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Wonder so far how many people switched from Quetico to the BWCA

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Date/Time: 05/23/2025 03:13AM

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Wonder so far how many people switched from Quetico to the BWCA

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
MarshallPrime	05/06/2025 11:38AM We switched from Falls chain to Sag entry heading to knife for June 3rd to 10th. My canoe mate didn't have a RABC from last year, unfortunately.
Jackfish	05/06/2025 10:00AM mapsguy1955: "A friend of mine had his passport taken away coming in from Mexico for no valid reason. " No one gets their passport taken away from them for "no valid reason". There must be a story behind this.
mapsguy1955	05/06/2025 09:11AM A friend of mine had his passport taken away coming in from Mexico for no valid reason. I hope this doesn’t start happening in Canada. I’m going this weekend to Quebec so we will see.
Moonpath	05/02/2025 08:20AM I agree with Pinetree, while I enjoy the US BW, going to Canada and to Quetico is something special. It is less crowded, bigger trees, better fishing, and in a different country. Sure hope we never lose this special privilege to visit our neighbors to the north.
Pinetree	04/30/2025 01:02PM cburton103: "Personally, I go to Quetico because the fishing and backcountry remoteness is superior to that o eilling to jump through most reasonable additional hoops that the Canadians find necessary to put into place to enjoy Quetico for my annual trip." I often wondered and thought how lucky I was to go to Quetico (another country) and often have an entire lake or lakes to myself, fishing is awesome, nice campsites and plentiful firewood for a few bucks a day. Where else can you go and have a entire lake you can call your own for a few days? AWESOME. What a bargain and privilege we have to visit our neighbor to the north. Also, often I have seen and talked with the rangers, always super friendly and they went into that field of work because they love it and care about the resource. Thank you, Canada and the ranger crews. Note: Met one Ranger every year almost at ice-out clearing trails and making the rounds. After a few years, he just quit checking our permits etc. and just visited. Now by the internet we visit. We're all the same and care about Quetico. He has really devoted his life to it.
timatkn	04/30/2025 11:32AM Pinetree: "Well written." Agree, it's your choice, but this isn't unusual. We used to go to Lac Seul in the 80's and this wasn't uncommon. AND It happened sometimes on our re-entry so it was Fellow Americans doing the searching. I do get it...when it happens it feels so personal and some of them (on both sides) are entitled jerks. But for me the fishing and experience is worth the risk. But once again you are entitled to your opinion and choice. Not judging you, sorry if it comes off that way. T
cburton103	04/30/2025 10:36AM Personally, I go to Quetico because the fishing and backcountry remoteness is superior to that of the boundary waters, and both of those factors are very important to me. So I'm willing to jump through most reasonable additional hoops that the Canadians find necessary to put into place to enjoy Quetico for my annual trip.
Pinetree	04/30/2025 08:05AM Well written.
rick00001967	04/30/2025 07:04AM mutz: "We have cancelled three trips to Canada for this year, one to the Q, one fly in out of Chapleau and one boat in out of chapleau. Last year coming back from a boat in to chapleau we were stopped on the Canadian side coming back into Sault Ste. Marie Michigan by the Canadian DNR. Every veh with a boat was stopped and searched to make sure we didn’t have over our limit of fish. Tied up for over two hours. No more of my money ever going to Canada again. , " obviously you can make whatever decisions suit you best, but you do realize they stop those of us that live here as well? i have been searched a number of times over the years when traveling to and from the camp we used to have. thats their job. what is sad (not that i am saying you would do this) is that they have to do it at all. and it is only because of those that choose to hunt and fish illegally that make it harder on the rest of us. and i include americans and canadians in that remark. i used to see my neighbor come off the lake with a gym bag full of walleye, empty it, and go back out for more.
mutz	04/29/2025 08:39PM We have cancelled three trips to Canada for this year, one to the Q, one fly in out of Chapleau and one boat in out of chapleau. Last year coming back from a boat in to chapleau we were stopped on the Canadian side coming back into Sault Ste. Marie Michigan by the Canadian DNR. Every veh with a boat was stopped and searched to make sure we didn’t have over our limit of fish. Tied up for over two hours. No more of my money ever going to Canada again. ,
Freeleo1	04/09/2025 11:29AM We considered changing to a northern entrance into Quetico, and maybe it would be nice to see some new terrain, but we already had a reservation with LaTourell's and I would not feel right cancelling. If I want them to be there in the future it makes sense to support them during what will be a tough year economically. We used to use CBO and they are gone, so it happens. We're still going to get the tow, probably to the Birch lake portage if our Carp lake permit is unusable and find a place a bit more remote if possible. We already had a Moose lake permit as well so we could go to BWCA on the same trip.It's a bummer, but I don't blame them for flipping us off right now.
TrailZen	03/25/2025 04:02PM We pulled a nine-night permit for Prairie Portage/Carp Lake entry this morning, and will be using our 2024 RABC (now extended to December 31, 2025). I'm curious about the potential 25% tariff on our food supply, but don't see how that can be done with no CBSA facility/staff at Prairie Portage. TZ
Argo	03/24/2025 01:42PM cowdoc: "Well, the other side of border is staying home. 30% of Canadians have cancelled trips to U.S. according to news." You wouldn't believe that number if you were in Las Vegas right now. Rick is right though. US holidays have become increasingly unaffordable for average Canadians. Back in the nineties when the $C was just as depressed you could still count on the drastically cheaper prices of good and services in the US. Crazy cheap compared to Canada. Not any more.
