Just wondering if any of you have been lost or had a hard time finding a portage.

I made a wrong turn once...into a dead end of knife lake kind of west of amoeber lake. Saw a bear though so it was worth it. Not lost, but ehhh...yea.

I'm not lost ... I'm exploring ;)

turned around a few times, longest one burned 45 minutes. its a sucky feeling when you havent seen anyone for 4 days. :)

couple of times had a hard time finding a portage, one of those lost me half an hour.

quote kanoes: "turned around a few times, longest one burned 45 minutes. its a sucky feeling when you havent seen anyone for 4 days. :)


couple of times had a hard time finding a portage, one of those lost me half an hour."

My 1st trip A friend and I got turn around in Insula for about an hour, where there's 4 islands and 4 islands next to them, should of took a left but we went right.

Never been lost but a couple of portages took a little extra time to find. Some aren't obvious even when you know where they are - like the Long Island to Muskeg portage. I wasn't sure it was there until I landed, even though there's no place else it could be ;).

Never lost per se but I have been known to take the wrong turn on a portage trail killing time and wasting energy.

Yes, but I always had a general idea and a little paddling around and I was found again. Worst was coming out of Insula I got confused and went up several fingers before getting to the portage into Hudson. I have been working with my compass this summer getting more comfortable with how it works.

....nothing more than being a little slow finding a portage. I am no more likely to get lost when alone than when I am canoeing with others.
In the car, I am actually more likely to make a wrong turn when driving with others than when I am driving alone.

Not yet, but there's always a chance. I tend to navigate by mentally checking off each landmark as I go. I'm not a "big picture" guy. I check off each campsite, island, and point.

Never been lost! I have been confused about my location for a week or two but never lost.

That is a quote from someone and I do not know who but I love it.

Haven't gotten lost yet but I have misplaced the portage.

Never "lost". Pretty much know the lake I'm on and am getting quite good at dead reckoning....the portage is supposed to be right over....there!!??....

While I have never been lost in the great outdoors, I easily get lost in cities. My first time was at age 7 when I had to knock on a door and tell the housewife who answered that I was lost. I am never totally at ease in large metropolitan areas.
Instinct, at some level, must help guide me in the wilderness.

As hard as it is to admit, I've been lost. At least very turned around. I was up in WCPP, and for the life of me, couldn't figure out what direction to go. Compass said one thing, GPS the other, and I couldn't locate where I was on the map.

I finally, landed on an island, had lunch, and collected my thoughts, or calmed down. I wasn't scared, but I could feel my heart racing a little. Once I got my mind working and settled down, I figured out where I was, and headed right to the next portage.

I was relieved, and could only figure, I was getting some type of interference that caused my compass to point incorrectly. I usually pay attention to the map as I travel, and know pretty much where I'm at at all times, but I hadn't done that, and I ended up blowing about 2 hours.

At least I knew what lake I was on, and if all else had failed, could have paddled the shoreline until I found the portage.

Greg

quote HappyHuskies: "I'm not lost ... I'm exploring ;)"

This is a wonderful summary of the freedom and lack of anyone to see your goofs that comes with solo tripping!

4 hours to find a portage....shacked up on island on no name lake...
best sunset I have seen in a while, found it in 30 minutes in the a.m.
Priceless

SunCatcher

Can't say I've ever been lost, but have taken a wrong turn once or twice before realizing my error. On a few occasions, I've had trouble finding a portage in Quetico right away. First time across Nym Lake to Batchewaung Lake, I found the "wrong portage", but it still got me to Batchewaung Lake.

Hans Solo

quote SunCatcher: "4 hours to find a portage....shacked up on island on no name lake...
best sunset I have seen in a while, found it in 30 minutes in the a.m.
Priceless


SunCatcher


"

Nice sunset picture, suncatcher.

I made a wrong turn on a river once that took me way out of my way. I never felt lost, just dumb for misreading my map and surroundings. That was up in Manitoba and I was about 23 yrs old. I was so upset at myself I came out, regrouped and went back. The ranger office I checked in at said there was a scout troop that did the same thing a week earlier.

