Question for people in Northern Ontario

[TheSasks]

We are heading out next friday 13 th of Aug to Barrie On. and are planning on taking highway 11 through Hearst as I don't want to pull our trailer around the lake head on 17. I haven't been through Ontario since 2003 and was wondering what highway 11's condition is up though Hearst and Kapuskasing and so on.

Any info would be appreciated.

[Ali88]

Can't really say about construction this year as we don't go up that way until October but last October the roads were good right from Barrie to Geraldton......Hope this helps

[revrnd]

We haven't driven past Cochrane since the winter of '09. There is a stretch between North Bay & Temagami that isn't great. Once you get past Latchford, the highway is good to Cochrane. We were towing aloaded 4 place snowmobile trailer w/ a K2500HD Duramax & we didn't have any problems.

Not that this will help your trip, but the other week on our trip, Hwy 17 is better shape between Sudbury & Hagar than it is between Hagar east to North Bay.

[revrnd]

BTW, there is construction between Huntsville & North Bay on 11, but it doesn't really affect traffic.

[TheSasks]

Thanks for the input, sounds like highway 11 it will be.

[revrnd]

A few years ago a friend who's a trucker out of North Bay & I figured out the distance difference in taking 11 from Nipigon to North Bay rather than 17. It's 40 klicks longer, probably less nerve wracking as well if you don't like the shoreline hugging route of 17.

[TheSasks]

I love driving around the shoreline as it is a beautiful drive and if I wasn't pulling a 34' trailer or if I had one of the new 2011 Superduty Fords with the diesel and engine brake instead of the POS we have I would do it in a heartbeat. The last time we drove around the lakehead we followed a semi and were rolling at abt 125 the whole way around. There was a few times I chickened out and slowed down but that semi just kept haulin and I would have to really get on the gas to catch him again.