Jackfish	03/23/2025 08:44PM campnfish: "How do you know its 99%? " In preparation for my presentation at Canoecopia a couple weeks ago, I used the reservation website to count the available dates/entry points, as well as the closed dates/entry points, for the northern entry points only. From June 1 to August 8, 99% of the possible entry dates/entry points were open for reservations.
rick00001967	03/22/2025 12:49PM cowdoc: "Well, the other side of border is staying home. 30% of Canadians have cancelled trips to U.S. according to news." as a canuck....this sounds about right. the first reason of course is political and should be pretty obvious. we wont open that can of worms. but also is due to the poor exchange rate. when you couple the rising costs of just about everything due to crazy inflation the last few years, with the poor exchange rate, it becomes quite expensive to travel south of our border. i remember a trip to florida many years ago where we were paying about 55% exchange. which was nuts. but the cost of things were cheap enough (golfing, accommodations, theme parks etc) that the over all cost of the trip was still affordable. some places were even accepting CAD at par with the USD back then in order to attract canadian tourists.
Pinetree	03/21/2025 05:32PM Jackfish: "Pinetree: "Usually there are permits open in the north end, maybe not this year. " As of a couple weeks ago, 99% of the available dates/entry points in the north were available. Hasn't changed a lot since then. Maybe it's dropped to 98%. :) Ontario Parks reservations " Thanks
campnfish	03/21/2025 04:38PM How do you know its 99%, I ask because there is an issue with the Ontario permit site showing a Null value for consumed permits, I have already talked to them about it and they are working on it, so your numbers may be off depending on how you acquire them.
Jackfish	03/21/2025 04:22PM Pinetree: "Usually there are permits open in the north end, maybe not this year. " As of a couple weeks ago, 99% of the available dates/entry points in the north were available. Hasn't changed a lot since then. Maybe it's dropped to 98%. :) Ontario Parks reservations
Pinetree	03/21/2025 02:54PM Usually there are permits open in the north end, maybe not this year. Will be a big plus for outfitters on the north end, but will hurt Ely and Gunflint outfitters big time.
unshavenman	03/21/2025 01:31PM My buddy and I moved our June Quetico trip from south to north because of the RABC fiasco. We've always entered from the south, but it was on our bucket list to do the northern part anyway so it worked out. With our existing RABC permits valid now we will probably do an August trip through Cache Bay and head back up to Kawnipi.
EmmaMorgan	03/21/2025 07:32AM I had two trips to Quetico planned for this year prior to learning of the pause on RABC processing. The first, in early June, would be a southern entry through Prairie Portage with a friend who has never been to Quetico and never had an RABC. We went ahead with planning and reservations in early January anyway, hoping that RABC processing would be resumed. Because we’ve already reserved a tow, a place to stay the night before and my friend’s rental canoe, we have decided to switch that trip to a BWCA Moose Lake entry (instead of a Quetico northern entry) so that we don’t have to cancel on the Ely outfitter, etc. If CBSA resumes processing RABC applications in time then we’ll likely do a trip involving a route in both the BWCA and Quetico since we will also have a BWCA permit. The plan for my second trip, a longer solo in July, always has been for a northern entry. I have that permit reserved and will keep my plans in place even though I do have a valid RABC issued last year and might find more solitude than usual in the southern part of the park. I’ve never entered through the north and have been really looking forward to it!
Gaidin53	03/20/2025 11:12PM Since I’ve got an RABC that is valid makes me tempted to do a southern entry now. All our other trips into Quetico we’ve done from the North and I have to say is my preference now. I’ve tripped out of Ely in the BWCA so I do have something to compare to. Ely is definitely a big step up from Atikokan though but you get way more people and that is why you have the shops and restaurants! Ryan
Pinetree	03/20/2025 09:19AM Argo: "Just booked with my outfitter in Atikokan. Two points: 1) They confirmed demand has increased markedly. 2) Despite the coming lopsidedness of entries either anticipated or experienced, the park management has confirmed there will never be an upward adjustment to the amount of permits available from the north." Thanks for the update
Argo	03/20/2025 07:30AM Just booked with my outfitter in Atikokan. Two points: 1) They confirmed demand has increased markedly. 2) Despite the coming lopsidedness of entries either anticipated or experienced, the park management has confirmed there will never be an upward adjustment to the amount of permits available from the north.
timatkn	03/19/2025 08:12PM Pinetree, Go North my son :) You’ll miss the vibe of Ely…unfortunately Atikoken is not even a shadow of Ely, but the North side entries are cheaper, great Lakes and options, as well as a new adventure. You’ll enjoy it! Especially if you are entering the BWCAW during the summer season. T
cowdoc	03/19/2025 04:22PM Well, the other side of border is staying home. 30% of Canadians have cancelled trips to U.S. according to news.
Pinetree	03/19/2025 01:39PM Argo: "Or how many have, like you, switched plans to enter into from the north? " I think many will be heading to the north end. Gives them an excuse to try something new. Be interesting if I get time to look at the reservations in Quetico and see where and what people are doing, although it's tough to compare with last year without info at hand.
Argo	03/19/2025 01:02PM Or how many have, like you, switched plans to enter into from the north?
Pinetree	03/19/2025 11:52AM I did, but still thinking going up to Beaverhouse or French Lake entry point. Have done Prairie Portage all my life. Also, years ago, they had a Customs on the Canada side, then they did away with it. It will be interesting to see if that comes back.