I am looking for information on the portage heading north from Side into Kahshahpiwi via some unnamed lakes. There is probably posts about this but I can not seem to get the search right. All the information I have been able to find it pre beaver dam blow out.

We are looking at heading into Kash from Prairie Portage and am just wondering if this way is faster than going through McNiece or Yum Yum.

Paging HoHo to the white courtesy phone.

Our group went through there 10 years ago, but I know Bill has been through there more recently. Others?

I've gone that route I think 4 times in last 10 years, including last fall. There were some beaver ponds the first time that allowed some floating but still a mucky portage and the climb from the top of the valley up the hill into Kahs is a medium to harder portage anyway. That generally took you up the west side of the valley. A few years ago the rangers created a new corduroy portage on the east side starting at the north end of Side. It's longish but wasn't too hard. We stopped for lunch at the junction between new and old. It's marked correctly on the Chrismar map - at least latest edition. (Note - it's worth getting the latest edition.

I like that route and especially Kahs. We headed up to Trant and then down the S chain.

According to the rangers on my last time through (8/8/13) the wet year has made the newly laid corduroy very difficult and wet. They suggested that it be avoided at least for the present.
On the other hand the rains have slowed and the portage could be drier by this time, the creek between Burke and North Bay was probably four inches lower on my way out (8/15) than my way in.

I have always thought the route through Yum Yum was the quickest route to Piwi. That is assuming you are not too intimidated by Yum Yum itself and portage fairly well.
I, too, am headed up in less than two weeks and have been giving my route some thought, including how I might get to Piwi if I head there from Prairie. Perhaps because I have been from Prairie to Side more times than I can count, including two weeks ago, I am inclined to go via Yum Yum or McNiece.
I do no think you can go wrong since the joy of the trip is the experience of traveling the park. Best of all, you are headed to the Piwi!

I've done all three routes to Kahshapiwi, including the new corduroy route from Unnameds and Side last year - a dry year. My feeling is that they are all about the same in terms of effort expended, but based on Banksiana's info from the rangers about the corduroy being harder this year due to the wetness (which makes sense), then I'd say you are probably better off going through Yum Yum or McNiece instead of that way this year. I think all three routes are fantastic in terms of scenery etc, so you can't go wrong - as long as you don't sink into the muck never to be seen again. PS - you can check out my "Piwi goes to Piwi" trip report for some pics and description of the corduroy portage.

No disagreement with others but I'd hate to miss the opportunity to go up Isabella rive and Isabella. And there is one deep muck portage on that route to Yum Yum/McNiece - I exactly forget where but know it can be hip deep - maybe Grey to Shade.

quote billconner: "And there is one deep muck portage on that route to Yum Yum/McNiece - I exactly forget where but know it can be hip deep - maybe Grey to Shade."

Bill, I haven't done THE Yum Yum portage, but I know there is a pretty good muck portage between Grey and Unnamed (or is it Unnamed to Grey?). That was a fun one... :)

Agree on Isabella. Pretty lake and nice area.

The muck lives on unnamed to Grey. Just make certain that you cross the muck- there are two portages from unnamed that meet at the swamp- there have been instances of travelers attempting to avoid the muck and portaging back to unnamed- the "infinite loop" portage.

And it is mucky if you slip off the logs.

quote Banksiana: "The muck lives on unnamed to Grey. Just make certain that you cross the muck- there are two portages from unnamed that meet at the swamp- there have been instances of travelers attempting to avoid the muck and portaging back to unnamed- the "infinite loop" portage.

And it is mucky if you slip off the logs."

First trip one Scout showed it to be hip deep.

And I have done the "infinite loop" - came to water and looked down to see the rest of our gear. Bummer.

Many years ago I got lost on the Grey Lake portage with two neighbor guys and our three teenage daughters in the pouring rain. Flat out confused by what was going on. We single portaged---in about an hour for what should have been a 15 minute hike.

Maybe it's the Quetico Triangle...

Ah, now we are talking about my favorite topic, BOGGY PORTAGE :)

I went through it in June and it was not as bad as it has been in the past. I was surprised although the water was much lower in June than a couple of weeks ago. I will likely return in a week and a half. At least I won't get lost.

I leave on August 24. I will leave the decision up to the guys and which route we take. We will probably take Yum Yum since its been a few years since we tackled that task, and we went through McNiece last year. I will let everyone know the advice when I get from the ranger when I check in at the Prairie. Now hopefully, I do not get stuck Quetico Triange

quote GraniteCliffs: "Many years ago I got lost on the Grey Lake portage with two neighbor guys and our three teenage daughters in the pouring rain. Flat out confused by what was going on. We single portaged---in about an hour for what should have been a 15 minute hike."

We did to,but what messed us was the map had a portage where their was no portage,but we believed the map and kept a going.