Northern Ontario Resource Trail

The Northern Ontario Resource Trail at Pickle Lake begins at the northern end of Highway 599 in Central Patricia and travels {{convert|236|km|-1}} to Windigo Lake. It initially meanders northeast before turning northwest. From the north shore of the lake, a non-NORT road on Crown Land continues for approximate {{convert|45|km|0}} to serve the North Caribou Lake First Nation.{{cite report

| title = Connecting the North: A Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario

| publisher = Government of Ontario

| date = December 10, 2020

| url = https://www.ontario.ca/page/connecting-north-draft-transportation-plan-northern-ontario

| access-date = October 20, 2022

| quote = "The province has committed to fund long-term maintenance of the Pickle Lake Northern Ontario Resource Transportation (NORT) road extension. It would run from its current endpoint about 200 km northwest of Pickle Lake to North Caribou Lake First Nation ... This road extension would replace a 42-km stretch of winter road."}}

Although the road is maintained year-round, it is extremely lightly travelled, and is in a very remote section of the province. Motorists should stock up on supplies in Pickle Lake, and be prepared for remote bush travel. It is recommended to fill up on gasoline and supplies, and check weather conditions before travelling down this road, since there are no gas stations or any other services on the Northern Ontario Resource Trail north of Pickle Lake. Caution must be used while driving as well, as there are some steep grades on the route. Although the speed limit is {{convert|80|km/h}}, there are many sections where such a speed cannot be maintained.{{cite book

| title = Backroad Mapbook, Northwestern Ontario

| publisher = Mussio Ventures

| year = 2016

| page = 95

| isbn = 978-1-926806-40-2}}

A gravel road known as the Nungesser Road travels from the Red Lake northwards approximately {{convert|100|km|-1}} to Bak Creek. A road on Crown land then continues from that point to the Berens River. It begins at an intersection with Highway 125 just west of Balmertown. Approximately {{convert|83|km|0}} north of there, it intersects with Taxi Bay Road, which provides boat access to Pikangikum First Nation.{{cite report

| title = Draft Technical Backgrounder: Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy – Winter Roads

| publisher = IBI Group

| date = November 2016

| page = 1

| url = https://northernontariommts.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/ttr_winter_roads_techbackgrounder_2016-11-10.pdf

| access-date = October 20, 2022}}{{cite report

| title = Wildlife Species At Risk Assessment: Pikangikum Distribution Line Project

| author = Golder Associates

| publisher = Fortis Inc.

| date = August 2017

| pages = 4, 15

| url = https://www.fortisontario.com/sites/fortisontario.com/files/2021-11/1657738-R-Rev0-2017Aug24-PD-Pikangikum%20Distribution%20Line%20Project%20-%20Appendix%20B.pdf

| access-date = October 21, 2022}}

Several winter roads connect to Nungesser Road, and provide access and supplies from approximately January to March each year to fly-in First Nations territories in the far north of Ontario. Due to the effects of climate change, the winter roads have been open for a shorter period each year. Consequently, several First Nations are studying the feasibility of connecting to the road network with all-season roads.{{cite report

| first = Cheryl | last = Reid

| title = Weathering Winter Roads – What is the Best Route?

| publisher = Northern Policy Institute

| date = April 7, 2015

| url = https://www.northernpolicy.ca/article/weathering-winter-roads-%E2%80%93-what-is-the-best-route-1354.asp

| access-date = October 21, 2022}}

The Northern Ontario Resource Trail serves several communities via ice/winter roads that branch from it:

• Bearskin Lake First Nation
• Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (Big Trout Lake)
• Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope)
• Kasabonika Lake First Nation
• Keewaywin First Nation
• Kingfisher First Nation
• Koocheching First Nation
• Muskrat Dam Lake First Nation
• Neskantaga First Nation (Lansdowne House)
• Sachigo Lake First Nation
• Sandy Lake First Nation
• Nibinamik First Nation (Summer Beaver)
• Wapekeka First Nation
• Wawakapewin First Nation
• North Caribou Lake First Nation (Weagamow Lake)
• Webequie First Nation
• Wunnumin Lake First Nation

