In the beginning of August I am going in Seagull entry point. I have in the past (2008) gone to Ogish. I would love to get back there but with my current group, I do not believe they can handle a lot of portages. I see three options. I am thinking I will get the tow boat and then hug the bottom of Seagull and then can go to Jasper, Alpine, or Red Rock. I know there was a fire and I am not sure what area is affected .

We are just looking to base camp and fish.

My daughter and I rerouted through Alpine and up to Red Rock after our original route was cancelled due to a forest fire on Ogish. We base camped and had good smallmouth fishing right off of the campsite. We did day tripping including a run up to Saganaga and American Point. Saw lots of wildlife and really enjoyed our stay.

SouthernExposure: "My daughter and I rerouted through Alpine and up to Red Rock after our original route was cancelled due to a forest fire on Ogish. We base camped and had good smallmouth fishing right off of the campsite. We did day tripping including a run up to Saganaga and American Point. Saw lots of wildlife and really enjoyed our stay."

+1. I like this idea for you. Ogish has been pretty busy the last couple times I have been through. No guarantee of an open campsite even if you do get there. Red Rock Lake and Red Rock Bay are pretty spots.

Here is a 2024 depiction of fire extent over the years:

I also like the idea of Alpine and Redrock! In 2024 I took a group of newbies to that area and it was just about perfect for them.

We got a tow to RedRock and then came into Alpine that way and then went out through Seagull. We were lucky enough to get campsite #346 on Alpine, which was awesome and would work well for most any group to basecamp. A number of other sites on Alpine and on Red Rock looked pretty nice as well and didn't look that affected by the fires other than some of those towards the very southern end of Alpine. Jasper did get hit pretty hard by the fires about 20 yrs. ago and recovery seems to have been been "slower" for that lake.

By going into these lakes you can give your group the experience of a "proper" portage but these carries are still pretty easy--the Seagull to Alpine portage has just a bit of length but still not too bad with a good path and gentle up and down.

Our fishing luck was a bit better when we spent time on Seagull but we did OK on Alpine too. Did not fish when we went through Red Rock.

Here is a video of that trip.

Wherever you do go, have a great time!

SouthernExposure: "My daughter and I rerouted through Alpine and up to Red Rock after our original route was cancelled due to a forest fire on Ogish. We base camped and had good smallmouth fishing right off of the campsite. We did day tripping including a run up to Saganaga and American Point. Saw lots of wildlife and really enjoyed our stay."

Do you remember which campsite you were on at Red Rock?

Dobr , how many days you going in for ? Having a group which may not want to do much portaging , Alpine puts you in the middle of these lakes , one portage from your entry point (seagull)(flat & wide 100rds) . Jasper got hit fairly hard from the fire , most sites have very little or any trees with maybe the exception of #801 at the kingfisher portage. and your going to see traffic at that site.
For fishing seagull is probably the best of these lakes for a mix bag , for solitude i'd probably pick Red rock , never fished it but heard more a quality than numbers kind of lake , and little to no lake trout in Red rock but quality pike and walleyes. or venture into Red rock bay of Sag.

+1 for Alpine.
Kids and I had a nice time base camping on Alpine last year for a week at about that time. We snagged an island campsite, swam and caught smallies to our heart's content trolling between islands or stopping off and casting from structure.
We picked our way between islands coming and going from EP 54 and rewarded with lots of wildlife.

shock: "Dobr , how many days you going in for ? Having a group which may not want to do much portaging , Alpine puts you in the middle of these lakes , one portage from your entry point (seagull)(flat & wide 100rds) . Jasper got hit fairly hard from the fire , most sites have very little or any trees with maybe the exception of #801 at the kingfisher portage. and your going to see traffic at that site.
For fishing seagull is probably the best of these lakes for a mix bag , for solitude i'd probably pick Red rock , never fished it but heard more a quality than numbers kind of lake , and little to no lake trout in Red rock but quality pike and walleyes. or venture into Red rock bay of Sag. "

It will be either two of us or 2 - 4 college age kids could join us.
My buddy is not in shape and will not want to go on long portages. I would love to get back to Ogish but there is no way he will do that with me. I like Seagull but it seemed very windy.

I've been in dire straits more than once on Seagull , the north side of 3-mile gives a paddler a little more shelter. The 105 rd portage into alpine should not be a problem for your buddy with a light pack , as it is wide and as flat as a portage can get. if you get into Alpine just another 45rds into Red Rock.