Hi there folks! Heading in on Sawbill soon and was wondering if anyone has traveled up to Cherokee recently? Mostly curious about water levels, portage conditions, and maybe mosquitos lol Not a newbie here, but wanting to move light and fast on this one so just looking for the slight tactical advantage. Thanks all, happy paddling!

Give the wonderful crew at Sawbill Outfitters a call. They will know.

I'd be willing to bet the Skoop/Ada portage is going to be an absolute shit show.

AlexanderSupertramp: "I'd be willing to bet the Skoop/Ada portage is going to be an absolute shit show. "

Have you been up in that area recently, or experienced that portage in the past? I would love if you could elaborate, thanks!

amariette: "

AlexanderSupertramp: "I'd be willing to bet the Skoop/Ada portage is going to be an absolute shit show. "

Have you been up in that area recently, or experienced that portage in the past? I would love if you could elaborate, thanks!
"

I went thru there from the north, the end of April. I remember an easy landing, carrying a short distance and finding an under water boardwalk which l paddled along side of.

The difficulty of the portage/portages from Ada to Skoop varies significantly with water level. Like Ahahn366, last time I went there it was high water and I was able to paddle all the way to the 13r portage into Skoop, but that was a couple years ago. There is a report from 5.28.2024 if you click on the maps and click on the yellow portage line you will see it. They too were able to float the whole way. I can't say if the water levels have stayed high or not unfortunately.

FWIW, on my last trip I was also able to skip the 78r portage into Ada lake. Ada Creek was high and I just paddled up with no problem - just had to pull up one good sized beaver dam. I can't say for sure if that way is faster, but it seemed like it to me back then.

amariette: "

AlexanderSupertramp: "I'd be willing to bet the Skoop/Ada portage is going to be an absolute shit show. "

Have you been up in that area recently, or experienced that portage in the past? I would love if you could elaborate, thanks!
"

Not this year, but last. That portage is notorious for being a mud fest in Summer and Fall. The creek to the east (if traveling North) can be paddled if the water is high enough, which is usually Spring only. BUT, when the water is that high it also floods over to where the portage is, so when the water recedes it leaves basically the entire length of the portage a boggy, muddy mess. I almost lost a shoe, and my dog lost one of his packs in the mud that we couldn't find. He's a German Shepherd and he sunk up to his neck.

It was so bad that we opted not to take it on the way out, and instead did the loop down the Temperance River and out through the Burnt and Smoke.

I've only come down through there from Cherokee once in late Sept. 2019. I don't know if that was considered low or high, but I was able to pretty much paddle all the way. Caveat - I was solo in a small canoe with a total load of maybe 200 lbs. so very shallow draft. Maybe that is relevant . . . ?