What are the transportation options for starting a trip from a northern entry point in Canada and finishing the trip in USA? Apart from the fly in and paddle out trips, what is feasible? Thanks

At least some Ely outfitters will shuttle you to a northern entry. Find someone willing to go opposite direction around same time and car swap?

Try to find someone doing the opposite route as you and make a deal.

I have a friend that priced out the shuttle with an outfitter for his group and I think it was 6-700 bucks.

***edit*** sorry Bill beat me to the punch :)

T

Best answer - call your outfitter or an outfitter near your end point with number of people in group and ask. I've seen anywhere from $160 to $365 per person for van shuttle, and anywhere from $1100 to 1400 for a group of 4 to fly in. (Google is amazing finding these things.) Or poke around and see if you can find a driver to ride along and drive your car back.

quote billconner: "Best answer - call your outfitter or an outfitter near your end point with number of people in group and ask. I've seen anywhere from $160 to $365 per person for van shuttle, and anywhere from $1100 to 1400 for a group of 4 to fly in. (Google is amazing finding these things.) Or poke around and see if you can find a driver to ride along and drive your car back. "

This was my thought, have someone go along and bring the car back to your exit point. We did this several years ago and had my girlfriend bring the car back. We paid all of her expenses and she stayed a couple days in the Big At and then in a nice cabin on Moose lake and had a motor boat to play with while waiting. I think she had as good a time as we did getting there.

My buddy Mark Bland at Jordan's Outfitters charges something like $400 a van for a party of 3. I'm not sure if he does that for all parties, or just fully outfitted ones. Jordan's has more reasonable prices than some of the high priced outfitters. You might give them a call. They do a great job.

fishguts

For the past few months, I've been researching similar options.

Priagis will Shuttle you to Beaverhouse Lake from Ely for $375.00, and spot your car at Mudro Lake for example, for $60.00, per Drew Brockett. This rate is with my canoe and gear and no outfitting. The rate is for transportation services only! (Piragis seems to have the best rate for this service vs. other Ely area Outfitters.)

The cost of a fly-in from Ely, (originating from Shagwa Lake), to Beaverhouse Lake will cost you approx. $1300.00! I'm told by an Ely Outfitter that the reason for the expense is because the plane is required to first land at Canadaian Customs, and then take off and land at the Beaverhouse Lake. (I'm not sure why a RABC permit does not eliminate the Customs stop, but it must be similar to driving your car into Canada.)

Per an earlier email from Lynn at VNO; "We can also set up flights, we use Hamburg's/Campbell's on Lac La Croix. Flights this year are $1322.00 for a Dehavilland Beaver plane that can take up to 4 people and 2 canoes,(nesting canoes, one inside the other)."

As you may know, the fly-ins can only take one canoe per flight, unless you can nest one canoe inside the other. It seems this is some type of Canadian regulation. Harlan Schwartz at Red Lake Outfitters has told me this also when planning a trip to Woodland-Caribou Provincial Park.

It's cheaper if you go the other direction though. That is, if you drive to Atikokan, you can take a flight to King's Point on Basswood Lake and paddle back to a Northern Quetico EP for your take-out.

I've communicated by email with Jim Clark at Canoe Canada last week about this. Jim can arrange this service for customer's outfitting through Canoe Canada. Due to the fact I only require transportation services and no outfitting, Jim advised me to talk directly to Atikokan Aero Services, (A.A.S.) for fly-ins and car spotting.

Atikokan Aero Service

Per an email exchange, Jim mentioned a flight from Atikokan to King's Point would be approx. $725.00 plus tax to fly 1 canoe and 2 or 3 people, which includes spotting the car at the Nym Lake EP.

For what it's worth, I've looked into car spotting and shuttling in the Northern Quetico region. Also per Jim Clark at Canoe Canada, the rate for car spotting and shuttling to Beaverhouse Lake from Nym Lake; $120.00 per group of 1 to 4, which includes showers/towels post trip and pre-trip map review.

Hope this information helps.

Hans Solo

Thanks all for great information. Thanks HansSolo for all that legwork!

We did this several years back and had my girlfriend go with us and then drove the car back Ely. We put her up in a cabin on Moose lake and she fished and boated at the resort while we trekked back to the states. She had a great time and it cost a lot less than being taken by the outfitter.