Hi all. New member, first post. Requesting feedback on a first trip (was in BW as a young scout 25 years ago) route I'm planning.
Am I on right track? Suggestions? Concerns? Alternatives? Time frame?

Background:
Group of four, 40 year-olds, decent shape, mid-July of '18.
Approx 5-6 days. Experience canoeing, backpacking, camping -travel with backpack-type light gear. Double portage likely.
Partial outfitting (canoe gear) -pick outfitters when general area/route determined.

Goals:
Enjoy mid-level paddle challenge to see small to mid-sized lakes, view and experience wildlife and nature, see cool landscapes -old trees, rapids or waterfalls, big cliffs, nice campsites -with low-mid level difficulty portages, some solitude, fish a little bit for a meal. Avoid lots of people most of time, avoid lots of burn area most of time.

Route (EP#55):
Tow Saganaga from #55 > American Point > Otterback > Ester > Hanson > South Arm Knife > Eddy (layover trip to Kekekabic) > Jenny > Annie > Ogishk > Kingfisher > Jasper > Alpine > Seagull exit.
Approx total miles: 35-40
Approx portage: 532 rods (1.7 miles) x3 (double portage)

Thanks for any and all feedback!

Welcome to the Board!!!
Some of my favorite lakes in the middle - Ester and Hanson, From Hanson head west into Cherry, Topaz and Ameober. If you add a little to the route - and swing over to Cherry, Topaz and Amoeber - then you can get over to Thunder Point on North Arm Knife before you loop back south east through Bonnie, Spoon and Pickle to Kek. On to Jenny, Ogish and on back to Seagull through Jasper and Alpine.
Fun route - Did most of that a couple of years ago with the college age grandkids.

For starters, click the little journal under my name and look for "Where the Loons Never Left Us" which is my report, more like a small boook, describing my first BWCA trip on this exact route. It's a lengthy read and you don't really get into the trip until a few "chapters" in, but you'll know exactly what you are getting into, especially since this is your first trip in a while.

Your assessment is for the most part spot on, if not a tad optimistic. Definitely take the 6 days. We did it in 5 with no layover days and would have appreciated one, probably on Ottertrack/Ester, but laying over on Eddy and day tripping to Kek would be another good option. I doubt you could fit the Kek day trip in without that sixth day especially as a newbie. Portages are not ridiculously difficult but can be steep (Ottertrack to Ester and Hanson to SAK) and will give you a good workout, especially Hanson-SAK, which will feel long. This can be a popular area but in general there's enough room for solitude since the lakes tend to be larger. "Mid-sized" lakes is a good assessment. Saganaga is huge but you're getting that out of the way with a tow. Seagull is nothing to sniff at either- I'd consider that a huge lake also - and SAK also. Make sure you get up early and paddle in the morning when wind won't be an issue. The best "woods" you'll see will be on Ottertrack, Ester, Hanson, and west end of Ogish. Nice cliffs on Ottertrack, SAK and Seagull. Don't remember seeing any old trees. Burn area starts at the middle of Ogish all the way in, but the area is regenerating quickly. I know for sure one campsite was spared on Seagull right by the Alpine portage. Gorgeous rapids and falls.

As far as an outfitter, Seagull Outfitters will take good care of you, tow boat and all. Highly recommended.

Campsites: Definitely check out the southwest shore of Ester for great campsites. First site on the left (north) shore is a nice big camp site with a great view, good for a group. I'd recommend camping on Alpine, burn area notwithstanding, so you can take advantage of the fishing. Seagull has some good sites also. The island site on Ogish is good.

Fishing: Definitely try the bottom of SAK-Eddy Falls, the bottom of Jasper-Alpine Falls and the bay beyond it, and the moving water flowing into Kingfisher Lake right near the portage. Trolling rapalas and spoons 50 feet behind the canoe works well for pike.

Definitely take the longer (110 rod) portage from Alpine to Seagull, I have heard the other shorter one is treacherous. I do know that it goes by a rapids. I can personally attest to the fact that the longer portage is flat and not difficult.

Kevlar canoes all the way for this route. Believe me. You'll appreciate it.

