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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Quetico Forum :: Portage Yeh to Lonely Lake Quetico
 
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oldmanandapee
06/28/2022 05:50AM
  
Six of us, along with three canoes, four Duluth packs, and a food barrel, took that portage last week. The first half of the portage was fine. There's a creek about half way into the portage to Lonely Lake; that's about when the portage disappeared. Between last year's fires and previous year's storms, the portage was almost impassable and unrecognizable. We took several wrong "trails", backtracked, and set out again.

Lots of downed trees made us go under, over, and around. What should have taken us maybe an hour to tackle ended up being about four hours.

Bring lots of water before you set out on this portage. Also, an axe and even a bowsaw would be helpful as some trail maintenance was needed along the way. Maybe by August, the portage will be cleared. If not, plan on a few hours of being tested and challenged.

We saw lots of moose tracks, wolf tracks, and morel mushrooms aplenty, though past their prime. What a triumph to complete! One of the four teens remarked, while on this portage, what his grandfather told him; "It's either a good time or a good story". Maybe it was both.
 
Matfer
06/09/2022 02:41PM
  
Hi, I am planning to use the portage from Yeh to Lonely in late August 2022. I did this portage in 2018.

Two questions:
1) Can anyone comment on the current condition of the portage (down trees etc.)?

2) I read that there are two possible takeout points on Yeh and the one to the north is incorrect. I think that I may have used the wrong one in 2018! Is there any for-sure what to know if you are on the correct portage?
 
JuanCarlos
06/15/2022 11:26AM
  
I just got back from a trip and a couple of guys from our group went through there. It was challenging, but they made it and did some clearing. That's all I can remember from their report; but it's open and has been traveled this year.
 
Jackfish
06/12/2022 09:48PM
  
It’s been twelve years since we did that portage so I can’t answer #1. Regarding #2, the correct portage landing is just around the point and south of the “old” landing. Kind of at the end of the bay, as I recall. There was a pretty obvious landing and a blaze on a tree.


Tough portage due to its length, but after the first 100-200 yards from the Yeh side, it’s basically a pretty nice walk. Lonely is a nice lake.
 
Matfer
06/13/2022 07:42AM
  
Thank you for the info on the portage! Matfer