I'm wondering what kind of experience's people have had with hard portages in the BW and where they are.

The 323 rodder from Davis to Kiskidinna is very "scenic"

Length Seagull to Paulson (jap)

515 Rods or in that ball park.

The last one is the hardest one.

Misqua to Little Trout.

After our last trip to Quetico, I can't think of any hard portages I've done in the BW :)

The portage out of Kek. Not really hard but the whole thing is uphill and I do mean uphill. I don't remember the lake it goes in to.

Say, is this the Arlo Pankook from Univac/Unisys days??

It's harder when you try it with no hands.

Hardest I've done is the 478 from East Pike to Pine on a wet year. Uff-da!

1.misquah to little trout

2. crab lake entry is no cake walk

3. angleworm for pure distance

East Pike to Pine was bad. Pine to Stump & Long. It's a steep climb (400 ft) nearly the entire length (almost all uphill), and poorly maintained.

I agree with Soledad with one exception. The NEXT one is the hardest one.

I'll second Voyageur's vote on Pine to Stump/Long. It was brutal. I haven't taken that many portages in my relatively short BWCA career, but it was easily the toughest I've done. Luckily we were just making a day trip, so we didn't have all of our gear. Oh yeah...I picked up about 30 ticks along the way. Nice.

-Nick

Arlo's got it - between Little Trout and Misquah.

Take all of the things that make a portage difficult (little rocks, big boulders, mud, slippery boardwalk, elevation changes & switchbacks, heavy foliage, etc.) and put them into one 208 rod portage and you've got the idea.

We were sitting out from the portage on Misquah waiting for a group who was coming into Misquah and the first guy almost collapsed... he put the canoe down, sort of leaned back onto his pack and just watched as the canoe slid into the water and floated away... slowly... he just sat there. The rest of his group had just a little more energy left, which they used mostly to combine various four letter words in new and interesting ways.

For me, my hardest portage was not my longest. I am sure it is an exaggeration to say that I have done hundreds of portages, but it feels like it. And I have not done the long ones that have been listed here. We generally (at least for the past fifteen years or so) don't take trips with portages of much more than 200 rod length. I can remember several that I thought were challenging because of the climb or the length, or perhaps the footing, especially during wet weather. But my HARDEST portage ever was a little short one!

It was on our 1999 Granite River trip and I am sure many of you have made this portage and not thought anything of it. But I'll just quote from my journal page:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Horsetail Rapids. "Horsetail" indeed! Probably a translation from the French for a not-so-nice expression! This portage is only 27 rods long--how bad can it be, right? Nice words don't come to mind to describe this portage! You take out along a rocky wall, and there is nowhere to put the canoe and the gear. You climb over some miserable rocks and find a short section of what I would call "normal" portage trail. So you relax. THEN you find yourself walking on sharp, small loose rocks right at the edge of this dangerous water, with water bubbling along around your feet, which are getting wet! (This is where I dropped my life vest, twice!, into the roiling waters. Interesting to salvage that, while wearing the pack.) As I am contemplating falling into the rapids, the stories from the Beymer book about the artifacts recovered from Voyageurs who swamped their canoes at this spot come unbidden to mind.

The next challenge is a BIG step up onto a tree root (these are fun for us folks with old, creaky knees) and then a nice little balancing act along three small tree-trunks which have been wedged into the sloping rock along the shore, not anchored but slightly braced by a couple of leaning tree trunks of some size. Did I mention earlier that I don't do the "walking on a rolling log" maneuver well? At this point I climb up on the side of the portage. I am DONE! A crisis of confidence has completely overtaken me! I pull out the disposable camera, take a photo of this hellish spot, and wait for Neil to come along with the canoe.

Which he does, stepping from rock to rock confidently as a mountain goat, zipping along on the rolling logs, and informing me that not only are we in this wonderful spot (and yes, he will finish the carries for me, sweet man!) but there is another couple coming right along behind him! Soon after, here comes the other couple. Younger than us, in much better physical condition, and griping about the portage as they carry! That made me feel a little better. Just a little, mind you!

