Headed up to Iron Lake in a couple weeks and will go into Crooked after that. I have never been below the falls and done this portage before but would like to do it as safely as possible. I've read so many posts about how people underestimate some kind of mystery current and flip their canoe. The water is super high right now and I DO NOT want to be another number here. Can you all detail exactly what you need to do to stay safe and get you and your canoe to the portage in one piece? Thanks!

going downstream it should be no problem, keep your weight low (kneel) and keep your paddles in the water. upstream is trickier, especially solo, the current can be powerful, with the wenonah style canoes esp. the strong current can grab your bow while the stern of the canoe is in calmer water, forcing your canoe to spin. one solution is to paddle like crazy straight into the current, making sure that the canoe does not angle into the current.

a better solution, i have seen people start the portage below the bluff, and out of this current. i have never done this but have seen others. in high water it is your best solution.

several years ago on a solo trip in mid october with very high water i portaged on the canadian side. i never found an actual portage but the woods are open and easily traveled. not sure how legal this was though.

The place where I have seen most people flip is the fast moving water below the portage. It is a fairly narrow opening and the water is moving pretty quickly. It is easy to get sideways and flip or get pushed into the rocks on the outside of the "vee" and flip.

If the water is still high, stay to the right of the small island that is in front of the portage. There is a path that you can use to pull (if water is really high) your canoe through, or portage across to the pool above the fast water below the portage. Once to the pool, it is no problem to paddle over to the portage landing.

If the water is low, you shouldn't have a big issue either paddling up through the little opening.

Most people don't know it, but there is a 'low water option'. In the bay south of the water channel there is a non-official portage (48* 14' 13" N, 91* 54' 55" W) that ties in the other portage, near the low end. It is there so people don't have to stumble through the rocks to get to the portage when the water level is way down. It would also work well when the water is high and dicey.
On the high end, there is a portage extension that works well for those who do not want to land/launch near the top of the falls during high water.

quote PortageKeeper: "Most people don't know it, but there is a 'low water option'. In the bay south of the water channel there is a non-official portage (48* 14' 13" N, 92* 54' 55" W) that ties in the other portage, near the low end. It is there so people don't have to stumble through the rocks to get to the portage when the water level is way down. It would also work well when the water is high and dicey.
On the high end, there is a portage extension that works well for those who do not want to land/launch near the top of the falls during high water. "

Joe...went to look up your point and I believe it is correct except it is 91 and not 92 W. I am going to check this out when I go on my July trip. Thanks!

quote dadof6: "

quote PortageKeeper: "Most people don't know it, but there is a 'low water option'. In the bay south of the water channel there is a non-official portage (48* 14' 13" N, 92* 54' 55" W) that ties in the other portage, near the low end. It is there so people don't have to stumble through the rocks to get to the portage when the water level is way down. It would also work well when the water is high and dicey.
On the high end, there is a portage extension that works well for those who do not want to land/launch near the top of the falls during high water. "

Joe...went to look up your point and I believe it is correct except it is 91 and not 92 W. I am going to check this out when I go on my July trip. Thanks!"

Thanks for catching that! I edited the post.

I can't speak to Curtain Falls, but I think you are going into it with the right attitude. Just being aware of the dangers and keeping an eye out will cut the risk immensely. It's those that assume they can handle it and don't watch out for danger that get into trouble.

Good luck, paddle with caution, and I'm sure you'll do just fine.

That current below the Falls is a killer - don't even try to cross it. There must be a lot of gear on the bottom. Take the pullover on the island.

I was just through that portage on june 8th, the water is raging you could stay to the right and pull through til you get to the pool, or take the longer route, we ran the small rapids going down stream wasn't really any problem.

I just came out a couple days ago. Just take the bay to the right of curtain. There's a portage that connects to the main portage trail. You avoid the curtent all together and you don't double portage. It adds a few hilly steps to the portage but is much safer. It's a no brainer in my opinion. The outfitters should be telling ALL their customers to use this route!!!

I agree with everyone that has suggested the bay to the right portage. You may add a few steps to the your portage but it is MUCH safer. Especially if the water is high and the falls is really going. I've done this 3 or 4 times and have not regretted it.

The portage landing is a little hard to find, more to the south in the bay then what you would think. First few times we just landed the canoe and walked parallel to the shore till we came across the trail.

Be safe.

UP Boy

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! We will be playing it safe and opt for the longer portage. No sense in risking it.

Just wanted to bump this thread. Not everyone knows about the way to avoid the dangerous current below Curtain Falls.

Several boats have dumped there, and I believe there have been at least one drowning. I've navigated it successfully several times, but it is a bit of a risk even for an experienced paddler if there is current. For many years I was unaware that this other portage existed. In my opinion, the outfitters should be telling their customers of this AND the forestry service should look at making it an official (alternative) portage so it appears on the maps.

Why take ANY risk?? Take the safe route from the first bay to the right of CF.

I took the longer trail 2 years ago May, no problems at all, water was ragging, the only problem was when you get to the bottom of the hills it was flooded, lucky I where knee high lacrosse boots and the water was just below the top of them.

Thanks for the bump. I just added this alternate portage end to my waypoint collection.

We camped at the site closest to the bottom of the falls for 2 nights last year. We day-tripped to the falls and fished near the bottom quite a bit in the canoes. We definitely found the area in question and we couldn't even paddle up it with 3 people in a canoe (2 paddling).

I worked hard steering but we were sideways for a bit w/ a mostly empty canoe in May. Not a good feeling. When we did want to hike up to the falls, we found the alternate landing in the small bay right near our site and it was great. Little longer and more climb, but well worth it.

So about here? To make sure I have my paper map marked with all the options. (and to keep this thread alive;)

Yep, that's the right area. It looks like I was the last poster here back a few years ago before you brought it back to life :)

The "United States" in your pic north of your red mark.....you can see the narrows w/ current south of the last "s" in United States. Main portage landing is upstream/east of this narrows and that current in the narrows is deceiving depending on water level. We tried it empty while fishing in early June and it was sketchy, never again. Going downstream I wouldn't be afraid of going that way.