The map draws the full river. This route covers a section of it; the description says which.
The Désert River offers a remote wilderness canoe experience in the Outaouais with 13 rapids from Class I-V, including dangerous major falls requiring portages. This 18-campsite route provides true solitude - trip reports mention seeing no other paddlers for days. The river features technical whitewater through Canadian Shield terrain with significant elevation drops and challenging portages. Access is from Lacs du Pont near Highway 117, ending at Chute-Rouge bridge. Best suited for experienced whitewater paddlers due to the presence of Class V rapids and dangerous waterfalls requiring expert route-finding skills.
This route's document cites a hydrometric station. The links below open the operating agency's current reading.
The document describes 13. The map shows 1, because it only places rapids a national survey publishes a coordinate for. The two counts measure different things.
| Rapid | Class | Portage | Surveyor's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| General rapids classification | R1, R2, ..., R6 R1-6 | Rapide avec classe de difficulté | |
| General rapids classification | R2-3 | Rapide entre deux classes de difficulté | |
| Chute-Rouge | DANGER - CHUTE | yes | Dangerous waterfall with warning signs and portage required |
| EV | Multiple EV (évitement) rapids in upper section | ||
| R1 | Class I rapid | ||
| R2 | Class II rapid | ||
| R3 | Class III rapid | ||
| S4-5 | R2 | yes rive gauche | portage 100m à gauche débutant avant le pont |
| Unnamed | R2 | plus long, facile à le plus profond à D | |
| Multiple R2 rapids | R2 | series of R2 rapids in middle section | |
| Suite de R2 | R2 | continuation of R2 rapids | |
| R1 (2 côtés) | R1 | plus profond à D | |
| S2 de Pêché | R2 | si guerre/version en roches |
This table publishes no position for any rapid. Where a surveyor's note mentions a kilometre, those are their words quoted as written, and the figure was read off a scanned map: use it to follow their description, not to navigate. Most of these surveys were written in French.
Surveyed by Charles Leduc, 2023-11. DesertLeduc2023.pdf
The document describes 4 portage(s).
| Portage | Length | Bank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage avec distance et gauche/droite | 250 m | varies (gauche/droite) | P 250m à G notation system |
| Portage around Chute-Rouge waterfall | not stated | Required portage around dangerous waterfall | |
| Multiple portages marked with plage (beach) symbols throughout section | not stated | ||
| At S4-5 rapids before bridge | 100 m | rive gauche | débutant avant le pont |
The document describes 18 campsite(s).
Désert River is rated Advanced. Whitewater ratings are not exact: grades change with water level and season. Verify current conditions locally before you paddle.
The best time is May-August.
Désert River is located in the Outaouais region of Canada.
cartespleinair.org · myccr.com · canoeroutes.com
Conditions change with water level and season. Grades and positions are for planning, not navigation. Verify locally before you paddle. Terms of use
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