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Author	Message Text
apk	09/13/2024 03:53PM   TrailZen: "If you decide to do the S Chain, we recommend NOT following our route into North Bay--the long channel between South Lake and North Bay is choked with water lilies and has a beaver dam." Thank you, TrailZen. Great to hear it didn't seem too busy for your trip. Yes! I have paddled the way of the water lillies twice already this season haha maybe I will skip it this time.
BonzSF	09/14/2024 05:16AM   Hi I’m somewhat familiar with these two areas though I’m a newbie to Quetico. We did the Man Chain last year and the S chain this year, both at the end of August. Trip report for the Man Chain is at “Cousins in Quetico “ and this year’s is yet to be done. We went up through Carp and around Bell to Otterttack. Saw very few in the beginning and more on the way back on Otterttack and Knife ( surprise surprise). This year we went up through Sunday to Agnes and it seemed much busier we saw people every day. So for solitude I’d say the Man Chain. For options to modify, and shortening your route mid trip, the S chain . Both were great and we had Silence Lake to ourselves for the night
Exo	09/15/2024 08:38AM   First week of September this year I spent 2 days up the Man Chain. Saw 2 other canoes and no campsites filled. Alternatively, loops end on south end of Agnes finding a campsite was tough and on Sunday Lake I counted 13 canoes in view at one point. Take your time on the Sheridan portage with your first timer, and make sure you take the correct portage on the east side of No Man.
portagedog09	09/13/2024 03:16PM   Hey APK! I assume you're using our fav. outfitter for the tow! The S chain is a shorter route, unless you add some lakes to it - depending on what you intend to do for the 'loop'. I find the Man chain a bit more remote feeling and it's probably less travelled. I think you'll find fewer paddlers on that route. On either side of the S chain, you have major routes and it's pretty popular by itself. To do the Man, would you circle back via Ottertrack and Knife? It's that or add the Falls chain and go via McEwen/Louisa or Kawnipi/Agnes. They're all good routes but the full Man chain/Knife loop may be a bit aggressive for 6 days - depending on your 'new' paddler. I feel like with the S chain, you at least have the opportunity do dial it back, where on the Man, the halfway point is a bit further out. Don't forget to factor in the wind/weather. Enjoy your trip. pd
TrailZen	09/13/2024 03:23PM   We ended our 2024 Quetico trip, which included the S Chain, Sunday, Sept 8. We intentionally make reservations in late August and early September because we see fewer people, and it held true again this year. While on the S Chain Sept 5 & 6 (which we entered via a number of no-names from Trant), we saw NO ONE until we hit West Lake on our way to North Bay. On West Lake we encountered 6 anglers in 3 canoes on a daytrip loop from their campsite on North Bay. We camped the night of September 5 on Silence (near the portage into Agnes), and the night of September 6 on South Lake (near the portage into North Bay), so should have seen most other paddlers on the chain those two days. If you decide to do the S Chain, we recommend NOT following our route into North Bay--the long channel between South Lake and North Bay is choked with water lilies and has a beaver dam. TZ
apk	09/13/2024 03:45PM   portagedog09: "To do the Man, would you circle back via Ottertrack and Knife? It's that or add the Falls chain and go via McEwen/Louisa or Kawnipi/Agnes. They're all good routes but the full Man chain/Knife loop may be a bit aggressive for 6 days - depending on your 'new' paddler. " Hey portagedog! Yes, we'd do the shorter route, actually thinking about going through Emerald, out Plough, and up Ottertrack and then through Jasper on the way in, returning via the Man Chain. I'd love to do the larger loop coming out via McEwen/Lousia some time when I have an extra two or three days. Interesting to hear you feel the Man Chain feels less travelled. That is good news. But yes, good point about the lack of options to modify into a smaller loop. I have it plotted out as just over 9 miles per day for 6 days (leaving us the spare, though partial 7th day for wiggle room). We wouldn't have a lot of room to flex if we got tired or the weather did not cooperate.
EmmaMorgan	09/13/2024 05:28PM   I paddled through the Man Chain the second week of August this year and saw no one at all between Carp and Saganagons.
apk	09/13/2024 05:37PM   Thanks for the info Emma!
Gaidin53	09/13/2024 11:17PM   Been through both. Man chain did feel less travelled for us this year. In July. Only ran into 1 Northern tier crew coming the opposite way. Man Chain definitely had a bit different look. High green ridge lines looking up from the lake. We did go through in from Carp to Saganagons in 2 days though and pushed hard. I’d like to spend more time and will make a point of it on a slower trip. You routing back through Emerald lake totally is a good idea with the time you have. I read somewhere it’s some huge trees in that area from Knife Ottertrack to Emerald! Really worth seeing. Ryan
apk	09/13/2024 12:21PM   Hello, I may be dialing back my planned route for a 6 night trip the last week of Sept. I'll have a new paddler along and want to be careful not to bite off more than we can chew. So my less ambitious route plans are either the S Chain or the Man Chain (as loops). I really enjoy solitude and I know these are more popular routes. Would you say one or the other is less travelled or less likely to encounter other groups at portages? I know Sept is less busy, so we have that going for us, but would love to hear any thoughts you have in comparing these routes for "business" or any other traits. We are double portaging and not fishing. Going in (via tow) at Prairie Portage. Thanks!
apk	09/30/2024 01:28PM   Thanks again for the advice here. We did the Man Chain in 6 nights with a layover on Emerald on the way back. Very little traffic, saw no one except around our entry/exit on Birch/Carp and again up around Bell/Fran area. Briefly saw some folks as we came down Ottertrack into Plough. Great trip. Unbelievable weather last week.