I read the chapter on the Pines Loop in the Calllan book and I think that's a goal I want to tackle. Anyone done this one?

I've done that route with a just a few route variances. McNiece is the one lake that I remember with just incredible pines. Kahshahpiwi, Shan Walshe, Yum Yum, Gray, the S-Chain all are pretty in their own right.

Did part of that route solo last mid-July...Prairie Portage-Sunday-Meadows-Agnes-Silence-Reid-North Agnes-S-Chain-North Bay-Out.

Went to Yum Yum and Shan Walsh with my son a couple weeks prior to the solo.

Wonderful areas. Great scenery. Great fishing. Saw nobody for 3+ days north of Silence.

I read the "Loop" also and plan to take it solo, although with some deviations. I'll probably reverse the route and paddle up through the small lakes north of Silence rather than paddle up Agnes. I will try to venture out onto Agnes to visit the picto/petro sites, weather permitting. I've been an Agnes on a tandem trip. I won't make it part of my solo route! I plan on spending some time seeing the east/west shortcut lakes based on the way they are described in the book. I'll make those a day trip on a layover day. The trip looks like a great one!