Hello there,
I am looking for a 7 day loop in Quetico. 5 days of traveling with 2 lay over days. Looking for great fishing and solitude. We can comfortably paddle/portage 12 miles a day. Pictographs would be nice. Are there any "can't miss" places in the Q? I been to the BW a few times and would like to check out the other side of the line.

Thanks,P

Any preferences of where you want to enter?

quote Jackfish: "Any preferences of where you want to enter?"

I would like to enter the least used EP. I don't know about the difficulties reaching these but I will have a vehicle with a canoe on top. I would also be open to a shuttle to the EP and coming out at a different location. Good fishing and low people numbers are first on the list.

Thanks again, P

Two years ago I did a 7 day loop with some others. We entered at Nym Lake and did a loop down thru Batchewong, Maria, Jesse, Elizabeth, Walter, Lonely, Sturgeon, Russell, Twin Lakes, Dore, and Pickeral and then back thru to Batchewong and Nym. Had a couple of layover days.

It would be hard to beat one of the EPs normally accessed through Beaverhouse Lake. Pictographs, waterfalls, burn areas, grand slam fishing, solitude. I was going to suggest through PP to North, Kashapiwi, Trant, and S-Chain but PP is probably most popular entry point.

BTW an EP in the Q is different than in BWCAW. In the Q they are well into the park, not at edge. I think of PP and Beaverhouse as "access points" where you enter the park, and the entry points are an hour or so up to a day inside.

Beaverhouse "entry" for sure...actually you pick either Quetico Lake or Cirrus. But another idea is enter at French...very busy near the entry...and head down into the B-chain which is beautiful and has little traffic and good fishing. --Goose

quote OldGreyGoose: "...and head down into the B-chain which is beautiful and has little traffic and good fishing.

--Goose"

What are the B-chain lakes? I am having trouble understanding.

Thanks,P

quote billconner: "I was going to suggest through PP to North, Kashapiwi, Trant and S-Chain but PP is probably most popular entry point. "

What are the S-chain lakes?

The B Chain lakes start at the dam south part of Pickerel and go south west Bisk, Beg, Bud, then on into Fern and Olifaunt.

The S Chain is west of Agnes and is a string of many lakes north part including Hurlburt to Trant, middle part Trant to Silence, and bottom part finally coming out at North Bay. Long string of lakes and portages. Look at the map and see overall a S shape.

quote figboot74: "

quote OldGreyGoose: "Beaverhouse "entry" for sure...actually you pick either Quetico Lake or Cirrus. But another idea is enter at French...very busy near the entry...and head down into the B-chain which is beautiful and has little traffic and good fishing.

--Goose"

What are the B-chain lakes? I am having trouble understanding.

Thanks,P"

The B chain Lakes are Bisk, Beg and Bud Lakes down South of Pickerel Lake.

quote Eyedocron: "The B Chain lakes start at the dam south part of Pickerel and go south west Bisk, Beg, Bud, then on into Fern and Olifaunt.

The S Chain is west of Agnes and is a string of many lakes north part including Hurlburt to Trant, middle part Trant to Silence, and bottom part finally coming out at North Bay. Long string of lakes and portages. Look at the map and see overall a S shape.

"

Interesting. I thought they were S-chain because, north to south, they are Silence, Sultry, Summer, Shade, and South. (Yes, you probably go through Noon.)

Yes' but that would be only the bottom third of the S

I have done the S chain several times and find it to be great, as long as you have time and no rush. Good fishing and many but reasonable portages. Avoid the Trant to K Portage, as it is long and varies with the seasons.

I've only ever heard the lakes from South to Silence referred to as the S chain. Not that big of a fan of the S chain though quite enjoy the lakes from Silence to the north and those to the north and west.

I enjoyed the Kashapiwi to Trant portage. Little elevation change. Was hard to find most appropriate landing fro Kashapiwi end.

Looked back through my old notes as to why I have called the entire "S" on the map string of lakes the S Chain. Turns out it was called that by the guide on an Explorer Scout trip out of Charles Summer's scout base on Moose Lake on a teen trip in 1967. Never thought to consider it just the bottom third and have been up and down it many times since. That was a great trip; we went all the way up to Ferguson and even did the muck portage into the Cache River (see "worst portages in the Quetico"). Lots of years and Quetico trips have passed since then.

Never heard of any chains of lakes in Quetico named for the overall shape they make. Think the S-chain is just those with letter S.
--Goose

There are some things that are named by their shape not just the spelling of their names. Here is an example of The Big W. You can click on the link or cut, copy, paste into the search web address. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi2xq7u7ZHOAhUq3IMKHULlDNMQuAIIPjAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dr97Nv8N7-mI&usg=AFQjCNEMqOv3IzAOFY6dNYD7kdd_NYTuaw

The BIG W

Good one Ron!!!