Many of you have mentioned the boardwalk (Bass Creek Tramway) on the lower French River. Ive had the opportunity to portage this neat section many times. Although its been a few years since Ive been back there, Im saddened to hear it is not operational any more. Thats too bad, as it certainly makes the carry not only easy, but interesting as well due to its history. As the story goes, the tramway was initially built to move heavy milling equipment after the end of the logging boom. It then converted into a boardwalk to facilitate rapid transportation of fire-fighting equipment, as well as providing easy access to and from the bay. There is also a small fishing camp with cabins at the north end that the owner allowed people to use for free. (I personally never did.) I attempted to find current information regarding the present status of the boardwalk, but had no luck. Maybe someone that has been there recently can comment and share below? I certainly wouldnt say this boardwalk was as unique as the canoe slide nor the rail tram, but it was certainly different. There was also a wheel barrel available for those inclined to use it, but like the cabins, I never did. (Portaging along a smooth flat surface is as easy as it gets!) If indeed the boardwalk is gone, it will just be another piece of history gone forever. At least I can say Ive walked that portage. Heres a few pics. Oh, and if you havent been to the French River, you are truly missing out. It is an amazing place to paddle, the landscape is simply mesmerizing, and the whole area has tons of history, as it was a major travel corridor for the fur trade industry. I would highly recommend taking a canoe trip there!
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 10:00:00 +0000
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