Well my outfitter pulled my Pickerel permit for me today for July 3rd. I’m pretty excited even though it’s still 5 months out. I called him this morning because I got the sense they weren’t as worried about immediately getting it pulled as I was. I explained how some of the BWCA entry points were booked out for the whole summer in an hour and it’s hard to not worry about it even though I can see permits available for weeks prior for the Quetico entry points.

Really looking forward to a less busy environment and not having to worry so much about campsites being open! It will really change the experience being able to pick a goal for the day paddling a bit longer and not having to worry.

Ryan

Good for you, Gaiden. What's the plan for your trip? Basecamp? Circle route? Where are you headed?

139 miles or so in 14 days. Pickerel to Dore, to Russell, Chatterton, Keats, Shelley, Montgomery, Kawnipi, Keewaydin, Agnes, Sunday, Burke, Basswood, Prairie Portage, Birch, Carp, Sheridan, Man Chain, Falls Chain, Kawnipi and then back up and out Pickerel. Maybe paddle up into MxKenzie if we have time.

Hopefully weather cooperates but I’m figuring on 3 wind bound days with shorter distances. Figuring on 3 short or zero days we only need to average around 13 miles a travel day. I’ve got things mapped out pretty well and want to camp at different points where the route joins. Maybe do Bisk, Beg, Bud, Fern on way South, then Dore Lake on the way north. I’ve mapped everything on gps and paper so depending on all the variables I’ll have plenty of options with knowledge of where clusters of decent campsites are.

My only debate is doing a food drop at Prairie Portage mid trip. I feel like we can easily hit Prairie Portage in 6 days. Could do a food pack exchange which would help us to stay lighter and more easily single portage which is the plan. Initial pack I’d probably bring 7 or 8 days of food and consumables stove fuel. That Idea also makes me nervous though if we needed to make a change in the route that we’d be short food. Probably only trip I’ll ever even have a food drop/exchange option. If weather forecast didn’t look good at the beginning of the trip I’d most likely choose not to do it.

Northwind 20 with 3 seats. Me and two 17 year olds who have done high adventure BSA trips with me. My son has done several other trips with me as well in the past two years. The other boy did a two week hiking trip last year so they are both pretty motivated and I know can handle the challenge. We did 75 miles in 6 days at Northern Tier BWCA when they were 14. They have grown a ton since then and gotten stronger.

Ryan

Congrats! Excited for ya!

T

Awesome trip!

I would highly recommend the B-chain going in as you will be running with the current. If there's a strong westerly on Pickerel, you can avoid paddling into a good part of it by heading mostly south. Plus, it is a beautiful route.

There's a couple of nice island sites on Fern.

Congrats on your graduation. Have a great trip!

Island site on Fern are right at a 10 mile day. If weather not great then that would be a good day still. If we push through farther though then it’s a long ways to the next decent campsites with some more challenging portages Sauvage and Bonhomme. Best campsite on Alice is a 3* on the Island. That is a 14 mile day with 2.3 miles of portaging.

That being said I’d like to camp in the island site by the Pictographs on Montgomery and we’ll only go through that lake when heading south at the beginning of the trip. Challenge is staggering the campsites to camp in different areas. With all that thought process subject to changes due to weather and other factors on the trip. Fun to plan though and have a general idea.

I could see camping 2 night on Agnes. One in the North and one in the South down near Louisa falls. Lots of Pictographs and the Petroglyphs to see on Agnes. Then a night near Prairie Portage but that would only be if we do a food pack transfer pick up.

In the Man chain I’d like to camp on Other Man Lake Island campsite 1UC with the jump spot in the camp. This Man Lake 1S2 is supposed to be an awesome site as well.

I definitely also want to camp somewhere in The Falls chain. 1XD right next to Bald Rock Falls is kind of where I’m thinking. After that it’s north into Kawnipi. Definitely want to camp on Shelley or Keats at some point as well.

So many great options and luckily so many days and nights to make it happen. With some options to add a little more if we have time, weather allows and we feel like it and up to it.

Ryan

Or you could head south via Olifaunt/Sturgeon/Russell. I'd personally avoid the route to Alice as I prefer paddling to portaging.

I was there with my 14-year-old in 2020. He didn't have his "man-muscles" yet so we were double-portaging and it was a long day just to get to Fern - especially paddling into a heavy chop on Pickerel with the wind in our faces.

Yeah you’ve got 3 options to get through into Chatterton Lake. Pine portage Bay into Dore. Then Bisk, Beg, Bud with 2 options for working to Russell Chatterton. One of the options is a bit of a bear though Sauvage, Bonhomme. I’ve watched video of people doing those portages so I have a good idea of the challenge and also that the one portage starting to the north is further east than shown on the maps or my Garmin mapping. I’ve seen some groups struggle to find the start of that portage.

Ryan

I meant to ask does The Quetico permit require the color of your canoe and color of your tent? My outfitter said he’d need to know that about a week prior. He also wanted to know our planned route but I assumed that is for safety and him helping us plan when we arrive.

Ryan

Gaidin53: "I meant to ask does The Quetico permit require the color of your canoe and color of your tent? My outfitter said he’d need to know that about a week prior. He also wanted to know our planned route but I assumed that is for safety and him helping us plan when we arrive.


Ryan"

I usually provide that info when I pick up the permit at the ranger station. Its put on the permit, including the lakes you intend to visit/camp, if I recall correctly. It's be a couple years (due to covid).

Gaidin53: "I meant to ask does The Quetico permit require the color of your canoe and color of your tent? My outfitter said he’d need to know that about a week prior. He also wanted to know our planned route but I assumed that is for safety and him helping us plan when we arrive."

They ask these questions at the ranger station every time. I believe the questions may get asked during the reservation process, too.

And yes, it's for safety reasons and to help them locate you if needed.

I also very much appreciate this discussion! After 47 trips to the Boundary Waters, I keep telling myself I need to go to the Quetico some day.
Pete - Hopefully I can catch your presentation at Canoecopia :-)

I see Pete’s presentation is available live and also virtually. Doesn’t look like the schedule is out yet for the weekend. I noticed some other talks that looked interesting as well with just a few minutes of surfing around.

Ryan

The Bonhomme portage sort of burned up in late 2018 and was closed early on in 2019 for some time as the forest crews cleared the trees and snags. They were occupying the island campsite on Ferm when I paddled through.

They do like to put your canoe and tent color on the permit to help find the bodies if you go missing.

Tom

So I’ve never gone to Canoecopia or the Midwest expo. I’m sure they are both good. Looking at the presentations though for Canoecopia I’m thinking it looks really good! Does anyone have an opinion from a canoeing and canoe tripping standpoint since that is mainly what interests me Which is better? Or is it similar things just in different states several weeks apart. Some of the more well known speakers who I’d love to see are pretty much just doing repeat presentations they have already done. I live. Right next to Minneapolis so obviously the Midwest expo is closer and easier to get to.

Not that I don’t snowmobile, hunt, and fish from a boat and do other things as well.

Ryan

ghamer: "I also very much appreciate this discussion! After 47 trips to the Boundary Waters, I keep telling myself I need to go to the Quetico some day.
Pete - Hopefully I can catch your presentation at Canoecopia :-)"

That would be great, Gary. Would be fun to meet up and say hello!