Fort Mcmurray----SIX LAKES

[Scuba]

Don't know if any of you know that the Six lakes area AKA( Richardson back country) has natural moving sand dunes and some of the best fishing in northern Alberta. Plan a trip to come up and have some fun..

[nursepwdr]

Sounds like a plan.........Count us in !!

[T-GUY1978]

I was there a couple years ago and I highly recomend it. it is an awesome trip,you gotta go at least once

[gforce]

we did a day trip up there..316 km in one day..burnt 22 gallons of fuel..really whoopie and straight..ya find youreself waiting for a corner..but soon as you go around said corner..its straight straight straight..the bugs that day sounded like electricity zappin...would i doo it again...oh yaaa!..there is a small hamlet called portage ??? and its a 55km one way sand road to see it..there is a little museum there..and from there you look accross the river and you can see wood buffalo national park..it was a 13 hour pinned to the max all day ride..got to the dunes..had a quick and it was time to start bookin it back..i was riding a arctic cat 500 and the wife was on a 400 kodiak..1 was packing 4-5 gallon jerry cans on the rear rack and she had 2 5 gallons on her front rack..plus food and pops we were quite loaded..i had parts of me hurtin i didnt know i had..next time it will be an overnighter..have someone stay back at the truck/camper as the theives are rampant..park on you ramps as they steel everthing..

[AB RANGER 007]

Originally Posted by gforce

we did a day trip up there..316 km in one day..burnt 22 gallons of fuel..really whoopie and straight..ya find youreself waiting for a corner..but soon as you go around said corner..its straight straight straight..the bugs that day sounded like electricity zappin...would i doo it again...oh yaaa!..there is a small hamlet called portage ??? and its a 55km one way sand road to see it..there is a little museum there..and from there you look accross the river and you can see wood buffalo national park..it was a 13 hour pinned to the max all day ride..got to the dunes..had a quick and it was time to start bookin it back..i was riding a arctic cat 500 and the wife was on a 400 kodiak..1 was packing 4-5 gallon jerry cans on the rear rack and she had 2 5 gallons on her front rack..plus food and pops we were quite loaded..i had parts of me hurtin i didnt know i had..next time it will be an overnighter..have someone stay back at the truck/camper as the theives are rampant..park on you ramps as they steel everthing..

Is this small hamlet called "portage" down stream from the Embarras Airfield? If you go on Google Earth , you can see this in high resolution. Follow the trail/river North and there is another one called "Old Fort "??. and there is another air strip East of the river.

Bruce

[gforce]

thats right embarass portage is the name of the place..the lady there ran her riverboat to mcmurray for diesel..she would put like 6- 50 gallon drums in it and head for town...what a life that would be..hard

[AB RANGER 007]

Originally Posted by gforce

thats right embarass portage is the name of the place..the lady there ran her riverboat to mcmurray for diesel..she would put like 6- 50 gallon drums in it and head for town...what a life that would be..hard

How many years ago did you do this trip? I would like to know if this place is still open to the public. I saw a picture ,taken at the junction of the main winter road and the road to the North -West, Embarras Air Strip, that was taken in 2003 and it had some information about this place, small store, supplies etc. I would like to do a extended trip to this area and North East to Lake Athabasca, Have it all worked out on my Garmin MapSource Software and a couple of air photos. Need some place to get ICE from???.

Bruce

[gforce]

i would think its still open as it is the ice road between mcmurry and fort mackay..it crosses the firebag river..there is a bridge there and the ice road goes up past the dunes..dont know how much further..but you probabally wouldnt be goin much past there anyways..i herd the fishing is incredible..keep a look out for bears as the have been known to eat gas cans,seats. tie your food and other stuff like clothes in a net or something high in a tree..if buddy has a 30.30 take it if you are over nighting..we did our trip in 2003,,get one of those tub trailers..that would be the best..

[AB RANGER 007]

Originally Posted by gforce

i would think its still open as it is the ice road between mcmurry and fort mackay..it crosses the firebag river..there is a bridge there and the ice road goes up past the dunes..dont know how much further..but you probabally wouldnt be goin much past there anyways..i herd the fishing is incredible..keep a look out for bears as the have been known to eat gas cans,seats. tie your food and other stuff like clothes in a net or something high in a tree..if buddy has a 30.30 take it if you are over nighting..we did our trip in 2003,,get one of those tub trailers..that would be the best..

If you are interested in some of the stuff I have put to gether PM me your email address and I will send you some JPG's of what I have done. Do you have A Garmin GPS and A MapSource SoftWare Program on /in your computer? I have been as far as the Firebag River, But since I was by myself I went no further. This was last year, and I stayed at the first Staging Area. Eveready had crews in there all day and night, no strangers around.
I have been putting to-gether a articulting, all-purpose, walking beam, pullbehind trailer for a few years now and I am almost finnished, a copy of the Mountain goat Trailer, for my needs, not someone elses. The over deck is 48"Wx74"Lx36"H (BOX) soft cover. the under deck(fuel) is 24"Wx74"LX12"H. Holds 3 12 gal containers.

Bruce.

[dale dalueg]

This is one of the nicest trip's you can ever imagine. We normally go in for a week at a time. There are so many lakes its never crowded and the riding is some of the best. We normally stay at six lakes and day travel from there.

[AB RANGER 007]

Originally Posted by dale dalueg

This is one of the nicest trip's you can ever imagine. We normally go in for a week at a time. There are so many lakes its never crowded and the riding is some of the best. We normally stay at six lakes and day travel from there.

What time of the year have you made your trips.

Bruce.

[Can-Do]

trip planned for june 10 through to 15th i belive it is.. go up every year at least once. do it now before the oil sand industry wisks it all away

we have full tandem walking beam setups, even pull in a sea-doo for fun. probably staying at rock lake this time i belive was the plan.

keep an eye on the horseflys and them big ass ants..LOL

[Scuba]

I'm going up there at end of may or early june still haven't locked any dates yet It is still open to all that have asked and all the lake turnoff's are marked on the main trail, we are going to camp at jackson lake and fish on east jackson. It is a great time just make sure that the 's are packed tight because it is a bumpy ride and you don't want them to break open, and make sure you don't bring bottle because it will never last the ride in. Pack out what you pack in so they don't close it down for us.

[gforce]

the pack out what ya pack in goes for everywhere..put the beers in those little foamies on packed really tight in those soft sided coolers..ooo but yall knew that!

[AB RANGER 007]

Originally Posted by Can-Do

trip planned for june 10 through to 15th i belive it is.. go up every year at least once. do it now before the oil sand industry wisks it all away

we have full tandem walking beam setups, even pull in a sea-doo for fun. probably staying at rock lake this time i belive was the plan.

keep an eye on the horseflys and them big ass ants..LOL

Is the name of this lake, Rock Lake, or is it short for Larocque Lake? How is the crossing at the Ricardson River?

Bruce

[Scuba]

Originally Posted by AB RANGER 007

Is the name of this lake, Rock Lake, or is it short for Larocque Lake? How is the crossing at the Ricardson River?

Bruce

Richardson river crossing was good last year they have a little bridge or culvert there.