June 2023 Quetico Portage Maintenance Map

Thanks so much, plander--Our planned August route exits Sarah from her NE corner, which was at an edge of the 2021 fires. The map you've shared shows that the portages between Sarah and Kahshahpiwi were maintained in May, 2023. Funny, a couple weeks ago I called Friends of Quetico to get info on that very set of portages and was told that we'd "...probably be OK..." as the fire was low-intensity in that area. Guess he didn't have the portage maintenance map.

TZ

Wish I had seen this map before my trip in late May this year. I did a loop through Russell and over to Poohbah then back down to Prairie Portage.

Going through the Memory Lane portages was the toughest thing I've done in canoe country. All the down trees were stacked on top of each other due to the wildfire so I was doing balance beam acrobatics to make it across. Those three long portages should've only taken me two hours at most, but due to the unmaintained nature of them, it took me ten hours of hard labor to make it to Conmee.

I see that they did NO work on the Bell to Blackstone Portage.
Has ANYONE been on that portage in the last 5 years? The other site has it listed as a 144 rods but the last comment is from 8/2016. Looks like it'd be a major bushwhack to get through

BonzSF, there is no longer a maintained portage from Bell into Blackstone. It hasn't been maintained by the park for several years now. The latest Chrismar map (2021) no longer shows the portage. These are the only maps that are officially updated by the park, so some other varieties may still show that portage. At least there's still other ways to visit Blackstone!

PK2: "BonzSF, there is no longer a maintained portage from Bell into Blackstone. It hasn't been maintained by the park for several years now. "

soooo, if it's not maintained, is it still considered a portage? Like PMAs in Boundary Waters where you are supposed to bushwhack. I think a two hour bushwhack might be better than a 4-5 hour loop around. Especially if we just go in light/single portage for a daytrip of fishing. Or is it "closed"?

schlumpyj: "Wish I had seen this map before my trip in late May this year. I did a loop through Russell and over to Poohbah then back down to Prairie Portage.

Going through the Memory Lane portages was the toughest thing I've done in canoe country. All the down trees were stacked on top of each other due to the wildfire so I was doing balance beam acrobatics to make it across. Those three long portages should've only taken me two hours at most, but due to the unmaintained nature of them, it took me ten hours of hard labor to make it to Conmee."

Too late now but for what it's worth, I believe the park Facebook page had a post saying to avoid Memory Lane before the paddling season even started. --Goose