Which is the best route (shortest or fastest or easiest) from North Bay to Kahshahpiwi? Though South, Shade, Grey, and Yum Yum or should I head through Isabella and Side? What's your reasoning?

I saw the pictures of the Side Lake portage.

Thanks in advance.

Hey BigZig!
It depends on water levels. The traditional route to Kash is thru Isabella and Side, however, since you have seen the pictures of that Portage from Side into Kash.....where a busted beaver dam has caused disaster....it will depend on if that area is passable.....if not the Yum Yum route or McNiece route might be better. I seem to recall some people expressing the opinion that higher water levels will make that area passable again....?

Thanks Fishguts. I just got my maps (mckenzie) and started planning my route. Would like to get up to Kahshahpiwi (my entry point) and then loop down through Sarah - Kett - and back to Basswood. I was thinking we'd have a layover on Sarah.

My first and only trip to the Q was back in the early 70's as a young boy. So I feel like a beginner. I see from the maps there are not very many "red dot" campsites on this route. I thought I read on this web site you can make camp anywhere in the Q. Is that correct?
Do I actually have to get to Kahshahpiwi if my real objective is to fish on Sarah?

I'll have more questions later I'm sure.

I'm not absolutely certain.....but I believe you need to go to Kashahpiwi....The good news is that, that is a great lake!....good fishing and fewer people than Sarah. We are coming from Lac Lacroix and finishing at Prairie Portage....for us Sarah is a nice lake but we run into lots of people on Sarah and the fishing is not as good as Brent or some of the other more remote lakes.

As you know, the traditional "fast" way is from Side but the beaver dam debacle may make it less fast. There should be more info available in the spring from intrepid early-year travelers over that route. You never know when the beavers might rebuild.

There are a number of ways to get to Yum Yum and from there over Yum Yum Portage or on to Armin and McNeice. The best is probably via North Bay up the beaver river to Shade to Unnamed to Grey. Beware the portage between Unnamed and Grey -- the infamous "Boggy Portage." I can tell you more if you decide to go that way.

Whether to take Yum Yum Portage or go through McNeice is hard to decide because both are great. I'd like to do both routes at least once a year. Yum Yum is a one heck of a challenging portage with the steep grades, multi-rod smooth granite slopes, and other obstacles that make it fun to talk about for years to come. Going through McNeice means the old pines, and the portage from McNeice into Kahshahpiwi is also moderately challenging but does not compare with Yum Yum.

If you go via Yum Yum or McNeice, take your time, the journey is the destination. When you get to Kahshahpiwi, by the way, you'll be at the most beautiful lake in Quetico. (I know, most people say that Argo is, but they're wrong. It's an objective fact.)