New Trip Report posted by Freeleo1

Trip Name: Quetico To Sarah and Back: A Test of Resolve and Obstinance or Attack of the Killer slugs.

Entry Point: Quetico

Click Here to View Trip Report

"Dan asked what's wrong. I said, I dislocated my finger, then I reached over and quickly yanked on it and it went back in joint."

Whoa!

The dislocated finger is just one indicator of how tough these two paddlers are.

For example do NOT miss the photo titled, "15 rod Portage trail around beaver pond."

Great trip report with many fine photos!

Interesting report--we'll be entering Quetico via PP/Sarah at the end of the month, and are sorry to hear that a couple years' lack of use has made some portages hard to find/follow. Nice photos!

TZ

Better portage from Isabella north to no-name on the other side of the creek. Don't feel too bad cause it's not much better. The walking portage and the creek portage between Side and Sarah do not meet or intersect. The landing for the direct portage to Sarah from Side is a hundred yards south of the beginning of the creek route- the landings on Sarah are even farther apart

We were on the right side of the creek going from Isabella to Unnamed lake. I didn't see anything on the left side, but we didn't go over there except when we were near the other end and waded part way across. The landing on the other end is pretty obvious, but it is a campsite too so it's hard to tell.
The Fisher map I had makes it look like the 2 trails out of Sarah start at exactly the same place and are a V, but evidently it's incorrect. We were following the shoreline and saw what was an obvious portage trail and assumed they were both starting there. It's just as well, taking the creek was much better.

Thanks for the comments. I have to admit fixing my finger was mostly instinctive. I looked at it, thought that's seems wrong and popped it back in. Paddling was interesting. It has actually hurt worse since I got home. I kept it wrapped while there, but moving it makes it swell. Supposedly it takes 6 weeks to heal. The Dr gave me some exercises, but I think it just takes time.

Best to use a Chrismar map for portage locations. Fisher and McKenzie suffer a fair amount of inaccuracies on portage location. It's even printed on Fisher Maps : "Not intended for use in navigation" (one wonders what the purpose of a map is in that case). I believe that park staff have tried to discourage use of the "right side portage" by no longer clearing it. The creek paddle from Sarah to Side is very beautiful. Low water tends to make the Side end difficult- almost always possible to paddle the marsh on the Sarah side.

Good thing that sunset at that time of the year is closing on 9:30.

Believe me, we were happy the days were as long as they were.

I looked at the Chrismar map, but it is hard to see which side of the creek it indicates. It looks like it goes in the middle of the creek until I got a magnifying glass and it shows it slightly to the left.
It does show the correct start of the land portage out of Sarah, but it doesn't show any of the portages on the creek.

We had Fisher, Chrismar and McKenzie maps of the areas we were in, but as you said the details are often estimates and conflicting. It makes the ability to read the terrain a little more necessary and what caused us to triple portage on some of the shorter portages to scout out the most likely trail before carrying everything across. We probably could have saved some time by just trusting we were on the right trail and going for it, but we didn't have the confidence to do that. Considering our ability to get lost on the latrine trail maybe it was for the best.

This map suggests that all the portages along your Quetico route have been maintained this year.

TZ

I enjoyed your trip report a lot! Sounds like quite an adventure. Slugs were the worst I've seen them in awhile. I kept finding them everywhere...clothes, packs, in and out of the tent. Little glistening slug trails up and down our new tent screen...better than smooshed bloody mosquitoes though :)

Really enjoyed your trip report. We are taking the same route but continuing on to McIntyre, so I was really interested in hearing about the grown up portages and such.

I guess the one we had the most problem with was the one out of Isabella. Look on the left side of the creek. If that is the official portage it might be cleared a little better. **edit **(sorry should have mentioned this is going toward Sarah, or north)

The 1st land portage out of Isabella was overgrown with fast growing grasses and bushes. They don't clear those as much and probably become more distinct with use. **edit** ( this is meant for the portages going toward North Bay or south)

The slugs were the stuff of nightmares. I made Dan text our son on the InReach that we were on Polaris since we hadn't mentioned to anyone that we might go there. I was envisioning having a tree fall on us and being found weeks later with our half eaten bodies covered by slugs.

McIntyre is going to be pretty burned. Have you checked with anyone to see if there are campsites that were not affected? The rangers told us to avoid burned campsites due to the number of trees that continue to fall in those areas.

I have not checked with Rangers about McIntyre, but it's a good idea to do so. I'm due to call the outfitter who is giving us the tow to the border, so I'll ask. I appreciate you suggesting it.

Freeleo1: "I guess the one we had the most problem with was the one out of Isabella. Look on the left side of the creek. If that is the official portage it might be cleared a little better.


The 1st land portage out of Isabella was overgrown with fast growing grasses and bushes. They don't clear those as much and probably become more distinct with use.


The slugs were the stuff of nightmares. I made Dan text our son on the InReach that we were on Polaris since we hadn't mentioned to anyone that we might go there. I was envisioning having a tree fall on us and being found weeks later with our half eaten bodies covered by slugs.

McIntyre is going to be pretty burned. Have you checked with anyone to see if there are campsites that were not affected? The rangers told us to avoid burned campsites due to the number of trees that continue to fall in those areas. "

You may have seen this Quetico 2021 burn map, but I'll link it again.

TZ

TrailZen: "You may have seen this Quetico 2021 burn map, but I'll link it again.


TZ"

I had not seen it. I appreciate you linking it to be sure.

Thanks for the fun read!