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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Trip Planning Forum Mechanical Portage Reply
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| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| old_salt |
08/26/2018 06:47PM If you’re going to basecamp on Pickeral, enter at French Lake. No portages. |
| dprochef |
08/26/2018 06:01PM Just curious as how your trip turned out. Did you go with the kayak? How did that work out. |
| sedges |
06/27/2018 12:26PM I could see kayaking with an entry at Dawson Trail and a permit for Pickerel Lake. Its a big windy lake with lots of opportunities for exploring from a base camp. |
| tumblehome |
06/27/2018 12:24PM I've never understood why people kayak in Quetico. Indians and voyageurs used canoes. How do you get all the gear in and out of a kayak for portaging? |
| The Great Outdoors |
06/26/2018 12:25PMGreyOwl: "I didn’t think portage wheels were even allowed in the BWCA or Quetico. Does anyone know for certain? Portage wheels are allowed in the BWCA on the Trout Lake Portage, Prairie Portage, the Fall/Newton/Pipestone Bay Portages, and the Back Bay Portage. |
| walllee |
06/26/2018 12:14PM The portages in canoe country is nothing like carrying a kayak around the block . Up, down, roots, rocks, deadfalls, waist deep mud. I want you to enjoy your trip, so please consider a canoe as a option. |
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06/26/2018 08:24AM Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. Our friend is bringing her canoe - it's her first time as well. We are all experienced outdoors people, but first time boaters. We don't have a yoke. We're not exactly sure how we are going to portage. Our friend is coming to our house this weekend and we're going to practice portaging our gear around the block a few times just to see what we can and can't manage gear wise. Pickerel Lake is the exact trip we're planning with a basecamp. I think we'll have just one or two portages that we'll need to overcome. About the July trip - Mechanical portage is using wheels strapped to the kayak. I heard that there are two entries where you can use mechanical portage. I just don't know where those two places are or if they're worth a weekend trip. Again, thank you all for your tips! Adam |
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| GreyOwl |
06/26/2018 07:59AM I didn’t think portage wheels were even allowed in the BWCA or Quetico. Does anyone know for certain? From my personal experience (and I’ve been all over Quetico) I’ve rarely seen a portage that could accommodate wheels. I just looked and found this on the Piragis website: Mechanized Use: It is illegal to possess a power saw, gasoline generator or power ice auger in the park. No person may use a mechanized portage device, portage wheels, all terrain vehicle or similar mechanized equipment in Quetico Provincial Park. |
| cowdoc |
06/26/2018 06:43AM I'm curious about what mechanical portaging is thought to be in this case. What is the OP expecting? |
| sedges |
06/25/2018 10:40PM If you wish to test your gear, one of the most important tests is how you will portage the kayak in August when mechanical assistance is unavailable. I am assuming you mean "portage wheels". A bunch of questions. Are your friends going to be in kayaks as well? If they are paddling a canoe, I highly recommend you do the same. Does your tandem kayak have a center opening in which you can clamp a portage yoke? On all but the easiest portages, two people carrying a boat is way harder than one. Getting into a portage with bad footing, it becomes dangerous. How will you carry your gear over the portages? Big packs usually don't fit through kayak hatches. You need to have your gear in packages small enough to fit into the hatch and dump it all into a pack to portage and then dump it all back into the hatches at the end. Gets old fast if you have a bunch of portages. Recommendation for a weekend shakedown needs your travel parameters. I know people have successfully traveled in Quetico with kayaks, but a canoe is so much easier. If you are going for a basecamp trip and spend the whole time exploring Pickerel Lake, I'd say go for it. Otherwise renting or borrowing a canoe is my recommendation. |
| rdricker |
06/25/2018 10:05PMwalllee: "Strongly consider renting a couple canoes." I second that idea, except I'd say rent a single canoe. With the exception of the Nym-Batchewaung super portage, very few portages in Quetico are mechanical portage friendly. I think you'll be cussing it your whole trip. |
| walllee |
06/25/2018 08:42PM Strongly consider renting a couple canoes. |
| Madpaddles |
06/25/2018 07:40PM My gal and I are heading up to Quetico in August with some friends. We want to take a quick weekend trip before the August trip in July to test our gear. We have a tandem sit-in kayak and for this quick trip want to mechanical portage. What are some good routes or places we should check out for a weekend? For our August trip, we will have to carry our kayak. Are there any tips, gear, or techniques that might make our lives easier while portaging? Thanks in advance for any advice!! Adam |
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