I’ve been in to Pickerel a couple of times through Stanton Bay. Open heart valve replacement changed my plans for doing any heavy carrying/portaging. My current plan is to enter Pickerel from French Lake. I understand you can drive right to the water. What is the campsite availability like in that area? We will likely make our way over past Emerald Island so any information regarding French to Emerald is appreciated. Trip dates are Aug 7-15. Thanks!!

I think I would advise you to get on the water early on your way out from Dawson just to beat the generally prevailing SW wind. You'll have a better idea close to your trip as you'll have a forecast. But since you're looking not to exert yourself, be cautious of the wind. Other than that, great to hear you're paddling on after your medical setback. Have a great trip!

Were you on another canoe country bulletin board many years ago? Yours is a familiar handle.

I just did a quick French Lake entry to Pickerel. You may not get the campsite you planned, but there were many open. A west wind will be tough, you can always make a pit stop in the pines area. Lots of beaches in the beginning area.

You drive to the landing on French…small walk to the beach put in.

T

Shoot me an email and I can send pictures of my Fisher maps all annotated with campsites and ratings for that area. If you’ve got gps I can send a gpx file as well.

Have fun! Hopefully you don’t have a west wind. I worried about it coming out of Stanton last year and we were flat calm!

Ryan

Argo: nope, haven’t been on another canoe forum.
Gaidin53: email sent.

Thanks to all for the help.

What about parking at French, paying for an outfitter lift to the SB lot, walking downhill, spending a few days on a big lake and taking out at French?

uqme2: "What about parking at French, paying for an outfitter lift to the SB lot, walking downhill, spending a few days on a big lake and taking out at French?"

We almost did that exact thing in June. However, we ended up changing our minds and stayed overnight at Camp Quetico and had them shuttle us into Stanton Bay and pick us up. Cost us the $100 shuttle fee each time, but it worked out well. Paddling back to French Lake would have been fine, too.

Since cars with non-Canadian license plates are not allowed to park overnight at the Stanton Bay parking lot, a shuttle is required. I'll say this, though... it's a rough road in from Hwy 11 and paying someone to run their vehicle on that road is worth it, at least as I see it.

Nym into Batchewaung would be a decent option. Would just be the one portage in Batchewaung. Then a paddle east down Pickerel as slow as you want to go into French. Would be more with the predominant wind direction. Minimal portaging.

I’d recommend either Camp Quetico or Seine River lodge for shuttles or pick ups.

Good thing is you really do have a lot of options where you could limit the portaging. Stanton bay is a decently long portage though. Good thing is it’s downhill. I think I’d recommend Nym over Stanton Bay for several reasons but I have not tripped in that area it’s all second hand knowledge.

Ryan

Jackfish: "

uqme2: "What about parking at French, paying for an outfitter lift to the SB lot, walking downhill, spending a few days on a big lake and taking out at French?"

We almost did that exact thing in June. However, we ended up changing our minds and stayed overnight at Camp Quetico and had them shuttle us into Stanton Bay and pick us up. Cost us the $100 shuttle fee each time, but it worked out well. Paddling back to French Lake would have been fine, too.


Since cars with non-Canadian license plates are not allowed to park overnight at the Stanton Bay parking lot, a shuttle is required. I'll say this, though... it's a rough road in from Hwy 11 and paying someone to run their vehicle on that road is worth it, at least as I see it."

I parked in or near the SB lot twice way back when it was a new and exciting thing. 3 vehicles, party of six both times.

$100? Per person? With or w/o group outfitting?

I am totally serious and wonder how those stairs held up? I'm honestly curious and would love to hear from someone who's been there recently.

Seemed fine last year twice and my son used them this year for his exit. They aren’t brand new but seemed in good shape! I’d be worried being on those wood planks if it was wet and would worry about slipping. That would be brand new or slightly aged now if wet though.

Ryan

uqme2: "$100? Per person? With or w/o group outfitting?

I am totally serious and wonder how those stairs held up? I'm honestly curious and would love to hear from someone who's been there recently."

The $100 cost was per group. And it was with minimal outfitting. We stayed at Camp Quetico the night before going in and had dinner and breakfast with them before heading to Stanton Bay. They weren't interested in shuttling us if we didn't do some additional outfitting.

As for steps on the portage trail, there aren't any real "steps", such as steps by the front porch of a house. There are a few rocky "steps" down from the parking lot and the last 50-60 yards was rocky with a slight decline down to the water.

The boardwalk, which makes up at least half, if not 2/3, of the trail, is basically flat. There are a few spots where boardwalk is slightly tilted, and a few spots where you step off the boardwalk to walk on the dirt trail for a short distance, but it was no big deal. I suppose the boardwalk could possibly get slippery if wet, but it was dry when we were on it so I have no experience with it that way.

So, what I hear you guys saying is, you've not personally been there either?

Sounds like a cheap date to me!!

Uh? I’ve been over it twice going in and coming out last July! My son has been over it 3 times now. Definitely wasn’t a cheap date being a 14 day trip last year and him doing a 16 day trip this year!

