OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[likes2boat]

Planning on a trip in June on the Athabasca from poachers landing to the Grand Rapids and back. Just wondering if anyone has run this before and knows how long of a trip, river conditons, etc... Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Arthur]

I could probably type a page of info on this trip, so I'll try and keep it short and useful. Poachers landing is easy to get to by following the signs to Alpac(20mins east then turn North for 15mins or so)Drive past Alpac to the 'T' and turn right. Not even a KM from the turn you will see a Poacher's sign where you turn left and take that road(gravel) for a few km's. There is a large sign where you make a left and drop into the river front.One thing about the launch is there is 'usually' a hidden sand bar directly out from the launch(about 1/2 way across the river)stay right until you get around the corner. Some good fising spots are the LLB river and Calling river.(both less than 45mins down)Ater that there is a few cabins...some hidden and some visable....About 70miles down there is a large pile of Red shale known as 'Red rock'. This is a nice spot for a break and to go out and climb the hill.(which I think is dissapearing because it was twice as big 15yrs ago) after that you can head to the Pelican settlement which is about 80miles from the launch. There is a little walk you can take and see some intresting stuff.....eg. Old car,building,graveyard....boiler from a old rig that was there. Plus the cabin there is beuatiful.

After the cabin you will run across 4 set's of mild rapids and another couple of cabin's.10 miles before the rapids you will come across the House river on the right which also has great fishing(more so in the late summer) 1 mile from the river is a friends place called Grand Rapids Adventures. There is 3 cabins and lots of lawn to set up tent if you wish. (He does rent the cabins out)

After that it is only a quick trip(10mins) to the rapids. Be sure to have your 'A'game on when going there cause these waters are NO joke.There is many large rocks when you get close and if you were to loose power right before...you probably would be in for one hell of a ride!!! It is easier to park on the west side and walk along the walls to get to the raging parts. It's about a 30min walk to a creek that dumps in the middle of them(Loon creek) We did the whole length of the rapids a couple years ago and there was a nice sandy spot at the end where the Kids and dogs had a blast. I am not to sure on the water level's when you go, but rememeber that it is at it's highest mid JUNE, so there should be no problems getting there.If you want contact info for GRAdventure's....PM me and I will give you the guy's #. He would be able to tell alot more about the rapids them selves than me......CL

Damn that's alot of typin'!!

[Arthur]

Pelican settlement.....



If you see this from your front windshield...you went TOO FAR!!!........



GRA's...........



Loon creek.....

[likes2boat]

Thanks alot for the info. Makes planning the trip alot easier and takes alot of the guess work out of it. One quick question, is there a good spot to pull out just upstream of the rapids. Don't really want to get too close with the boat. I like a little adventure but no that much.

Thanks again.

TB

[Arthur]

If you look here to the far side of the river, we had walked along that long steep bank basiclly where it begins. I know you can get closer, but we choose the safe route. In this picture the river is pretty high. The mouth of the Grand is heavily populated with large rocks when it's a bit lower. We tried walking on the east side one year, but it was too thick of bush, creeks to cross, and you were on the far side of the 'portage' island away from all the action. I suggest talking to the guy from GRA's before you go. He has been there over 20 time's I'm sure, and could tell you exactly what you wanna know about the rapids......