She offers me a Jolly Rancher and we chat awhile as she rests from the first carry. I am now perched up above the put-in point, which is another daunting view! As we get acquainted, her husband comes along with the canoe and Neil helps him maneuver it through the wedge. I encourage Neil to take a Jolly Rancher also.

These nice people offer to hold the canoe as we load and take off into the fast water at the end of the portage. It is a big help, and we feel grateful as we slide into the chute, dodge a rock or two, and get back into the last section of the beautiful Granite River.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There has always been just the two of us. And yet, it seems like at times when a helping hand has been a good thing (even though it is a bit embarrassing to accept one) there has been one there for us. The only time we ever have dumped a canoe was at a portage on the same trip and there was a party of ladies there who helped us pull our soggy gear out of the water and get loaded back up again. I can only think of one or two times when I wished for someone to steady the canoe as we were pushing off--this was one of those times--and people were there to do that. I guess maybe the Lord does look out for the old folks. :-)

I have always joked that my hardest portage was a little short one, and sometimes when I am puffing up a hard climb, slogging in mud, hopping along on rocks, or enduring a looonnnggg portage, I think to myself "at least it isn't 'Horsetail!'" When you get down to it, portaging is all a matter of perspective. Or perhaps a person's frame of mind?

For me the portage from poplar to meeds which is 320 and has a few nice hills and has a creek running through it that really needs a boardwalk.
Insula to Kiana was hard not because of length or swamps or hills but because of the nasty horse flies that followed us the day I took it.

We did Poplar to Meeds in '92 and our map from back then says it is 220 rods. My journal says it was a climb and had a washed-out bridge area where you had to walk on one log. As you could see from my previous post, and as I said in the '92 journal as well, that is not one of my best skills. But I didn't seem to think it was a terribly difficult portage. Ah. . .I was so much younger then!

There has been good response to this but I would think the Misquah to Little Trout is the most difficult due it being very technical. If anyone is reading this I will warn you that this is a single portage only. TRUST ME!

leaving The Ely Steakhouse after a few beers and half a cow and walking back to VNorth. That may be the hardest portage

Im not afraid of portages and have gleefully done plenty of them, but the misquah to little trout trek is the stuff of ledgend. I was 44 years old,in fairly good shape, and that portage wasted me one hot August afternoon. I almost never set the canoe down, no matter the distance, once I get going and I must have stopped to rest 3 times on that s.o.b. That portage is a true bwca right of passage.

Big Moose to Cummings. 640 rods in the rain.

Minneapolis to Grand Marais. :)

The lujenida to zenith portsge used to have trail to frederick lake half way across. That trail was rugged. Up and down, across bogs, and very lightly maintained. The total was 480 rods. The last time I was there I walked the trail alittle way from the frederick side and it is no longer maintaned. I wonder if you could still follow it.

gbusk- I think that one's harder going the other way, is it not? :)

I would have to agree Gutman.

Big Rice to Hook, 580 rods.

Partly because of the length, partly because it was very hard to follow (can't imagine it gets much use), parly because it's one of the only times I've seen a trip-mate set a canoe down halfway through, partly due to the wasp nest we stumbled on while eating blueberres (stings were stung), partly because of the false relief of seeing water 2/3 of the way through...of a nice beaver pond. The terrain itself wasn't terrible, though.

The hardest on my last trip was a "moose trail" (unmarked) on the map from slim to fat. several spots would have to set canoe down and use two men, one to climb the boulder and the other to hand the canoe up. but more than the phyiscal challenge was the insecurity of being on an unmarked and rarely used trail. Climbing over the downed trees wasn't too bad.

drnatus
The first time that I did the Slim/Fat, I single portaged. It wasn't a breeze but for some reason I was able to push through. The second time, I double portaged and it kicked my butt. I believe that it has everything to do with one's physical and mental condition just prior to doing the portage. It slopes uphill to Fat the whole way, but you don't see it that much as you're traveling.
I know exactly which rocks that you speak of having to lift over.