That's my favorite area, my suggestion would be have a plan B, C, D, etc based on wind and other conditions. The portage from Ester to Ottertrack is easy, the other way it's a lot harder, that's not something you can control. Under normal conditions you do what you went there to do. If it's rainy and slick you might want to go on down to little Knife and around Thunder Point into SAK. Once you get out of Ottertrack there's a lot of water, you can paddle for weeks. You can go to Robbins Island and see the ribbon rock that Dorothy's nephews brought. The portage from Hanson to SK is something you'll enjoy if that works out, so by all means make that effort. Anyway, make your plans but be flexible, there's a lot of stuff there.

Welcome to bwca.com!

It's a bit dated but, Here's our trip report fron when we did that loop. Beautiful area!

Did that loop 2X and it is one of my favorites. Easily done in 5 days assuming it doesn't get windy, and the key word is wind.
1st trip went up with 3 adults, 3 teenagers & 3 preteens for 5 nights and wind was never an issue. It was an easy trip.
Next trip everyone except me was in their 20s, we fought wind 5 out of six days and it was a a lot of work.

Wow! Thank you all for the helpful and insightful input. Lot's for me to follow up with.

I'll get the map back out and start looking at how to adjust the route or incorporate some of the suggested lakes and points of interest (Grandma L - Cherry, Topaz, Amoeber, Thunder Point...). Looking forward to reading some trip reports (thanks SaganagaJoe and TuscaroraBorealis). Campsite suggestions and portage details are a bonus.

I'm also hearing that I really need to plan for at least 6 days, if not just to take it in under ideal conditions, but because weather -especially wind -can be a real game changer. I appreciate the emphasis on having a plan B, C, D in place (thanks maxxbhp and Captn Tony).

I'll take these ideas and read trip reports to fine-tune the plan.

Thanks for all the thoughtful feedback, this bwca site is amazing (need to pay up$). Feeling good about first-timing it in this area.

At 65 I don't consider myself all that fast, but I didn't average 10-12 miles a day . Based on your ages and experience level, it feels like you could do a slightly longer trip, especially in the long days of July. Just saying - and that 10-12 us an average of whole trip, usually layover once a week, and counts portage mileage once, not three times for double portage. If you plan to spend long time fishing, maybe OK, as I don't fish.

Just a thought and might be worth planning an option. Since I don't plan much past entry it's a little different.

quote billconner: "At 65 I don't consider myself all that fast, but I didn't average 10-12 miles a day . Based on your ages and experience level, it feels like you could do a slightly longer trip, especially in the long days of July. Just saying - and that 10-12 us an average of whole trip, usually layover once a week, and counts portage mileage once, not three times for double portage. If you plan to spend long time fishing, maybe OK, as I don't fish.


Just a thought and might be worth planning an option. Since I don't plan much past entry it's a little different. "

Thanks, billconnor. Looking over maps and I'm already sold on adding to my original route (+Cherry, Topaz, Amoeber, Knife, Bonnie, Spoon, Pickle, and Kekekabic). Figure on making a layover day there and day trip. Still looking at 6 days... Is that close to what you mean?

Not likely to spend a lot of time fishing, and although I don't mind a long day in the saddle, I'm more likely to want to take my time and look at everything, like explore little bays and stuff, so I'm not sure about pace. I know I also have to deliver on some seriuous down/relax time for some of the crew, haha.

"
Thanks, billconnor.
"

Oops, meant, thanks billconner.

Ester is not to be missed. If you are planning on adding all that I'd take another day or two especially if people in your group need down time. Don't overbook yourself.

I simply saw 6 days and 35-40 miles and just wanted you to be able to take the maps if you wanted to go further. We usually do about 6 hours a day - try to stop by 2:00. Sometimes I think about just base camping but I find I love traveling.

Welcome aboard Scott. You picked a great route. It's been ages since I took that way, so I'll let others help you. Enjoy

Me & two buddies did this route but in reverse starting on Seagull in 2008 in a 3 man canoe. We had 7 days planned for the trip with a rest day in the middle.

You guys should be fine, sounds like you have more experience than we did at the time. Definitely a good idea to have a backup plan, and a backup for your backup. The middle to end of this route was burned in a couple forest fires 15+ years ago. I bet it looks completely different than when I was there 10 years ago.