I was exploring the western end of Knife Lake last week and walked the portage over to Portage lake. On the Knife Lake end of the portage I saw what looked like an old motor (not hard to spot really), and on the portage itself I noticed all of the rocks had multiple scars on them like the one shown below. Anyone know the story on this? I thought it might have been used for pulling boats from one lake to the other, but that seems like it would be really hard on the boats to drag them over bare rocks!

Nice little inline 4 cyl

The scratch marks are from snowmobiles.

Banksiana: "The scratch marks are from snowmobiles."

Interesting, but why would they be so prominent on this one portage, and on no others that I’ve seen in the BWCA? I know they let in a bunch of snowmobiles to knife after Dorothy died, but not sure why they would have gone in and out of Portage Lake?

Dorothy used a snow machine, and had many, visitors, and helpers that used them over the years.

The scratches in the rock are more likely from dogsled brakes. Many have carbides.

Banksiana: "The scratch marks are from snowmobiles."

Definietly snowmobile from their carbide ski rods to often stud carbides in the track. Seen where they literally killed the root system of a big Cedar tree where they went in Quetico toward Burke and onward.

I believe Stairway portage suffered a few years back from a studded track trying to go up the stairway.

Can't you cut across a winter portage thru Portage toward Knife in the winter?

Can't remember?

Carbide tips from snowmobile tracks makes sense to me, but I suspect Finnboy may be on to something. In addition to brakes with carbide tips, dogsleds also have drag pads to help control the speed. These pads, typically about the size of a small welcome mat and suspended by bungy cords until stepped on, are usually made from old snowmobile tracks and also have often have carbide tips. A musher on a portage would likely be stepping on the pad to control the speed of the team. I’m sure Dorothy ran snowmobiles around way back, but not sure if carbide tips were common then.

I know there are a few dogsled trails each winter that do not follow normal portages. Is there some way into Portage Lake from Vera to the south? Or from Seed maybe?

I’m still puzzled by why there are so many scratches on nearly every rock on this portage, and why I have seen nothing like this anywhere else in 25 or so canoe trips (not that I’ve been everywhere).

We also still have the mystery of the engine laying there. Is it from a car or truck?

Jaywalker: "Carbide tips from snowmobile tracks makes sense to me, but I suspect Finnboy may be on to something. In addition to brakes with carbide tips, dogsleds also have drag pads to help control the speed. These pads, typically about the size of a small welcome mat and suspended by bungy cords until stepped on, are usually made from old snowmobile tracks and also have often have carbide tips. A musher on a portage would likely be stepping on the pad to control the speed of the team. I’m sure Dorothy ran snowmobiles around way back, but not sure if carbide tips were common then.


I know there are a few dogsled trails each winter that do not follow normal portages. Is there some way into Portage Lake from Vera to the south? Or from Seed maybe?


I’m still puzzled by why there are so many scratches on nearly every rock on this portage, and why I have seen nothing like this anywhere else in 25 or so canoe trips (not that I’ve been everywhere).


We also still have the mystery of the engine laying there. Is it from a car or truck?"

You look at the marks close you can see them grinding from the studs in the track zig zaging as it tries to go up the hill trying to get traction. From South lake into West lake in Quetico the snowmobiles really tore it up. It was a bunch than they would spread beer cans all over as they go, trying to make some stupid statement I guess?

The engine was probably used to haul logs out of the water, or maybe a sawmill. Notice the big flywheel, looks like a pulley might have gone on it. Someone parted it out of all the good stuff long ago.