I was looking at the PaddlePlanner map of Quetico doing some research for a spring trip and noticed what looks like two unofficial routes from Nym to Pickerel. The first starts at the southeastern corner of Nym and contains three portages going through an unnamed lake, Gillnet lake, and then emptying into a small bay west of Stanton Bay.

The second starts at the far eastern side of Nym and basically follows the Nym river through three unnamed lakes and empties into Stanton Bay. In fact, the road leading to Stanton Bay looks like it has another logging road off of it that crosses the Nym river.

Just wondering if anybody out there has any further info on these. Are they viable routes and has anybody tried them or is it even within park rules to try those routes? Looking at Google maps, the Nym river route doesn't look too promising, but you never know. Wondering if that would be an easier way to access Pickerel.

I haven't tried either of those routes. However, I believe they go through crown land. For non-Canadians there is a crown land camping fee. So start in time to make it to the park or pay the fee.

LarryS48: "I haven't tried either of those routes. However, I believe they go through crown land. For non-Canadians there is a crown land camping fee. So start in time to make it to the park or pay the fee."

Yes, I'm aware it's Crownland and there would be fees. I guess my question about legality would be because I'm not sure what permit you would actually be pulling. I would assume you would still have to pull a Pickerel even though you are not starting at the traditional points.

The 3 portages to Pickerel are fairly well used. There are some shallow spots out in part of Nym that will catch you by surprise.

MagicPaddler: "The 3 portages to Pickerel are fairly well used. There are some shallow spots out in part of Nym that will catch you by surprise. "

Good info, thank you. Do you know, am I right in assuming you would need a Pickerel permit even though you would be parking at Nym?

If I were you, I’d call the park office in Atikokan and ask how to do the permit.

(807) 597-2735

I have paddled out of Pickeral into Gillnet (it’s a pretty lake) and then north in the un-named lakes into Nym. There are good portages the whole way.
When leaving out of Nym, your permit will not be for Nym Lake.

I shall assume you have not been to Quetico but if you have, no offense on my part.

You cannot park at Stanton Bay unless you are a Canadian or use Canadian services to obtain a permit.

Their permitting system is a little different than the BWCA. Many entry points are only accessible via entry into other lakes first. To get to Pickeral you can enter at Nym. Same goes for Batchawaung Bay. Both those entries start at Nym. There is no actual entry permit for Nym Lake. Here’s a link of the entries. I’m not certain the webmaster lets me post links to other camping sites but let’s see.
http://canoeing.com/destinations/quetico-entry-point-map/

Tom

Thanks for the info. No offense taken.

Yes, this would be my first trip to Quetico. I have been to Algonquin, Temagami and the BWCA, but figured this would be a good year for the Q as more than likely the Southern entries would still be closed due to no RABCs and further cut down on the minimal traffic.

I was aware of the Stanton Bay restrictions. My planned route - south through the B chain and going across those portages to Pickerel - seemed faster than paddling through the Pickerel narrows. I do plan on calling the office in Atikokan because I plan on entering around May 17, provided the ice is out and would have to self permit so I want to get final clarification on the process.

Again thanks for all the info.

I’m debating some of the same issues now. Would like to enter at Stanton bay but doubt I could find someone to drive us in and move my car back somewhere else. I’ve looked at older posts and seen recommendations for a Stanton shuttle but if anyone has an actual phone number for someone that I could pay to shuttle me in and out I’d appreciate it. The normal one that was recommended in the past seems to be closed now. I’m not planning on renting anything so doubt I can get a shuttle in from an outfitter.

Based on that I’m looking at Parking at Nym. I thought I needed a Batchewaung entry based on that. My route is to head up towards Russell, Chatterton and come out the same way.

I’m planning a two week trip with a Northern entry on July 3rd. Routing down through Agnes, Prairie Portage, Man chain, Falls chain, Kawnipi and back north.

Tried to call the park a few times today but haven’t gotten through. Need to figure out entry, but also picking it up and paying all the fees. Worried I won’t get in early enough the day before to pick up my permit and lay the fees. Entry is July 3rd which is a Sunday are they open that day and when do they open?