The one I dread is Canoe to Pine. I've done longer, rockier, etc, but that one just wears me out. Done it 4 times, don't know that I want to do it again, but I sure like Johnson Falls. That one over around Tuscarora is Loooong, but not nearly as bad IMHO. But, the nasty portage makes Johnson Falls that much more special when you get there, though! I think I've got a pic of Spartan2's Horsetail Rapids portage. One time there I fell and hit my head pretty hard. If you can line down some of it it's a bit easier. TW

after all those portages on the frost river the hub portage really kicked my butt.

it really is all about WHEN you hit a tough portage.

I second Ozarkpaddler. Canoe to Pine was absolutely a bear. I read an article afterwards in the BWJ that listed it in the top ten, maybe the worst can't remember exactly. Thankfully, my buddy is a landscaper and in good shape, by the end I was ready for him to carry me.

"Big Moose to Cummings. 640 rods in the rain"

+1

Did it solo in Sept. '08 and kept wondering when it was ever going to end. Twice. (took too much crap)

I think gutmon nailed it :)

Ditto with Kanoes about timing, my personal toughest was the last (almost)of the day, after some misguidance, unscheduled portages and wading the canoe thru upsteam rapids and racing the setting sun, was the 280 from Little Gab to Bruin to get back on the Kawishiwi River. Still steaming Bear sign,tracks did not help. Prior to that, my least favorite is the long portage between Fourtown and Mudro, was not fun either.

Id be tuff ta beat the 12,800 rod kekekbic portage if for some odd reason someone took a canoe down it. Simply get 4 people, a aluminum canoe and switch off every 60 rods. You'll beable to canoe in 23ish lakes bordering the portage and tell one heck of a story.

those of you who have confronted the portage with a sign marked "HELL" covered by pouring rain, only know.

Anyone have experience with the Stairway portage between Rose and Duncan? I am going to hit that area with my wife next summer and I don't want to kill her...

Canoe212 beat me to it. I did it portaging a 3 man Kevlar canoe in the rain and there were two very large trees blocking the path.

the hardest portage is the one where you realize.....I just didn't pack quite right and have to pick up stuff falling out of your pack

this is made exponentially hard depending on the length of the portage

:O)

otherwise
lujenida to zenith was the worst I ever took

As Kanoes said it is all about "when"

My son and I did a loop from Bower-Trout Lake (43) to Ram Lake (44) by way of Cherokee Lake and Long Island Lake. This route has some portages that have gained a bit of notoriety.

Muskeg to Kiskadinna is a 185 r portage that gains 150 feet in elevation and the Misquah to Little Trout portage, accordingly to author Beymer, is the "toughest" in the Misquah Hills.

But I think it is the combination of trails on a given day that make the day "memorable"......... one such day for me was going from Brule to Town (Brule - Cam - Gasket - Vesper - Town). There are 4 portages from Brule Lake to Town Lake. These trails are not overused and the combined portage distance was only 330r.

Hands down this was the trickiest leg of our loop from Bower-Trout to Ram. I think that the "trails" between Brule and Town might best be compared to crossing a talus slope. It had recently rained. Rocks were slippery and each step had to be carefully planned in advance.

After this day, we found the notoriously tough portages like Muskeg-Kiskadinna and Misquah-Little Trout to be "not so bad"

I have been on many of the tough ones mentioned here, but I have to consider the Misquah to Little Trout as rating "never again if possible". The hills, boulders and knee deep flooded woods are very tough. To me the cruelest part was at the very end going toward Little Trout, when finally seeing the lake and thinking it was over. In the year I was there, it was quite a task to get from the hill where this picture is taken to the water. Have fun.

nice to see you back joe! i still smile about the very random "meet". :)

took a day trip from cherry lake to lake of the clouds one afternoon.from Cherry lake to lunar lake the short portage was hard to follow,was loaded with posion ivy and in some places there was not enough clearance to walk upright.

