New Trip Report posted by ISRO

Trip Name: 1st Solo .

Entry Point: Quetico

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Excellent - thanks for sharing....brought back some nice memories!

Nice report--sorry to hear about the rain. Dropping from Louisa to Agnes is sketchy enough when dry, and downright hazardous when wet. We exited the Quetico September 5th and in a 10-day trip never put on our rain gear, a first for us. Abnormally hot, a couple afternoons in the mid-80s. Yeah, getting low on TP is always a cause for concern--funny that you found more on the Meadows portages (and aren't the causeways there nicer than the old portages?).

TZ

Thanks for sharing! I gotta get a solo in, only been talking about it for a couple of years now.

TrailZen: "Nice report--sorry to hear about the rain. Dropping from Louisa to Agnes is sketchy enough when dry, and downright hazardous when wet. We exited the Quetico September 5th and in a 10-day trip never put on our rain gear, a first for us. Abnormally hot, a couple afternoons in the mid-80s. Yeah, getting low on TP is always a cause for concern--funny that you found more on the Meadows portages (and aren't the causeways there nicer than the old portages?).


TZ"

I feel the scouts didn't do that much to the portages. Filled in between some ankle breakers but not a significant change.

Banksiana: "

TrailZen: "Nice report--sorry to hear about the rain. Dropping from Louisa to Agnes is sketchy enough when dry, and downright hazardous when wet. We exited the Quetico September 5th and in a 10-day trip never put on our rain gear, a first for us. Abnormally hot, a couple afternoons in the mid-80s. Yeah, getting low on TP is always a cause for concern--funny that you found more on the Meadows portages (and aren't the causeways there nicer than the old portages?).



TZ"

I feel the scouts didn't do that much to the portages. Filled in between some ankle breakers but not a significant change."

I haven't been across the Meadows portages for several years now (2017?), but when first completed, the Scouts' work was a major improvement. I'm certain the intervening years have degraded their work, but in the late '70s I hated those two trails.

TZ

Less the scouts I think and more that it has just been consistently dryer. I was through the portages often when the scouts were working and they really didn't do all that much. Remember that though you had the vigor of youth in the 70's (my first crossing of the Meadows portages was in 79) the weight of your load was probably double.

Banksiana: "Less the scouts I think and more that it has just been consistently dryer. I was through the portages often when the scouts were working and they really didn't do all that much. Remember that though you had the vigor of youth in the 70's (my first crossing of the Meadows portages was in 79) the weight of your load was probably double."

Ahhh, the vigor of youth. How I miss that! You're right, my '70s load was considerably higher--boom-alum canoe, heavier food, tent, etc.

TZ

Nice report ISRO. You followed after us by a few days. We took our time and did not adhere to a set schedule . Dry conditions make all the difference on most portages. Half of our trip had dry rocks to step on and over. At least the wet portages were not filled with boot sucking muck. Hope you were able to avoid the poison ivy on several of the portages between McEwen and Louisa.

Balance was ok in the canoe? Just the one pack? Single portage?

yellowhorse: "Balance was ok in the canoe? Just the one pack? Single portage?"

Balance was great with the single pack behind me, I single portaged 75% of the time. After the 6 hr mark of traveling for the day I recognized the need to double portage to not risk an injury due to fatigue.