BWCA Smye to Flindt Landing; Aug 30 to Sept. 5th. Boundary Waters Group Forum: Wabakimi
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      Smye to Flindt Landing; Aug 30 to Sept. 5th.     

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OregonDave
senior member (84)senior membersenior member
  
09/24/2022 07:19PM  
Had its challenges,but we made it through.  I'm still on my way home to Oregon, so no chance for a full report write up yet.  My partner, Iowa Hank may have some additional thoughts.

Finding the Smye road off the 702 was challenging...even though the posted coordinates were spot on.  There's a 2nd set of blue/yellow ribbons down about 200m leading to a hunters blind. Our shuttle (John from Four Winds motel*) was in a rush to get someone to a dr's appointment...so that made it harder.  The gravel road is getting overgrown...down to the clearing....but taking the trail to the left far enough to get around the beaver dam is the thing to do. I've got a gps track for that I can post later.  

Some portages were hard to find..a few adjustments are needed to our FOW maps; but did eventually. Except for the 191m portage, which clearly has gone back to nature...with folks clearing the logs off the rocky section  and lining...which we did with utmost care with a fully loaded canoe, my old Bell is a tough bird...and handled that OK.

We explored the south bay where Smye Creek exits...looked inviting...until we took a look at the Wilkie Lake end...which was an inpenetrable rock garden.

Last night we spent on grass at Flindt Landing island...place was all closed up tight. I can see why they wouldn't be too keen on paddlers walking by their front door during their season to launch.  There's an alternative at the other end of the causeway...though we didn't look at that closely.  My original intent was to see if they'd book us a cabin for our last night. One very pesky chipmunk made his presence felt. 

Our exit was almost a disaster, as the west bound Via Train rushed by....only to stop further on, sit there for 10 minutes...before finally backing up. The engineer's comments were, "sorry bout that..." and the train attendent said, it was good thing I was waving my arms (frantically)....  Yes, we had tickets.

* New owner of the Four Winds and store. Friendly fellow from B.C.; there with his son, Caige. There's a mining operation planned nearby...so lodging there is planned.  

 
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09/26/2022 11:21AM  
Sounds like an interesting one; glad the train backed up for you...might have been awkward!

Look forward to learning more about all aspects of your trip. Access via the west side has some appeal, but it's also somewhat daunting given the struggles some have had in recent years with portages (or lack thereof).
 
09/28/2022 09:03PM  
I'll be curious as well to hear how you found your way back into the gravel pit which is the "entrance" to the Smye lake portage. The first time I went up there I had to double back into town to get more directions on how/where to locate that four-wheel drive track back to the gravel pit. It sounds like from jcavenaugh's experiences, that round has grown in and/or subject to a lot of blowdown...I look forward to your full report whenever you get time. Safe travels homeward!
 
OregonDave
senior member (84)senior membersenior member
  
09/29/2022 11:24AM  
Well, it's there (the Smye lake gravel road from the 702) . Just easy to drive by. The coordinates posted in the other message are spot on. Look for the blue & yellow ribbons. I wouldn't call the clearing a gravel pit though. Any high clearance vehicle would have no trouble driving that short distance. My Prius would be more of a challenge.

Take the trail to the left..and keep going. There's a spot where it gets close to the water...and you'd be tempted to launch. But keep following the portage trail to the left...until you get around the beaver dam, and a nice landing. A few step overs along the way.

 
09/29/2022 01:58PM  
Yeah...I actually got my Prius in there after we hacked out all the bigger stuff.
We were very careful when crossing the little creek about half way in.
I call it a gravel parking area.
It was definitely graded by a heavy blade and gravel was put down by someone (I think MNR).
 
09/29/2022 08:54PM  
I think the WP referred to that access point as an old quarry or gravel pit which is where I think I lifted that reference. In any event, it doesn't look like anything more than an open area when you drive back in there.
 
03/22/2023 04:34PM  
HighnDry: "I'll be curious as well to hear how you found your way back into the gravel pit which is the "entrance" to the Smye lake portage. The first time I went up there I had to double back into town to get more directions on how/where to locate that four-wheel drive track back to the gravel pit. It sounds like from jcavenaugh's experiences, that round has grown in and/or subject to a lot of blowdown...I look forward to your full report whenever you get time. Safe travels homeward!"

Yes, the track into the parking area was grown over with grass and very young trees.
My buddy and I spent about 4 - 5 hours on Aug. 5, 2023, clearing out the new growth. In 2015 and 16 that track was clear and very easy to spot given the coordinates/landmark info I had then. In 2023 we didn't find much blowdown on that track, but then there isn't really a lot of mature forest right on the track. There was blowdown on the trail from parking to the put in as Dave mentioned. In 2015 and 16 the trail to the put in was used regularly by 4-Wheelers. The tire tracks were well established. The trail had no logs crossing it or blocking it at all back then. But in 2023 there was no indication that any 4-Wheeler had been thru there for some time.
 
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