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Really Late Spring

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Date/Time: 05/07/2024 05:51PM

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Really Late Spring

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
sns	05/19/2022 11:10AM I heard Pickerel went out on Monday. Stanton Bay, here we come...
MacCamper	05/16/2022 08:21PM Great intel. Thanks, wishing all safe travels, fighting fish and many fine memories.
jdddl8	05/16/2022 06:19PM I just heard from two sources that the ice disappeared on the weekend. Great news although more rain continues to add to the flood conditions. The water should start warming up and I will be able to swim next week- not.
Luckee	05/16/2022 04:11PM This is great information about the Quetico/BH portage, thanks! By mid-June would things be closer to "normal," with a small landing area? Lining could be especially hairy with my Feathercraft kayak, which could suffer from sharp sticks and might be liable to capsize if the current is running strong near shore. I have a near-superstitious dread of that portage after my keel bar was snapped in 2018 by a large Quebecois who managed to step abruptly into my rear hatch during a crowded moment there.
Argo	05/12/2022 05:14PM MacCamper: "BassmasterP: "Thanks for the update! This is our first time entering at BH. I thought I read a while back that the creek flowing alongside the BH entry portage is floatable during high water. Is that right, or I imagining that I read that? Also, excuse my ignorance, but what is meant by "boats will need to be tracked in the outflow riffle from Quetico to Beaverhouse" Thx, P" Regarding the water level on the portage, I don't doubt it. However the times I have entered there the water was never high enough for the float. Certainly something I will consider in a couple of weeks! Quetico Lake flows quite strongly into Beaverhouse Lake (look closely for the old logging artifacts) with an eddy/pool just beyond the typically insignificant rapids adjacent to the portage to Quetico Lake as one paddles toward the entry point. In a normal year, a deft hand and hard stroke will maneuver your boat against the current and through the quick water to the calm pool at the portage. In a high water year, this season, be sure to have bow and stern ropes attached to pull your boat along the shoreline against the strong current. Check out the attached image " John, the fellow who started this thread, is there right now. I hope to hear from him at some point but no guarantees.
MacCamper	05/12/2022 04:12PM BassmasterP: "Thanks for the update! This is our first time entering at BH. I thought I read a while back that the creek flowing alongside the BH entry portage is floatable during high water. Is that right, or I imagining that I read that? Also, excuse my ignorance, but what is meant by "boats will need to be tracked in the outflow riffle from Quetico to Beaverhouse" Thx, P" Regarding the water level on the portage, I don't doubt it. However the times I have entered there the water was never high enough for the float. Certainly something I will consider in a couple of weeks! Quetico Lake flows quite strongly into Beaverhouse Lake (look closely for the old logging artifacts) with an eddy/pool just beyond the typically insignificant rapids adjacent to the portage to Quetico Lake as one paddles toward the entry point. In a normal year, a deft hand and hard stroke will maneuver your boat against the current and through the quick water to the calm pool at the portage. In a high water year, this season, be sure to have bow and stern ropes attached to pull your boat along the shoreline against the strong current. Check out the attached image
BassmasterP	05/12/2022 03:10PM Thanks for the update! This is our first time entering at BH. I thought I read a while back that the creek flowing alongside the BH entry portage is floatable during high water. Is that right, or I imagining that I read that? Also, excuse my ignorance, but what is meant by "boats will need to be tracked in the outflow riffle from Quetico to Beaverhouse" Thx, P
MacCamper	05/12/2022 02:30PM A bit of itel: This morning I spoke with the staff at the Atikokan Ranger Station regarding my May 26th entry into Quetico through Beaverhouse. Their current impressions are that the ice will not be an issue, boats will need to be tracked in the outflow riffle from Quetico to Beaverhouse, flooding will impact portage to Beaverhouse from parking lot with up to a foot of water upon the typically wet section, water levels will "in general" be one to two feet above the norm and the gravel road to the Beaverhouse parking lot will be passable. However, should anything change and there are "issues", permittees will be notified. As of this 9:00 am today, my gang and I are pumped up and packing for a long overdue two week adventure.
jdddl8	05/06/2022 02:40PM Quetico Flood Map I will try the link again!
Argo	05/06/2022 01:07PM BassmasterP: "Oh my.. You are making the creek from Bentpine to your sound even more inviting! Taking that route would bypass Trail, Little Pine, and Snow. And, considering we are hammock campers we kind of need trees! Yes, we will most definitely be taking the track from Ben pine to your via the creek and I will post some pictures or video upon our return on June 12th. Wish us luck! Bassmaster P" I believe we have a significant misunderstanding regarding the route from Bentpine Lake to Your Lake. Traditionally on westerly travel, one exits Bentpine by portaging to March which is the headwaters of Bentpine Creek. Then you head through Trail, Little Pine and Snow to reach Your. I am not aware of any direct paddling/portaging route from Bentpine to Your without blazing a route. I'm not sure it's been done. You may want to research that before trying. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. No idea why the text of this response has been formatted differently...
