How far is it?
Any recommendations on sites we should seek out there or along the way? We may stop at Insala if we like a site. That's what we ended up doing last time, but we're setting off with intentions of making it to Alice this time around.

To clarify, looking for how long it would likely take average speed paddlers with little wind factored in. Thank you!

Over 20 miles and not a lot of portaging, not factoring wind or other variables...I'm guessing it would take me and my regular tripping partners up to a dozen hours but that would include a lunch break. I'm not a speedster and I rarely take the most direct route so there's that to consider.

Hope you make your goal safely and have a great time!

CharChar: "How far is it?
Any recommendations on sites we should seek out there or along the way? We may stop at Insala if we like a site. That's what we ended up doing last time, but we're setting off with intentions of making it to Alice this time around.

To clarify, looking for how long it would likely take average speed paddlers with little wind factored in. Thank you!"

The northern sites on Insula are fantastic, as well as some of the eastern shores of Alice.

If double portaging and above average paddlers, you’d be looking at around 9-10 hours in my book.

I did this a couple years ago. 5 man group (all age 40+) made it to Alice from EP 30 in about 7 hours. Started at 9am, took a short lunch break on Williams island on Insula, was on Alice in camp by 4pm. Was just steady paddling, but definitely not in a race. Had fantastic weather, so that definitely helped too. Alice is loaded with good campsites.

WesternHills: "I did this a couple years ago. 5 man group (all age 40+) made it to Alice from EP 30 in about 7 hours. Started at 9am, took a short lunch break on Williams island on Insula, was on Alice in camp by 4pm. Was just steady paddling, but definitely not in a race. Had fantastic weather, so that definitely helped too. Alice is loaded with good campsites."

It's important to note whether you are single or double carrying. It can literally mean a 100% increase in time if you are double carrying with lots of portages.

I'd love to hit Alice in a day, but after hitting Insula in about 8.5 hours double carrying last year with a moderate pace, I wouldn't expect to hit Alice in under 10 hours, and you might spend another hour, hour and a half looking for a campsite, depending on how busy it is.

Just got back from that area yesterday. With a slight headwind and double portage we went from Lake One EP to the portage between Hudson and Insula in about 5 hours. From that portage (the Hudson side) to the first campsite past the burn area on Insula (just south of the Rock) it was another 2.5 hours. (we probably spend an extra 45-60 minutes on this exploring the south end of Insula). From that campsite it was around 2 more hours to be into Alice going the south way with the single portage and about 2.5 hours on the way back going through Lake Carol. (lots of moose sign on the portage between Carol and Insula).

We were pretty gassed (87 degrees) on the way in so we stopped at Insula after 7.5 hours of travelling and with another 2 hours it seems like it would be about 8-9 hours from EP to Alice if you went non-stop in decent weather without exploring or breaks.

23 y/o son and me paddling and portaging. I would save we are average to a bit faster than average.

The variable in this trip is the amount of time you need to wait at the portages between Lake One and Insula. After Alice we went into Thomas for a day. We paddled past our original campsite on Insula and timed our trip back. It took over an hour longer because we had much longer waits at the portages on the way out.

At the portage out of Lake 2, we were waiting for another group to clear when a group behind us just paddled to shore and started to unload regardless of the fact there was one group going out and one group going in so we waited a very long time there. (but people's portage ethics and behavior is for another day :) )