White Hill from Cheticamp Flowage

Cheticamp Flowage.  The shoreline is varied in the surface conditions.

On the south shore of Cheticamp Flowage follow the shoreline around to the northeast side. Here you leave the lake shore and work your way to an old overgrown road that heads to North Barren.  Since Cheticamp Flowage is a lake controlled by a dam I can’t guarantee what the water level will be for you. It was basically the same for us on our two trips in October of 2015 & 2016. 

Interesting Driftwood Feature

Most of the lake shore was easier going for us than the swamp infested overgrown land. Calibrate your eyes for spotting the firm versus the soft.  Some stretches are over some large rocks.  Since you’re reading this on summitpost you’ll probably find those easy to deal with. 

A point of land where it was best to leave the shoreline

We found when there was a point of land the shoreline tended to narrow and get muddy. So it was best to cross the point and practice your swamp skirting skills.  Another interesting place had a bunch of driftwood to cross. Not a big deal, just be careful with your footing.  There are a couple stream crossings.  Just look around and find where it makes sense to step across. 

A stretch of sandy beach

Approaching drainage clearing where the lake is left behind

 There are a couple choices on route.

Heading inland, stay mostly to the edge of the clearing to be above the swamp

The NTS topo map shows the old road coming out almost to the shoreline.  Beware. The map is off.  To find the old road, you need to follow the drainage clearing inland over a couple hundred meters.  The road is apparent from the clearing if you find it.  I can’t testify on the condition of this part of the route since we traveled a different route.

Old Road

Follow the drainage clearing farther inland to a survey cut line.  We followed the drainage along the left side (going upstream) staying mostly at the edge of the trees.  We were forced away from the trees on occasion to go around ponds, but returned to the forest edge to avoid getting swamp stranded.

The survey cut-line is to the left when you get to this wide clearing

The survey cut line doesn’t exactly jump out at you, but it is apparent when you look at it.  Use my coordinates to be able to look at the right place.

Survey Cut-line

Like the old road, the cut line is also overgrown, but since it goes over a small hill, the ground is mostly solid.  This survey cut line seems to correspond to the park boundary and was perhaps cut more recently than the road.

Survey cut-line

Survey Cut Line

Follow the survey cut line northwest until you intersect the old road.  The road itself won’t jump out at you, but watch for it when you get to a bit of a clearing.

Old Road

Old Road

The simple instruction is to follow this old overgrown road northeast (turn right) until you come to the intersection at North Barren.  The pictures show the reality. There are some good stretches,where the footing is solid and the trees and bushes haven’t been as enthusiastic with reclaiming their birthright.

Water Feature

But water is a constant reality. Several stretches of road are underneath water just deep enough you don’t want to walk in it.  That means hanging onto bushes while trying to walk of the sides of these ponds.  Sometimes the bushes have enough gaps for you to skirt away from the road and come back. Often leaving the road means encountering barriers of intertwined bushes that force retreat. And there are a few stream crossings that might mean looking for the best long step across. And sometimes the footing is soft enough to force quick walking so avoid sinking in the mush.

Dry Stretch

Through all of this the road can be followed, that is until you encounter the alders.  I labeled the map for where you’ll encounter the alders. The alders obliterate the road completely.  I’m sure if this route were followed a lot, someone would find a way around the alders, mark it, and then a new path could develop.  But that’s not the case.  You’ll have no choice but force your way through a few hundred meters of alders until they relent, and then find the road again.  Mark a waypoint before pushing into the alders, and use your GPS & compass to find your way back to the track of the road.  The waypoint I provide is for the north side of the alders. I recommend storing that waypoint as a backup in case you have trouble re-finding the road.

Alders

There are a couple streams crossings.  Those are generally not an issue compared to all the other places where the road is under water with bushes blocking easy skirting.

Stream crossing

White Hill can be seen off to the left approaching North Barren

North Barren intersection

The intersection at North Barren has a small stone marker.  Here turn left to head generally west to the north side of White Hill.

North Barren Marker Stone

Be careful of some game trails that veer left down towards White Hill Lake.  But if you resist following those, and keep your eyes peeled, you should be able to follow the road as it passes north of the lake. 

White Hill Lake

The Road

The map shows a drainage flowing south towards the northwest corner of the lake.  It was in this vicinity we encountered the most obnoxious water hazard of the day. The bushes on each side formed a virtually solid barrier.  The sides of the water hole disappeared under the bushes in critical places.  After several foiled attempts we managed to smash, grab and swear our way to where we could finally get across.  Expect to get scratched, bruised, muddied, have clothing tears and plant parts embedded in your paraphernalia.

Nasty Water Crossing

Crossing this obstacle was a physiological victory. Looking at the map, I was optimistic we were leaving the worst of the soggy crap behind.  Where the bushes were lower we could see White Hill rising to the left. It was just a matter of following the road until we reached the most efficient place to head cross-country.  I also had hope the higher ground would be drier and not as choked with trees and bushes.

White Hill

As the road passes north of White Hill start watching for a break in the bushes.  Also, for efficiency and staying above wetness let the road gain as much elevation as it’s going to.

Marking a waypoint where we leave the road

I recommend using some flagging to help with your return.  Be sure to clean the flagging on the way out.  We found a clearing and went for it.  Unfortunately it didn’t take long to encounter a thick stand of trees and bushes. We made use of what gaps we could, but the gaps closed and we just had to force our way through.  Plan on more bruises and scratches!  After maybe a couple hundred meters of thick bush we broke through to the other side.

Thick Trees & Bushes

After this barrier is just a matter of navigating through the lower bushes the rest of the way to the summit. 

Past the Thick Brush

Keep going uphill in a generally southern direction and you’ll get there. 

Low Bushes to Summit

You’ll notice a few different types of ground cover.  Low but thick bushes best skirted, low but easy to push-through bushes and soft lichen patches.  Any of these feature holes.  I fell down multiple times from stepping in holes on this last stretch to the summit.

Lichen

White Hill Lake can be seen to the left while approaching the summit

Looking Back

The summit is a broad area. Keep your eyes peeled for a long narrow rock that sticks up from the bushes.  The rock features a survey monument mounted on top, and at one end a metal pole sticking up chest high.  Somebody tie-wrapped a plastic drink bottle to the top of the metal pole.

White Hill Summit

Near the summit to the east is an antenna tower lying on its side.

Fallen Antenna Tower

The Antenna Tower

Survey Triangulation Station