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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Quetico Forum Quetico - first time Reply
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| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| Banksiana |
08/04/2016 12:10PM I've done the Poacher to Sunday route a couple of times (including May of this year). Portage to Poacher is pretty level but it is long, longer than it's listed I think. The Poacher Creek paddle to Sunday is straightforward and quite pretty, nice little falls into Sunday. Poacher is a great place to camp, not many folks stay there, a nice campsite on a rocky point for small groups, a big site on the beach at the end of the portage from Inlet Bay. Not a bad route, especially if Bayley Bay is rocking. |
| billconner |
08/04/2016 11:24AM Three routes from PP to Sunday: Inlet Bay-Poacher-Sunday; Inlet Bay-Bayley Bay-Sunday Bay-Sunday; or Inlet Bay-Bayley Bay-Burke-Sunday. By far via Burke is easiest, if not quickest because of more paddle. That has been my usual route and the portage from Bayle to Burke is known as the yellow brick road portage, very groomed and level, could be done barefoot. I did the portage from Sunday Bay to Sunday once - Bayley Bay was getting rough - and IIRC its about average difficulty. I've not done Poacher but keep it in mind for when wind is high and Bayley really rough, as happens a lot, especially later in day. I did come out of Burke once to be greeted by a flotilla - maybe 10 groups - all wind bound on Inlet for three days. I don't know why they didn't do Poacher - tough perhaps but ideal for when Bayley is broaching impassible. As for South-Jeff-West - I've not done it but both my sons have and said it was mucky but easy. My sons like muck - or did at that age - and I can understand others may rather hike a steep mile than plow through a 10 rod muck. Frankly, if you have the time, a exit from Agnes through Silence and S-Chain-North Bay-Burke-Bayley would be my choice. It's a nice paddle and easy portages. At the end of the day, the Meadows portages are not that tough IMHO. They are rocky, actually only portage I've ever fallen on, but wide and dry and more like a walk in the woods than in a swamp. |
| Ausable |
08/04/2016 10:10AMquote Chlorin8ed: "Well we have a change of plans. We are going to Agnes and base camp there. We know we will have to do the Meadows portage twice LOL. The daughter wants to see Louisa Falls and the bath tub and the picto's. So any advice on Agnes? Camp Sites? Sites, Day trips? etc." • Pictographs: I recommend buying the Northwoods Pictographs brochures for Agnes. They will help you locate and identify the pictographs. • Portages: You have already heard that the two portages (aka Big Agony and Little Agony) from Sunday Lake through Meadows to Agnes can be tough, but the portage from Sunday Bay into Sunday Lake (the North Portage) can also be difficult (large rocks, mud, etc.). • Campsites: Given the difficulty of the first day's 3 portages into Agnes (plus the easy Prairie Portage), you might want to stay on the south end of Agnes for the first night. You'll be near Louisa Falls and 2 of the southern pictograph sites. These campsites are heavily used. I recommend moving further north to gain some (relative) solitude. |
| Chlorin8ed |
08/04/2016 08:49AM We can check it out, but I was under the impression that it was very muddy. My wife will not do mud very well. Where I may sink to knee deep that would be over her waist. Yes she is short ;-) Any one been thru there recently? |
| OldGreyGoose |
08/04/2016 07:20AM Have you considered either going in or out of Agnes via West and Jeff Lakes? I know low water level concerns apply to the West-Jeff portage, but it's worth considering... --Goose |
| Chlorin8ed |
08/03/2016 04:31PM Well we have a change of plans. We are going to Agnes and base camp there. We know we will have to do the Meadows portage twice LOL. The daughter wants to see Louisa Falls and the bath tub and the picto's. So any advice on Agnes? Camp Sites? Sites, Day trips? etc. |
| Banksiana |
07/21/2016 03:32PM Take the Meadows Lake portages on your way out when you're light. They are longish, one is very bouldery but pretty straight forward. Their difficulty is really due to being separated by only a hundred yards of paddling. Or break them up. Spend your first night on Meadows- a nice little lake that few people paddle into. |
| Chlorin8ed |
07/21/2016 01:32PM Thanks Timatkn I am just trying to figure out how far we need to get. We are strong out out of the gate, LOL, and then slow after that. :-) I think we want a 7 day loop. I know the portages out of Agnes will most likely "kill" they wife. So I am debating to do them first or last on the loop. |
| timatkn |
07/20/2016 07:14PM How long for the loop? You could do it in 2-3 days really flying but that wouldn't be fun for me :) From what you describe I'd do that route in 5-7 days. That way you can take it slow for your first Quetico trip. If you get way ahead of schedule play around on Agnes longer check out all the pictographs and the set of petroglyphs. The lakes are pretty good for fishing so it would give ya time to do a little of that as well. T |
| billconner |
07/20/2016 12:07PM We double portage and I'm no speed demon - at 64 with worsening arthritis, and we try to travel from maybe 8:00 till 2:00 - if that. I have just found we get bored if we don't average 10 or so miles a day - but that may be 20 one day and none the next. The portage from Agnes to Louisa is adjacent to Louisa Falls - so it's a "steep" portage to say the least - maybe two people pushing/pulling canoe and/or use rope - or maybe one can carry it if steadier than I am now. |
| Chlorin8ed |
07/20/2016 10:56AM Thanks Mr Conner. We double portage and are very slow ;-) So we may not make 10 miles a day. LOL Portage up the Falls? |
| billconner |
07/19/2016 01:27PM I'm not sure it matters which way you go. I have usually gone to Agnes via Sunday and Meadows, but have also gone through Burke to North Bay and the S chain to Silence. You could paddle and single portage all that in a long day. Bayley Bay can be tough in wind, so I usually want to allow for teh possibility I could go by Poacher instead of being wind bound - so may if good weather first day, Burke-North-S-chain. PP to Agnes - even north end - and back is a leisurely 5 night trip which ever way you go. If you just head to Agnes and Louisa Falls, Louisa Lake is a really nice place and generally the portage up the falls discourages people from going there. I figure 10-12 miles a day is not hard - and that usually averages in a layover day every 3-4 days. |
| Chlorin8ed |
07/19/2016 09:17AM This will be our first time in Quetico, our 9th trip up north. I am looking at getting a tow to PP and then heading west and north. Doing a loop thru bottom of S chain and thru Agnes. Planning on middle of August. Relax, maybe a little fishing, but mainly enjoy the sights! I know I will have lots of questions :-) Preference on which way to go? We are slow movers, both paddling and portaging, we do not like to move everyday. I know we will have to move (guessing) every other day to complete this loop. Any thoughts on how long this loop will take? Logical and easy goals/destinations? How far will be get each day, etc. Ok let it begin ;-) Thanks Chlorin8ed |
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