Begin the drive
Keep passports, firearm paperwork, hotel confirmation and saved contact information accessible—not buried in the load.
Your plans are complete
START YOUR
TRAVEL.
Follow the route in order—from the first fuel stop to the Pickle Lake Airways dock.
Travel-day sequence
FOLLOW IT
IN ORDER.
The route, communication plan, border documents, packing and aircraft weight should already be complete. This page begins when the group starts travelling.
Plan to reach Pickle Lake the day before the scheduled floatplane departure so the group can sleep, organize and check in without a same-day rush.
Make the fuel stops
Fill before the long gaps. Sioux Lookout is the required final fuel stop before Pickle Lake.
Arrive in Pickle Lake
Check into the hotel, organize the group and visit Pickle Lake Airways that afternoon when possible.
Report for fly-out
Confirm the current schedule and have the entire party packed and ready by 8:00 a.m. Pickle Lake time.
Road plan
FUEL BEFORE
THE LONG GAPS.
Fuel availability is limited on the final stretches north. Do not begin those legs expecting a dependable station between the named communities.
International Falls → Fort Frances → Dryden
If using the International Falls–Fort Frances crossing, filling up in International Falls can save money compared with Canadian fuel. Highway 502 has no fuel between Fort Frances and Dryden, so start that stretch with enough range.
Sioux Lookout → Pickle Lake
Fill the vehicle completely in Sioux Lookout. There are no gas stations between Sioux Lookout and Pickle Lake. Carry an appropriate reserve only if your vehicle and border route allow it safely and legally.
Pickle Lake Airways
Set navigation for Beach Road, Pickle Lake, ON P0V 3A0. Look for the blue Pickle Lake Airways sign, report to the office and ask for the current flight status before staging gear.
Open map in a new tabAfter arriving in Pickle Lake
CHECK IN WITH
PICKLE LAKE AIRWAYS.
Go to the Airways office on Beach Road when you arrive in Pickle Lake if you have time. Introduce your group, confirm the flight plan and exchange cell numbers or another direct contact method with the person coordinating flights. Wesley's Outposts will provide the current contact information before your trip.
Set your navigation
PICKLE LAKE AIRWAYS
Beach RoadPickle Lake, Ontario
P0V 3A0
The floatplane base is on the lake—not at Pickle Lake Airport. Follow Beach Road to the blue Pickle Lake Airways sign and report to the office.
Open directions in a new tabArriving the afternoon before
Go to the office, identify your party as a Wesley's Outposts group and give your group name. Exchange calling and texting information with the person coordinating flights and ask when to report in the morning. Christine is often the coordinator, but assignments can change.
Arriving late
If you arrive too late to visit the office, check in first thing the next morning. Unless Pickle Lake Airways tells you otherwise, have the entire group at the office with gear packed and ready at 8:00 a.m. Pickle Lake time.
If you cannot reach them
Use the direct number you exchanged to ask about fog, weather delays or changes to your flight. If you cannot reach Pickle Lake Airways, message Wesley's Outposts and we will help make contact.
Fly-out morning
BE READY AT 8:00 A.M.—THEN EXPECT THE SCHEDULE TO MOVE.
Fog, high winds, mechanical issues, emergency pickups or flights carried over from the previous day can change the order and timing. Delayed flights generally need to be completed first.
Keep the party together, reachable and ready to weigh and load gear. This can be a “hurry up and wait” morning: an exact departure time cannot be guaranteed.
Recommended overnight
PICKLE LAKE
HOTEL.
The hotel is within walking distance of Pickle Lake Airways and offers rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi and on-site dining. Check in, organize the group for morning and keep the Airways coordinator's contact information handy.
- Address
- 1 Koval St, Pickle Lake, ON P0V 3A0
- Reservations
- 807-323-1165
- Hotel & restaurant
- 807-928-2882
Decide before the hunt
PLAN A.
PLAN B.
These times refer to when your return flight lands back in Pickle Lake. Floatplane timing depends on weather and the day's aircraft schedule, so plan for a morning or afternoon arrival as well as an early evening arrival if your pickup is delayed.
Morning or afternoon return flight
Most groups want to load the vehicle and begin driving home. Know who drives first, where the first fuel and meal stop will be, and how the group will monitor and cool the meat throughout the drive.
Early evening return flight
Weather, flights ahead of your group or mechanical issues can push your pickup toward the end of the day. Decide in advance whether to begin driving or stay overnight in Pickle Lake. If you want the hotel as a backup, reserve early and confirm the cancellation deadline and fee.
Documents and meat
Have all licences, tags and transport documents organized. Non-residents taking moose out of Ontario must plan where and when they will obtain the required export permit—do not leave that question until a delayed pickup day.
