YCCC...............Ottawa's Canoe Camping Club

The first thing is to get out of bed, in fact get out of Ottawa and head west down the Queensway and then Highway 7 towards Perth, then ....

1. Follow Highway 7 (Note that directions to Lower Salmon run are almost the same) west to Kaladar (approx. an hour from Perth). You will cross the Salmon near Arden and this (the Arden Rd.) is a shorter in distance but rougher and less pretty way to go.

2. Turn South on County Road #41 (left at main intersection in Kaladar.

3. Just past Erinsville turn left (east) on Road #4 to Tamworth.

4. Turn Left (north) on #15 or Arden Rd. at the main intersection in the village. (bank, Olco gas station, and parking lot which is a good place to meet up with anyone coming from Kingston or Belleville)

5. Make a Left turn after the bridge (very lakey looking) onto Woodcock Mills Rd. Keep going till you cross an old narrow stone bridge (also very lakey looking) and park. This is the end of the road and also the take-out.

6. Check water level on bridge and eyeball takeout as it is a must do move (but very easy as it is in calm before a small ledge which should not be run) if the water is high as bridge becomes a trap (strainer). Rearrange boats etc., for the shuttle and proceed to put-in.

7. North again on #15. At about #2000 emerg address, just past Utopia sign, turn left at the Sheffield Lake Cottage sign. Vear left and follow the Rohoman signs. Park by the lake (the river is just off to the left at the end of this lake) and put in by dock (private propert). Leave $5 per vechicle in box at first cottage.

The Salmon is a narrow fast river. It has a lot of rapids in some parts and is not amenable to shore scouting except for the 3 most difficult rapids (a level � drop, a level 4 canyon, and a level 4 waterfall). All are runnable by able canoeists but the last two often portaged by many. Considered to be a step up from the Mississippi or two steps up from Clyde and a step down from the Beaver when comparing it with other small rivers. It is perhaps as difficult as the Lower Madawaska not because of the rapids which, except for 3 which can all be portaged, are easier, but because the amount of whitewater make it impossible to scout everything from shore. Self-rescue is not tricky but a necessary skill because of last of recovery pools in places. It is viewed by purists as the easiest of the famous Eastern Ontario highway #7 Rivers (Beaver, Black, Crowe, etc.) known for their narrow tricky whitewater action.

This river is considered an early spring river so in most years one expect to deal with cold water paddling which means - come prepared with drysuits / wetsuits +++.

Planner- From Perth (Tim Horton's) to Arden (Salmon crosses #7) 59km or 37 min; to Kaladar 77km or 49 min; to County Rd. 4 100km; to take out road 108 km or 1hr 9 min; to put-in 116km or 1hr. 20 min.