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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 08:09AM
One Happy Canadian

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
Argo 07/19/2020 09:40AM
jdddl8: "I hope you enjoy your trip and please tell us how it was different from prior years. Also how you found water levels. Last year was insane as the water was so high I had to paddle out part of the Beaverhouse portage.


"



Apparently the water levels are low. All heat and drought this year.
Argo 07/19/2020 08:19AM
joewildlife: "MichiganMan: "So painful. Hope the Canadians enjoy it while us Yanks are away."



Those Canadians visiting Quetico and Woodland Caribou this season are surely loving it. I'm really concerned about the financial status of all the outfitters. I've done a few fishing trips to non-park lakes and those guys are the best. I hate to think how financially devastating this is for them. I'm sure many will close, never to reopen.



I look forward to getting back to the Q in 2021 and catching all those fish that forgot what a lure looks like!
Joe
"



Canoe Canada is one of the major outfitters. 98% of their business is American. As one of the 2%, I'm heading in to Quetico next Saturday. They have no other groups going in that day. One canoe...two campers...that's it.


Quetico is a pretty distant place for most Canadians. Don't quote me but about 95% of all Ontarians live below Algonquin Park. Lots of options for campers looking for a sub-three-hour drive from Toronto (Quetico is a 16 hour drive from Toronto). Unlike American outdoorsmen, most Ontarians have never even heard of Quetico.


So yes, not just the outfitters but all attendant business are suffering as well. Many won't survive without American revenue. It's a disaster.


I'll try to keep Jackfish updated on my trip through inReach. He can re-post here.
MichiganMan 07/18/2020 10:25PM
joewildlife: "MichiganMan: "So painful. Hope the Canadians enjoy it while us Yanks are away."



Those Canadians visiting Quetico and Woodland Caribou this season are surely loving it. I'm really concerned about the financial status of all the outfitters. I've done a few fishing trips to non-park lakes and those guys are the best. I hate to think how financially devastating this is for them. I'm sure many will close, never to reopen.



I look forward to getting back to the Q in 2021 and catching all those fish that forgot what a lure looks like!
Joe
"



+1
joewildlife 07/18/2020 11:17AM
MichiganMan: "So painful. Hope the Canadians enjoy it while us Yanks are away."


Those Canadians visiting Quetico and Woodland Caribou this season are surely loving it. I'm really concerned about the financial status of all the outfitters. I've done a few fishing trips to non-park lakes and those guys are the best. I hate to think how financially devastating this is for them. I'm sure many will close, never to reopen.


I look forward to getting back to the Q in 2021 and catching all those fish that forgot what a lure looks like!
Joe
jdddl8 07/13/2020 10:09PM
MichiganMan: "jdddl8: "OldGreyGoose: "John, hope you have a great trip and post a report.
--Goose :-)"

I will definitely post a trip report and comment on Quetico without people. "

We Yanks will be living vicariously through you!"

After 73+ years, I have finally found my calling. Now if my airline and outfitter don’t go bankrupt in the next month and my family and ride person from TB stay healthy, I should be able to complete it!
MichiganMan 07/13/2020 12:27PM
jdddl8: "OldGreyGoose: "John, hope you have a great trip and post a report.
--Goose :-)"

I will definitely post a trip report and comment on Quetico without people. "

We Yanks will be living vicariously through you!
jdddl8 07/12/2020 10:01PM
OldGreyGoose: "John, hope you have a great trip and post a report.
--Goose :-)"



I will definitely post a trip report and comment on Quetico without people.
OldGreyGoose 07/12/2020 12:38PM
John, hope you have a great trip and post a report.
--Goose :-)
MichiganMan 07/04/2020 12:12PM
So painful. Hope the Canadians enjoy it while us Yanks are away.
deerfoot 07/02/2020 04:15PM
goatroti: "An article from the CBC. Analysis of the current and future situation in regards to the border. "


Thanks Ken. The August trip looks unlikely this year.


goatroti 07/01/2020 02:58PM
An article from the CBC. Analysis of the current and future situation in regards to the border.
GraniteCliffs 06/30/2020 09:22PM
LarryS48: "GraniteCliffs: "Jdddl8, I hope we run into you somewhere in the middle of the Q in August. You as a legal canadian and me as a legal, permitted RABC carrying guy from Minnesota.
Either way this goes I suspect Q traffic will be way down. Too many folks south of the border will find this much too complicated to navigate at the last minute if the border does open. "




I thought RABC permits were no longer valid until the border opens. Did I miss something?"

No, you did not miss anything. I was just expressing my hope that the border would be open by then, I would have my RABC and would be in the middle of the Park.
Don't see that happening now.
But on one of my BW trips I will hit the border somewhere and take a portage on the northern side so my streak of being in the Q at least once annually will continue.
Just figured out I am headed out on a solo next week so will likely make that a goal.
Argo 06/29/2020 09:56AM
cowdoc: "Argo: "jdddl8: "I am not going to be much help. I have been to Baird many times but I have always taken Cutty Creek as my highway to the center of the park. One time I actually camped on Baird and paddled to Keats portage entrance but I have never done it. If you call Trevor Gibb, Park Superintendent, just before your trip he can tell you whether the portage has been cleared recently. "
Thanks John. I'll probably hit McDougall on the tail end of my loop. That'll take me through Eag anyway.

Thanks for the tip on portage maintenance."

