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Fall Route reality check for NW Quetico

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Date/Time: 05/22/2024 09:04PM

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Fall Route reality check for NW Quetico

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
arctic	07/25/2014 12:16PM quote Finnlander: "Arctic. How many hours were you traveling per day? " We probably average about 8 hours of traveling per day, single-portaging. Steady travel, but not pushing it. Summer days are long, so there is still plenty of time for fishing, swimming, etc. at the end of the day.
OldGreyGoose	07/24/2014 05:18PM quote gannettpk97: "I have done this route several times. It is fun and the fishing is good but do yourself a favor and add a couple days if you can." +1
gannettpk97	07/23/2014 03:09PM I have done this route several times. It is fun and the fishing is good but do yourself a favor and add a couple days if you can.
Finnlander	07/23/2014 09:10AM "I was through there last week. You should have no problem doing that route in 5 days (It can be done in three, barring a lot of wind). My son and I thought the Badwater Portage was a breeze compared to the Memory Lane Portages. Plenty of corduroy." Arctic. How many hours were you traveling per day?
OldGreyGoose	07/23/2014 08:33AM quote Old Hoosier: "Goose, You must have been dreaming of somewhere else! Is a picnic, dude. :) Old Hoosier" Yeah, I think we need to "picnic" together sometime! =) --Goose
arctic	07/22/2014 11:23PM quote Finnlander: "Trying to plan a late September trip with some fishing involved, but I don't know if this is too aggressive. Can anyone give me some insight on this route? 5 day trip (Wed-Sun) Day 1: Cross the border at 6:00am Wed. Beaverhouse landing 7:30-8:00am Camp on East End Quetico Lake Day 2: Camp on Jean lake around the big point that splits the northern and southern halves Day 3: Jean to Bentpine via Ceph, Burntside, Clair Day 4: Bentpine to Badwater (I know this would be a long day) Day 5: Badwater and OUT The reality is we don't want to travel more than 4-5 hours per day. We want to see some country, but be in camp at a decent time to fish and enjoy the remainder of the day. One of my big concerns is, is it a smart idea to come out of Badwater on a Sunday morning, or should we already be on the Quetico side? Would like to be back to the vehicles by noon Sunday. " I was through there last week. You should have no problem doing that route in 5 days (It can be done in three, barring a lot of wind). My son and I thought the Badwater Portage was a breeze compared to the Memory Lane Portages. Plenty of corduroy.
Old Hoosier	07/21/2014 08:21PM Goose, You must have been dreaming of somewhere else! Is a picnic, dude. :) Old Hoosier
Jackfish	07/20/2014 08:15PM LMAO Goose... Been there, done that.
marsonite	07/20/2014 04:50PM quote OldGreyGoose: "Marsonite: There may have been one short section of cross-ways corduroy. We were there in 2010. --Goose " Like I suspected, you haven't been thru in the last few years. It's been improved since you've been there. It's just long now, with some wet sections but nothing deep. The bog is actually pleasant with the corduroy. Hopefully the high water this spring didn't float it away!
OldGreyGoose	07/20/2014 03:18PM Marsonite: There may have been one short section of cross-ways corduroy. We were there in 2010. --Goose
Old Hoosier	07/19/2014 06:58PM The site crashed my first entry. Goose is right. A few long logs are parallel to the trail. Very dangerous if wet. Be cautious but no need to worry. Don't overload Don't carry front packs. Don't try to stay dry. You are safer in the mud than on a slick log or rock. Old Hoosier
marsonite	07/19/2014 02:57PM quote OldGreyGoose: "Marsonite asked, "is the corderoy in the boggy parts holding up?" When we were there -- in very dry, low water conditions -- the corduroy looked useless and in fact dangerous. It was laid lengthwise to the trail, not perpendicular to it. We avoided using it. --Goose" When was that? I was through there August 2013 and it was in short pieces placed crosswise and in good shape.
OldGreyGoose	07/19/2014 10:30AM Marsonite asked, "is the corderoy in the boggy parts holding up?" When we were there -- in very dry, low water conditions -- the corduroy looked useless and in fact dangerous. It was laid lengthwise to the trail, not perpendicular to it. We avoided using it. --Goose
walllee	07/19/2014 09:29AM That #@%*&%# Portage will kick some ASS!!!! The last time I did it the first 200 yards up the mountain looked like a river and the rest of the mile long hike was a muddy, wet, mosquito infested son -of -a-Bitch!!!!!