I never have been lost on a canoe trip, but I got lost once taking a walk at a local Forest Preserve.

I hiked down to the river going through the woods. There wasn't a trail. Upon the return trip, I walked through the woods and ended up back at the river instead of the parking lot. It appears that I was walking in a circle. However, by this time, I didn't know if I had walked upstream or down.

I knew what was further downstream and that I would eventually hit a road, so I just followed the river downstream. Once I came out, I knew where I was finally.

It was another five miles back to my truck.

It was a real good lesson for me.

Like others said, I'm never lost.

At times I've spent long periods exploring unknown places. But, I always knew that I was somewhere in the BWCA or Q.

lost means you die.

quote kanoes: "lost means you die."

"Naked and Afraid"

quote OBX2Kayak: "Like others said, I'm never lost.

At times I've spent long periods exploring unknown places. But, I always knew that I was somewhere in the BWCA or Q."

Good one! :-)

Hans Solo

yes, on solo trips more times than i would like too admit, but it is usually, actually always, temporary. the worst is backpacking when the trail disappears in bushes. as soon as i feel 'lost' i know it is time to find a good spot and clear my mind. a cigar works.

Never been really "lost" while canoeing, did take awhile longer to get from point A to point B. Did get lost a couple of years ago deer hunting up by Cooke, got turned around on a drive and ended walking about 2 hours longer to get out of the woods, kept thinking glad I'm not dragging a deer. FRED

quote SunCatcher: "

quote kanoes: "lost means you die."

"Naked and Afraid""

Was this when you Guys were in the Q.

10 years ago heading west out of round lake, i paddled into a bay and saw, what i thought was the portage.
i unloaded and proceeded to hike up this well worn path.
it just didn't feel right, lesson 1, follow your gut!
i brought the canoe over, loaded pack and paddled out, then the sun came out, and i knew i was not in the right place.
my inner compass informed me to go back.
i had followed a well worn moose path to another smaller lake.
a short detour, but a memory to have.

I just saw this thread. I have my variation of what others have said. I have told others that I've never been lost. I get temporarily mislocated quite often but never lost.

i wasn't lost, just a duh moment.

I've been lost on logging roads. They twine and split and abruptly end. They're an upside warren.

I've never been lost. Always, right here. Now portages have been briefly lost on occasion.

Southwest on the map is not Southeast on the lake.

I got turned around on Lac La Croix when I lost count of the number of islands I'd cruised by. And the map was a bit different than what I was seeing. And I packed the compass away where I couldn't reach it. I got back on track an hour or so later.

I really study satellite maps a lot before I go on trips to new areas, it really helps.

I spent some time walking a moose trail, that I thought might be an old or lesser used portage but it was pretty obvious it wasnt the right path to take. boot prints in the sand in that area only confused me more though. I found the portage about 40 yards off, well hidden behind a rock outcrop.

I've also done some extra paddling to regain my bearings. "is that a point or an island, lets find out" has ran through my mind several times. I dont mind a little extra wandering.

quote HansSolo: "
Can't say I've ever been lost, but have taken a wrong turn once or twice before realizing my error. On a few occasions, I've had trouble finding a portage in Quetico right away. First time across Nym Lake to Batchewaung Lake, I found the "wrong portage", but it still got me to Batchewaung Lake.

Hans Solo"

You had that experience too! I thought I was the only one. My travails ended as I was exhausted and exasperated, eating lunch -- it turned out --- right across from the portage in that little bay. I finally floated the 20 or 25 feet over to it thinking "the gps says it's here but if it's not I may have to just bushwhack somewhere..." and the trail magically opened up in front of me. That's when I realized what 'finding the portage' would really entail. Lesson learned!

Ditto all of the above.

Though never really lost I ran into a Dad who was. He and his family paddled up to us and he had to check his pride to admit he was utterly lost. I took his map from him...rotated it 180 degrees then gave it back to him...no wonder nothing made sense.