Thoughts on this rerouting plan for two fairly experienced paddlers, single portaging, in my trusty MNII?

Had been planning a Lake One to Snowbank loop staring Tuesday. Wind forecast looks nasty with 30mph gusts out of the E Tuesday, then out of the NE Wednesday, then out of the N Thursday. Seemed we'd have a heck of a headwind (potentially dangerous) for the better part of three days of a four day trip. With cold water and air temps, I'm not interested in taking undue risks. Smaller water please under these conditions.

So I canceled that permit and instead we're now planning a Sawbill loop up to Cherokee and down the temperance river watershed and then thru burnt/flame/smoke back to Sawbill.

My thinking is the trip north from Sawbill to Cherokee would be largely protected from the E winds on Tuesday, or where not protected, at least not on terribly big water (would need to take care on the north end of Sawbill of course). Hopefully camping on the south end of Cherokee Tuesday night.

Then, if conditions allow, we'd plan an early Wed morning crossing of the south part of Cherokee to the Sitka portage (and crossing N Temperance to S Temperance) to minimize the potential for nastiness whipped up by the high NE winds forecasted for Wed, hopefully staying on S. Temperance Wed night.

At that point, if the wind forecast holds, we'd be paddling south with the strong but somewhat diminished N winds pushing us down the watershed, again on smaller, more protected water.

That's my thinking anyway. Would appreciate any constructive devil's-advocate thoughts to consider.

Other suggestions under these windy and chilly conditions for a four night moving trip? There's actually a good variety of open permits that day, and we're flexible and just want to move each day and do some paddling and portaging. We can handle (or patiently wait out) wind and waves if needed, but would rather lower risk on this trip by staying on relatively smaller lakes/rivers. So the Sawbill idea is just the first we considered...and now we're just a day away from putting in!

That should work out well for you. I've done that loop CCW from Baker in late Sept. No really big water. Sitka-Cherokee portage is tough.

That's a great route. Talk to the great folks at Sawbill about your route and they will be able to offer tips that help you out along the route.

Thanks guys. I think we're all set for putting in tomorrow and feeling good about the route.

Updated wind forecast has 40mph gusts. Very glad we pivoted.