Today (1/23/2019) I went to the Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show and met Blayne Hall. I had already called Williams and Hall to reserve bunk space, breakfast and tow to Prairie Portage and let them know I'd be coming to the exhibition. We discussed the route I was considering and he worked with me on it and in the end, it was decided it would more fit our group and objectives by going to McIntyre instead. After the conversation, I felt it was the right choice.

Though there are still some details to work out and some things may change, I think the major lakes and such are correct. HOW we get from place to place may change as I'm looking at things on my own and have not checked back with Mr. Hall or taken any of your advice just yet. However, below is my first pass on a route.

Day 1 (Sunday)
Prairie Portage Start
Cross Baylee Bay (Basswood Lake)
Portage into Burke Lake
Portage into North Lake
Camp on an island in North Lake (Basswood Lake)

Day 2 (Monday)
Portage to Unnamed
Portage to Isabella Lake
Portage to Unnamed Lake
Portage to Side Lake
Portage to Sarah Lake
Portage to McIntyre
Camp on an island (arrive around Noon)

Day 3 (Tuesday)
Stay

Day 4 (Wednesday)
Portage to Deer Lake
Portage to Cecil Lake
Portage to Tuck Lake
Camp

Day 5 (Thursday)
Camp

Day 6 (Friday)
Portage to Sarah Lake
Portage to Side Lake
Portage to Unnamed Lake
Portage to Isabella Lake
Portage to Unnamed
Portage to North Bay (Basswood Lake)
Camp in a different spot than Day 1

Day 7 (Saturday)
Portage to Burke Lake
Portage to Baylee Bay (Basswood Lake)
Arrive at Prarie Portage, call for Tow

Day 2 is quite ambiguous. From Tuck, consider exiting through Basswood River. Very scenic and a nice set of pictos. Ride the winds across Basswood.

If fishing is on the agenda, spend an extra day on McIntyre. You can thank me later.

old_salt: "Day 2 is quite ambiguous. From Tuck, consider exiting through Basswood River. Very scenic and a nice set of pictos. Ride the winds across Basswood.

If fishing is on the agenda, spend an extra day on McIntyre. You can thank me later."

I think I recall Mr. Hall mentioning Basswood River. I didn't want to dominate his time and get ALL the details but I think I got the general idea. I know he (and you fine people) will help me dial in the route.

As for fishing, I'll throw some lines in but it's not my focus. Enough to eat will be good for me. We are two nights on McIntyre so that will give good exposure to it and to what I hear is a tremendous set of campsites there.

Sounds like a good plan. Day one is a very nice and easy start. The rest are all great lakes to experience. Sarah and MacIntyre have some excellent campsites. Just thinking about your route gets me wired up and ready to go.

GraniteCliffs: "Sounds like a good plan. Day one is a very nice and easy start. The rest are all great lakes to experience. Sarah and MacIntyre have some excellent campsites. Just thinking about your route gets me wired up and ready to go."

Almost each night that I'm looking at all this I get worked up.

Though we are there to enjoy the journey, our plan is to also get to where we are going at a reasonable pace. If it ends up we get to North Bay early enough to decide to reasonably get to Isabella, that's what we will do. Mr. Hall mentioned the over/under decision to stay or move on with options between if we didn't make it. Obviously, that's a real thing. I'd LOVE to make it to Isabella on the first day but we are not going to put ourselves into the grinder to do so.

I usually target Isabella going that way. I do get to first in line at rangers station, but average paddler at best, not a speedy double portager, but lightning fast at loading and unloading. Usually make Isabella - and one of my favorite sites at the narrows where I have seen moose more than once - unless Bayley Bay and North Bay are angry.

...and they do get angry. Sounds like the OP is flexible, which is a good thing. :)

billconner: "I usually target Isabella going that way. I do get to first in line at rangers station, but average paddler at best, not a speedy double portager, but lightning fast at loading and unloading. Usually make Isabella - and one of my favorite sites at the narrows where I have seen moose more than once - unless Bayley Bay and North Bay are angry."