For me, I would have to say the short portage between boulder river and lac. All up hill then a steep downhill. Very rocky.

TY, Kanoes

Yeah, since I shot the golden goose my routine has really changed. I have been around, but not posting much.

I agree about our random meeting on I35. I smile about that too and in a good way.

About that portage into Little Trout......... I would do it again at the drop of a hat. Portages take you to the places that you want to be. For my son and I, our last night of our September 2008 trip was spent on Little Trout......... memories. Priceless. Pain on the portage....... Not a factor

loon lake to heritage lake in the rain,not because of the length but the fact that it is all up hill from that direction,did that to avoid devils cascade portage from the north,not sure to this day if we made the proper choice

I think my first trip this year I want to try one of these "hardest Portages." Becuase after that, anytime I am portaging, I can think back and say this portage is nothing compared to XXX!

Some of the shortest portages are pretty hard just because they seem to work harder to smooth out really long portages. I remember a bad 20 rod portage on the Moosecamp River that was mostly our fault for deciding it was short enough to unload and have 2 people carry the canoe from both ends. It was raining and it was covered with big slippery rocks up and down the hill. This was pretty close to a "divorce portage".

I've done my share of the long ones, but as was said before timing is everything. The worst one I've ever experienced was about 125rds from Crooked to Argo. We thought it might be faster then going the normal route though Roland. It turned out to be a nightmare. No more than a moose trail, it had MANY downed trees which to hop over or duck under. Not to mention the knee deep water though most of it. And flies so bad it'd drive a man insane. We named it a four letter word portage.

spaulding to bench. Nasty little portage. Theres many longer portages I hold in higher regard than this one.

I was impressed with the 141 rd from Fourtown into Mudro. It was wet, it was raining.

ONe of our 18 yr olds was the only one to bring a canoe across solo.

mbeyer, I wasn't really a fan of that portage either!! I thought the portage from Wagosh to Gun was pretty tough. Long, and the mosquitos were really bad.

Misquah to Little Trout. I was on Vista in September. Portage to Misquah, to Little Trout to Rum. Fished Rum (no luck) back to Little Trout and fished (no luck) back to Misquah then to Vista. Got back to base camp and had three shots of Famous Grouse Irish Whiskey and crashed. It was one hard day.

mbeyer - I must be tougher than I thought even if I am old and out of shape. I carried a canoe (kevlar though) and pack across it, but I did stop at the top and put one down. I was sucking a lot of air when I got there though :). Probably more than your 18-year old. And I didn't do that on the way back :). The beginning and end were pretty steep, but between them it wasn't too bad. The thing I hated most about it was the two short rocky portages right before and after with no real break. I was solo, so had to put the yoke on, take the yoke off, load, unload. The carry all the way up to Steep Lake was tougher for me.

It's not a long one, only 84 rods. From Sandpit Lake to Mudro Lake there is a very steep and very rocky portage. When it's wet, it's even a little more challenging. You have to watch every step you take until you get to the top. But it goes quick...

Some of the Quetico Portages that have names....like the
"Death March Portages" and my least favorite the
"Gratton Long Haul Portage"...there is also the
"Memory Lane Portages from PooBah to Conmee.

Cowdoc is right about the Davis to Kiskadinna portage...it was very scenic before the big blowdown. My personal "favorite" is now not maintained...the mudhole from the east end of Davis into Winchell...125 rods, about 110 all muck and mud, knee deep and more. There are many in the Q that make our BW portages look like just another portage (although I have not done all the tough ones mentioned). I have to agree with Kanoes, though, that it is often when you hit the portage and under what conditions, and sometimes which direction.

Glad you mentioned the Davis to Winchell slog. It is a memorable portage for south of the border. Little Trout-Misquah gets the heart going, as does the 480 from Lujinida to Zenith, which I do almost every year.

In Quetico, the two Cache Lake portages dwarf anything in the BWCA, as does the carry from near Conmee to Delahey Lake.

I've done numerous portages in the Hudson Bay Lowlands and the Far North that put all of those to shame though. It's all relative.