Any recommendations on places to stay the night prior and the night we exit? Leaning towards Quetico inn but if anyone has a different recommendation I’m all ears. Current plan is 3 of us so I’m hoping for 3 beds or two beds and a pull out couch.

Ryan

Gaidin53: "I’m debating some of the same issues now. Would like to enter at Stanton bay but doubt I could find someone to drive us in and move my car back somewhere else. I’ve looked at older posts and seen recommendations for a Stanton shuttle but if anyone has an actual phone number for someone that I could pay to shuttle me in and out I’d appreciate it. The normal one that was recommended in the past seems to be closed now. I’m not planning on renting anything so doubt I can get a shuttle in from an outfitter.


Based on that I’m looking at Parking at Nym. I thought I needed a Batchewaung entry based on that. My route is to head up towards Russell, Chatterton and come out the same way.


I’m planning a two week trip with a Northern entry on July 3rd. Routing down through Agnes, Prairie Portage, Man chain, Falls chain, Kawnipi and back north.


Tried to call the park a few times today but haven’t gotten through. Need to figure out entry, but also picking it up and paying all the fees. Worried I won’t get in early enough the day before to pick up my permit and lay the fees. Entry is July 3rd which is a Sunday are they open that day and when do they open?


Any recommendations on places to stay the night prior and the night we exit? Leaning towards Quetico inn but if anyone has a different recommendation I’m all ears. Current plan is 3 of us so I’m hoping for 3 beds or two beds and a pull out Batchewaung
Ryan"

In early May of 2019, I did a trip similar to the first part of your planned trip, Nym to Chatterton Lake at Split Rock Falls and back to Nym. We stayed the night before at the White Otter Inn. It is a motel with a decent restaurant. We entered at Batchewaung. There are three obvious routes south toward Russell from there, the B-chain, the Deux Rivière, or Maria, Jesse, Elizabeth, Walter, Lonely, Sturgeon. We went south using the Deux Rivière. The Deux Rivière can get filled with vegetation during the summer. However, it was clear in the spring with only beaver dams to cross. Entering Russell from Sturgeon there is a short swift with a short portage around it. We were able to paddle up the swift. Although we didn’t use it, I’ve heard that portage can be treacherous. We returned north via the Lonely, Walter… route. The only repeat on the trip was Pickerel narrows, Batchewaung and Nym. That repeat could be avoided by returning to Nym via one of your the crown land routes asked about at the beginning of the thread. So, if your reason for asking about shuttles was to avoid paddling the same lakes twice, it can be avoided by planning. You seem to have a nice loop picked out for the southern half of your trip.

Ryan,

Do what I did.
Use an Atikokan or northern Q outfitter and stay in their bunkhouse the night before. Pay them for a shuttle to Stanton Bay, leave your car at Nym Lake.

By using the Canadian services, you can get the permit for Stanton Bay. Have your outfitter reserve your permit too. I can’t recommend an outfitter since I don’t recall which one I used. I do remember that I did not stay right in town.

Tom

Nym to Prairie Portage and back seems like a great trip. Doing it in two weeks will require paddling fast, with long hard days everyday rain or shine. I know I’d take a lot longer to do that trip.

LarryS48: "Nym to Prairie Portage and back seems like a great trip. Doing it in two weeks will require paddling fast, with long hard days everyday rain or shine. I know I’d take a lot longer to do that trip. "

Not looking at the map, it’s something like 60 miles. Not really that far.
We did Stanton Bay to Fall Lake in 5 days. If you get onto Kash, you can zip half way through the Q in a day.

That said, you SHOULD take two weeks since it’s such and awesome place. When I did it, we didn’t stop to smell the lady slippers like I would do today.
Tom

Aren't those the racer portaged?

HighnDry: "Aren't those the racer portaged?"

Those are the ones. Do you know why they are called that?