Open Ontario's licensing serviceSettle these five questions as a group
- At what pickup time will we drive immediately?
- At what pickup time will we stay overnight?
- Is the backup hotel room cancellable, and by what deadline?
- Where will the export permit be obtained?
- How will the meat stay cold in either scenario?
Phones and offline stretches
DO NOT COUNT
ON A SIGNAL.
Pickle Lake and the larger communities may have service on a compatible network, but the highways between Pickle Lake, Sioux Lookout, Dryden and Fort Frances include long gaps. Prepare the phone before crossing the border.
Check the actual network
Tbaytel operates the regional Northwestern Ontario network and has a strategic partnership with Rogers. Ask your carrier whether your exact plan and phone can roam on the Tbaytel/Rogers network around Pickle Lake, ON P0V 3A0. Coverage and roaming access are not guaranteed.
Check Tbaytel's coverage mapU.S. plan or travel eSIM
Some T-Mobile plans include Canadian roaming, but eligibility, data limits and the available Canadian partner depend on the plan. An Airalo or other travel eSIM can also work only if its current Canada package includes a compatible local network. Confirm the network before buying; “Canada coverage” alone is not enough for this route.
Prepare for no service
Download offline maps, hotel and flight confirmations, border information and contact numbers. Pickle Lake Hotel Wi-Fi is a useful fallback in town. Do not expect continuous service on the remote highway or at camp.
Useful iPhone backup
SET UP SATELLITE FEATURES BEFORE THE DRIVE.
An iPhone 14 or later with iOS 18 or later and an active SIM can use Apple's Messages via satellite in Canada when cellular and Wi-Fi are unavailable. Update iOS, complete the Satellite Connection Demo, set up emergency contacts and Medical ID, and learn the feature before leaving home.
Satellite service needs a clear view of the sky and may be slow or unavailable under heavy tree cover or terrain. It is a backup—not a promise of continuous contact and not a replacement for the Garmin inReach supplied at camp.
Apple's Messages via satellite guideFor U.S. groups
PREPARE FOR
THE BORDER.
Every traveller is responsible for current entry, firearm, food, alcohol and game-export rules. Check official information shortly before departure rather than relying on an old saved list.
Travel documents
U.S. citizens driving across the border: bring a valid U.S. passport book or passport card if possible. A NEXUS card or U.S. enhanced driver’s licence is another land-border option. A regular driver’s licence or REAL ID alone is not enough. If using a different combination of documents, confirm it with both CBSA for entry into Canada and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for your return before leaving home. Drivers also need a valid licence, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. When a minor travels without both parents, carry the appropriate consent documentation.
Check CBSA traveller requirementsFirearms
Non-residents bringing firearms generally complete the RCMP Non-Resident Firearm Declaration before arrival but sign it only in front of the border officer. Every firearm owner needs the applicable paperwork.
Open current RCMP firearm formsAsk before the trip
For route-specific questions, contact the border offices before leaving home.
Fort Frances, Canada: 807-274-3655
International Falls, U.S.: 218-283-2541
Arriving in your own aircraft
FLY TO
YPL / CYPL.
Groups may be able to fly a private aircraft into Pickle Lake Airport. Coordinate the plan with Wesley's before finalizing it so we can work with Pickle Lake Airways on pickup from the airport and transfer to the floatplane base.
- Use current aviation publications, weather and NOTAMs for flight planning.
- Confirm arrival time, passenger count, baggage and firearm handling in advance.
- Do not assume an airport pickup without written coordination.
Plan before leaving home
BRING THE
MOOSE HOME.
There is no commercial moose-processing service in Pickle Lake. Your party needs a complete plan for cooling, loading and transporting meat after the hunt.
If temperatures turn warm
AN EARLY FLY-OUT MAY BE POSSIBLE.
Contact Wesley's through the camp's Garmin inReach as soon as an early meat flight may be needed. We will coordinate with Pickle Lake Airways. The moose may be able to travel on the return leg of another flight, or a planned Otter pickup may sometimes be reworked as Beaver flights.
Refrigerated overnight storage at Pickle Lake Airways is available for a fee. Your group pays that storage charge and any additional aircraft cost created by the early pickup. If the flight fits into aircraft already scheduled, the added flight cost may be reduced or avoided—but this cannot be promised in advance.
In most hunts, an early flight is not necessary. The goal is to have the option understood before warm weather makes the decision urgent.
NEXT STOP:
THE FLOATPLANE.
Once the group has checked in, stay reachable and be ready for the flight schedule to move with conditions.
What to expect when flyingPICKLE LAKE
CONTACTS.
Pickle Lake Hotel
807-323-1165 · 204-802-8111
thepicklelakehotel@gmail.com
Pickle Lake Airways
807-928-2547
Confirm current details directly when making travel plans.