Gotta go with Misquah did that portage with my Old Town Discovery 80#. I was 40 something then and a non smoker. I still remember alot of boulders and 1 steep ass hill. Fishing sucked and hotter than hell. Best part was I saw the biggest Bull Moose ever!No wait that was the second best part, I brought two single sisters in and they were not related to me. Ahh the good old days.

At what point does it become a hike, not a portage?

Hands down its the last portage you take when your leaving the BWCA- Q !

When Ada Creek (maybe the lake too) was all dried up one fall (or we missed it totally?) and we had to hike it... I stepped off a rock onto what I thought was solid ground and sank to my hip in peat muck (drop the pack and roll then recover). Single portaging, two paddlers/two big packs plus canoe, clouds of flies following your head... After the plunge into peat, I insisted every step was on a firm rock - hard to do while wearing a huge pack and carrying a camera bag and two paddles. Quad muscles like jello after a while, you get the picture. Bushwhacking alongside the unknown-bottomless-pit-muck with canoe overhead, bandanas across nose so as not to breathe in the flies. Never so happy to see blue water after what seemed like hours upon hours upon hours...

And yet, immediately upon trip completion, I was ready to plan the next one. Go figure.

I don't know which one was hardest but I can tell you this, taking a loop trip from the end of the Gunflint to Ely and back in 7 days is stupid! Trust me on this. 36 portages. I was actually glad when that trip was over.

The Lakes (and I am leaving out the little ones): Big Sag > Ottertrack > Ester > Hanson > Knife S. Arm > Kekekabic > Fraser > Thomas > Ima > Ensign > Newfound > Moose > Sucker > Birch > Knife > Ottertrack > Big Sag.

The only portage that continually pisses me off is Monument Portage from Sag to Ottertrack. Not all that crazy difficult but annoying because of all the up-down-up landscape with loose rock footing.

Superior to Brule lake was the toughest. Who in their right mind designed that portage? Next time I have to do that portage I'm not bringing the dutch oven, generator and an aluminum canoe.

Without question for me it's the last portage of the day, and no portage first thing in the morning is very hard.

all time fav portage-it was so fun, I had to write a limerick in its honor:

I once took a trail out of Misquah
That left me all sore and twisted
I was after Little Trout
But I soon figured out
To get there you better be a mistah

(or one tough sistah)

at the start of a little portage on the eastern end, is a little sign marked "hell".

The hardest portage is the one you have to take after planning all day to camp on a lake only to find it full

That portage from South Lake to Topper is only 80 rods; but it just seems to keep going up and up and up some more. It sure got my heart going in a hurry.

Has anyone taken the Diablo portage from Santoy L to Diablo L in the Steel River Provincial Park? That portage alone almost guarantees you won't see any other people on your trip.

Don't know if I could name just one? But, a few (from a BWCA perspective) that come to mind...

Big Moose ~ Duck. It starts out innocently enough at a beautiful sand beach on Big Moose lake. There are several short rocky up & downs, a small creek you'll have to hopscotch across, & finally about a quarter mile slog across a bog that gets progressively worse as you near Duck lake.

Big Rice ~ Hook. The Big Rice end has one of the most treacherous landings I can recall. There are a jumble of various sized boulders that are completely concealed by the long grass growing there. Once past that you'll encounter a little of everything. short rocky climbs, a creek, a few swamps (which have a tendency to give a false sense that you are near the end), even a pond you'll need to wade across. There are also several spots where it is very easy to lose the trail.

Missing Link ~ Mavis. The trail is quite overgrown & twists & turns before dropping down to Mavis lake. But, what makes this one 'memorable' is the 15' wall that is encountered at about mid trail. Regardless of season - IMHO it will be a 2 man job to get past this obstacle with a canoe or toboggan.







Clearwater ~ Gogebic. It's a long trail, but the occasional rocky jumble, once you start up the BRT, makes for some really tough footing in any season.







