Hello. My husband and I are planning to do the Hunter Island Loop starting Lac La Croix in September. Has anyone done the loop this season, or even parts of it, and have any tips or pitfalls we should be aware of? Specifically the portages through the Falls Chain, and the paddling down the Maligne River section I am interested in as it appears the water levels in the park this year (still?) are higher than usual. Conditions of portages, especially since the recent storms would be appreciated as well. Thanks and happy paddling :)

Probably the best advice you can get is to do the route COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. That way you will be paddling down the Maligne River, instead of against the current. Water levels were still fairly high in late July when I was on the Maligne, but falling.

The entire route gets a steady amount of use, so portages should be in good shape.

We are doing the trip counter clockwise for sure. I have the Chrismar Map that shows some portages for rapids along the Maligne River and some that do not have portages for the rapids. We just have a flat water tripping canoe so I wonder with the rain we have had this summer, along with the water levels, if the rapids that are not marked with portages on the map are actually doable or if we might have to bush whack.

The rapids that are marked on the Chrismar map that don't have portages are no problem. Just some small, standing waves and a few rocks-- but with water levels at current levels these will be no problem for the flat water paddler. Definitely no bushwhacking required!

How long are you thinking it will take you?
we're taking that route early october. would love to hear how yours was.

quote stevejn: "How long are you thinking it will take you?
we're taking that route early october. would love to hear how yours was."

it took me 12 days (moving everyday) in September of 2011. I lost over a full day of travel due to wind also. and as arctic stated, those rapids/fast waters are no problem to paddle down.

quote stevejn: "How long are you thinking it will take you?
we're taking that route early october. would love to hear how yours was."

It took us 10 and a half days to do the route with 1 day being wind bound on Crooked Lake. We did the route counter clockwise and it was great! The Falls Chain was not difficult. The rapids on the Chrismar Map that don't have portages along the Maligne River were manageable, but you can't rush it due to rocks. Not sure how it was possible, but we had headwinds every single day except our last day. The nicest campsite of the trip was a sandspit halfway down on Sturgeon Lake along the southern shore. Saw lots of wildlife, a few pictographs, though we may have been the only ones there that didn't have a fishing rod.

that sand peninsula site IS spectacular. were the 2 aluminum boats still there?

Wow! Brings back memories. Had a mid morning breakfast on that sand point in 1975 on the longest day of travel I ever did in the Quetico - From Chatterton Falls, through the length of Sturgeon Lake, down the Maligne River, Tanner Lake, portage to the Darky River and up to Darky Lake. Even went to see the Indian glyphs at dusk. Eyedocron