I didn’t remember stairs either mainly boardwalk. When I’m on a portage I’m moving and generally always carrying the canoe so vision is limited. It’s a nice portage and entry point. I think it’s too much for Graybeard right now though.

Ryan

I’ve been in that area a few times after entering French and Nym, and My experience is the area just east of Emerald where there are a bunch of sites can be surprisingly busy on a Saturday in early August, but there were still a couple good sites to chose from. There are numerous good sites in the area just east of emerald. During the week there were much fewer people in that area when staying or passing through versus the weekend.
But that can probably be said for most lakes within a day of entry points.
If you’re focus is limiting the portaging, then you have a good plan to put in at French and paddle Pickerel! A lot of water to explore without any portages needed. Enjoy!!

French is definitely the easiest choice for entry with only the portage from the parking lot. With a lot of paddling available on a big lake. You can get down into Rawn without portaging. Even into Batchewaung without portaging.

I reviewed the Nym to Batchewaung portage reports and this is what the most recent report said.
Nym to Batchewaung portage report
On 7/17/2022 7:59:23 AM, sns said:
Visit Date:
7/13/2022
Well used, wide open...ran into other folks here going in and coming out. The Batch side's gravel beach is a treat. Going Batch>Nym involved some huffing and puffing as there is some elevation gain - Nym is 17 meters higher.

Ryan

The first Monday in August is always a civic holiday in Ontario. A lot of locals from as far as Thunder Bay would target that weekend.

Jackfish nailed the description of the SB portage.

Barry at Camp Quetico charged us $100 per trip, regardless of headcount or gear.

I recall our bill included $600 of shuttle fees in total. $200 to get one of of our guys to the Thunder Bay airport, plus $100 to pick him up early at SB. $100 to take us in to SB after overnighting in one of his cabins, $100 to take us out at the end of the trip. And $100 because when our guy left early they were supposed to grab some gear from our truck & bring it to us at SB but we'd left it locked, so there was an extra trip there and an hour delay.

The bigger point is that for someone who does not want to portage, Pickerel/Batch/Rawn is a huge amount of shoreline to explore without portaging...perhaps as much as Basswood. Certainly the biggest motor-free contiguous water in the BWCA/Quetico.

The Indians guide fishing trips in Pickerel with motors.

Nym lake entry won't work since you still need to portage into Batchewaung which is a long hilly portage to actually get into Quetico.

Yup as SNS said, French entry and into the Rawn area permits an full wilderness quetico trip with no portaging.
Tom

AmarilloJim: "The Indians guide fishing trips in Pickerel with motors."

I've never seen a motor on Pickerel in 12 trips. I don't think that is one of the excluded lakes.

mapsguy1955: "

AmarilloJim: "The Indians guide fishing trips in Pickerel with motors."

I've never seen a motor on Pickerel in 12 trips. I don't think that is one of the excluded lakes. "

Park Map of Motorized Lakes

wyopaddler: "

mapsguy1955: "

AmarilloJim: "The Indians guide fishing trips in Pickerel with motors."

I've never seen a motor on Pickerel in 12 trips. I don't think that is one of the excluded lakes. "

Park Map of Motorized Lakes "

I believe the list used to include Pickerel Lake. It was 20 lakes, but that rotated yearly to a max of 10 each year. In 2018 (ish) I believe they negotiated it down to 9 lakes, 4 of which allow fly in fishing on rotating basis. They usually stash the boats, then fly clients in. They don't have the same restrictions--usually use portage wheels to get the boats in to the lakes. I remember running into them on the Crooked to Argo Portage. That's a lot of work to get a boat and motor to Argo.

It was weird to see motor boats, minnow buckets on Argo... Argo is thankfully no longer on the list either. Most of the time Argo was motor free...was just a surprise when it wasn't.

Poohbah is a popular fly in lake for them now I know.

Some First Nation Guides do not recognize the Canadian or American governments authority or rules. So they may show up in other areas...Lac La Croix on the BWCAW side is a common one. Not really much anyone can do, nor willing to do.

T

I had forgotten about the allowed lakes for First Nation guides. Interesting to see the map. My understanding is that the lakes do rotate. It makes the guides have to pull the boats out each year which probably makes it way less of a problem! I’d be pretty shocked if I’d busted my butt to get to Poohbah and saw a boat with a motor on the lake.

Ryan

Jackfish: "

uqme2: "What about parking at French, paying for an outfitter lift to the SB lot, walking downhill, spending a few days on a big lake and taking out at French?"

We almost did that exact thing in June. However, we ended up changing our minds and stayed overnight at Camp Quetico and had them shuttle us into Stanton Bay and pick us up. Cost us the $100 shuttle fee each time, but it worked out well. Paddling back to French Lake would have been fine, too.


Since cars with non-Canadian license plates are not allowed to park overnight at the Stanton Bay parking lot, a shuttle is required. I'll say this, though... it's a rough road in from Hwy 11 and paying someone to run their vehicle on that road is worth it, at least as I see it."

Sorry,
Should have just kept reading the thread. Question answered.