Baird to Keats portage is a buggar even when it's in good shape"

Thanks Cowdoc. I was never really contemplating that portage. I will likely continue to McDougall via Cub and Eag.
cowdoc 06/28/2020 10:54PM
Argo: "jdddl8: "I am not going to be much help. I have been to Baird many times but I have always taken Cutty Creek as my highway to the center of the park. One time I actually camped on Baird and paddled to Keats portage entrance but I have never done it. If you call Trevor Gibb, Park Superintendent, just before your trip he can tell you whether the portage has been cleared recently. "
Thanks John. I'll probably hit McDougall on the tail end of my loop. That'll take me through Eag anyway.


Thanks for the tip on portage maintenance."




Baird to Keats portage is a buggar even when it's in good shape
LarryS48 06/28/2020 07:56PM
GraniteCliffs: "Jdddl8, I hope we run into you somewhere in the middle of the Q in August. You as a legal canadian and me as a legal, permitted RABC carrying guy from Minnesota.
Either way this goes I suspect Q traffic will be way down. Too many folks south of the border will find this much too complicated to navigate at the last minute if the border does open. "



I thought RABC permits were no longer valid until the border opens. Did I miss something?
BnD 06/24/2020 08:37PM
I think the one way tourist travel from Canada to USA by air is nonsense. Not well publicized but fact.
Argo 06/18/2020 07:42AM
jdddl8: "I am not going to be much help. I have been to Baird many times but I have always taken Cutty Creek as my highway to the center of the park. One time I actually camped on Baird and paddled to Keats portage entrance but I have never done it. If you call Trevor Gibb, Park Superintendent, just before your trip he can tell you whether the portage has been cleared recently. "
Thanks John. I'll probably hit McDougall on the tail end of my loop. That'll take me through Eag anyway.

Thanks for the tip on portage maintenance.
jdddl8 06/17/2020 08:00PM
I am not going to be much help. I have been to Baird many times but I have always taken Cutty Creek as my highway to the center of the park. One time I actually camped on Baird and paddled to Keats portage entrance but I have never done it. If you call Trevor Gibb, Park Superintendent, just before your trip he can tell you whether the portage has been cleared recently.


Argo 06/17/2020 08:04AM
jdddl8: "I hope you enjoy your trip and please tell us how it was different from prior years. Also how you found water levels. Last year was insane as the water was so high I had to paddle out part of the Beaverhouse portage.



I am going:
Beaverhouse,Quetico,Conk,Jean,Boulder,Your,Wildgoose,Egglet,Snow,Little Pine,Trail,March,BentPine,Jack,Sturgeon,Maxness,Tubman,Fred,Nam,Camel,EagCub,Baird,Metalcryst,Cutty,Cairn,Sark,Heronshaw,Kawnipi,Shelly,Alice,Gahn,
Russell,Lonely,Draper,Walter,Elizabeth,Jesse,Maria,Pickeral,Batchwaung plus checking out some No Names. None of it is new but a lot of it contains my favorites lakes, campsites & fishing holes."



This will be my fifth Quetico journey and my first since 2003 - this time with my son. Are you going solo? That's a lot of food to manage.


I'll definitely report when I return.


The loop from Keats around Kawnipi Creek towards Baird would be new to me. If you have any info on this part that you can share you would have my gratitude. I definitely want to get to McDougall again for some lake trout action.


jdddl8 06/16/2020 10:27PM
I hope you enjoy your trip and please tell us how it was different from prior years. Also how you found water levels. Last year was insane as the water was so high I had to paddle out part of the Beaverhouse portage.


I am going:
Beaverhouse,Quetico,Conk,Jean,Boulder,Your,Wildgoose,Egglet,Snow,Little Pine,Trail,March,BentPine,Jack,Sturgeon,Maxness,Tubman,Fred,Nam,Camel,EagCub,Baird,Metalcryst,Cutty,Cairn,Sark,Heronshaw,Kawnipi,Shelly,Alice,Gahn,
Russell,Lonely,Draper,Walter,Elizabeth,Jesse,Maria,Pickeral,Batchwaung plus checking out some No Names. None of it is new but a lot of it contains my favorites lakes, campsites & fishing holes.
Argo 06/16/2020 10:03PM
Three weeks in heaven, John. Long time!


My trip starts July 23 for ten days. Stanton Bay through the B chain then either west through Sturgeon/Burntside/Bentpine or east to the poets. Will be a game-time decision.


It should be very quiet for us. Even if the border opens on July 21, I imagine most US paddlers will have written off Quetico by then. Notice of a July 21 opening would likely happen by about the 15th. That would be very short notice to gear up for a back country trip.
jdddl8 06/16/2020 08:23PM
If you do come in August I will leave a light on so you know where I am.
GraniteCliffs 06/16/2020 07:41PM
Jdddl8, I hope we run into you somewhere in the middle of the Q in August. You as a legal canadian and me as a legal, permitted RABC carrying guy from Minnesota.
Either way this goes I suspect Q traffic will be way down. Too many folks south of the border will find this much too complicated to navigate at the last minute if the border does open.
tumblehome 06/11/2020 07:24AM
I keep thinking of Quetico with nobody in it.

Imagine paddling up through Prairie Portage today and enjoying all that Quetico has to offer, and not a single person anywhere.

I bet nature is just loving this. All those turtles on logs, the loons with no pesky canoeists. Oh man...

Reminds me of the National Georgraphic show, "Life after People".
TomT 06/11/2020 06:12AM
Prepare for massive solitude especially if you trip in the south. Lots of us in the states are very envious.
jdddl8 06/10/2020 07:48PM
I finally got my permit today so I can go for my normal three weeks in mid-August. Now I wonder whether there will be anyone there (instead of the couple of people I normally see) or whether the border will open and the end of August and September will be packed. I guess I will have to wait and see,

Now my worry shifts to Maui in January with the border closed and a 14 day quarantine rule. Again patience is paramount.