I'm hoping to take my wife, brother, and dad on a trip to the Q. It would be a first for us younger three and it's been a while since my Dad has been. He loved the Sarah/Robinson/McIntyre area so I think we'll try and head back.

I've read and asked questions on the route to/from Sarah and PP and I've got those options down. However, I was debating if we should get a Basswood River permit instead and get a tow from Moose to PP to however far they can take us west on Basswood. Then go past the falls and up into our target lakes via Greer/Kett or Moose Bay. Then on the way out, head back to PP from Sarah on one of the usual routes.

Or should we do it in reverse? Head to Sarah from PP via Isabella/Side and then out via upstream on the Basswood River. I love that part of the river....

I'm interested as well. I've got a 6/6 permit for Sarah. Our plan is to head up to Suzanette through Isabella, Sarah, etc, and I wouldn't mind a loop to the west to get back out.

I would knock off Basswood Lake first if the weather is good that first day. If not, go through North bay and take the river on the way out.

If the weather is bad the last day, maybe have a contingency plan coming out Fall lake. It's not that far between Moose and Fall and there are outfitters on both.

For the Basswood River entry point, you could get a tow to Back Bay. I would not choose to go north through Moose Bay and the Tuck River into Robinson. The river is very swift as it comes out of Robinson flowing south. You may not be able to paddle against the current or track your boats upstream. I do not remember a portage at that section from my trip through there. I suggest either going further north past Table Rock and then portage into Robinson or visit the pictographs at the narrows on Crooked and then backtrack a bit into Greer, Wilson, Kett, Tuck, etc.

In Sept. 2019 six of us stayed on Moose Lake at an outfitter the night before then took the long tow through PP and west on Basswood to Washington Island (As far as they go). We then paddled to North Bay with no portages that first day. It was nice because we brought some luxuries like wine and steaks and desserts for the 2 nights there.

Then we went to Sarah. After this we went up to Burt Lake but you could just go to Robinson or McIntyre from Sarah. We eventually came down for 3 nights on Robinson (a fine lake with some nice sites). Then, we went out to Basswood going through Kett. We spent a couple nights on the massive Kings Point site right as you enter Basswood from Kett. You could then paddle for a pick up tow at either Washington Island or PP on your way home. Another option is to paddle through Wind Lake back to the outfitter on Moose.

This is a nice route without a lot of portaging. Kett is long but mostly flat. From NB to Sarah is not a picnic but easily doable. Will be a great trip! I have a trip report but it's at another message board. Email me if you want the link.

Sure, I'd love to read the report.

One question I had was on the permits. Since it can take 2 days to get to Sarah, how does that work? You just tell them you'll get there eventually if you see them on day 1? Do whatever you want after you get there?

I like the flexible option of seeing what the wind is doing that morning and picking either the Isabella/Side way to Sarah or down Basswood river and up into Robinson/Sarah. If you have a Basswood river permit, I'm guessing you can't go to Sarah from PP thru Isabella and side? I'd love to have options that morning but how does that work between the 2 permits?

cyclones30: "One question I had was on the permits. Since it can take 2 days to get to Sarah, how does that work? You just tell them you'll get there eventually if you see them on day 1? Do whatever you want after you get there?

I like the flexible option of seeing what the wind is doing that morning and picking either the Isabella/Side way to Sarah or down Basswood river and up into Robinson/Sarah. If you have a Basswood river permit, I'm guessing you can't go to Sarah from PP thru Isabella and side? I'd love to have options that morning but how does that work between the 2 permits? "

if you have a Sarah permit, head directly to Sarah Lake. Once you get to Sarah you can go to other lakes, of course. I think that going down the river with a Sarah permit is kind of sketchy because you are going through a different entry point.

If you have a Basswood River permit, go down the river before you go somewhere else like Sarah.

cyclones30: "

One question I had was on the permits. Since it can take 2 days to get to Sarah, how does that work? You just tell them you'll get there eventually if you see them on day 1? Do whatever you want after you get there?

I like the flexible option of seeing what the wind is doing that morning and picking either the Isabella/Side way to Sarah or down Basswood river and up into Robinson/Sarah. If you have a Basswood river permit, I'm guessing you can't go to Sarah from PP thru Isabella and side? I'd love to have options that morning but how does that work between the 2 permits? "

Whatever permit you have you have to route through there first even if you get there on day 2 or 3.