Well, I am canoeing again. I did a short twelve-day fishing trip in the spring. It was wonderful with eight of the twelve days windless, water that was swimmable in early June and catching the big four seven days in a row.

Offsetting the magic was miserable mosquitoes and over 80 degrees heat. The mosquitoes were so bad at one portage, it took me three miles of paddling to get rid of them. The only scary event was a thunder storm where the wind ripped my fly one night. A real treat was spotting two moose in one day.

Now I am off for my normal three week solo trip. I am going back to my favorite route which I haven’t done for three years because of Covid and fires. My route is Beaverhouse. Quetico, Conk, Jean, Burntside, Rouge, Sturgeon, March, Bentpine, Maxness, Tubman, Fred, Nam , Camel, Cub, Baird, Metacryst, Cutty, Sark, Heronshaw, Shelly, Kawnipi, Montgomery, Alice, Gahn, Chatterton, Russell, Ram, Antoine, Dore and Pickeral. It will be interesting and heartbreaking to see some of the fire areas for the first time.

Now that I am 76, I plan to quadruple portage for the first few days. I am at the point where I am worried about my back and attempting to lift the packs on my back. Once I get them up, there is no issue. With three weeks of food, the first week is a challenge so I will spread the weight.

I will give you my thoughts when I return.

I hear yah as I am 69 and this next week I will be going thru Beaverhouse too. This is my 50th year canoeing this beautiful wilderness. My back is bad too but hanging in there. Good luck!!!

Some great lakes !....Have a great trip.

May the wind be at your back.

Those are all great lakes!!!

I don't think you will see much burn at all except a little on Sturgeon and on Camel.
It will look like it did the last time you were there, only better. Have a great time.
Tom

Have a great trip, John!

Fantastic!! Sounds like a wonderful trip.
And for me a great incentive to carry on. I am 72 and still going to the Q 3-4 times a year. But it does get harder every year. On my annual solo am double portaging which is still very doable. But your adventure is an inspiration for the rest of us younger folks. Thanks for posting.
Paddle on!!

John, I hope you have a fantastic solo trip. My first digit is also a seven, and I love hearing/reading about folks who refuse to say "I'm getting too old for this".

Winds on Quetico & Cirrus kicked our butts last year--may the winds be at your back or non-existent!

TZ

FYI, regarding the Metacryst-Baird-Cub-Camel-Fred portion of the route, the Quetico park office shared with me on July 25, "I don’t advise traveling through that Cutty Creek route, nice as it is. The fire made for really messy, tree-littered creek sections and portages. Tough going, tough finding trails. Our current, low water levels would make it tricky that time of year." (Meaning this August.)

Regardless, have a great trip.

All the best John. Very few bugs on my recent trip. Winds were always moderate and at our back from the same direction from which you're traveling. It seems like the payoff from the hardships of your last few trips. I hope it's the same for you.