WOOOOO HOOOOO

After missing last season its time to head back out. Just picked up flights and permits entering Maligne River 2nd week of august. The trip will be ten days and exiting through prairie portage with a tow home.

I have started at this spot 2 out of the last 3 summers. Love Darky and normally camp on minn the first night.

Not sure exactly where we will be going from there and I would love to hear any ideas.

Things of interest are catching lake trout. I have only caught one before and it was not a keeper.

Any historical sites, love to see neat quetico history

and solitude.

Iam thinking i might go minn -> darky river -> darky -> brent (maybe conmme/suzanette) -> paulette -> Burt -> Joyce -> Kashishapwi -> and somehow work my way out to the ranger station with the help of agnes at some point

In any case thanks for reading and I would love any feedback

Hey! UpNorth8! Great!
Check out my trip report on this site! We took a symilar trip in June on some of the same lakes you are going to. We love William but it doesn't have trout.....I have a spot on McIntyre that is great for trout all year long, right off a campsite with a message jar, let me know if you want details.

Do you think its possible to make darky on the first night? Probably not is what Iam guessing but it really would depend on how bad the darky river is now.

How did you guys go about arranging your one way route? Did you get one outfitter to tow you in or drop you off at/near one ranger station (EP), and get another to pick you up (at PP)? Once you're picked up at PP, where do they take you and how did you arrange to get back to where your vehicles are parked?

At any rate, have a great trip. Those are some great areas to fish and photograph wildlife. Lots of peace and quiet. Burt is an awesome lake. Marj is a sleeper. Joyce...she looks phenomenal!

Not bragging, but our group has made the northern islands of McIntyre on day one a couple of times; 19 mi from PP. On the bigger lakes, it all depends on the wind. A little secret too...fill your water bottles with Gatorade or some other energy drink for the beginning of day one. Also, force down a couple of bagels for breakfast the morning of your trip. Lots of carbs will keep you going.

Have fun!

Darky should be pretty easy to reach in a day from #43 depending on your drop off time. That camp right before the Darky River is nice so if you are not making good time just stop there. After that I don't think there is really anything until you hit Darky Lake as far as camps are concerned.

FISHGUTS HELP

Iam stuck and not sure how we want to finish our trip up.

SO far this is how it looks
Minn
Darky
Argo
brent VIA Cone
McIntyre
**2 Nights between**
Burke/Sunday Last Night

I need a good route from Mcintyre to Burke?

What do you recommend?

Thanks!

UpNorth8,

We camped at Cedar Point Camp on McIntyre, (it has a message jar
in the woods) also good trout fishing close by. From McIntyre we have always taken the direct route...Sarah, Side, the northern portages with (Heart Attack Hill) into Isabella, then down the river to Basswood's North Bay, across North Bay to the portages into Burke.
We have camped on Isabella, and in Lost Bay of Basswood. There is a good camp just as you enter North Bay of Basswood from the Isabella River. I can send you maps and directions if needed, just E-Mail me.
Have you read our latest trip report?

THANKS for the great info. I got the emails

I was just having a hard time figuring out the best way for us to drop down to PP. I think we might follow your route.

We are leaving on Wed so Iam sure I will have a few more questions for you

Thanks
Alex

Any time! Just ask away.

How bad is that blob of lakes from side to isabella and then isabella to north bay.

It seems there is about 10 different ways to do it

Isabella to North Bay is one portage and a beaver pull over, not bad at all with river paddling. From Sarah to Isabella the portages are more grueling but do-able. They are well traveled, and all of them are easy except that "Heart Attack Hill" one coming out of Side. From Side you take the southernmost portage, after 50 yards or so it forks..you take the left hand path (right goes into the swamps) and up "Heart Attack Hill" ...it's only about 100 yards of steep rock covered climb, then the rest of the portage is just typical Quetico stuff. None of these portages are terrible it is the accumulative effect of doing them all in one day that wears people down.....you will know you have been somewhere!!