We haven't had a post in this forum in a month so I felt we were due. Since the planning season is upon us, let's take the opportunity to share which route or destination in Quetico is the priority on your to-do list. List just ONE route.

For my top priority, I'd like to enter at PP and head up through Sarah and McIntyre with a destination of Brent. Stay a few days on Brent, then exit the west end of Brent and loop back toward Basswood and then out. There are several smaller lakes between Brent and Basswood. I was supposed to do this trip with a buddy a few years ago, but was in the middle of selling my house and couldn't get away.

I think I'd like to do a perimeter loop, starting and ending at Dawson Creek, with a resupply at PP. Counterclockwise of course.

I don't know why but I have become somewhat obsessed with going from Prairie up through Piwi to Chatterton Falls, down through Death March to Conmee, Brent, etc. I have done this a couple of times before but as my window of opportunity narrows as I age I want to do it once more.

And I think I have an agreement with a couple of guys to go next year!

I would really like to do a trip from Beaverhouse to Ely sometime.

I think it would be great to start at Nym and come down thru to end up down at Ely or down thru Prairie Portage for take out.

quote walllee: "I would really like to do a trip from Beaverhouse to Ely sometime. "

quote OldFingers57: "I think it would be great to start at Nym and come down thru to end up down at Ely or down thru Prairie Portage for take out. "

My second (ever) canoe trip went from Beaverhouse Lake to Prairie Portage. We actually flew from Ely (seaplane base) to Beaverhouse (with a stop off at Sandy Point for Canadian Customs). Our Ely-area outfitter pre-positioned a canoe at the Beaverhouse Ranger Station for us, and it was waiting on the beach as we stepped off the plane onto the Ranger Station dock.

dd

I plan to take a small group, to put canoes on Zephira. Might be 2017, might be 2018. But it's been calling me since I was a teenager, no one seems to have done it, and I want to get there. It's become a mission, and I have friends ready to do it.

Also I kind of want to get to the middle of the park - Fred, Camel, Vernon etc. Just to get into that deep middle.

I've also wanted to try backpacking in Quetico. I've seen some of those old logging roads in various parts of the park, and they are surprisingly wide and walkable even after all these years. They get close to lakes here and there. Might be a fun, alternate way to see the park.

I always wanted to start at Lake of woods, down rainy river into voyagers, work up Maligne river up through Sturgeon into Kawnipi and up falls chain into Saganaga. Then do the border route and finish with the Grand Portage to Superior. Just a short trip. Wanted to do this as a solo but a real good partner would be OK.

quote MrBreeze: "I always wanted to start at Lake of woods, down rainy river into voyagers, work up Maligne river up through Sturgeon into Kawnipi and up falls chain into Saganaga. Then do the border route and finish with the Grand Portage to Superior. Just a short trip. Wanted to do this as a solo but a real good partner would be OK. "

That's on my list but have switched to go east to west, primarily because of Rainy River flow. People seem to want to avoid east to west on Basswood but in three or four times of doing that, I thought it was great. But generally, a lot more with the flow I think. And since I was thinking border, was planning a resupply at PP by my favorite Ely outfitter.

Lot of permit intricacies - especially west of BWCA. I kind of wondered if doing mostly on CS side was easier. I think it needs an RABC, an I 68, and sat phone. I kind of have 2018 as a target, and not sure if three weeks is enough - for me.

Looking forward to portage through streets of I Falls or Ft Francis. ??

Thinking about Malign to Poohbah, Conmee, Brent, final night on Minn. 8 days end of June.

quote Maverick: "Thinking about Maligne to Poohbah, Conmee, Brent, final night on Minn. 8 days end of June. "

I have been working on the better half to do the Hunter's Island loop. Now that we are both retired thought it would be a great intro to the Q for her!

quote GraniteCliffs: "I don't know why but I have become somewhat obsessed with going from Prairie up through Piwi to Chatterton Falls, down through Death March to Conmee, Brent, etc. I have done this a couple of times before but as my window of opportunity narrows as I age I want to do it once more."

This is my "heart of darkness" tour that I want to do as well. I've never been in there and may start looking at how much time I'd need to get it done.

I want to zig zag for 30 days with no specific route in mind. The idea would be to see as much of the park as possible without any worries/concerns regarding where to go or when I need to be there other than where I leave from/return to. Probably PP as I am really comfortable starting there, and I love Williams and Hall. Ideally, I would return on a day when the Ely Steam Bath is open!

I am a Canuck and have done most of 3/4's of Quetico. But the s-e quandrant has always been an unknown. I would love to start at Cache Bay up the Falls chain over to Agnes via McEwen & Louisa and then work my way back from North Bay through the Mann chain. The three problems I have are how to get there, the US dollar cost and spouse approval. Sigh!!!

Bucket list is down to:

1) Fly-in to Clay, then Waiwag, Kawnipi, through Piwi and out at PP
2) Exploring the SW corner around Wicksteed / Argo
3) Border route from LLC to PP

A second route that I want to try at some point is the BH-Badwater-Bentpine-Jean loop. I've never been south of BH into this area.

I would love to revisit Elk and Ted Lake (and explore the aquamarine waters of Hurn and the intriguing depths and shorelines of Milt a little more). We have always taken a tow to Back Bay and then paddled down the Basswood River and up through Gardner Bay. Returning via the SE portage out of Earl to McIntyre is relatively challenging but beautiful, and any excuse to spend time on McIntyre is OK in my book. Spend the last night on Moose Bay or Kett for one last fish dinner.

we paddled across Hurn in May in 2014 on a cool, misty, gray day, about 10 days after ice out. We were not specifically fishing, just passing through, but trolling on our way. It took us a long time to get across due to the number of Lakers we hooked into. Even on a rotten day (weather-wise), it looked like a magnificent chunk of water. Had stayed the night before on Ted (message jar site) and were on our way to Argo.

