In Search of the Lost Highway 10-05

FULL DAY NISBET FOREST CROSS COUNTRY TOURS


FULL DAY NISBET TOURS

  • Lots and lots of Km's through Nisbet Forest & around outlaying country side and communities.
     
  • Transportation for up to 4 persons included unless otherwise specified.
     
  • Head to toe  gear  available as required.
     
  • Each individuals meals, fuel & oil extra, + + as required unless specified otherwise.
     
  •  Pricing for Full Day Nisbet Forest Cross Country Tours
     
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  •   A  Good Reason  to let a SNOCRUISE Tour Guide Lead the Way! 
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RIDE'N WITH THE BOYZ
March 13, 2010 

TRULY A UNIQUE SASKATCHEWAN
SNOWMOBILING EXPERIENCE
Call it an obsession......I have an interest in Saskatchewan history, I follow a thing or two, then I focus on an area, start looking at a couple of maps. Next thing you know, there's a trip planned, a snowmobile trip....like explorers before us and were armed, were armed with maps, provisions and were off, this time it's in search of THE LOST HIGHWAY . This is a road that is long forgotten, in fact, out of  Prince Albert there was White Star, Honeymoon, Samburg then Strong Pine school districts then there was nothing, nothing until this highway went through....then suddenly school districts appeared and towns! None of this happened until the very late 20's or early 30's, suddenly all these towns were born, while most every town you can think of has all ready celebrated its centennial anniversary, there is a bunch of Saskatchewan communities that will not be celebrating there 100th centennial for another 20 plus years. These town prospered, then disaster struck, the Lost Highway relied on a ferry crossing on the Saskatchewan River and in 1959 the ice heaves were so high and massive, the whole infrastructure was wiped out. This was the end of the Highway that was responsible for the birth and growth of many Saskatchewan towns. Now it's our mission to follow the lost highway, find the old ferry crossing, look for the old trails and enjoy one awesome snowmobile adventure!
  We travel for a good couple hours by truck to our proposed drop off site, it turns out we can unload inside the forest, directly into snow well over our boots! When we left Saskatoon, the countryside was pretty bare, with snow in some of the deepest ditches and patches in some stubble fields. Following several maps we head off in the general direction, that we feel is required to find this abandoned highway, with in 25 miles we find the crossing! It was an all day adventure popping out of the forest in the early afternoon for fuel and lunch. From the tops of some hills I was able to see a range of hills estimated to be maybe 5 miles away....looks like the ideal place to go on another occasion, for a BBQ!! Don't tell me this is a good enough reason for another snowmobile trip!


For a clue to the Lost Highway, we discover a section of an late 20's highway map.

 


We enter into the Fort a la Corne Forest on some loggers tracks.


We unload just inside the forest on some loggers trails.


Here is a spot where the loggers have the trail cleared.

 


This is the spot on the old hiway map that shows the ferry crossing. Locating the remains of this Lost Hiway, then this crossing is the first step of many.

We locate the old ferry crossing and cross the
Saskatchewan River.

Looking back to the south east where the ferry crossing would of likely been.
This is the remains of the Lost Hiway leading up into the hills from the Saskatchewan River valley.
We take a breather out on one of the many trails to check out our maps.
This is our next objective, one more river to cross then we should be home free.


Traveling a ways down the river we encounter a way up over the bank, right next to an old barn.


This barn is a beauty.
Time has been taking her toll, and this old log barn is starting to teeter.
The old log barn has slipped on her footing and the bottom layer of logs have started to rot.

Man this is an art form in itself.

 
The old wooden shakes are only survived in places by the remains of the old iron nails.

Just a short distance away we see another out building made of logs. This is an old yard site.
No one is home! But there are a couple rusty cans.

 

 

You can see the river behind the barn.
We slide into civilization and are able to get lunch and some fuel.
This old timers residence is...
...you guessed it vacant!

Looking north from the yard site you see our tracks heading out then back again.
We tour over to the yard site from the east side where we can see the river and a marshy area.
In fact looking across this marsh alongside the river I think I can see were we pulled out of the trees on to the ice.
In the trees it turns out there is a log house here as well!

This is a testament to the old timers who lived in a different time, and had to cope with disabilities on there own. This Childs chair has the legs lengthened for a young adult.
An old iron head board.

The walls were plenty thick.
The back side of the house has some built in, exterior wall shelving supports?
From the log house you can see the log barn back by the river.
There is a car in this picture, down near the river.

After making out way back part way thru the Fort a la Corne Provincial Forest, we stop on the top of one of the higher hills next to the Lost Hiway.

 
In the middle of the forest we stop to admire the range of hills a little north west in the distance.
Looking a little more straight west more snow covered hills come into view.

across the burnt part of the forest the hill tops are visible in the..
...distance, these hills look interesting
....we believe that they show up on this topographical map.
Looking south west you can see a small snow covered body of water.

More south of us and if it weren't for the zillion burnt trees on the ground hiding in the snow we would be a little more tempted to head out this way! The shadow on the horizon is likely the Saskatchewan River Valley.
Looking east across the Lost Hiway.
A view more north east.
Back down the Lost Hiway to the Saskatchewan River.

Back onto the Saskatchewan River.
Depending on the shadows the river crossing is petty rough in places.
An old homestead inside the forest.

 

 
Ready to stoke up a fire and cook up a pan of biscuits?


 

 

 


 

 

This particular ride in 2010 has lead to years of riding in the area...Nisbet Forest to...  Choiceland VF

 

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