What percentage of insane amount of water flowing over Curtain Falls goes down Rebecca Falls vs the Bottle River into LLC? 80-20? Just looking @ satellite photos and it looks like it's quite a bit more heading north than heading west. Still odd to have 2 different outflows from the same lake.

That said, I'm sure people have done the Bottle portage. There is a narrow spot or two going from LLC to Iron that paddling into the current would be difficult if it's really high water. But....if Rebecca is draining most of the high water maybe it's not too bad?

No one?

I've only done that area once in a normal water year. It's gorgeous! I think on the BWCA Facebook page is some footage of Curtain Falls. It's scary right now!

cyclones30: "What percentage of insane amount of water flowing over Curtain Falls goes down Rebecca Falls vs the Bottle River into LLC? 80-20? Just looking @ satellite photos and it looks like it's quite a bit more heading north than heading west. Still odd to have 2 different outflows from the same lake.

That said, I'm sure people have done the Bottle portage. There is a narrow spot or two going from LLC to Iron that paddling into the current would be difficult if it's really high water. But....if Rebecca is draining most of the high water maybe it's not too bad? "

I've done the Bottle Portage many times during normal water years. There is a heck of a lot of water that flows out of Iron at Rebecca falls during normal water levels. You have to hit that island that splits the falls just right or your going to have a real bad day.

The falls that flow out of Iron into LLC during normal water moves a ton of water as well. Good fishing there!!!

I'm guessing you have a trip planned there. Having been there many times, I'd go for it. That portage will be a mess this year.

I would say the percentage is probably 70/30 during normal years.

If the water is too much to portage over the island, there’s another portage that’s pretty easy directly from Iron to McAree. It’s an easy paddle to the falls and island from there.

I'm not going into Canada.

I'm just curious what people think the ratio of flow between the two outlets is?

And how high the water is on the bottle end. Heading from LLC to Iron would have you padding up a narrows that I'd think is quite a flow (unless all that is headed down Rebecca instead)

Don’t even think about trying to paddle upriver on the Bottle. During high water, the current will be impossible. During normal conditions you would be trying to navigate an impossible tangle of down trees, boulders, drops, etc. The Bottle portage exists for a reason. If someone got hurt or worse, no one will come along to rescue you. There’s a significant drop from Bottle into LLC.

In the Spring, there’s good fishing where the Bottle dumps into LLC.

Old salt: "Don’t even think about trying to paddle upriver on the Bottle. During high water, the current will be impossible. During normal conditions you would be trying to navigate an impossible tangle of down trees, boulders, drops, etc. The Bottle portage exists for a reason. If someone got hurt or worse, no one will come along to rescue you. There’s a significant drop from Bottle into LLC.


In the Spring, there’s good fishing where the Bottle dumps into LLC. "

Thanks, yeah I know those. I'm talking about the narrows area between the portage landing and the main portion of Iron. There is at least one pinch point there where 99% of the time you'd paddle through and not think much of it. But if a lot of that curtain falls water is going down the Bottle....that changes that spot dramatically. If all most all that water is headed to Rebecca instead...then no big deal in that pinch point in super high water.