I have a permit for Carp for June 23 and have a couple of loop questions. I am going with one of my daughters-a strong 17 year old with quite a bit of paddling experience (she is excited for her for Q trip!)-and we are debating which of the following routes would be the most enjoyable over an 8-10 day trek.

We are considering a PP-Man Chain-Falls Chain-Kawnipi-Agnes-PP loop but are also thinking about swinging south @ McEwen instead and returning to PP via Louisa.

Obviously the second route includes more portages, and that is fine with us, but I am wondering about camping sites along that route between McEwen and Louisa as well as fishing in those smaller lakes.

The upside to the first route is fewer portages, and if we elect this route, any suggestions for camping spots along Kawnipi and Agnes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

I'd say it comes down to want you want out of a trip. Mcewen to Louisa has smaller, more intimate water and less traffic. Kawnipi to Agnes is more big water paddling, and more people, though I have found the big lakes can hide the people more. I have been all over the Quetico and I still think, popular as it is, that Agnes is the prettiest lake, especially the narrows section. I believe you will find fish on either route, though if fishing is really your thing I believe Kawnipi is hard to beat for warm water species.

If you go the McEwan route, I'd recommend researching the campsites and marking them on your map as there really aren't that many. I stayed on the site on Glacier (passable but nothing spectacular) and also on Louisa on the northeasternmost big island. This one is a dandy. Must be some good ones on McEwen but we didn't stay there so I can't say.

You have two options to enter McEwan too. We went through Wet Lake, but missed the most scenic part of the falls chain. Otherwise there is a long (300 rod?) portage to enter McEwan from the North. Not sure what that portage is like. Perhaps someone will chime in.

Mark,

I have done the carp entry a couple of times and stayed on the Man Chain for 6 days (2012) and stayed on the Falls Chain (2013) for 6 days, so I have a good list of good campsites and recommendations all the way to Kawnipi and once you get to Kawnipi if you choose the Agnes route home I can help you there also....

Still have my phone number?

The portage from Kenney to McEwen is long but scenic. If the water level is good you should be able to bypass some of the portage by going down a creek a ways to another landing. This route doesn't get a lot of traffic so it feels pretty remote. There's a nice section of ferns which is scenic.

quote bojibob: "Still have my phone number?"

Email sent; thanks, Boj!

I've done both routes you describe and for scenery and solitude, hard to beat the McEwen route. Found several sites on glaicier, sure there were some on some other lakes. The ones I didn't find were there ones from the data base. With these small lakes, sites are easy to spot IMHO.

There is an historic route out of sw tip of Glacier through Gamp to Louisa but the route through Star and Arp is also pretty.

Thanks, all, especially Bojibob for his time on the phone with me!

We leave one week from today; cannot wait!

What's your planned route after all?

quote billconner: "What's your planned route after all?"

Up through the falls, maybe some time in Kawnipi to fish. Return route through Agnes. No absolutes; going to see what floats our way.