Lakes Visited: Burntside, Jean, Conk, Quetico

Miles Paddled: 8.6 miles

Miles Portaged: 1.25 miles

Total Miles: 9.9 miles

Total Trip Miles: 77.4 miles

Today the wind was again in my favor. On Burntside I had calm water and encountered a lone otter at the islands across from the portage into Jean. The portage into Jean would make a BWCA portage crew jealous with envy. Whomever built this new portage into Jean definitely over-achieved.

On Jean I was about a half mile away from a raft of perhaps a dozen loons and nearly two-dozen seagulls. They were all piled together and looked like they were resting and having conversations with each other. I stopped at the 5-star site on the point (was empty) and checked it out. The put-in/beach was wonderful with firm sand. I was surprised it didn't have two fire pits - one for cooking and weather, the other for a view. Maybe I missed it. Overall the site was well used but not over-used and torn up like many of the BWCA 5-stars.

Once on Jean I saw the first paddlers in multiple days. That included Kiporby, Cowdoc, and SunCatcher going the opposite way. Sites looked full, and there were a LOT of people on the water. I decided to move on to Quetico Lake and encountered a family group on a daytrip into Jean Lake for some fishing and when paddling by my site later that evening had nothing good to say about the fishing. They let me know the first site on the point was open when they went by.

The portage into Conk wasn't too bad. The portage from Conk into Quetico was more of a goat path on the Quetico side.

The first site on the point (campsite CR) was open and I took it. This was the most fragrant site I've ever been on in the Quetico-Superior. The honey, vanilla tones of a healthy red pine forest. The site did show some use but most definitely not over-used, and I removed a few strings of cordage from trees. It had nice options to hang hammocks and the views were decent with close access to some fishing areas. The sandy bay on the point had a light breeze blowing into it from the SE and the water had to be close to 90.

I learned of some incoming weather and started making decisions. So far I paddled without a real plan or any particular goals and didnt much care for battling wind, waves, and weather at the end of a trip.

I had decided to see what the forecast looked like in the morning and go from there. I was either going to head into the north section of Quetico Lake or possibly into Cirrus for another night or two, or just exit. Overnight I expected some rain.

It did rain overnight - 3rd time it had rained on the trip.

Jean Lake 5-star Beach

Quetico Lake Scene