New Trip Report posted by TomT

Trip Name: Pt. 2 Quetico Solo 2011 McNiece, Burt, and Ted.

Entry Point: Quetico

Click Here to View Trip Report

Great report, great route, couldn't have chosen better. I think the campsite you stayed on Ted is nicer for one or two than the message jar site, which has become trampled. It was a pleasure to read and see.

Great report. I enjoyed your report a lot. You must take a lot of notes while on the trip to wright such a report. Thank you.

nice report, is that a swift canoe?

quote MagicPaddler: "Great report. I enjoyed your report a lot. You must take a lot of notes while on the trip to wright such a report. Thank you."

Thanks. That's another thing I like about going solo, I have time to write in a daily journal.

bwcasolo, my canoe is a 1994 Blackhawk "Starship". They went out of business in the late 90's and were out of Janesville Wisconsin.

Banksiana, I agree about the Ted site. I really prefer these smaller sites when solo. It didn't feel right at the big 5 star island site on Robinson.

Tom- Really enjoyed part 2 also. The eagles you saw "fighting" may have been something else and even more special. You may have seen part of a bald eagle courtship/mating ritual.

From Wikipedia: Bald Eagle courtship involves elaborate calls and flight displays. The flight includes swoops, chases, and cartwheels, in which they fly high, lock talons, and free fall, separating just before hitting the ground.[34]

Excellant! You crossed our june trip path on Ted & Earl. a lovely part of Quetico. Makes me want to return, thanks.
fishguts

Very nice, Tom. Thx for taking the time. You noted two potage "mistakes" on the Chrismar map. I noted another last summer heading west out of Cub into Cutty Creek. That would make three that I know about. Wonder if anyone has any more they could identify for us?

Pineknot, the Chrismar was by far the most accurate of the MeKenzie and Fisher maps I had along too. But that said, I think I'll send Chrismar an email. It would be nice if they had larger scale maps.

Boonie, I think Bald Eagles do their courtship in February as they lay eggs in April I believe. These eagles I saw were flying at tree top level and very fast. It looked very aggressive to me. I kick myself for not pulling out my camera which can shoot video and was in my vest pocket at the time.

I know what you are talking about and have seen it on PBS Nature. Here's a link. Bald Eagle on PBS Nature

Loved the report from start to finish, Tom! Congrats on a great trip. It's getting me thinking about paddle season again, though I'm still enjoying our wintry weather for now.

Tom,

This is a new standard for trip reports. Love the embeded video with the narrative.

That was an awesome trip that I would love to take myself. I think I might skip the bushwhack though.

Thanks,

Tom, I wish I could add more than great trip report. I enjoyed all of it. Thank you for sharing.

quote Thwarted: "Tom,
This is a new standard for trip reports. Love the embeded video with the narrative.

That was an awesome trip that I would love to take myself. I think I might skip the bushwhack though.

Thanks,"

Thanks. I wasn't real happy with the camp tour videos or the creek waterfall. The camera work should have been a lot better. I found out that when you walk in Quetico your eyes have to be on the ground or you might twist an ankle. I ineitably pointed the camera where my eyes were looking. Next time I need to hold the camera higher.

The bushwhack was a real nice challenge for me. I wouldn't want to do it during the buggy season though. I didn't mention it but I think I was bitten by a mosqito once or twice on the whole trip and never had to use any bug repellent.

I really enjoyed your trip report, Tom T. Your route went through some of my favorite parts of the park.

I camped on the site on Ted across from the pictographs last June in the rain with my then 14 year-old son and our dog, Wilson. Great site for a tiny group, and a way cool ridge sits behind the site.

My guess is that the lake sees more traffic now than in past years, but it's a wonderful place.

Simply amazing Tom. I appeciate the details and effort with the videos.

Thanks for the grate report. I really enjoyed it.

quote bojibob: "Simply amazing Tom. I appeciate the details and effort with the videos."

Thanks Rob. You know, writing in the journal and shooting pics and video kept me occupied, from getting lonely I guess. I don't know if
I could tolerate going solo without a journal or a camera with me. Maybe I'll try it sometime.

Awesome report. Ted is a big Fav of my wife and I. The story you read in the jar was one of my favorites as well.

