Anyone been here recently? What are Lakes 2, 3 and 4 like since the fire?

We did the trip in '16, having done several trips dating back to 1991, well before the fire. Although the paddle to Insula can be depressing to those of us who remember it as a majestic forest with wonderful pine canopies on the long portages, in actual fact it is making a nice comeback. There are now long stretches of still standing burnt-out pine trunks on some of the numbered lakes and Hudson, but surrounded by fresh green undergrowth and wildflowers. The campsites in the burned areas are rather bleak; no shade. The last portage directly into Insula is long, and little shade; manifests absolutely no resemblance to historical appearances. But the entire north portion of Lake Insula was uninvolved, including the beautiful islands. It is as beautiful now as it was 25 years ago, and fishing is tremendous. Because you can do the entire trip in one day, it is not a bad route, since you will simply be traversing the burned areas.

Thanks for the great report.

We would not be going to Insula. We actually have a totally different trip planned, but it's a week out and one party member has sprained his foot. So I looked at available permits and low and behold: Lake One is available for the same day! I reserved it and we will see how he is on Thursday and will cancel the permit we decide not to use. So the idea behind it is to not go over any long or tough portages, hoping to avoid re-injury

Staying in a burned up site doesn't sound too appealing...

We will see what happens, I guess...

I was on Insula when the Pagami fire broke loose and followed the recovery. I was back the next year and visited again a couple years after that. The camp sites were mostly protected and I particularly like the first one on the right as you paddle into Lake Three. Lots of traffic to watch so not very private, but a really nice site. From that site I could only see a bit of the burned area.
The first year back the area was strange. Kinda naked with the vegetation gone the rocks and terrain were bare to see. Even the new green was poking up everywhere. Regrowth has been spectacular and others can attest to more recent experience, but IMHO it is something to see itself.

I noted it posted me as guest and I realized I was not signed in...bhouse46. I hope your friend can make it, a good trip and good luck on that site.

So we went in at Lake One and went through to the south end of Lake 3 and here is what I thought of it:

In the burn areas, there are still plenty of unburned campsites (in general). The south end of Lake 3 has some really nice ones, and very little traffic through there once you are off the travel route to Insula. Our Lake 3 campsite was unburned around the camp area but back by the latrine it was burned, but now there are raspberries everywhere and once they ripen you could sit there to do your business and pig out on berries at the same time. ;)

The burn area is very green due to lots of new growth but still lots of dead standing trees poke above the new growth.

Horseshoe Lake off Lake 3 looked pretty dismal, though. (at least, from the portage landing...we didn't canoe it.) Lake 3 is less dismal since there are unburned areas. You may want to ask an outfitter which campsites burned and are thus closed, because even the new McKenzie map didn't show the fire boundary or any closed campsites. There are a few, though most are still open.

The island across from our campsite island on Lake 3 had a large white pine that didn't die, and eagles had a nest in it. Very cool to camp right across from them.

photos: View from Lake 3 campsite, the campsite itself, gratuitous rainbow shot (shows unburned area far in the background) and Horseshoe Lake from the portage landing with Lake 3.