Greetings. Reaching out to see if anyone has insight on the northernmost portage from Kahshahpiwi Creek to Heronshaw (portage 5264 on pp). Wasn't able to find this one in 2018. Found one posting here that said the portage can be difficult to find, which I can agree with. Searched all around the shallow cove to no avail.

Is the location shown on pp roughly accurate; to the south of the creek to Heronshaw? My McKenzie map shows it (as a 24 rod) exiting the Kahshahpiwi cove and entering Heronshaw north of and not adjacent to the creek.

Also, any recommendations on using the other portages into Heronshaw instead? Considering a potential route from Montgomery to Baird.

I have used both portages into Heronshaw. Check the location on the Chrismar Map- it is much more accurate than either the McKenzie or Fisher. I don't remember having any trouble locating it.

If you want a real adventure in portaging consider taking the more direct route and portage from Keats to Baird. Very difficult to find (the beginning is a swampy flat that is occasionally underwater and doesn't really show a trail)- the portage itself has one of the longest ascents I can remember just keeps climbing and climbing, followed by a rapid descent into a fairly long muddy swamp.

If you are doing this from the north you may have a carry over depending on water levels at the first narrow channel. After that narrow channel you make a sharp right hand turn and keep to the north side. When you look south you will see rock piles where the creek comes down the hill. That is the start of the portage. It is an easy walk albeit uphill.

If you are going from Montgomery to Baird I would take the portage into Kawnipi. It is longer but you would avoid the chute against you south of the Kawnipi rapids. After the short portage at the Kawnipi rapids you would take the Heronshaw portage, then the flat portage into Metacryst. The portage from Metacryst to the no name lake is flat but lots of rocks. The portage from no name to Baird has a small hill against you and then a large hill with you. The landing on the Baird side is less than perfect. Hope that helps.

Thanks, jdddl8. If I may as a follow up question, (for the record, I'm FlaPaddler's travel partner). Our thought out of Baird is to make our way to Fred through Cub, Eag, Camel, and Nan. I'm curious if anyone has any guidance on this route.

The portages look mostly short, but as FlaPaddler mentioned, we've lost some significant time looking for portages on our previous trip. Also, how navigable are the creeks between lakes (Baird-Cub, Cub-Eag, Eag-Camel, Nan-Fred)? We're going in late-May - early-June, so our thinking is the water level should be reasonable.

Creeks between Baird and Camel are of the still water swamp variety and should hold plenty of liquid to float. Last time I was through was in late fall with low water and there was plenty of water. Paddle from Baird to Cub is one of the finest creek paddles I've done, simply stunning. I have not paddled the section from Camel to Fred. Be aware that the area south and west of Baird was subject to some of the hottest burns in last summer's fires.

Cutty Creek is my favorite way to get to Park central so I have used it over 20 times. Even in the drought years or at the end of summer Cutty Creek always has plenty of water. The larger issue in late summer is that sometimes it gets too full of weeds and you have to work hard to get through them.

By going from Baird to Fred you have two advantages: going downhill and having more water at portage entrances. You won't have any trouble finding portages going your way as long as you keep going until you run out of water.

The portages are all relatively easy. The landings are sometimes difficult. There is a cliff on one but you're going down it. The portages from Camel to Nam are variable depending on water levels. Normally there is a little portage on the right side and then a pond and then a rock carry over. The first portage from Nam to Fred is bothersome. You get started then run into a 50 yard pond and then the next one - neither of which are hard. The last portage can end on the creek if you take the first left turn you see or you can go straight and arrive at a sandy beach on the Fred lake.

It is a beautiful route with small lakes, good fishing and small number of nice campsites. The creek itself has great colors combined with nice rock formations.

I am potentially looking at this very same route but now I'm not so sure as from this burn map it looks like much of it goes through an area of severe burn.

Burn map

If it is not all burned out, the stretch that goes through Cub and on west to Fred is just a series of modest portages, small lakes, and streams.
By the way, if your travel schedule is such that you plan to camp on Cub Lake, there is a nice campsite on the south side of an island in the middle of this modest lake. From this campsite you will discover an excellent echo that comes back from the south shore. Fortunately, there is no other campsite on this lake, so we bothered no one as we thoroughly experienced this echo.