The Ted to Robinson route has been on my to do list for awhile. Congrats on completing it, if one group a year does that portage I'd be surprised. You are in a select club.

T

Great report Tom! It is making these wintery days go a little easier reading trips such as yours.

If I may ask, how long do your batteries hold up for on your P&S if you are taking video with it also? I recently bought a Sony HS9V that shoots both and am wondering how many batteries and memory cards I will be needing. We are only doing a 4 day trip but I plan on shooting video like you did on this trip.

Thanks again for the wonderful report!

quote bbrown6057: "Great report Tom! It is making these wintery days go a little easier reading trips such as yours.


If I may ask, how long do your batteries hold up for on your P&S if you are taking video with it also? I recently bought a Sony HS9V that shoots both and am wondering how many batteries and memory cards I will be needing. We are only doing a 4 day trip but I plan on shooting video like you did on this trip.


Thanks again for the wonderful report!"

Thanks! My little P&S Sony went through 2 batteries. I carried a 3rd with me but didn't use it. Most of my video was shot with a Sony Handycam that I brought with but I shot maybe 8 minutes with the P&S and 466 total pics over 10 days.

I think with 3 batts you can't go wrong even if you shoot lots of video over that length of time. The memory card is huge at 16 GB. I don't think I ever have to worry about running low on a trip with that. I'm not a big tech person though so just carry lots of backup.

@Timatkin - Yes, maybe it was your trip report where I heard about that young girl's letter. After looking at the pic I realized that it's an adult who wrote it and it appears the girl signed it. That makes sense but I'm just so in awe of that family after reading that.

Would be cool if she came on this forum. I wasn't sure if I should post that pic but made the decision to do so. I'm still not sure it was the right thing to do.

About the bushwhack - I think it's a good challenge. You really can't get lost with the creek nearby but the chance of twisting an ankle is very real with the mossy rocks and hidden holes. I say go for it!

Loved this--all my favorite places. I regret I'll probably never do the Ted to Robinson bushwhack though but I'll never forget the color and clarity of the water in Burt Lake. Here's a shot from the Ted campsite.

I just reread Pt 2 of the report, Tom. What a pleasure! Guess I'll have to reread Pr 1 again soon!

So the campsite at Ted where you stayed is also where banksiana and I stayed this May. Guess it's not "super secret" after all. :-) I've been on Ted several times but this spring is the first time I camped there so I've never camped at the message jar site, but I have had lunch there twice. It's a big comfortable site, but I agree with banksiana that it's gotten a little beaten down. At the smaller site we put our two solo tents at the pads you identified back by the big boulder. I think it's a very nice site for 1 to 2 people who like primitive sites, not for people looking for "Hiltons." I'm guessing the nice fire grate set up there was banksiana's doing.

Incidentally, the second night banks and I stayed on Ted, a three-person canoe came into the lake at twilight from the direction of Milt and made a beeline for the message jar site. Funny that Ted is the one lake where both you and we saw other people! Seems to corroborate that it is seeing more traffic. The group that came in while we were there was lucky we weren't at the big site! We guessed that later after it was dark it may have freaked them outwhen strange lights came from the south end of the lake where we were, since no doubt they thought no one else was around.

I hadn't seen the note you photographed from the message jar, but I do know the young woman is from Ely. Since we named our puppy Kahshahpiwi (Piwi), I hear all the time about the girl named Kahshahpiwi (who goes by Kahshi I believe).

I had it easier than you doing the bushwhack portage from "Little Ted" (the unnamed lake) to Robinson, since I was not alone and banksiana had done it before. We broke it up in segments, carrying our packs several hundred yards, then going back for the canoes and carrying them to the packs, then taking the packs further, then going back for the canoes, etc. I think that approach might be better because it's easier to remember the best route for the canoe that you scout while carrying the pack and walking back on a shorter segment. Not that we always managed to follow the route we scouted! It is a good beginner bushwhack because you can't really get lost, since the creek is a guide to your destination. You could break a leg in those boulders though!

By the way, this second part of you trip was at the same time as the first part of David's and my trip up the McEwen and Falls Chains last year - it was warm!

Thanks again for the report.

Hey, that's cool to know you guys stayed at the same site on Ted. Probably the nicest small site I've ever been on.

