BWCA Isabella to Sarah Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
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onepaddleshort
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06/16/2016 08:17AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
My daughter and I are packing for our first trip to the Q next week. There are a lot of options to get from Isabella to Sarah and last winter folks gave me advice. Just want to be sure I'm remembering the best route for us. Yes?
 
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RC
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06/16/2016 10:06AM  
That looks correct to me.
billconner
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06/16/2016 01:21PM  
I've done that once with high water but most times I've gone two no-names north of Isabella and then the heart attack hill portage into side. The route you show from first no-name to lake south of Side can be not paddleable and not easily portaged, in my experience.

Also, I think you are showing the low road from Side to Sarah, which I prefer, unless its very dry. The landing is north of the high road landing and in a cove as I recall. I honestly don't know if its been maintained recently - might ask at ranger station or look at their marked up map (at PP at least).
Castaway
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06/16/2016 01:47PM  
These lakes were part of my first trip but we took the alternate route which I understand to be tougher. It was definitely memorable for a first trip! Here's what I recall.

No-name 1 to No-name 2 - not really bad but very vertical at start so be sure of your footing and balance or you could be in the lake.

No-name 2 to Side: Heart Stop Hill! Actually worse coming back for the second load.

Side to Sarah (High route): Up, up and away. We camped on Side and doing this one the same day as Heart Stop Hill will make it tougher.

Your marked route is the easier option, assuming you can find the portages and water levels are not too low.

06/16/2016 03:27PM  
The route you show on the map is by far the least strenuous route into Sarah. I've done the route in low water conditions without any trouble. Last fall there were two beaver dams on the creek out of the no-name after Isabella- not great footing to get in and out but possible. The rest is easy- a possible carry around a short stretch of rocky shallows before you enter the main body of the no-name south of Side. The creek between Side and Sarah often requires a brief pull over as you exit Side. Best portages are on the left side of the creek heading into Sarah.

Up until two years ago I had always taken the other route (the easterly route) into Side. The second unnamed lake on the east route is quite pretty, other than that I can see no compelling reason to deal with the elevation and the extra portage length.
06/16/2016 06:50PM  
At the west end of the first no name, we went right up the beaver creek. It was only as wide as the canoe but paddle length deep. Some of us pushed with paddles, others got out and lined it. It was May though and the grass was still brown and down along the channel making walking easy....not sure what June will be like. At the end, there is a bit of a brush crash to get up over the beaver dam and into the weedy beaver pond (drawn in blue on my map/pic). Then go through the rocky narrows and go to north end of next lake. If water is high, you can hump over the small hill to left, the right hand side goes through lower ground (looked like it had been under water at one time but a beaver dam had broke) The two trails meet after a few rods and the trail can be kinda wet but climbs and gets drier after a while.




For Side to Sarah, we were able to paddle across the rocks into the finger bay (high May water). Portage down into the creek valley on left at end of finger bay. At the end of the creek paddle, 2 of us went left, 2 went right. I didn't think the left side was bad.....very open, but steep drop down to Sarah.
onepaddleshort
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06/16/2016 10:09PM  
Thanks everyone. We have a plan to start with then, and we'll adjust as necessary.

 
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