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07/29/2024 08:46PM |
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08/07/2024 07:42AM |
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07/29/2024 08:38PM |
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07/24/2024 08:48AM |
TrailZen: "
Just curious, SNS--did you find a distinct portage trail between Kahsh and Trant? We enjoyed revisiting Trant last year, but getting there from Kahsh was a challenge!
TZ"
TZ:
Yes; we were there in May of this year. From the south, the first portage is on the right. There's also a small beaver dam there - if you are good with pullovers, do that. If not, you can start the portage before the dam. That first stretch (~100m?) is tough footing however - gets much easier on the north side of the dam (at the end of where one could possibly paddle), hence the pullover recommendation. [In 2023, we found a faint trail on the left and took that instead of the real portage on the right. Mistake!]
You put back in & paddle the middle section (~400m). At the next beaver dam, there is another obvious take-out on the right.
At this point, you have two options:
Put back in immediately on the other side of the beaver dam & paddle about 200m.
or
Keep carrying all the way to Trant. 50m of this carry is knee-deep in water & the first 200 is mostly quite hard; it's about 500m to carry from here.
It is possible that in low water option 2 might be better, but most of the time paddling is the better option & avoids that knee-deep section.
So, with option one, you've put back in at the second beaver dam; then paddle ~200m. A bit before the final (third) beaver dam, there is a spot to go through the grass to a takeout on the right. Or you can pull over the dam and take out on the right. Final section is then ~300m with some tough footing.
In summary - all portages are on the right, heading S to N, and they were there to be found.
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07/21/2024 04:57PM |
We had to change our entry point and shorten our trip. Now looking at a Sarah Lake entry next week, 5 nights. Trying to decide between going north From Sarah to Kahshahpiwi and coming back down the "S Chain" or going West from Sarah and coming out through a Basswood River route. We are getting a tow to/from Prairie Portage.
We will be single portaging and planning to travel every day, rain or shine, unless the wind is too much. We're experienced paddlers, and usually traveling with a larger load (2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 canoes, and double portaging). This time it's just my wife and me, so we are looking to cover some ground (to an extent). No fishing, but we do enjoy a little chilling in camp at the end of the day. We enjoy solitude most of all, so less-travelled routes are always a plus.
I will say that just earlier this season we came in through an Agnes EP and out through Jeff Lake to North Bay. So we're going to cover some of the same ground regardless, but interested in seeing different lakes.
Appreciate any recommendations you may have on either of these routes (or one we have not considered) for a Sarah Lake entry point. Thanks!
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07/21/2024 05:57PM |
I have loved paddling the length of Basswood several times so would opt for going west from Sarah.
BTW I prefer the low route from Side to Sarah.
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07/21/2024 06:10PM |
Burn damage started at the waist and was more severe as we paddled to the north end of the lake for our portage into the Tuck River route to Kahshahpiwi. You say you enjoy solitude (as do we); you'll have it on this route to Kahsh! That portage was burned to bare rock, and was only identifiable by the surveyor's flagging tape on trees. Day Three of our trip report shows our travel from Sarah to Kahsh with a map detailing the day's route.
East of Sarah wasn't damaged, but the 2021 'burn map' suggests you'll encounter lots of burn damage west of Sarah unless you stay close to the border. I hope you have a wonderful trip.
TZ
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07/22/2024 10:35AM |
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07/24/2024 11:53AM |
sns: "TZ:
Yes; we were there in May of this year. From the south, the first portage is on the right. There's also a small beaver dam there - if you are good with pullovers, do that. If not, you can start the portage before the dam. That first stretch (~100m?) is tough footing however - gets much easier on the north side of the dam (at the end of where one could possibly paddle), hence the pullover recommendation. [In 2023, we found a faint trail on the left and took that instead of the real portage on the right. Mistake!]
You put back in & paddle the middle section (~400m). At the next beaver dam, there is another obvious take-out on the right.
At this point, you have two options:
Put back in immediately on the other side of the beaver dam & paddle about 200m.
or
Keep carrying all the way to Trant. 50m of this carry is knee-deep in water & the first 200 is mostly quite hard; it's about 500m to carry from here.
It is possible that in low water option 2 might be better, but most of the time paddling is the better option & avoids that knee-deep section.
So, with option one, you've put back in at the second beaver dam; then paddle ~200m. A bit before the final (third) beaver dam, there is a spot to go through the grass to a takeout on the right. Or you can pull over the dam and take out on the right. Final section is then ~300m with some tough footing.
In summary - all portages are on the right, heading S to N, and they were there to be found."