I did the PP route plan mileage from Stanton Bay all the way down the route around and back up to Stanton Bay and it’s coming up as 135 miles. Nym is just a bit more so I’m figuring 150 miles. I’m going with the two 17 year olds that I did 75 miles in 6 days when they were 14 at Northern Tier. That trip was single portaging though. They both have only gotten significantly stronger and more capable since then. Goal is to single portage Quetico this year but food pack is going to be an issue with needing 14 days.

I’ve debated on setting up a food pack exchange at Prairie Portage mid trip. Would be super easy to do with the tow I normally use off of Moose Lake. Biggest challenge and time killer would be dropping food pack off up on Moose lake driving up. I know it sort of changes the dynamic of you brought everything you needed though so part of me is wrestling with that.

I’m concerned enough about the border closing that I’m renting my canoe in Ely so I’ll have trip options in the BWCA if the border closes. I also specifically wanted a Northwind 20 with 3 seats for the hauling capacity and I was having problems finding that up in Canada. Mostly Souris River 18’s and the load capacity isn’t enough. Also the canoes where I rent are new every year and I know they will be in awesome shape and that gives me peace of mind!

I know it’s winter but the times I’ve called Canadian outfitters nobody has answered and they haven’t called back when I’ve left messages.

I’ve got my family BWCA trip all set up now that is a couple weeks later end of July. Hotel nights, tows, and car shuttles to exit point. Obviously permit still needs to be pulled but we’re entering on Moose with a tow into Basswood so I’d be shocked if we had a permit issue.

Now I’m just really trying to lock in Quetico as much as possible. I’ll definitely leave some more messages with the Canadian outfitters this week and see if I hear back from them. I also want to chat with the Quetico office in Atikokan and get a couple questions answered.

Ryan

Yesterday was a national holiday in Canada. The park office would have been closed.

I suspect most Outfitters are closed over the holidays.

dschult2: "

HighnDry: "Aren't those the racer portaged?"

Those are the ones. Do you know why they are called that?"

I think this link tells the story. They were cut originally to win the Atikokan to Ely canoe race I believe.
Portage race history

Great story!!
The romantic days of the Quetico, stories of competitions and sore arms
I love that stuff
Tom

I was just going to post that same story up as well. I had never read the full accounting of how some of those portages acquired their names.

timatkn: "

dschult2: "

HighnDry: "Aren't those the racer portaged?"

Those are the ones. Do you know why they are called that?"

I think this link tells the story. They were cut originally to win the Atikokan to Ely canoe race I believe.
Portage race history "

Very interesting read indeed. Nice to know the backstory. The Sauvage and Bonhomme portages were on my planned route so I think I will for sure take the Racer's Portages now just because of the history.

So I was able to book a cabin for 3 of us night before trip and after trip with breakfast for $165 American per night. Shuttle into and out of Stanton Bay is $100 American each way for 3 of us. They are going to book my permit for me as well which is awesome. So pretty much I’ve got it all booked for my Quetico trip this year in a nice easy less stressful way. Very glad to be going in at Stanton Bay since it can really help on day one. Will be nice to be staying on a lake not having to worry about breakfast and right where the shuttle is that morning.

I booked with Camp Quetico. Barry seems great to work with so I’d recommend giving them a call since it pretty much solved all my needs. Phone 1-807-929-2266.

Ryan

Gaidin53: "So I was able to book a cabin for 3 of us night before trip and after trip with breakfast for $165 American per night. Shuttle into and out of Stanton Bay is $100 American each way for 3 of us. They are going to book my permit for me as well which is awesome. So pretty much I’ve got it all booked for my Quetico trip this year in a nice easy less stressful way. Very glad to be going in at Stanton Bay since it can really help on day one. Will be nice to be staying on a lake not having to worry about breakfast and right where the shuttle is that morning.


I booked with Camp Quetico. Barry seems great to work with so I’d recommend giving them a call since it pretty much solved all my needs. Phone 1-807-929-2266.


Ryan"

EEExcellent. That is a perfect way to do it. Reasonably priced too. No stress either and everyone wins. You and the outfitter. Nice!

HighnDry: "Aren't those the racer portaged?"

We took that route numerous times. I have an old map that has it labeled as "Racers."