I'm trying to do a bit of planning for our upcoming trip and have a few questions. First, about how long will the paddle from the EP to LLC take (tandem, experienced paddlers, probably double-portaging). And second, any new updates on the bears on Agnes?

Thanks in advance for any input!

Last Sept, my group single portaged in a tandem to LLC and back. It took 6 hours on the way out and 5 hours on the way in. I'd think double portaging would probably be around 7 hours.

Aldy1: "Last Sept, my group single portaged in a tandem to LLC and back. It took 6 hours on the way out and 5 hours on the way in. I'd think double portaging would probably be around 7 hours. "

I agree, went last year and it sounds like a number of the beaver dams that you had to pull over last year are no longer an issue...but that can change. I have a friend who came out of Agnes a week ago, said there was a mama bear with 3 cubs, totally unafraid of humans, making the rounds on the southern side of Agnes.

Wind is a big factor crossing Agnes due to the N/S orientation, have had the pleasure of a 20+ mph tailwind and pain of a 20+ mph headwind. That said, typically I would plan on about 6-7 hours to get to LLC if you are single portaging. Then you have to find a campsite as well so factor that in too. LLC is a busy lake

Was posted elsewhere, but the 6 sites on the southern end of the lake are currently closed due to a bear and her cubs. Last summer the issue was with the northern and eastern sites. Last may we found 3 large piles of bear scat and 2 fresh piles of moose scat on the portage from Agnes to Oyster as well

I've found with a decent start, double portaging, steady pace, I was usually looking for sites in Boulder or Tiger Bay areas by 3:30ish. It's a long day, but not grueling.

cowdoc: "I've found with a decent start, double portaging, steady pace, I was usually looking for sites in Boulder or Tiger Bay areas by 3:30ish. It's a long day, but not grueling."

This sounds about right. Depending on your start time....but double portaging especially you'll be there in the afternoon.

Did this this Spring, third week in May. 6 people, 3 canoes. Some with minimal experience. Double portaged. Took less than 7 hours. No issues with beaver dams this year and water levels looked to be about 1/2-1 foot lower than normal on Nina Moose and Agnes.

7thinningstretch: "I'm trying to do a bit of planning for our upcoming trip and have a few questions. First, about how long will the paddle from the EP to LLC take (tandem, experienced paddlers, probably double-portaging). And second, any new updates on the bears on Agnes?

Thanks in advance for any input!"

Talked to a couple yesterday on my way out from Oyster. They stayed on Agnes and had momma and three cubs in their camp. The bears were not afraid. The couple also talked to another group and this group had the bears in camp as well. Someone left food in their tent and the bear tore through it. This was in the north end of the lake.

egknuti: "

7thinningstretch: "I'm trying to do a bit of planning for our upcoming trip and have a few questions. First, about how long will the paddle from the EP to LLC take (tandem, experienced paddlers, probably double-portaging). And second, any new updates on the bears on Agnes?


Thanks in advance for any input!"

Talked to a couple yesterday on my way out from Oyster. They stayed on Agnes and had momma and three cubs in their camp. The bears were not afraid. The couple also talked to another group and this group had the bears in camp as well. Someone left food in their tent and the bear tore through it. This was in the north end of the lake. "

So they are moving north, urgh. Happen to know which campsites they have moved on to? We may be forced to push through Agnes to LLC with our group. I know my young ones would be very nervous about Agnes now....

scotttimm: "

egknuti: "

7thinningstretch: "I'm trying to do a bit of planning for our upcoming trip and have a few questions. First, about how long will the paddle from the EP to LLC take (tandem, experienced paddlers, probably double-portaging). And second, any new updates on the bears on Agnes?



Thanks in advance for any input!"

Talked to a couple yesterday on my way out from Oyster. They stayed on Agnes and had momma and three cubs in their camp. The bears were not afraid. The couple also talked to another group and this group had the bears in camp as well. Someone left food in their tent and the bear tore through it. This was in the north end of the lake. "

So they are moving north, urgh. Happen to know which campsites they have moved on to? We may be forced to push through Agnes to LLC with our group. I know my young ones would be very nervous about Agnes now...."

I believe they said the north east side, but they also talked to other campers in the lake. It sounds like the bears are visiting all the sites. They were told by the forest service to stay off the portage to the Oyster River as well

Last year we made it from #16 to the island site in LLC just north of Boulder Bay. #173. 3 of us including my elderly father in a 3 person 20 footer.
We started almost in the dark, another 15 minutes earlier we would have needed headlamps. We made camp around 2:30pm after paddling over to Tiger bay and finding everything occupied.

We also stayed on the northwest site on Agnes 1796 on the way out but did not see any bears. We didn't know about it until we got back home. Nice site, I would stay there again.

Came out #16 yesterday (7/2). More beaver dams than I recall from previous trips, but only 5 of them at which we needed to get out of the canoe to work our way over -- 4 on Moose R, 1 on Nina Moose R. Water level was extremely low (John at VNO said it's about a foot below normal for this time of year), and it seemed to have dropped some in the 4 days since our entry. Multiple areas of sand bars with branches at the ready for dam construction that we could push through okay. Some dams with wide openings someone created (??) that we could paddle through easily. Water depth at the mouth of the Moose R coming into Nina Moose Lake was 6-7 inches at best.