DAY 1: SEPT-ISLE / MAGPIE LAKE
This morning we meet in the small French-speaking town of Sept-Isle on the St. Lawrence River. A one hour drive takes us to a small lake where we meet the float plane. The thirty-minute flight over the rugged glaciated terrain is spectacular; views of cliff-top lakes, thunderous waterfalls, deep gorges and dense forests unfold as far as the eye can see. We land on the southern end of the lake, just above where the river spills into the first rapid and set up camp.

DAYS 2-6: MAGPIE RIVER
For the next six days we explore a region which, aside from the occasional explorer,
few people have ever seen. The whitewater is outstanding with easy class 3 and 4
rapids the first few days (view) and building in difficulty with the most challenging
rapids coming the final days.(view) We will camp on beautiful islands with beaches
covered with tracks of moose and bear.(view) Clear star filled nights with the magical
pulsing light of the aurora borealis often follow gorgeous sunsets.(view) Pine trees
laden with osprey nests and rocky shores lined with sun-bleached bone-colored
driftwood abound to feed evening campfires.(view) As we travel down river the camps get more and more dramatic including the fifth night's overlooking the spectacular, 1 mile long, unrunnable Magpie Canyon (view) which our gear is flown around the following day. On our sixth day on the water, we arrive at breathtaking Magpie Falls where the entire river, nearly the size of the Colorado River in the grand Canyon, hurtles 80 feet off the Laurentian plateau in a thunderous crescendo of sound and spray.(view) Our campsite directly across from the falls is one of the most spectacular found on any river in the world. The Magpie's remote falls, deep pools and pristine water make for excellent trout fishing.(view)

DAY 7: MAGPIE RIVER / SEPT ISLE
This morning, with Upper and Lower Magpie Falls as a Backdrop, (view) we paddle
away from our gorgeous previous night's camp through a beautiful small lake to a lip
of another magnificent falls. After a short carry around the falls, we scout the most
difficult rapid on the river.(view) The week of paddling together as a team has
prepared us for this class 5 challenge which can easily be walked around by anyone
choosing not to run it. After the rapid we paddle across a second small lake enclosed
by smooth glaciated granite walls to the take out just above the Magpie-St. Lawrence
junction. With the vast Canadian wilderness to our right and the open St. Lawrence to
our left, we drive back to Sept-Isle, passing through small fishing villages and
watching for moose and whales. After a farewell dinner, we spend the night at a hotel.

DAY 8: SEPT ISLE/ MONTREAL
After breakfast, we begin our journey home.

NOTE: Unfortunately this untouched wilderness river is threatened by a series of hydro-electric dams. Dam #2 is proposed for the top of Magpie Falls.(view) For more information on the status of the dams and what can be done, please contact our office.

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