Maybe in black robe and a big horseshoe wander and eventually out darky river

quote cowdoc: "we paddled across Hurn in May in 2014 on a cool, misty, gray day, about 10 days after ice out. We were not specifically fishing, just passing through, but trolling on our way. It took us a long time to get across due to the number of Lakers we hooked into. Even on a rotten day (weather-wise), it looked like a magnificent chunk of water. Had stayed the night before on Ted (message jar site) and were on our way to Argo."

We've never found a campsite on Hurn although we did discover an old trapset along the south shore. Always wanted to get back there and explore the supposed portage trail between Hurn and Milt. In my next lifetime I'd like to explore the spectacular cliffs along the eastern shore.

I'm hoping to pass through Swartman lake some day. I'm not sure where we are going to enter from this year but it'll be out of Atikokan.

Hex

quote DancesWithTrees: "I plan to take a small group, to put canoes on Zephira. Might be 2017, might be 2018. But it's been calling me since I was a teenager, no one seems to have done it, and I want to get there. It's become a mission, and I have friends ready to do it.

Also I kind of want to get to the middle of the park - Fred, Camel, Vernon etc. Just to get into that deep middle.

I've also wanted to try backpacking in Quetico. I've seen some of those old logging roads in various parts of the park, and they are surprisingly wide and walkable even after all these years. They get close to lakes here and there. Might be a fun, alternate way to see the park.
"

I plan on getting in the middle of the park in September. Taking Pickerel down through McDougal, Camel and hope to spend three nights on Veron. Why three you may ask? I want to fish it a lot and also daytrip into Delahey to visit the famed message jar there. I really don't have a desire to do the death march so will come back up through Fred etc. to Pickerel.

Matt, was it you and your friend that helped me portage from McIntyre to Paulene Lake last Sept. 2016? I thought that's the name one of the guys gave me and also said from Illinois by Chicago. I was solo and had my dog with me.

quote TomT: "

quote DancesWithTrees: "I plan to take a small group, to put canoes on Zephira. Might be 2017, might be 2018. But it's been calling me since I was a teenager, no one seems to have done it, and I want to get there. It's become a mission, and I have friends ready to do it.


Also I kind of want to get to the middle of the park - Fred, Camel, Vernon etc. Just to get into that deep middle.


I've also wanted to try backpacking in Quetico. I've seen some of those old logging roads in various parts of the park, and they are surprisingly wide and walkable even after all these years. They get close to lakes here and there. Might be a fun, alternate way to see the park.
"

I plan on getting in the middle of the park in September. Taking Pickerel down through McDougal, Camel and hope to spend three nights on Veron. Why three you may ask? I want to fish it a lot and also daytrip into Delahey to visit the famed message jar there. I really don't have a desire to do the death march so will come back up through Fred etc. to Pickerel.


Matt, was it you and your friend that helped me portage from McIntyre to Paulene Lake last Sept. 2016? I thought that's the name one of the guys gave me and also said from Illinois by Chicago. I was solo and had my dog with me. "

Wasn't me.

Sadly I haven't actually been in the Q since, I think, 2011. Shortly before the second kid arrived, thus sapping much of my ability to get away for a week or more at a time. Hoping to finally get back in 2018.

Well I got my wish. I am a Canuck and have done most of 3/4's of Quetico over 40 years. But the s-e quandrant has always been an unknown. I would love to start at Cache Bay up the Falls chain over to Agnes via McEwen & Louisa and then work my way back from North Bay through the Mann chain. I will be going in for 15 days commencing May 25th. If anyone has some advice on great lakes fishing or campsites please let me know. This will be a completely new area for me.

1. PP to Sarah to McIntyre to Brent and return - love this trip, and have done it twice
2. Cache Bay to Falls Chain to McKenzie Bay of Kawnipi to McEwen and return - plan to do again in late May. A couple of bays in Kawnipi that made me feel like a real fisherman
3. PP to Shan Walshe and back. Something about that lake that we really liked and getting there is a nice, but not too tough challenge
4. Beaverhouse to Quetico to Cirrus and back. Cheap when entering from Canada with no need for RABC, no tow needed. Beautiful scenery. Really easy paddling and portages. Oops, sorry I mentioned more than one. But I love all of these

quote billgkna11: "1. PP to Sarah to McIntyre to Brent and return - love this trip, and have done it twice
2. Cache Bay to Falls Chain to McKenzie Bay of Kawnipi to McEwen and return - plan to do again in late May. A couple of bays in Kawnipi that made me feel like a real fisherman
3. PP to Shan Walshe and back. Something about that lake that we really liked and getting there is a nice, but not too tough challenge
4. Beaverhouse to Quetico to Cirrus and back. Cheap when entering from Canada with no need for RABC, no tow needed. Beautiful scenery. Really easy paddling and portages. Oops, sorry I mentioned more than one. But I love all of these"

just did #2 in august. Exited Kawnipi thru McVicar and took Anubis, Bird to Agnes. Then Louisa to McEwen. Loved the route.
Did #1 a few years ago....Argo and Darky were the west border. Nothing wrong with that one either.