I want to let everyone know that the vast majority of established canoe portages marked on the park map are freshly cleared and in the best condition in years. Harlan at Red Lake Outfitters got the ball rolling when the ice went out and the park crews and other paddlers have kept the pace up. I was in the park office and took pictures of the map that contains all the info of what has been cleared. The Hatchet to Indian House is the major route that is not open.

BEWARE: THE OCTOBER STORM HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BUSHWHACK THE ROUTES I HAVE TRAVELED IN THE PAST YEARS. THE MINJIM WAS A NICE SCENIC TRAVEL WAY BUT UNTIL THE PARK CREWS MAKE IT AN OFFICIAL ROUTE IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO USE. SINCE IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PARK PORTAGE NO ONE CAN JUST GO IN AND CHAINSAW IT OPEN. BEFORE THE STORM IT WAS POSSIBLE TO WEAVE AROUND THE TREES AND USE A FEW OLD TRAPPER'S TRAILS TO GET THROUGH. ALL WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS LET THE PARK KNOW THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT ROUTE OPENED UP WHEN THEIR RESOURCES ALLOW.

Those Walleye on Joey are going to just get bigger and more plentiful for when they do open it. Glad I could go that way a couple times before it got slammed shut.