deepwater	05/06/2022 11:47AM Vega: "Does anyone know of a good resource or site to monitor the ice out? We're also heading out on the 25th out of Stanton Bay. " Just Google Cook County webcams. There are a ton of them. I think the ice will be out by the end of the weekend.
BassmasterP	05/06/2022 11:22AM Oh my.. You are making the creek from Bentpine to your sound even more inviting! Taking that route would bypass Trail, Little Pine, and Snow. And, considering we are hammock campers we kind of need trees! Yes, we will most definitely be taking the track from Ben pine to your via the creek and I will post some pictures or video upon our return on June 12th. Wish us luck! Bassmaster P
wyopaddler	05/06/2022 11:05AM Your Lake Has one of our favorite campsites. Here's how we got there but it was August :)
Argo	05/06/2022 10:22AM BassmasterP: "I've heard the same, yet...late ice out = high water = no slogg. Am I being overly optimistic?" Again, I haven't been through that area. But high water should improve canoe travel. The only issue is that the fire tore through the lower part of this area last year (Trail, Little Pine and Snow). If you're planning on camping in those lakes I would have an alternate plan ready in case the sites were torched. Hoping you'll let us know after your trip.
BassmasterP	05/06/2022 07:07AM I've heard the same, yet...late ice out = high water = no slogg. Am I being overly optimistic?
Argo	05/06/2022 06:48AM BassmasterP: ""route from Bentpine Creek to Your Lake " floatable? Our route include a day of travel between Bentpine and Your on June 7th - sounds like we should try the creek, eh? Sounds like a great adventure!" There are portions of that route that are supposed to be a slogg in low water - so I have read. But certainly not the entire span.
cburton103	05/05/2022 09:45PM jdddl8: "Here is a link to a current northern Ontario flood map including Q. https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.editMessage&threadId=1290183&forumID=17&confID=1&action=replyToMessage&parentId=1290183#link0" Link from above :) Edit to add: looks like you may have copy and pasted the wrong URL
jdddl8	05/05/2022 07:01PM Here is a link to a current northern Ontario flood map including Q. https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.editMessage&threadId=1290183&forumID=17&confID=1&action=replyToMessage&parentId=1290183#link0
BassmasterP	05/05/2022 01:04PM "route from Bentpine Creek to Your Lake " floatable? Our route include a day of travel between Bentpine and Your on June 7th - sounds like we should try the creek, eh? Sounds like a great adventure!
Jackfish	05/04/2022 02:06PM Just a reminder to use the Add a link to this message function when posting a link. Doing so will make it a hyperlink. It's easy to do, but if you need some help, I'll gladly help.
deancal20	05/04/2022 08:43AM I enjoy looking at Seagull outfitter's webcam. This shows snow and ice as of 5/4 but it is hard to know how thick. https://www.seagulloutfitters.com/webcam/home.jpg
sns	05/03/2022 02:15PM My team is a couple of days ahead of you at SB; outfitter still thinks mid-May & that we'll be fine.
Argo	05/03/2022 01:48PM jdddl8: "I just heard from friend that there is still three feet of ice on Nym and plenty of snow in the bush. There is also another three days of rain forecast for next week. I am going in on the 25th. I wonder if I will need skates. Also the road into Beaverhouse could become problematic with all that water. I think I will have a backup Lerome trip planned just in case. " I'm going in through Lerome in July just to mix it up. Looking forward to hearing about your trip. I think the higher water should be treated as a blessing. There may be some downside - less shoreline at sites, muddier portages and maybe more bugs. But there should be a lot more easily passable routes like Jean Creek, Deux Rivieres, and the route from Bentpine Creek to Your Lake in the northern section of the park to name just a few. Falls should be spectacular too. The spring water levels will probably normalize somewhat by summer closer to the longer-term average. I remember in 2003 having to pull our canoes along the shore through fast water just to reach the portage to Quetico from Beaverhouse. Last year it was barely a trickle.
schweady	05/03/2022 01:08PM Vega: "Does anyone know of a good resource or site to monitor the ice out? We're also heading out on the 25th out of Stanton Bay. " MODIS has a daily satellite photo. Except for eastern border country, today's is especially clear in the northern half of MN. It shows exactly what I am hearing from neighbors: the south-to-north ice-out progression has just today reached the West Central lakes around Perham. Except for the usual deep-water stragglers, most should be declared ice-free by tomorrow, maybe another day or so for Otter Tail Lake.
Vega	05/03/2022 10:21AM Does anyone know of a good resource or site to monitor the ice out? We're also heading out on the 25th out of Stanton Bay.
Jackfish	05/03/2022 09:16AM A lot can change between now and the 25th. I also think they like to run a road grader in there in the spring to smooth the road for the season. Have a great trip, John. Taking another 2-3 weeker? I'm so envious! :)
deancal20	05/03/2022 09:09AM This could be an interesting year! It looks like the water levels are going to be higher and who knows when the ice is out. Rain can melt a lot of snow and ice. It is definitely going to be swampy. We are going around June 12th and hoping the black flies and skeeters won't be too bad. Good luck.
jdddl8	05/02/2022 08:09PM I just heard from friend that there is still three feet of ice on Nym and plenty of snow in the bush. There is also another three days of rain forecast for next week. I am going in on the 25th. I wonder if I will need skates. Also the road into Beaverhouse could become problematic with all that water. I think I will have a backup Lerome trip planned just in case.