Thanks, SNS! Your description matches our experience last August, where on Day Four of my trip report I described that portage as "a Quetico-proprietary mix of portage trail, beaver bog, moose meander, and goat trail with a few yards of bouldering traverse thrown in for AP credit"! We also stayed to the right--good to hear that we missed the faint trail on the left.
Regards,
TZ
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07/27/2024 08:34AM |
portage dog
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08/05/2024 06:08PM |
Banksiana: "portagedog09: "Glad you guys had a memorable trip. Hope the kids' summer camp week was just as memorable for them. That 'high route' into Sarah actually takes less time, though Isabella Creek is a fun paddle. We came out that way - going with the current. Believe it or not, the water level was a bit higher than normal.
pd"
I think the "high route" to Sarah refers to the portage from Side to Sarah that does not involve creek travel, the "low route" would be following Side Creek into Sarah, a series of a lift over and two shorter portages separated by water of increasingly questionable (beavers not maintaining the ponds) utility."
That's certainly my use. I just found the low road easier - paddle and 3 or 4 very short carries.
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07/22/2024 12:23PM |
Would suggest that 5 nights is tight to go PP>Sarah>Kahah>Trant>S-Chain>PP. Doable but no weather margin.
We did PP>YumYum>Kahsh>Trant>Woodside>Reid>
Agnes>Sunday>PP in 5 nights in late May; in hindsight we bit off more than we liked chewing.
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07/22/2024 05:52PM |
sns: "I agree with Bill - take the creek route from Side to Sarah.
Would suggest that 5 nights is tight to go PP>Sarah>Kahah>Trant>S-Chain>PP. Doable but no weather margin.
We did PP>YumYum>Kahsh>Trant>Woodside>Reid>
Agnes>Sunday>PP in 5 nights in late May; in hindsight we bit off more than we liked chewing."
Just curious, SNS--did you find a distinct portage trail between Kahsh and Trant? We enjoyed revisiting Trant last year, but getting there from Kahsh was a challenge!
TZ
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07/22/2024 05:56PM |
sns: "I agree with Bill - take the creek route from Side to Sarah.
Would suggest that 5 nights is tight to go PP>Sarah>Kahah>Trant>S-Chain>PP. Doable but no weather margin.
We did PP>YumYum>Kahsh>Trant>Woodside>Reid>
Agnes>Sunday>PP in 5 nights in late May; in hindsight we bit off more than we liked chewing."
Thanks, good perspective. It's true, our 1-day weather margin for high winds would be to have one super-long day to make up for it. Perhaps not wise! We are maybe overestimating our travel rate when single-portaging.
Maybe we will just go out via Yum Yum and Shade instead of shooting for Trant and the S chain. We will keep an eye on our travel speed, energy level, and forecast and likely make the call midway.
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08/02/2024 10:08AM |
portagedog09: "Hey apk - I believe we crossed paths at the outfitter on your way in. Hopefully the map advice/pointers were helpful! Just curious how the trip panned out for you two. Hopefully the weather did not get too hot for you - though it makes swimming a much more favorable past-time.
portage dog"
Portage Dog! That was us! Yes, we appreciated the advice and we had a really great trip. The southern portage into Khashapiwi, and our stay at an unmarked site there, was our favorite part of the trip. It was indeed stiflingly hot and humid at times so lots and lots of swimming to stay cool. We took the Yum Yum portage out when it was 100% humidity. Memorable experience haha.
Side note, if I was to head into Sarah again I would take the high route, unless the water was very high and flowing.
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08/02/2024 03:40PM |
pd
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08/03/2024 08:04AM |
portagedog09: "Glad you guys had a memorable trip. Hope the kids' summer camp week was just as memorable for them. That 'high route' into Sarah actually takes less time, though Isabella Creek is a fun paddle. We came out that way - going with the current. Believe it or not, the water level was a bit higher than normal.
pd"
I think the "high route" to Sarah refers to the portage from Side to Sarah that does not involve creek travel, the "low route" would be following Side Creek into Sarah, a series of a lift over and two shorter portages separated by water of increasingly questionable (beavers not maintaining the ponds) utility.
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08/06/2024 08:59AM |
billconner: "
That's certainly my use. I just found the low road easier - paddle and 3 or 4 very short carries."
I agree that it has been the better choice. However the beavers have abandoned dam maintenance and the paddles are getting more difficult- the second stunningly beautiful marsh was barely navigable on my trip last year.
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08/06/2024 03:31PM |
pd
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08/07/2024 06:32AM |