Hey everyone, my group and i are entering #64 on East Bearskin. We are trying to plan a route. We will have 4 days. Im wondering if anyone knows how long it take to do the whole loop (east bearskin to alder, canoe, pine, mcfarland, and the rest of the lakes back to east bearskin). Can you get to Caribou from Pine? I appreciate all feedback. Thanks.

The Canoe to Pine portage is one of the toughest in the Bdub. I prefer to base camp in that area. Others will have to tell you if your plan is doable. I suspect it is but you will be working hard your entire 4 day vacation. Maybe that is what you are looking for?

Provided the weather cooperates even a little and you can travel everyday, you should be able to do the whole loop in 4 days.

Night 1 camp: Alder/Canoe
Night 2 camp: All the way through Pine, around to John or East Pike
Night 3 camp: West Pike, Clearwater or Caribou
Night 4: Caribou/Moon/Bearskin

I don't think any of those days are even particularly long, even if double portaging. The portages may be on the strenuous side and some big lakes may make for tough paddling if the wind is up, but there's no reason to not plan to try that route.

quote treehorn: "Provided the weather cooperates even a little and you can travel everyday, you should be able to do the whole loop in 4 days.


Night 1 camp: Alder/Canoe
Night 2 camp: All the way through Pine, around to John or East Pike
Night 3 camp: West Pike, Clearwater or Caribou
Night 4: Caribou/Moon/Bearskin


I don't think any of those days are even particularly long, even if double portaging. The portages may be on the strenuous side and some big lakes may make for tough paddling if the wind is up, but there's no reason to not plan to try that route."

Above is a pretty solid itinerary, but to me that second day looks pretty long-especially if you continue on to East Pike. Pine can be a long paddle if you're heading into wind. If the weather is looking tough and you really like to carry stuff in the woods you can also portage direct from Pine to West Pike. You miss a lot of pretty paddling if you do it that way but if the wind is up it's good to have options since you don't have a layover day.

the canoe - pine portage is a tough one. i've done it several times and can say i plan trips to avoid it. the loop is doable in your time frame. myself, if was stuck with an east bearskin entry i would paddle up to moon lake and make a loop from there.

Canoe to Pine has good hill climbs on both ends plus some humps in the middle, but it is an excellent trail surface. It's mostly just long. I wouldn't let it change my plans.

Way back one book I had considered it the toughest portage in the bw. I avoided it because of that. But when I did take it I didn't think it was any worse than several others I know of. When you take things in stride you sort of learn to deal with whatever. Some of the toughest portages have great rewards waiting on the other side.