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Help me decide please - East Bearskin to McFarland Loop or Tuscarora West?

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Date/Time: 02/11/2026 02:49AM

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Help me decide please - East Bearskin to McFarland Loop or Tuscarora West?

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<quote>bbwanderratte: "I am trying to decide between two possible trips.

This will be a solo trip. I'll have to double portage. I plan on paddling 6 days and do a number of layover days. I don't fish but I love just sitting on the shore or sitting in the canoe looking at the lake, thus the layover days.

I am trying to decide between:

East Bearskin to McFarland Loop. Start at EP 64 East Bearskin, through Alder, Canoe, Pine, McFarland, Little John, and John, back through East and West Pike to Clearwater, Caribou, Deer and Moon returning to East Bearskin.
Route 10 here https://www.rockwoodbwca.com/routes/#route10

OR
 
Tuscarora West EP 51 Missing Link Lake: Round, Missing Link, Tuscarora, Owl, Crooked, Tarry, Mora, Little Saganaga Lake, Rattle Lake,  Gabimichigami Lake, Peter Lake, French Lakeo Gillis Lake, Bat Lake, Green Lake, Flying Lake,Gotter Lake, Brant Lake, Edith Lake, West Round Lake, Round Lake
https://tuscaroracanoe.com/canoe-routes/tuscarora/

A lot more short portages on the Tuscarora West route and it looks like a significant part of it will be in a burn scar. How bad is it? When was the fire? I'm not a fan of paddling through burn scars, I know it's part of the life cycle, it still makes me sad, plus there are usually a lot more bugs since there's more brush and grass. So I'm leaning towards the first option if I can get a permit.