The Pickle Lake Northern Ontario Resource Trail was built beginning in 1962 under the Resources Roads program, which was jointly funded by the provincial and federal government to encourage mineral exploration in the far north of Ontario. Initially known as Lingman Lake Road, construction began on {{convert|39.6|km}} north from Central Patricia that year, and was completed in 1963.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Ontario Department of Highway

| date = March 31, 1964

| pages = 62–64

| section = Mining, Access, Resources and Forestry Report 1963–64}}

However, the road was not travelable until the following year, when timber crib and steel girder bridges were opened over the Crow River in Central Patricia and at July Falls.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Ontario Department of Highway

| date = March 31, 1965

| pages = 181

| section = District No. 19—Fort William}}

By early 1966, the road was passable as far as {{convert|60|km|0}} north of Central Patricia.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Ontario Department of Highway

| date = March 31, 1966

| pages = 193

| section = District No. 19—Fort William}}

On December{{nbsp}}15, 1966, the {{convert|60|km|0|adj=on}} portion of Highway{{nbsp}}599 from Central Patricia to the Otoskwin River was re-designated as Tertiary Road (commonly Highway){{nbsp}}808.{{cite report

| title = Annual Report

| publisher = Ontario Department of Highway

| date = March 31, 1965

| pages = 309

| section = Schedule of Designations and Re-Designations of Sections of the King's Highway, Secondary Highway and Tertiary Road Systems for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1967}}

This designation lasted until 1983, when it was decommissioned as an official Provincial Highway.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

The southernmost three km of the trail is paved, while the remaining length is gravel. The road is maintained year-round, due to its importance as a connection to natural resources sites and to ice/winter roads connecting remote First Nations communities in the Kenora District.

Beginning in December 2013, the North Caribou Lake First Nation undertook engineering and environmental studies on connecting to the provincial highway network by extending the Northern Ontario Resource Trail. Construction of a bridge over the Weagamow Lake Narrows as well as the new road south to Windigo Lake commenced in late 2016 or early 2017. With the completion of the Wa-Pik-Che-Wanoog bridge in mid-October 2017, all-season road access was extended by {{convert|45|km}},{{cite news

| first = Rick | last = Garrick

| title = North Caribou Lake planning all season road

| work = Wawatay News

| date = September 15, 2016

| page = 9

| url = https://www.wawataynews.ca/sites/default/files/PDFissues/smallSeptember%202016%20Wawatay.pdf

| access-date = October 20, 2022}}{{cite news

| first = Carl | last = Clutchey

| title = Bridge completes link Sub: North Caribou Lake welcomes all-season road

| work = Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

| date = October 19, 2017

| id = {{ProQuest|1953109106}}}} {{subscription required}} although the extension is not officially part of the Pickle Lake NORT Road.

The Nungesser Road gets its name from the nearby Nungesser Lake, which in turn is named after a French aviator named Charles Nungesser.{{CN|date=January 2023}}

{{ONinttop|override=The following table lists the major junctions along the Pickle Lake Northern Ontario Resource Trail. The entire route is located in Kenora District.}}

{{ONint

| location = Central Patricia

| km = 0.0

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|599|dir=south|town=Pickle Lake|town2=Ignace}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = Unorganized Kenora District

| km = 58.8

| bridge = Otoskwin River crossing; end of former Highway 808 designation

}}

{{ONint

| location = Windigo Lake

| km = 237

| bridge = Windigo Lake shoreline

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = North Caribou Lake First Nation

| km = 281

| bridge =

}}

{{jctbtm}}

{{ONinttop|override=The following table lists the major junctions along the Nungesser Road Northern Ontario Resource Trail.{{Google maps

| title = Length and Route of Nungesser Road NORT

| url = https://www.google.com/maps/dir/51.0618439,-93.7687717/51.7276047,-93.6598127/@51.3887025,-94.3378936,130640m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0

| access-date = October 21, 2022}} The entire route is located in Kenora District.}}

{{ONint

| location = Balmertown

| km = 0

| road = {{jcon|Hwy|125|town=Red Lake|town2=Cochenour}}

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| location_special = Unorganized Kenora District

| lspan = 2

| km = 83

| road = Pikangikum All Season Road

| notes =

}}

{{ONint

| km = 97

| road = Bak Creek

| notes = Bak Lake MNR Base

}}

{{jctbtm}}

{{Attached KML}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Ontario Tertiary Highways}}

Category:Roads in Kenora District