Kiskadinna ~ Davis. Kinda tough to locate on the Kiskadinna end. A rocky mess for the first quarter or so that crosses the small creek a couple of times - which make for some wet/muddy areas. The trail gets progressively nicer as you near Davis lake.

Misquah ~ Little Trout. A couple of BIG hills plus some treacherous planking through the wet spots. Quite rocky as well.








Pine ~ Gadwall. With the exception of the portage to Little Caribou, all the portages in/out of Pine have the potential to be heart stoppers. The trail to Gadwall has a rocky landing and gradually climbs up to a large swamp. Once across that the trail climbs steeply straight up before dropping down to Gadwall on the last few rods.

Mountain ~ Pemmican. Oddly enough this trail (starts) runs right through Mountain lake campsite #722. Once you get past the latrine trail the fun begins. It is a very steep climb that had multiple downed trees across the trail. There are also a few tight turns that my 17' canoe barely fit through, as well as a few muddy spots when the trail did mercifully level off.





Hanson ~ Cherry. Fairly tough landings on either end. Regardless which way you go there will be a steep climb with a premature decent before the actual summit. Still, Cherry lake is worth all the sweat.

My hardest portage occurs every year when I carry the gear from the truck to the garage at the end of the trip.

depends on the time of day and your exhaustion level. sometimes an 80 can be a killer. toughest for me, just slightly north of the BW...those three bushwhacks we made to get to that "one lake" were the toughest ive ever done, 2.5 miles paddling/mostly carrying, took 7 hours. leaving was much quicker, only 4.5 hours. THE yum yum portage seems like it was a walk in the park now...at least you could see where your feet were landing.

Before the fire-- the Seagull-Jap portage. Jungle like-- creek crossings- game trail like in spots and and very slippery with moss on the rocks. Took 2 of us about 15 minutes to find it from the Jap side.
The Vera to Knife portage (2oo) is not fun in the rain. Something about the rocks changes and they become even more slippery-- read something about it's the reason Knife is so clear,, a different type of rock near Knife. I think I read about in BWJ.
But as kanoes and others have mentioned, timing is everything. Our group is able to do Iron in one day up the Stuart after being up way too late the night before,, not smart getting a crack of noon start. The 320 from Stuart to Fox-- not the 420 outta of the lot,, is mentally the hardest one in my book. Physically, it's about a 7 outta 10. . It's like a portage devil specifically places roots- root balls, small stumps etc in the exact places for sprained ankles. Deceivingly long walks around swamps give way to elation,, only to release your only half way and then another walk next to a swamp. Seems longer then 320,, but all the bad ones seem longer.

quote walleye_hunter: "Has anyone taken the Diablo portage from Santoy L to Diablo L in the Steel River Provincial Park? That portage alone almost guarantees you won't see any other people on your trip."

your post was made before i even heard of that loop, just got callans lost canoe routes book this year. that trip really interests me. its royalex trip though, lots of WW.

I would put one of the hardest portages is from Cherokee to Sitka Lake. It climbs fast and goes over the Laurentian divide.

quote fisher: "those of you who have confronted the portage with a sign marked "HELL" covered by pouring rain, only know."

Would that be anywhere near Gogebic :-)

Not in the Bwca but the Scooby Doo portage in Labrador is measured in miles not rods :-)

One of my favorite trips...as long as you don't have an aluminum canoe and you and your wife are about the same height its not bad.
My paddle partner and I planned on both carrying the canoe(her first trip and she had recently had knee surgery) but she was much taller then I and it just didn't work going down the stairs. Rose Lake, the water fall, and the campsight on the right-I think 2nd one before the end of the lake are well worth it! It sits up high over the lake, nice kitchen, on a knob with a good breeze and a nice landing! My FAVORITE.

quote jamotrade: "Anyone have experience with the Stairway portage between Rose and Duncan? I am going to hit that area with my wife next summer and I don't want to kill her..."

quote kanoes: "

quote walleye_hunter: "Has anyone taken the Diablo portage from Santoy L to Diablo L in the Steel River Provincial Park? That portage alone almost guarantees you won't see any other people on your trip."

your post was made before i even heard of that loop, just got callans lost canoe routes book this year. that trip really interests me. its royalex trip though, lots of WW."

