page_title: Dumoine River
section_title: Paddling
hierarchical_section_title: Dumoine River / Paddling
caption_attribution_description: English: View down Grand Chute, Dumoine River, Quebec, Canada. Taken July, 2004. Zatoichi26 01:28, 20 July 2007 (UTC)
context_page_description: The Dumoine River is a river in western Quebec with its source in Machin Lake near La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve. From Dumoine Lake, the river flows almost due south off the Canadian Shield and empties into the Ottawa River, just west of Rapides-des-Joachims, Quebec, or Rolphton, Ontario. The river is 129 kilometres long and drains a watershed of 5,380 square kilometres. This relatively short river compared to its drainage area indicates that the Dumoine has a strong current and many steep-gradient rapids.
  Primarily known today for its white water canoeing and fishing, the river has a rich history from the native Indian era to exploration, fur trading, and logging. Development is minimal along the river. Occasionally the river is crossed by logging roads but between river kilometres 20 and 30 are several cottages.
  This river is often grouped together with the Noire and Coulonge Rivers as three of a kind. All three are in the same area, have similar characteristics, and are very popular with whitewater canoers.
  The river is named after the French family of Le Moynes.
context_section_description: Paddling down the Dumoine is considered exciting and rewarding by rafters because of the large number of runnable rapids and its fast current. Trips usually start at Lac Dumoine, floating 100 kilometres (62 mi) in about 5 to 7 days; Lac Laforge, covering 75 kilometres (47 mi) in 4 days, or Lac Benoit, running 60 kilometres (37 mi) in about 3 to 4 days. Access is by float plane or logging road.
  The range of rapids is large, from swifts to unrunnable falls. Beginning from Lac Dumoine, some of the more notable rapids are:
  km 64, "Fish Portage" (also called "Triple Play") - 3 sets of falls with approaches rated Class 1 and 2 on the International Scale of River Difficulty.
  km 58, "Canoe Eater" - an interesting technical-Class 2 boulder run
  km 55, "Log Jam"
  km 54, "Little Steel"
  km 44, "Big Steel" - Class 3 to 2
  km 23, "Grande Chute" - impressive chute (not canoeable) followed by a Class 1 rapid
  km 17, "Red Pine" - series of rapids ranging from Class 1 to 3
  km 13, "Examination"
  The section between Lac Benoit and Little Steel Falls (kilometres 60 to 50) is particularly nice, featuring many Class 2-3 drop-and-pool rapids typical of Canadian Shield rivers.
  The final waterfall, called Ryan Chute, connects to the Ottawa River. This dangerous chute once had 35 pairs of hobnail boots nailed to surrounding trees as memorials to the loggers who had drowned.
  All rapids and falls have well maintained portages. However, some minor CAT1 rapids lack portages, and spotters are recommended to access portages around several falls because of close proximity to dangerous waters.
  The shore of Quebec at the end of the Dumoine River is undeveloped. For take-out, it requires either crossing the Ottawa River (2.5 km wide at this point) to Driftwood Provincial Park, or paddling 12 kilometres (7 mi) downstream to Rapides-des-Joachims. Regardless, the Ottawa River is often very windy with large waves requiring caution.
  There are many excellent guide maps and books available, with detailed descriptions and drawings of each rapid.
caption: View down Grand Chute
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