My son and I are doing the lady chain/louse river loop in late May. Due to his work schedule, we are starting on Thursday May 25th and finishing on Memorial Day, May 29. We are starting and ending at Sawbill. I've never done this loop, but have read about it and figured that we would go "clockwise" starting with the lady chain. Any suggestions? Comments? The one concern I have is that this will put is on the Louse River on Saturday night where there are few compsite to choose from. Does anyone here think that we should go "counter-clockwise" and head northwest out of Sawbill, then down to the lady chain? That way we will be in an area of more campsites to choose from on Saturday night when it is busiest.
If anyone has any information about this route they would like to share, I would welcome any and all advice.

we are doing it on June 4th and will be doing it counter clockwise. I'm not worrying about crowds on the Louse.

It might depend on how close you want to be to your exit point on Sunday night. Sawbill and Kelso could very well be busy, but beyond the long Lujenida-Zenith portage, the crowd should be very sparse. Also since it's only the two of you, just about any site is useable for a night. By the last day, you'll have eaten your food and lightened the load some for that portage if you go clockwise. I don't know if there's a preferred direction on the Louse River otherwise due to beaver dams, etc.

The Lady Chain will be far busier on Memorial Day weekend (or any day) than the Louse.

Going counter-clockwise will put you coming in to Grace/Beth/Alton the evening before Memorial Day. I would stay on Grace (or even Phoebe) rather than trust to finding a site on Beth/Alton that Sunday.

Going clock-wise - I would pick up the sites on either Wine, Frederich, or Zenith on the evening before Memorial Day. Again the chances of finding an open site on Kelso/Sawbill/Alton are slim that Sunday night.

Both these options will make for a longer day paddling/portaging out, but if you cross those longer portages (280 Grace to Beth or 460 Zenith to Lujenida) on Sunday, you should be prepared to end your trip early.

I'm leaning more towards counter clockwise. Getting a site on Wine Thursday night. Trail Lake for Friday night. Maybe Polly Saturday night then Phoebe or Grace on Sunday night.

I will be doing the same loop at the same time and am going clockwise due to some fast water on the river near Knight Lake(?). I understand it is only a problem if the water is high and have also been told, though I don't believe it, that a tandem can huff it up it even then. I've only done it solo. I will be entering on May 12th and exiting a couple weeks later-old and slow. Maybe see you out there.

quote bennojr: "I will be doing the same loop at the same time and am going clockwise due to some fast water on the river near Knight Lake(?). I understand it is only a problem if the water is high and have also been told, though I don't believe it, that a tandem can huff it up it even then. I've only done it solo. I will be entering on May 12th and exiting a couple weeks later-old and slow. Maybe see you out there."

We just might run into each other. Hope you have a good couple of weeks out there. Thanks for the info.