Thoughts? Other ideas? 
"</quote>

Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
YardstickAngler	01/01/2026 10:36PM Little Sag is the best! You’ll have a great trip.
bbwanderratte	01/01/2026 01:41AM Michwall2: ". If you were willing to get out on Gabimichigami... Happy Planning!" On second look I think I'll actually go Little Sag - Virgin - West Fern -Powell to France...
bbwanderratte	01/01/2026 01:37AM Michwall2: "Go to Little Sag! The Tuscarora Route will pass in and out of burn area. As someone has already noted, the fire was 20 years ago. You will not be looking at acres and acres of rock outcrops, fireweed, erratics, and burned stumps. The last time I passed through the area I would describe it as middle aged recovery. Trees were 12-20 feet tall, depending on species. I enjoy the newness of the area. Leaves are a brighter green, the pines and firs have branches nearer the ground. You can find campsites on most lakes that are still in non-burned territory. Alternate route that will keep you in mostly unburned territory: Entry 47 - LIzz Lake.... Super helpful, thank you! I've seen some pictures now of the burn area and it really doesn't look that bad. I still feel a little scarred from our trip through the Pagami Fire scar 3 years ago where I thought there should be decent regrowth after all these years and Lake 4 to south Insula was still so sad. Must have been the fire intensity that slows down recovery. I've done Cross Bay to Poplar one way twice so I've seen a good part of the alternative you suggested and liked it but I'm up for something new. Thanks for suggesting it though I hadn't thought of the loop.
Michwall2	12/24/2025 07:02AM Go to Little Sag! The Tuscarora Route will pass in and out of burn area. As someone has already noted, the fire was 20 years ago. You will not be looking at acres and acres of rock outcrops, fireweed, erratics, and burned stumps. The last time I passed through the area I would describe it as middle aged recovery. Trees were 12-20 feet tall, depending on species. I enjoy the newness of the area. Leaves are a brighter green, the pines and firs have branches nearer the ground. You can find campsites on most lakes that are still in non-burned territory. Anytime I can find a way to put myself on LIttle Sag I consider the trip a win. There are great campsites scattered all through the lake. The views can be intimate or breathtaking. Fishing contains most game species. Alternate route that will keep you in mostly unburned territory: Entry 47 - LIzz Lake Lizz Lake to Horseshoe for moose viewing. Horseshoe to Winchell - Climb the path to the top of the cliff. Winchell through Wanihigan & Cliff Lakes to the Cones and Brule. Brule through the Temperance Lakes and Sitka to Cherokee Lake. Cherokee Lake to Frost Lake for the golden sand beaches. Frost Lake to Long Island Lake - The east end has a couple great campsites, but they look on a small patch of burn. Long Island through Muskeg, Kiskadinna, & Ogema brings you back to Winchell. Out through Gaskin, Horseshoe, and Caribou to Lizz Lake. I think this route can be done within 6-7 days of paddling. If you were willing to get out on Gabimichigami, then Brule should not intimidate you. There are small patches of blowdown/burn areas throughout this route, but nothing extensive. Happy Planning!
fishonfishoff	12/24/2025 06:11AM We did almost all of the Tuscarora route you picked about 12 years ago. The Peter Lake area was burnt bad, but glad we did it. I called it a "holocaustic" area! We enjoyed the route so much we did most of it again this fall. The lakes are beautiful......but I guess every lake is beautiful. FISHONFISHOFF
YardstickAngler	12/23/2025 07:52PM bbwanderratte: "@YardstickAngler - I don't fish, changed my OP to reflect that. I just love being out there and do enjoy time to just be thus the layover days, where I usually just sit and look at the lake either from shore or from the canoe in the middle of the lake. I saw the route you suggest on the Tuscarora Lodge website. https://tuscaroracanoe.com/canoe-routes/frostriver/ I had considered it as it looks great, but it said "It is best to take this route when the water is high due to beaver activity, typically in May or June. " I'm going early July and can't change my entry date as I'm solidly booked mid May to July 4. I don't particularly enjoy dragging stuff over a gazillion beaver dams. The trip reports I've seen where people enjoyed this route are all from May. Later trips seemed to more fall in the "whoohoo we made!" or abort mission category. What do you not like about the early part of the Bearskin route just to get an idea? I've never been to that area. I just had friends who went that way two years ago and really enjoyed it. " I figured perhaps you were going later in the year. That said there’s been 2-3 years out of the last four with folks running the Frost with zero issue deep into August. Hard to totally plan for it while planning another route, but don’t totally rule it out! Amazing country if the flow is there to avoid some of the dams. I looked at the Bearskin route again and it does look good with some caveats. I’ve heard Alder can be busy but you’ll be paddling through anyway. Johnson Falls would be awesome to see. I’d love to get to Pine someday but especially solo the wind would make that one an early morning paddle for sure. John and East Pike intrigue me. Really these are both great routes, now I’ve almost swung over to the Bearskin route more.
bbwanderratte	12/23/2025 02:24PM A1t2o: "The Tuscarora loop was more isolated, but hard work on the northern leg. Our boarder route ...Less portaging but bigger lakes that were affected by wind, so we crossed Mountain with our heads down and paddling hard. Nice views though. Of the 2 trips, I am more fond of the Tuscarora loop. Gillis, Crooked, Little Sag, and Tuscarora are all beautiful destination lakes. Round to Gillis via Brant was a rough day, but we also had a late start and did about a full day's travel in half a day." Super helpful! Thank you. What make the northern leg hard work on the Tuscarora loop? The overgrown portages? I was hoping to camp on Brant before heading out to make the day shorter if going that route... And yes, with the bigger lakes wind can always be an issue...
