Taking a group in mid-June - the plan is to enter Stanton Bay....after that not sure of the best route. Have heard/read bad things about trying to get thru Deux Rivieres, but the alternative (thru the B's) is a bit longer and has a moderately difficult 190 rod portage. We'll definitely be fishing and would take the harder route (whichever it is) to catch more fish if that is a difference maker. Will definitely not try to get to Russell in one day. Thanks for any suggestions.

Deux River in June should be ok. The B chain is a neat route and fishy. The 190 along the Pickerel River is a heart thumper but is a gorgeous walk. Either way, you have to decide if you can paddle up the Russel Outflow, paddle up part of it and use the short portage, or take the long portage from Sturgeon to Russel. Could be some big current coming down it mid June yet.

I have done Deux Rivieres many times and have had only one walking experience and they were in mid-August. You won’t have any trouble in mid-June. If you are going out at Staton Bay you could do a loop doing each route once. Remember it is downhill from Pickeral so that may help decide which route you take first. And definitely hug the left side as you try to reach the short portage to get into Russell. It will definitely be flowing strongly in mid-June with this late spring.

The deax is the quickest and easiest way. Russell can be done in a day with an early start. Paddle up the outflow, using the short portage if needed.

The Deux in June should be easily traversed. If you're going to do a loop via the B-chain and the Deux, you'll want to go in via the B-chain, as the long portage out of Fern to Oliphant is downhill that way. Learned that the hard way :-(

AdamX

Just to make sure you know ... you may not use Stanton Bay as an access point unless you are Canadian or are using a Canadian outfitter.

If your goal is to reach Russell on day 1 ... go in via the Deax. I've traveled it as late as September without issue. Mid-June should be no problem. You will only hit a couple of portages to reach Sturgeon via this route and they are either basically flat or slightly down hill. You'll be heavier going in, so I'd take advantage of this and leave the B-chain for the exit, even though it is up hill.

dd

Whichever way you go keep your camp clean when you get there. Russell is a beautiful lake but those sites get a lot of use and need all the care they can get.