Hi Everyone,

I've paddled BWCA three times now, twice with my wife Carolyn and once solo. Always fairly aggressive trips in the early fall.

I'm looking at Snowbank - Moose - This Man - Jasper - Ottertrack - Knife - and out to Snowbank (route, not camps). Yes I know it's a long trip and I know I'll need both the BWCA and Quetico permits.

My trips have been late August / early September and I'd like to do a Spring trip (and I'll be back in early fall). I am a bug magnet. I totally understand there is no perfect answer to this question: For this year, when should I consider starting my trip? After ice-out, beginning to warm up a little, and best chance of dodging bugs. Again, I know it's a guess, I'm looking for an "informed guess."

Second question: Anyone have experience with this route / area? I know Snowbank and Moose will have people but I wasn't expecting to see so many camps in the Quetico section.

I prefer to be away from people, I enjoy true-wilderness travel. I'm fit, mostly make good decisions!, have good gear, travel ultralight, and paddle a Magic.

Thank you!
Steve Shimek
Mancos, Colorado

Hi Steve,
The first question that needs to be asked... do you have an RABC permit? If so, you can proceed with the Quetico portion of your trip. If not, you're out of luck. Canadian Customs is not accepting, or issuing, RABC permits at this time.

I've done a BW trip with a Snowbank entry, but we stayed in the BW, traveling out to Ima and points thereof. Nice area, but also popular.

You're already coming from a fair distance. Why not just do your trip completely in Quetico and enter from the northside? Beaverhouse, Lerome, Nym, Stanton Bay or Dawson Trail will get you into different entry points in the north with plenty of campsites, LOTS of solitude and great fishing.

Cross the border at International Falls / Fort Frances, then it's only two hours east to Atikokan.

Hi Jackfish,
I see you are the moderator, thank you! Today is my first day of planning and while I knew about the RABC, no I don't have one. So assuming I plan a Quetico trip, the first question still remains, When might be a good week or two to start? Here in SW Colorado we received almost no snow and none is forecast in the immediate future. Today is in the mid-50s and grass is peeking up. I'm good with maps and can create a good loop, I need some target weeks.

Jackfish, thanks again.

Steve / Mancosotter

We go to Q to fish. We love going in June, almost always around the second or third week of June. There are others who like to go earlier, in May, for example. The mosquitos and/or black flies might not be thick, but the temps are a little cooler. I guess it's depends on the goals of your trip.

We've been entering Q from the north since the 80s. If you need some suggestions, just ask. There are lots of great Quetico paddlers on here to help with route planning or other pertinent information.

Good Question. First, there are no border crossing permits (RABC) being issued at this time and it's not likely the program is coming back this year. If you have a still-valid RABC, you're golden. Otherwise, you'll need to make it a one country trip.

It's hard to know when the ice will be out. There a "pool" of sorts going on with guesses on this site you can review. Maybe use the mid-point of the west-east guesses. There's also real date here, from the state of MN.

We have gone in the teens of May, coming out by 5/20, and had no bugs to speak of. That trip had a few days around 60F and mornings below freezing. On another trip, I had really bad bugs in southern Quetico the last week of May until we got 3" of wet snow on June 1.

Finally, and I in no way mean to patronize, be careful with a solo right after ice out. A capsize in 30-something water will go very bad very fast unless you're in a full dry suit.

Thread moved to May-June Quetico Loop post. Anyone wanting a more exact map can email me at mancosotter at gmail dot com and I will send a Paddle Planner link.