A1t2o	12/23/2025 01:20PM I did the Tuscarora loop in 2019 and a boarder loop that overlapped with the McFarland loop in 2024. Both are great areas and we had a lot of fun. The Tuscarora loop was more isolated, but hard work on the northern leg. We went the opposite way with starting at the Brant EP and coming out of the Missing Link EP in 5 days with a rest day on Little Sag, and took the Virgin, West Fern, and Powel route instead of Gabimichigami. Little Sag was the highlight and we only saw 1 other group between Gillis and Crooked. The burn wasn't bad and you could get campsites that were not affected by it. The only thing that sucked was the low brush that made the portages feel overgrown. Our boarder route was Clearwater, Mountain, Moose, North Fowl, Royal, John, East Pike, West Pike and back out on Clearwater. Less portaging but bigger lakes that were affected by wind, so we crossed Mountain with our heads down and paddling hard. Nice views though. We did it in 6 days, but the first was a late start where we stayed on Clearwater and we took 2 rest days on West Pike with one of those being a daytrip to Gogebic. John and the Pikes were really pretty. I have been to the Johnson falls on a different trip and those are a must see. Of the 2 trips, I am more fond of the Tuscarora loop. Gillis, Crooked, Little Sag, and Tuscarora are all beautiful destination lakes. Round to Gillis via Brant was a rough day, but we also had a late start and did about a full day's travel in half a day.
bbwanderratte	12/23/2025 12:45PM @YardstickAngler - I don't fish, changed my OP to reflect that. I just love being out there and do enjoy time to just be thus the layover days, where I usually just sit and look at the lake either from shore or from the canoe in the middle of the lake. I saw the route you suggest on the Tuscarora Lodge website. https://tuscaroracanoe.com/canoe-routes/frostriver/ I had considered it as it looks great, but it said "It is best to take this route when the water is high due to beaver activity, typically in May or June. " I'm going early July and can't change my entry date as I'm solidly booked mid May to July 4. I don't particularly enjoy dragging stuff over a gazillion beaver dams. The trip reports I've seen where people enjoyed this route are all from May. Later trips seemed to more fall in the "whoohoo we made!" or abort mission category. What do you not like about the early part of the Bearskin route just to get an idea? I've never been to that area. I just had friends who went that way two years ago and really enjoyed it.
Ausable	12/23/2025 12:13PM The Tuscarora route is partially in the area of the Cavity Lake fire that happened in 2006, i.e. 20 years ago. I haven't traveled in that particular area, but there should have been considerable regrowth by now.
YardstickAngler	12/23/2025 10:40AM Is the main priority fishing, travel, or otherwise? I like the Tuscarora West plan best (but with a modification), mainly because the early part of the Bearskin route doesn’t intrigue me as much. If you don’t like the burn areas and all the portages (which are rough through the area Peter-Brant as are many of the campsites due to the burn), why not cut south from Missing Link to Snipe and head to Long Island/Frost. Can stop short on Snipe, Long Island, even Rib on day 1 if you can’t make Frost. Then head down the Frost River. Stay on Bologna or push through to Mora. Amazing solitude and gorgeous lakes. A good site or two on Mora with some incredible sites on Little Sag. Then head east through Tuscarora to finish at Round. My trip report from my Frost River solo is here. You’ve got the time, and it sounds like you’ve got the energy. Especially if this is an early season trip, the Frost River deserves some consideration. And if the winter and spring are wet, you could maybe even do it as a late season trip.
bbwanderratte	12/23/2025 10:23AM True. I also want to have a good backup option in case I can't get the permit since my dates are not flexible. Have you been in the Tuscarora West area? Wondering if it's a good enough backup or if I should keep looking...
Speckled	12/23/2025 09:46AM You'll know you're traveling through a fire area. With your comments regarding that, I'd steer you towards the other route.
bbwanderratte	12/23/2025 08:55AM I am trying to decide between two possible trips. This will be a solo trip. I'll have to double portage. I plan on paddling 6 days and do a number of layover days. I don't fish but I love just sitting on the shore or sitting in the canoe looking at the lake, thus the layover days. I am trying to decide between: East Bearskin to McFarland Loop. Start at EP 64 East Bearskin, through Alder, Canoe, Pine, McFarland, Little John, and John, back through East and West Pike to Clearwater, Caribou, Deer and Moon returning to East Bearskin. Route 10 here https://www.rockwoodbwca.com/routes/#route10 OR Tuscarora West EP 51 Missing Link Lake: Round, Missing Link, Tuscarora, Owl, Crooked, Tarry, Mora, Little Saganaga Lake, Rattle Lake, Gabimichigami Lake, Peter Lake, French Lakeo Gillis Lake, Bat Lake, Green Lake, Flying Lake,Gotter Lake, Brant Lake, Edith Lake, West Round Lake, Round Lake https://tuscaroracanoe.com/canoe-routes/tuscarora/ A lot more short portages on the Tuscarora West route and it looks like a significant part of it will be in a burn scar. How bad is it? When was the fire? I'm not a fan of paddling through burn scars, I know it's part of the life cycle, it still makes me sad, plus there are usually a lot more bugs since there's more brush and grass. So I'm leaning towards the first option if I can get a permit. Thoughts? Other ideas?