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DESTINATIONS
Quebec Quandary
The Accessible & Popular Dumoine River
By Thomas V. Ress
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| Dumoine
Practicalities
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Length: Varies, 15-95 mile trips can be arranged
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Difficulty: Class II
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Hazards: Rapids, wilderness
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Cautions: Rock gardens & ledges
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Location: Quebec-Ontario border
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Best time to go: Early June to mid September
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How to get there: Highways 417 and 17 west from Ottawa
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| Permits, fees, and special regulations, if any: None
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Paddler friendly, the Dumoine is very popular with Canadian canoeists. This is partly due to its accessibility. It is located about 75 miles west of Ottawa on the Quebec-Ontario border. Compared to many Canadian rivers, the Dumoine is easier to get to and not as isolated. Because of this, you won't get lonely on the Dumoine—odds are good you'll see others on the river. There are many trip options, depending on how much time you want to spend on the river. Trips from 3 to 14 days can be arranged.
Friendly doesn't mean benign. This river has spark. There are dozens of runnable rapids. The river is known for long, long drops through narrows liberally sprinkled with rocks and boulders. Sustained Class II rapids with large standing waves and rock chicanes make for exciting drops. Don't blindly plunge into the numerous rock gardens and ledges or your friend will become your enemy—there are about fifteen portages as well as spots that require lining through steep drops. The portages, like the rapids, can be as long as three miles. Less wilderness-y than the Moisie and Bonaventure, the Dumoine shows sign of habitation, with occasional cabins dotting the riverbanks. This is a good starter river for easing yourself into the world of wilderness paddling.
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