Hi Trippers: Anyone have recent info on water levels in Vern River between Homer and Vern? Is water high enough to be easily passable? Any info on the portages situation between Homer and Whack/Vern. Many thanks for any help.

I don't know if this will be helpful, but I enter in 6 days at that EP and can post back here when I exit on 6/12 or 6/13.

Yes, that's very helpful thanks! I'm going in the following week. Have a great trip.

solitudinal: "Yes, that's very helpful thanks! I'm going in the following week. Have a great trip."

I paddled through Homer and south on the Vern River through those 3 portages and into Vern lake on Monday June 7th. The water was definitely low, and I did scrape in a couple places, but it was fully navigable. The 3rd portage isn’t really even a portage (the one closest to Vern Lake) just a short walk along the rocky shore with my gear then push the canoe around/through the gravel/rocky section. It did rain heavily on Tuesday AM and again lightly on Thursday AM but it didn’t seem to effect water levels much. I decided to exit at Brule on my way out so I did not come back through Whack or those portages as I had intended, so can’t tell you anything new about that direction.

The parts of the Vern River west of Vern lake had 2 narrow spots that I did have to get out my canoe and lift over while exploring. There is almost no flow even through those narrow areas, another sign of the low water levels.

Enjoy your time there, it’s an interesting area with some good exploration opportunities.

naturboy12: "

solitudinal: "Yes, that's very helpful thanks! I'm going in the following week. Have a great trip."

I paddled through Homer and south on the Vern River through those 3 portages and into Vern lake on Monday June 7th. The water was definitely low, and I did scrape in a couple places, but it was fully navigable. The 3rd portage isn’t really even a portage (the one closest to Vern Lake) just a short walk along the rocky shore with my gear then push the canoe around/through the gravel/rocky section. It did rain heavily on Tuesday AM and again lightly on Thursday AM but it didn’t seem to effect water levels much. I decided to exit at Brule on my way out so I did not come back through Whack or those portages as I had intended, so can’t tell you anything new about that direction.


The parts of the Vern River west of Vern lake had 2 narrow spots that I did have to get out my canoe and lift over while exploring. There is almost no flow even through those narrow areas, another sign of the low water levels.


Enjoy your time there, it’s an interesting area with some good exploration opportunities. "

Thank you! Sounds like you had a great trip. They got more rain up there today so I'm hopeful about going in next weekend.