The bushwhack was exhausting for me because I spent too much energy trying to find the perfect route. If I dropped my packs to go back for the canoe I was afraid I would lose them, but doing what you guys did is definitely the better way. Those boulders towards the end are pretty hairy jumping from one to the other through thick bushes. It was an adventure for sure. I remember stinking from going into that beaver pond muck getting into Robinson. The swim I took at the Robinson site was so good.

Also, I made a huge mistake writing up my report. A few months ago Boji pointed out to me that my camp on Robinson was not the one I said it was. My map says I'm at the Gardners Mountain 5 star site when actually it was the first island site right near the creek where I put in. In my exhaustion I lost track.

What's so great about this messageboard is I would have never stayed at that site on Ted or done the bushwhack if it weren't for talking with Banksiana.

I really loved your report. One of the best I have read. My group did a good part of this trip in reverse this year. We went through Sarah to Burt over to Kash. We layed over on that Burt site as well and it was probably the highlight of our trip.

Thanks. You should do up a report. I'd love to hear your take on that area. I'll get to Burt Lake again for sure. That trip was really something.

My teenaged son and I camped on the southern site on Ted in June of last year, as the message site was taken. It's a great site, and a comfortable place in the rain. It's funny how the places you expect to be empty often have people--like Ted Lake last year, and Camel Lake this year--while Kawnipi and Chatterton were empty!

Tom,

I went back and wasreading your first half of the trip report where you identified John at VNO as TGO on the board :)

I think I read in some other post you figured it out, but still made me laugh.

T

quote timatkn: "Tom,


I went back and wasreading your first half of the trip report where you identified John at VNO as TGO on the board :)


I think I read in some other post you figured it out, but still made me laugh.

T"

Right, this was the 2nd time I talked with him. The first time was in 2008 and I was really giving it to him for having crankbaits in his store. I would give TGO a hard time on the board for his inneficient fishing methods and he certainly returned the favor. All in good humor but I really couldn't get a reaction out of "John". He just looked at me sideways and smiled a bit.

Hey, I never said I was the sharpest knife in the drawer. :)

That's pretty funny too.

T

Just got around to reading your great report. I found many of your observations and comments very insightful and thought-provoking. Hope I can visit Ted someday too. --Goose

Nice, Goose. I hope you do get there. It sure is worth it.

Reprise of Springer's photo of Ted from a week or two ago

You guys are killing me! Here's a panorama from the top of the Ted pictograph cliff in 2003--unfortunately we didn't have very good weather for scenics, but made up for it in fishing.

Anybody ever ask if you are related to Mike Rowe?

Wow, that's weird because I had this same question asked of me when I was at a music festival about 5 years ago. This woman thought I was Mike Rowe and it kinda freaked me out as she would look over and stare at me. No, I have no relation to the guy. Wouldn't mind having his checkbook though.

Great Ted pics, banksiana and springer. Something new for my to-do list - climb to the top of the Ted picto cliffs!

great report and wonderful photos.i have been pasted the way into Ten lake several time both solo and with buddys but it was always at the end of a trip and i had to get to work and they to the airport in Minneapolis so a side trip was out of the question.seeing your story and being retired all put Ted on my canoe path..
i hope by the time i head up that way the bushwack trail is a bit more open!!

Yes - great report and photos.
I hope to do the Hunter Island or similar loop someday.
Nicely done!

Thanks guys. Ted lake is well worth the effort. I really enjoy these off the beaten path routes. Hunters Island is fine but the portages will be worn and there for you to find.

The sense of adventure is what I really like. Don't get me wrong - not being able to find a portage or making a wrong turn on one is not all that pleasant but it makes for adventure. The interior is where it's at for me these days.

Thanks! Again! Some of my favorite places! Ted Lake

Looks like it was a fun trip.
What type of radio is that you're holding - looks pretty small and lightweight for a weather and AM/FM radio.

It rocks! It's a Sangean Dt-400. It's $50 at amazon.

Fantastic report, top to bottom. Just spent my friday night enjoying both part 1 and 2.

Cheers! Great job.

Hey thanks Maedo. That certainly was a turning point trip for me. It's gonna be hard to top all the cool things I experienced on that one but I will certainly try!