My son and I are planning a route for a July trip entering at PP. We were considering heading up Agnes to Kawnipi and then looping down Kahshahpiwi creek to Kahshahpiwi Lake and then eventually out going over Yum Yum and Grey.

A couple of questions for all of the great experts on this forum. First, is the Kahshahpiwi chain out of the burn area? Second, am I correct that you can come down Kahshahpiwi Creek to Kahshahpiwi with minimal portaging?

Finally, what are the thoughts of that loop as opposed to exploring more of Kawnipi, perhaps going east of where you enter from Agnes?

Appreciate any insights or thoughts.

Much of Kahshahpiwi has burned over the past 20 years in various fires. But there are plenty of areas that didn't burn as well. Plenty of regrowth. The Kahshahpiwi Creek route from near the outlet of Kawnipi down through Cairn, Sark, Keefer, and Kahshahpiwi Lakes has easy portages.

Leaving Kahshahpiwi Lakes via Y um Yum and Grey Lakes--or any other routes from the southern part of the lake---is much harder in terms of portaging. Travel light ;>)

Between 2011 and 2006, about 60-70% of the eastern shore of Kahshahpiwi Lake burned.

The creek is burned on both sides in places - I've not been there so can't speak to the travel, but the Park has certainly maintained those portages.

Yum Yum portage is out of the burn.

I was there in 2022 and just the east side of lake was burned from previous mentioned fire, we went in via Yum Yum and out Mcniece, it was late fall, if you take Yum Yum, have fun!

What about Kawnipi then back down through Kenny and glacier, Louisa, etc.

How was that Kahsh>McNiece portage?

It was late September so not very overgrown, not an easy portage and felt long, and I could see where it might get a bit swampy and overgrown, that time of year I would take it every time over Yum Yum. In the middle of the summer, I don't think there is a good choice.

I just checked my Garmin tracking and it looks like we got to the Kahs to McNiece portage at 10:48 and i got across by 11:22.

Yum Yum to Kahs took me 1 hr 5 mins to get across.

OklahomaPaddler01,

Here's a map of the 2021 fires. Click to open a more detailed PDF version. Are you set with an RABC permit to enter at PP this year? Hope you can and that it's awesome. Sure wish I could from PP this year.

Thanks for the link and all of the comments. We do have RABC permits from last year. Like many, I am wondering if this will be the last chance for a Prairie Portage entry and have been thinking about how best to use the opportunity. It has been several years since we went over the Yum Yum portage and it always kicked our butts. We have been pondering whether we should revisit it and see if it is as bad as we recall!

You don’t really notice the burns on Kahsahpiwi. They are all old enough now on that lake. You notice it to the east on Sark with the steep hills next to the lake that burned. Burn stops about 2/3 of the way south on Sark. Still a very pretty area. Heronshaw to Cairn portage burned to a crisp but they have maintained it several times now so wasn’t an issue. My son and I camped on Keefer last year Island campsite 181 which is a very nice campsite. Smaller island so that could be an issue but it’s deep in the park so way less use. Gorgeous area and worth going through. We’ve always gone through Baird lake going into or coming out of this area of the park. I certainly don’t think Kahsahpiwi creek would be an issue though accessing into Cairn. I’d think that is the more travelled way into this area compared to Baird.

You have the option of Trant to Silence. Then S Chain or Agnes. Rougher group of portages from Kahsahpiwi, to, Trant to Silence and less used. I’d like to camp on Trant campsite 188 was gorgeous and it’s a way less frequented lake. We ate lunch on the way through to Kahsahpiwi started on Silence that day.

Ryan

OklahomaPaddler01: "Thanks for the link and all of the comments. We do have RABC permits from last year. Like many, I am wondering if this will be the last chance for a Prairie Portage entry and have been thinking about how best to use the opportunity. It has been several years since we went over the Yum Yum portage and it always kicked our butts. We have been pondering whether we should revisit it and see if it is as bad as we recall!"

Very happy for you and for everyone who has an extended permit. Let's hope there's a return to some version of normal. Cheers.