Yes, with an early start Isabella is totally doable as long as you're not lollygagging. Keep the fishing rods packed and have no misc. stuff for the portages. Don't forget to have your lunch handy and not buried in the packs.

In 2016 I went that way solo and made it to the unnamed lake just east of Side Lake. Then you are in good position for McIntyre on day two. It's better to get there earlier in the day to make sure you get the site you want. I would be up and moving right at dawn on day two. Have fun, McIntyre is gorgeous. Here's a short video from my 2016 trip on McIntyre. You will have the same view as you enter the lake. I got very lucky with the wind.

McIntyre Lake

One thing I try to do is take advantage of good weather conditions. You just might get tail winds up Burke and North Bay. If that's the case try to go as far as you can with favorable winds. If it's rough and coming right at you or sideways then just hole up and try to start day two at zero dark thirty. Literally get up in the dark with headlamps and hit the water asap before the winds pick up. You don't want to get windbound on an island in North Bay. Been there, done that.

billconner: "I usually target Isabella going that way. I do get to first in line at rangers station, but average paddler at best, not a speedy double portager, but lightning fast at loading and unloading. Usually make Isabella - and one of my favorite sites at the narrows where I have seen moose more than once - unless Bayley Bay and North Bay are angry."

As a group, I don't think we will be speedy paddlers but may pick up the pace to try and target Isabella. Two (now two, was one) have done these trips before but the rest of us are not used to unloading and loading. Three of the rookies (me, BIL, friend) have already spoken about doing some practicing to get our heads straight and to become better at it. We have an old canoe that we will use.

As for the angry water, that's something we will have to adjust to. I don't now what "too angry" means for the canoes we will use so I'm going to underestimate and rely on the experience of those who have gone before. However, I don't have any problems with hugging the shore or even just pulling over and waiting it out. Being out in the middle of a lake with a swamped or capsized canoe and my stuff all over doesn't sound like fun.

carmike: "...and they do get angry. Sounds like the OP is flexible, which is a good thing. :) "

I've been around them in Alaska, and they are large and dangerous when they are angry. As for being flexible, I feel we are. We are wanting to get to X, but are allowing for a bit more time. That's there and back.

TomT: "

billconner: "I usually target Isabella going that way. I do get to first in line at rangers station, but average paddler at best, not a speedy double portager, but lightning fast at loading and unloading. Usually make Isabella - and one of my favorite sites at the narrows where I have seen moose more than once - unless Bayley Bay and North Bay are angry."

Yes, with an early start Isabella is totally doable as long as you're not lollygagging. Keep the fishing rods packed and have no misc. stuff for the portages. Don't forget to have your lunch handy and not buried in the packs.

In 2016 I went that way solo and made it to the unnamed lake just east of Side Lake. Then you are in good position for McIntyre on day two. It's better to get there earlier in the day to make sure you get the site you want. I would be up and moving right at dawn on day two. Have fun, McIntyre is gorgeous. Here's a short video from my 2016 trip on McIntyre. You will have the same view as you enter the lake. I got very lucky with the wind.

McIntyre Lake

One thing I try to do is take advantage of good weather conditions. You just might get tail winds up Burke and North Bay. If that's the case try to go as far as you can with favorable winds. If it's rough and coming right at you or sideways then just hole up and try to start day two at zero dark thirty. Literally get up in the dark with headlamps and hit the water asap before the winds pick up. You don't want to get windbound on an island in North Bay. Been there, done that. "

Thanks for all that, and the video. I'll watch it later tonight and make the wife ask "Another video?" "Yes, another one, doesn't it make you want to go?"

A little note to say "Thanks" to all in this thread and the forum in general. When I get a bit of critical information I copy it out and send it to all in the group. I encourage them to become part of this forum and at least stalk and read. They choose to either read and watch what I send them or don't, it's up to them.

This trip isn't mine, though I am the one basically planning it. After this trip they will be MY trips. That's only important because I'll only allow those that are not a detriment to go. After that it is OUR trip, meaning all in the group, and I'll only step forward when a decision MUST be made in the group's interest.

So ... thanks. I read everything and pay attention to what you say.