I've taken that portage with an 80+ canoe. Damn near killed me.

Great trip down the Steel. The whitewater is fun and non-abrasive. If I do the trip again I'd take a MNII in kevlar without thinking twice about it. Mile after mile of class I and fast riffles, nary an obstruction to be had until the big falls. Almost like canoeing on a ramp.

After the falls the river mellows out and cuts back and forth forever on the way to Santoy lake. Portages are around these log jams that are close to unfathomable in their immensity. I'd do that trip again, though I'd give it more than three nights.

Technically my toughest portage

I agree on the Little Trout to Misquah

quote TriTodd: "It's not a long one, only 84 rods. From Sandpit Lake to Mudro Lake there is a very steep and very rocky portage. When it's wet, it's even a little more challenging. You have to watch every step you take until you get to the top. But it goes quick..."

Heart attack hill! Your right, not a long portage but steep and rocky!

quote Savage Voyageur: "I would put one of the hardest portages is from Cherokee to Sitka Lake. It climbs fast and goes over the Laurentian divide. "

Did this one going the other way. I haven't done the monster treks described so far in this thread but this is the only one that has made me need to sit down and recover after my first trip across. Timing was a factor but this portage really got to me.

quote jamotrade: "Anyone have experience with the Stairway portage between Rose and Duncan? I am going to hit that area with my wife next summer and I don't want to kill her..."

I did this portage last summer in July. I wouldn't let it scare you. It's no cake walk...but it's well worth it. It was just me and the better half also...and we chose to triple portage just to save energy (it was also HOT that day). I float a royalex canoe so it's not like we are ultra light by any means. We met a young couple (20 something)on the portage into Duncan and they didn't think it would be do-able as they had day tripped to the falls and were exhausted??? After we were done we were glad we didn't listen to them! Just goes to show it's all perspective I guess. I say do it!

Bob

We just did the Misqua to Little Trout last Thursday and I must say that the Davis to Kiskadinna was a lot worse. Maybe because it was totally overgrown.

Gratton portage..goat path
Kiskadinna to Muskeg
Pemmican Lake portage

quote Basspro69: "Not in the Bwca but the Scooby Doo portage in Labrador is measured in miles not rods :-)"

so just where would i find the scooby doo portage and have you done it? i always assumed that not many people on this board have canoed in labrador. the only thing it has in common with the bwca is you float, for the most part, in a canoe.

curtain falls with a 19' square stern twiceeeeeeeeeeeeee

i thought baird to keats was pretty tough, keats to baird would have been much tougher.

The last one of every trip because it means I have to return to the reality of this world and leave the world that I love....

quote jwartman59: "

quote Basspro69: "Not in the Bwca but the Scooby Doo portage in Labrador is measured in miles not rods :-)"

so just where would i find the scooby doo portage and have you done it? i always assumed that not many people on this board have canoed in labrador. the only thing it has in common with the bwca is you float, for the most part, in a canoe."

Near Minipi Lake, it has a different name but thats what we called it. You have to go for miles to get to this, so you will pardon me if I dont pinpoint where its at :-)

At my age, ain't none of 'em easy. Some are just harder than others.

Badwater in a deluge.

The portage up to Steep Lake was a good climb, but Muskeg to Kiskadinna was steeper and is followed by the Kiskadinna to Omega climb. The north portage out of East Bearskin to Alder is very steep.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "

"

Boy, If I ever need a wood cutter, I'm bringing one of you guys. Nice!

quote Banksiana: "

Technically my toughest portage

"

Holy smokes. Wow. wow. Remind me to skip that one.

I definitely agree that temp, bugs, recent blow downs, recent rain, etc, can drastically change the difficulty of any given portage. As a base camper, I don't portage a whole lot, but have done some. For me, I would consider doing fourtown to mudro again, long before I would ever do Swamp to Ashdick. That one is a "never again" for me. It doesn't really compare to some of the others posted here, but for me it was awful.

