Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Granite River route advice
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Maureen |
My main question is this: Is this a reasonable timeframe to take this route? Our kids are certainly capable but inexperienced, and our youngest has significant anxiety issues. I've read several trip reports commenting on how the portages are somewhat difficult to find and navigate. Our 'safer' option would be to base camp on Clove/Larch and then exit out at Larch Creek. Or maybe add 1 day to camp 2 nights at each spot? Thanks for sharing any wisdom from more experienced paddlers. :-) |
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sedges |
Also, ask your outfitter about water levels on the rivers. I am pretty sure they have had below average precip since mid-winter. I have heard the river out of Magnetic Lake can about disappear making that first portage a problem. |
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Maureen |
I will check with Tuscarora about the water levels - thanks for the tip! |
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johndku |
I did that route in 2015 with my then 9 year old, you should have no problem. We had some wind issues slow us down, but still made out in 3 days at a very leisurely pace. Try and get the campsite on the north end of Clove, it has a nice sandy beach and is great for swimming. |
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Maureen |
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MikeinMpls |
Maureen: "Thanks, Mike! We're hoping to do some fishing as well. I keep hearing that this is considered an 'easy' route but wondering how that's possible with all the portages and stories of folks getting lost, etc. I'm hopeful with careful planning that we'll be OK. Hoping for good blueberry picking as well!" This is an easy route that is a great introduction to the BWCA. Offers a bit of everything: river, rapids, waterfalls, big water, little water, good fishing, sand beach (campsite on north end of Clove Lake) and those cool silver border markers you are bound to see. Blueberries, too. I strong duo could do the route in a day. Please let us know how it went and post a trip report. Mike |
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Maureen |
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Maureen |
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Maureen |
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Maureen |
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rpike |
As others have said, you should be fine with your kids, including paddling out Saganaga if you so choose. That part of the lake is quite sheltered and very scenic. In college, I flew back from my internship in Detroit, drove up with a friend, my parents and one newbie, did the trip, drove back to MSP, and flew back to Detroit, all over a long 4th of July weekend. I don't recall feeling rushed at all during the paddling. |
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heavylunch |
johndku: "I know that some of the young folks that work at the outfitters make that trip in one day. Of course, they're not hauling gear, (just lunch), single portaging, so they can really zip through the trip. Grandmas sometimes do that route in a day too! Gunflint to Sag in a Day |
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Maureen |
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johndku |
I'd think 4 hours is plenty of time for that part of the route. Also, don't think you need to worry too much about finding the portages as long as you pay close attention to your maps. The only portage we found tricky to find was from the Pine River into Clove. That portage landing, as I recall, has a landing that is all rocky, (but not steep, and easy to walk on), and as a result you can't really see that "path" that is the portage trail until you land and walk about twenty yards up the landing, then you can see the trail into Clove. This portage is tucked into a small bay just north of campsite #1950 where we camped our first night A couple more tips. When we got to Horsetail Rapids, water levels were low, and we found it easier to get out of the canoe and walk it down the "rapids", which wasn't difficult, rather than use the portage, which is really tight and tricky, and up against a wall of rocks. Also our maps showed the portage at Saganaga Falls as being on the East side of the falls, but our outfitters told us it was on the West side of the falls, which it was. I've heard rumors of a 2nd portage at Sag Falls on the East side, but I can't verify that. |
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BeaV |
And canoeing conditions are subject to change depending on water levels. I think I have taken some of the wrong routes but always got through anyway. If you really want to have accurate maps, I would recommend printing Google Earth images and laminating them. If you or anyone wants, I can attach my Google Earth images with the "correct" route on them. |
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mirth |
Be on the lookout for blueberries on your trip. You may be a little on the early side, but could luck into some ripe ones. I wrote a trip report about it, feel free to check it out if you'd like. Link's under my screen name. |
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fsupp |
BeaV: "If you or anyone wants, I can attach my Google Earth images with the "correct" route on them." Yes, please! |
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BeaV |
For clarity, the "river" flows from Magnetic Lake down to Saganaga. |
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mirth |
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MikeinMpls |
Your plan sounds very good and doable. It can be done easily in two days. The narrowest spot between Devil's Elbow and Maraboeuf Lakes yielded me a nice bass in 2002. Mike |
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BeaV |
fsupp: "BeaV: "If you or anyone wants, I can attach my Google Earth images with the "correct" route on them." OK, here are the 2 areas where confusion can happen. The first image is of the Blueberry Portage area. Both ends of this portage are a little hard to discern because of the granite groundscape. The second image is further downstream. The two spots I have marked as Rapids #1 and #2 are, I think, runnable for most people under most stream flow levels but if not, then there should be a portage on the US side (I labeled it Mystery Portage because the last time I was here during a rainy night, I didn't find it so I boulder hopped going upstream). Maybe someone else can comment on the location of this portage. McKenzie and Voyageur maps don't show a portage here to avoid those 2 rapids. The red line on both maps is the route I took including where I screwed up looking for the portages- it was a dark rainy night and I was tired:) |
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fsupp |
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Maureen |
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