Taking a crew into Knife Lake this year. 3 adults, 1 teenage boy and 2 preteen boys.
1 Adult and 1 preteen it is their first Bwca trip. The rest of us it is our 5th trip.
This is a new route for us...
We are getting a town from Moose to Birch...
Wanting some advice and tips...
Also how many portages will we have I have read 6 and I have read 5...the maps on here look like 5 (including the small portage from drop off to Birch.)

Also just read Piragis Problem Bear Report... not sure how I feel about that.

For a change of pace there is at least one of those portages that you can walk the canoe up the rapids. Not sure it's any faster just something different than loading and unloading. First time I did it was at the recommendation of Dorothy Moulter in 1979. Obviously an activity for a warm sunny day not a cold rainy windy day. Also if your canoes are Kevlar extra care is required.

Be careful walking up the rapids - lots of submerged rocks to get a foot caught on and last I heard the water levels are fairly high.
Tha is a very busy area. Good campsites are of a premium. Get going early and stop early.

Knife is my favorite lake in the BW. Those portage are short and pretty flat, you guys will do fine. I agree that the tow is a great idea. Don't mess with the rapids, what's another portage?

I just did this route about a month ago. I think it was 6 portages. I watched a guy attempt to line his canoe up the aforementioned rapids to avoid the portage, but he only got about half way and had to portage the rest of the way anyway. Seemed like more work than the portage itself. very nice area, but busy. Didn't see any bears, but stopped on an empty campsite to get out of a storm and there was a big bear coil near a tent pad.

I have done multiple trips to the Knife area. I would like to put out a friendly reminder, this is big water please put on your PFDs. I was up there the second week of June this year and my group had 3' waves up by Thunderhead Point. We took cover and found shelter. Also, I have heard that the South Arm of Knife has been having some bear activity this summer.