Topper retreat / Scott sorensen property for sale!

[knuckles]

Happy New Year to everyone on the board and their families.
I hope we all are spending time with families thinking ahead to your next trip to the Kipawa area.

I noticed while digging online for Kipawa info, posts etc, that the awesome topper retreat that scott sorensen maintains is now up for sale.
For the cool asking price of 1.9 million.
The property has some really cool history lots of movies filmed there and lots of famous folks have visited there.
The listings have around a hundred pictures and if you are looking to pass some time its a nice read for sure.

Their are 4 cabins on the property with  one overlooking the rapids, it has some awesome views.

https://mrealestate.com/properties/999-Ch.-des-Grandes-Chutes/14751632

The property address is 999 Chemin des Grandes Chutes
I also searched online under "Topper Retreat" to find info etc.

Hope this helps pass some time as we continue to get excited for another great year.

Cheers everyone

Stu

[Fort Wisers]

Wow, wow, wow, read his book several times and visited his place once years ago with my grandfather.
What an amazing place for the right buyer.

[knuckles]

That would have been a special trip for sure.
We have been talking about going to visit the falls for quite some time.
Perhaps this is the year we make it there...so far we are always busy trying to get the Sunnyside camp outfitted.

Asked Santa for almost 9 million this year but somehow i think i forgot his cookies so he didnt quite get me there.

Cheers

Stu

[smitty55]

That's incredible, what a place that would be to own. Actually it's the Topping Retreat and the sale price is $8.9M. Time to win the lottery.

[T-Bone]

Drove into there in September 2005 by myself when we were staying at TBL. What a place! Met Scott and he told me to make myself at home and explore the property at my leisure as he was just finishing packing-up to leave for the winter. I took a look at the original Topping Cabin...very cool...but also gave me the 'willies' for some reason. I walked up the river as far as I could past Hollywood Rapids....outstanding location and so picturesque. Scott showed me the large cabin he built in the 80s (from the book), and then gave me a tour of the new "mansion" cabin right at the mouth where the Hollywood Rapids meets Lac Temiscamigue. The log diameters had to be at least 3-foot wide for that cabin....super impressive in scale and detail.

Scott was very gracious and welcomed me there like I was an old friend, though we'd never met or even communicated prior.

I'll never forget that little personal adventure and am so glad I took the time to do it.

Wish I had $9M...

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the start to the new year! 

[knuckles]

Haha...guess i should be checking my spelling more often before i post...
Thanks for correcting me on that...it is Topping not Topper..

Also thanks T-bone for sharing that tale about the place. I thought the logs on the new building looked big.
Since i cannot imagine $9 million any time soon i guess i will have to be satisfied with Sunnyside for now..lol.

Still the Sunnyside camp is very peaceful and is our happy place, just not as photo friendly.
Today our trail cam by the dock sent us a picture that had ice around the dock and looked like surface ice infront as well looking towards Alwaki. The day prior was open water.

Cheers to everyone and can't wait to get out on the water.

[Schneve]

I've had the book for a few years and dug it out today after seeing this post.  It's a great book so far.  Where on the lake is this place?  Thanks

Update - found it on Google Earth.

[T-Bone]

It's not "on" Lac Kipawa, but rather where the Kipawa River meets the Ottawa River. From the dam in Laniel, the Kipawa River flows OUT and down for about 10 miles to the Ottawa River (Lac Temiscamingue). The rapids directly adjacent to the property is that intersection. The view out across the water from the property is looking west and the "other side" is Ontario.

[limacharley]

I took a look at the original Topping Cabin...very cool...but also gave me the 'willies' for some reason.

That's because on June 13, 1978 the bodies of 12 young boys and one adult teacher lay on the dock of that property after being recovered from Lake Temiscamingue.

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/history-through-our-eyes/history-through-our-eyes-june-13-1978-canoe-trip-tragedy

https://www.ruralontario.org/individual-stories/ice-water-perils

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2029491/camp-topping-temiscamingue-kipawa-hollywood

[T-Bone]

Yeah...I had read the book Deep Waters (The Lake Timiskaming Canoe Tragedy) by James Raffan before my trip into there. Chilling for sure...

Great read, but also a disturbing look into the underbelly of Boys' Schools in Ontario in the 60s and 70s.

https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Waters-Character-Timiskaming-Canoeing/dp/0002000377/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZJGIZEZP9GV5&keywords=deep+waters+james+raffan&qid=1707485038&sprefix=deep+waters+james+raffan%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1