share the conditions in the area at that time?

 

for non winter conditions you can do the calabogie hydro line from the damn to vennachar with a stock tacoma or 4runner so i assume your LX is good to go, no tight spots, all pretty open trail/road. there are a few rough spots but nothing that is hard or that would risk damage to a driver that isn't going wild trying to take jumps.. that said there is nice jump for my ZR2 at the start of the road.. but seriously there is a lot to see in there and i would be happy to guide a few ppl, like a small group who also hike to see the real goods.

have you heard of the wabun lk/rusty bat trail? it is in the same area and i used to see stock jeeps in there before everybody had JK rubicons. i would def take my ZR2 up that trail. i think the start point hill is the toughest part, like a good gate keeper style.

last time i was up darling line it was basically a gravel rd with a few rough spots, but that was around 2010

 

I had a brief look to the Ottawa Valley route.. I can extend that for those interested, basically to Rolphton from Round Lk. It would be an onsite here we are let's do it and don't ask questions beforehand due to special access requirements I can share only at that time. It would add at least one extra night. Google maps doesn't allow the route to be mapped because there are 'breaks' in the mapped road. Then at that point might as well cross over to QC and hit Swisha!!!!

 

Love the idea.. I think we can spend a great weekend there, one day of offroad on the darling line (Saturday), and another day to chill, walk, and an easy trail (Sunday)

getting excited...

 

Do you have the gpx map of the Ottawa valley route?

For most guys, i believe they will only have 2 days and a half the most. I can stay one or 2 more days if there is more guys extending the weekend.

 

I don't have a file for that route. I just glazed over the thread and saw the end point and realized i could extend it through an area i am familiar with from there.

Lots of ideas coming up so this is good!!

You've gotta do this route;

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/frosty-nights-on-the-trans-taiga-late-october.220026/

Lots of gravel when not covered in snow!