Finnlander	07/16/2014 09:49AM Good to hear the report about the Badwater portage. The real plan is: Day 1: Beaverhouse to Badwater Day 2: Badwater to Your Day 3: Your to Jean Day 4: Jean to Quetico Day 5: Quetico to Beaverhouse and OUT Nonetheless, we're doing the Badwater Portage. I'm up for the challenge. Have already been telling the other guys in our group to get their butts in shape............"Don't want to be the weakest link on the Badwater Portage!"............anyways, I'm sure they'll all be cursing me after we get to the other side, especially if it's wet.
kanoes	07/15/2014 10:27PM quote Eyedocron: "1-2 rain days and you are stuck." why would rain delay anything? moving on a rainy day is great.
Eyedocron	07/15/2014 10:14PM You can do this trip, IF you want full canoeing days without much fishing time and IF the weather does not provide delays. 1-2 rain days and you are stuck. You do know that the days are shorter then. All said, this is a great area - you just need a couple more days to do what you plan.
carmike	07/15/2014 10:07PM That's a lot of miles for only 4-5 hours per day. I do think you could get to Jean pretty easily on the second day (that is assuming--big assumption--that the wind is favorable). You could just head down to Badwater and then day-trip to the many lakes surrounding it? You'd be a bit protected from potential wind on the day trips, though Badwater got pretty nasty on us last year with a moderate west wind. I suppose, conditions being favorable, that your route is possible. But you might get a bit less than "some" fishing in if you stick to it. Just my .02.
marsonite	07/15/2014 06:50PM quote Jackfish: "quote marsonite: "I think you would be fine camping on Badwater. The badwater portage is no big deal in my opinion." You apparently haven't been through there this year. That is one wet, muddy, sum-beech. I've been through there a few times since the mid-80s and can think of only one year that compares to how wet that portage was this year. It's a big reason why I laugh about folks who think they can "dry foot" a portage. " I imagine it is wet this year; is the corderoy in the boggy parts holding up? I went through last August after an inch plus of rain the day before. There was water running down the trail so there was no hope of dry footing it. But the footing was sound. It's one of those portages that I dreaded from it's reputation but it wasn't so bad.
Jackfish	07/15/2014 05:24PM quote marsonite: "I think you would be fine camping on Badwater. The badwater portage is no big deal in my opinion." You apparently haven't been through there this year. That is one wet, muddy, sum-beech. I've been through there a few times since the mid-80s and can think of only one year that compares to how wet that portage was this year. It's a big reason why I laugh about folks who think they can "dry foot" a portage.
Finnlander	07/15/2014 01:55PM Thanks, Marsonite. This was more of a plan B route. Got some new maps in the mail yesterday and got excited trying to figure out how I can see it all. Just not enough time!
marsonite	07/15/2014 12:17PM Sounds like too many miles for 4 or 5 hours of traveling. Last year I did a similar route and our campsites were 1. West end of Quetico. 2. Eastern Quetico. 3. Burnt side. 4. Sturgeon. 5. Your. 6. Beach site on the west end of Quetico. That was traveling 6 to 8 hours a day and single portaging. Fished a few times but by no means the focus of the trip. We had lunch in I falls on our way home. I think you would be fine camping on Badwater. The badwater portage is no big deal in my opinion. If you are into Google Earth I would plot the miles with the "path" function and figure on covering about 2 miles an hour.
Finnlander	07/15/2014 08:20AM Trying to plan a late September trip with some fishing involved, but I don't know if this is too aggressive. Can anyone give me some insight on this route? 5 day trip (Wed-Sun) Day 1: Cross the border at 6:00am Wed. Beaverhouse landing 7:30-8:00am Camp on East End Quetico Lake Day 2: Camp on Jean lake around the big point that splits the northern and southern halves Day 3: Jean to Bentpine via Ceph, Burntside, Clair Day 4: Bentpine to Badwater (I know this would be a long day) Day 5: Badwater and OUT The reality is we don't want to travel more than 4-5 hours per day. We want to see some country, but be in camp at a decent time to fish and enjoy the remainder of the day. One of my big concerns is, is it a smart idea to come out of Badwater on a Sunday morning, or should we already be on the Quetico side? Would like to be back to the vehicles by noon Sunday.