Ted:

I want to thank you for your kind help and information over the phone regarding the White Otter area.  We had an excellent trip and will recommend the area highly - I think I just may be back in September too!  Walt (at Walt's Dry Goods) is a great source for info up there as well and was very helpful with planning a route, fishing spots-techniques, etc...

Thanks again!

(We didn't make it up to Crow Rock but my wife wants to take you up on your cabin offer  )

PJ

Hi all,
I stumbled upon this thread and normally would just keep on going but I may be able to help a little.
I see that postings are far between, but for what it's worth I have a little info.
For anyone that has done the Dashwa, Crowrock, Wasp, Sanford, White Otter, etc trip you may remember a log cabin near the portage into Wasp. I live there. For those who haven't (yet), I would be happy to send maps and give you any info I can on the area. I have a cd-rom of all the maps in the area and can send them by e-mail for your research. I know that Walt's Dry Goods on Main St. Atikokan has a good supply and Walt's boys know the area real well and can send you the right ones. Try to get ahold of Walt himself or Randy, his youngest son.
I paddled "Portage Crew" in the White Otter Wilderness Area many years ago with the MNR. My partner and I gathered information and cut portages for them when they were planning it. We did 10 day trips with 4 days off for two years. I also manned the Kahshahpiwi Tower in Quetico in 73 and 74 with my wife and love Quetico.
Today, I am torn between Quetico or White Otter. They both have the magic.
White Otter area, (in my humble opinion) is an extension of Quetico. The land is virtually the same and the portages are good. They aren't interstates but they are very pass-able. It is like Quetico was 35 years ago. It doesn't have the restrictions that Quetico has but you don't see many boats after the first portage. I love it. It's still raw, beautiful forest.
(I'm not an outfitter either)
I would be happy to help anyone out that needs info. My phone number up here is 1 807 628-3182 and my home in Thunder Bay is 1 807 475-0968. Or just e-mail me. I am not always by the phone but I check messages pretty regularly.
ps. The Atikokan Progress had an ad in it this week regarding a "Public Review of the Draft Resource Management Plan for the Campus Lake Conservation Reserve and White Otter Enhanced Management Area"
I know that they are thinking of restricting motors in the Campus / Sanford area and there is something going on with the Big Turtle River. (Making it a park also I think). I have done the Big Turtle and I recommend it.
Anyway, get a hold of me and I will try to get you the info you need but don't post to me here. I probably won't be watching the thread as I found it accidentally. E-mail is good.
Best Regards,
Ted
,,,,,,,,hut,,,,,,,,hut,,,,,,,,,,,hut,,,,,,,,,,,,,hut,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hut,,,,,,,hut
.......

old salt,

"no park fees" means this (I Think!):  if you use a canadian outfitter, you don't have to pay the Crown Land Camping fees of $10 per night.  If you go in on your own, you do have to pay the camping fees - can pay at any mnr office, or anyplace you buy fishing licenses.  "you" means a non-resident of Canada.

I like the ''no fees, fewer people''. Bears continued investigation. Anyone know a source for maps??

Quote:

I spoke with a friend who's been there and these are his comments:
- Much like Quetico
- a few power lines over lakes, etc, that remind you it's not quite as much 'wilderness', but quite similar
- no park fees (from Canoe Canada flyer I got in the mail - sounds too good to be true)
- no group size restrictions (my reason for thinking about it - I've been successful in 'talking up' my trips to the point that I've got too many people who want to go.)

...but, OS, especially after the "map room" discussion, it's hard to think about the place without maps!
...what am I thinking??...the biggest problem is no QJ knowledge base to support it!

I know some of the Atikokan outfitters will send you there, so they must have maps.
-mk631

I have never been to White Otter either. Can anyone tell us about costs, access points, lakes to fish, are motors common/uncommon, how crowded/uncrowded??  ??? ???

Where can I get maps?

I know this is an old thread but I'm interested in reviving it because when I was a teenager in the 70s I did a 28-day trip that included White Otter/Turtle River.  This was before it was a park as far as I know.  Besides that trip I was on White Otter, Marmion, and other lakes in that area a few times in the early 70s.  Haven't been back since 1975, so I'd love to hear more about it now and maybe plan another trip there in coming years as an alternative to Q.  Bill

I've spent alot of time canoeing in the crown land around White Otter and I absolutely love it!!!  I honestly prefer it to canoeing in Quetico.  If you get the chance to go up Whit Otter Lake to the Castle its really cool and going down the Turtle River form there is a great trip that includes passing an Abadoned trappers cabin, a pictograph going into Smirch and A broken Alligator Boat, just above horse falls.  The gator is a type of logging boat used around 1900 in this area to help with the log drives.  But there are a lot of other really cool lakes in the area as well including Sandford which is one of the clearest lakes I have ever seen.  Wasp is really great for fishing, and the paddle down the Eye river is beautiful.

My brother has ice fished White Otter, Clearwater, and some other lakes in that area. Concentrated on Lake Trout and Brook(?) Trout. Let me know if you want more info. Isn't most of that park "motor accessible"?

Thanks Jackfish!  I have been in contact with Dennis and we are all but booked for next summer in White Otter.  I think the change will do us good. Apparently, less than 400 parties used the park last year?!