We will be headed up to Canadian Border Outfitters in Ely the last week of July. We will be nine total (3 or 4 adults / 5 or 6 scouts aged 12-14). We will take off right from CBO base camp on Moose Lake and would like to reach the 50 miler award. With our scouts being younger we chose to go with the kevlar canoes for weight when portaging. Would like to start off with shorter portages to get them used to it before any bigger portages. Would also love to hit some good fishing lakes for walleye. Also need to get the Canada Sign picture! :) Any good route ideas?

I’m not exactly sure on the mileage, if you head to Prairie Portage, get your “Canada” photo, then head back to Indian portage and head NE from there, then you can do a loop up towards Ottertrack and come back down through SAK and back out through Vera and Ensign. I’ll bet that would get you 50 miles easily. Especially if you’re not taking a tow from CBO, it’s a good 5-6 miles to PP from CBO so that adds some distance for you. I’ll be doing a very similar loop in June, but I’m not going all the way to Ottertrack and my loop is about 43 miles, leaving from the portage between Moose/Jasper.

If you don’t mind motors and/or big water, you could go west and head through Basswood and down the Basswood River and back. I wouldn’t recommend that with your younger group though. Winds could really derail your itinerary fast on Basswood.

Tony

anthonyp007: "... I’ll bet that would get you 50 miles easily. Especially if you’re not taking a tow from CBO, it’s a good 5-6 miles to PP from CBO so that adds some distance for you.
Tony"

With such a specific request, I would say that getting a tow to achieve A Fifty Miler Award would be cheating.

Sorry I can’t offer any additional help though. No access to mapping app.

anthonyp007: "I’m not exactly sure on the mileage, if you head to Prairie Portage, get your “Canada” photo, then head back to Indian portage and head NE from there, then you can do a loop up towards Ottertrack and come back down through SAK and back out through Vera and Ensign. I’ll bet that would get you 50 miles easily. Especially if you’re not taking a tow from CBO, it’s a good 5-6 miles to PP from CBO so that adds some distance for you. I’ll be doing a very similar loop in June, but I’m not going all the way to Ottertrack and my loop is about 43 miles, leaving from the portage between Moose/Jasper.


If you don’t mind motors and/or big water, you could go west and head through Basswood and down the Basswood River and back. I wouldn’t recommend that with your younger group though. Winds could really derail your itinerary fast on Basswood.


Tony"

That is pretty close.....a touch over 50 miles with the end of the loop going Ottertrack, Ester, Hanson, SAK. Drop down thru Vera, Ensign on way back.

Just so you know, nice options to head to Knife, down through Kek, Thomas, and Ima, and out to Snowbank and portage to Moose, longish but wide and flat. I think more interesting than back through Moose.

cowdoc: "

anthonyp007: "I’m not exactly sure on the mileage, if you head to Prairie Portage, get your “Canada” photo, then head back to Indian portage and head NE from there, then you can do a loop up towards Ottertrack and come back down through SAK and back out through Vera and Ensign. I’ll bet that would get you 50 miles easily. Especially if you’re not taking a tow from CBO, it’s a good 5-6 miles to PP from CBO so that adds some distance for you. I’ll be doing a very similar loop in June, but I’m not going all the way to Ottertrack and my loop is about 43 miles, leaving from the portage between Moose/Jasper.



If you don’t mind motors and/or big water, you could go west and head through Basswood and down the Basswood River and back. I wouldn’t recommend that with your younger group though. Winds could really derail your itinerary fast on Basswood.



Tony"

That is pretty close.....a touch over 50 miles with the end of the loop going Ottertrack, Ester, Hanson, SAK. Drop down thru Vera, Ensign on way back."

You can't skip Cherry if you're up in that area. It is a fantastically beautiful lake.

billconner: "Just so you know, nice options to head to Knife, down through Kek, Thomas, and Ima, and out to Snowbank and portage to Moose, longish but wide and flat. I think more interesting than back through Moose."

And you get to portage into NT like voyagers!

AmarilloJim: "

billconner: "Just so you know, nice options to head to Knife, down through Kek, Thomas, and Ima, and out to Snowbank and portage to Moose, longish but wide and flat. I think more interesting than back through Moose."

And you get to portage into NT like voyagers!"

I recall it lead me right to the Secrete Blackstone trail parking lot.