1-angleworm. On the way back from beartrap of course.
2- "hell" very few have done it. Poplar to meeds.

knife to eddy isnt the hardest i've been on but when you've based camp for 5+ days and its your first one out to the vehicles it wakes up your shoulders and legs. portage to jap and gogebic are the longest i've been on.

hey jon? where was that portage?

quote fisher: "1-angleworm. On the way back from beartrap of course.
2- "hell" very few have done it. Poplar to meeds."

What is it about Poplar to Meeds...?

Paulson (Jap) to Seagull due to it's length. But timing of 'when' in a day of travel you hit the difficult ones is important. After 8 portages already from Gillis to Paulson that final 515r one to seagull was rough.

Kiskadinna to Muskeg

I agree with this one, but going the other way is worse. I was on this last week, and passed a guy coming from Kiskadinna, we exchanged pleasantries on the trail, and in parting he said "it could be worse, I could be heading your way". I started this with a 40 lb food pack and a canoe, the canoe made it to the top of the stone stairway and got set aside, most of our crew wound up dropping something along the trail. It's only 192 rods, but it was WET, SLICK, MUDDY, and had a stream rushing through it that my girlfriend wound up looking like a turtle in the middle of it. Fear not, MY pack kept her mostly out of the water....

Tuscarora to Missing Link when muddy, it's not too bad considering the distance (423rd) when dry.

Also tougher than the distance would suggest.......Devil's Cascade between Pauness and Loon up the Little Indian Sioux. Very steep grades with frequent up/downs. Then again I did it at the end of the day.........

quote kanoes: "hey jon? where was that portage?"

Sorry, was net deprived in transit.

Portage was on the Kopka River which is just south of Wabakimi.

quote Soledad: "The last one is the hardest one."

+1

In & of themselves I wouldn't rate any of these portages the toughest. But, IMHO, the quick combination of tough portages from Brandt ~ Gotter ~ Flying ~ Green is a very tough succession with precious little paddling in between.

Toughest piece of a portage.

quote Phytophile: "Paulson (Jap) to Seagull due to it's length. But timing of 'when' in a day of travel you hit the difficult ones is important. After 8 portages already from Gillis to Paulson that final 515r one to seagull was rough."

good thing you were going down hill. i think ? when its wet, downhill isnt always a picnic

Obviously, the Grand Portage does not technically count - but its a no brainer. The next portage - from Pigeon to South Fowl, might not technically count since it is just outside the BWCA, but its on the route, and it is terrible. Horribly "maintained," steep, and a solid 320 of climbing up and over the ridge.

Sometimes the shortest portages are the most difficult. After a long day, coming to the 84 rod portage from Sandpit to Mudro might seem innocuous. But when you start walking up and up and up , not to mention the ankle-breaking rocks, you realize, this ain't no walk in the park.

Not sure of the "toughest portage" but the toughest portager on bwca.com has got to be BeaV.

being that some have been discussed outside the BW-Q--

yeah-- I think his 33 mile portage over the Mtns in AK on the Chilkoot -- makes all of the above chicken fodder.

Imagine this-

quote nctry: "Not sure of the "toughest portage" but the toughest portager on bwca.com has got to be BeaV."

I have to agree and I would not limit it to the bwca.com site.

I have been on many but not all of the portages mentioned here. The things that make portages tough are length, elevation gain/loss, rocks, deadfalls, mud/bog conditions, hard to find or navigate trail, etc. The really tough ones have many of these attributes.

Took the Poplar to Meeds portage a couple years ago at age 56 and the steep spots dang near wiped me out. But overall not that bad. Have taken the Morgan lake trail at 320 rods many times and it is a nice walk bordering on a challenge just because of its length. This summer we walked the trail from Brule to Cam Lake, without packs or canoes and although not that long, we all agreed that we will never trip through Cam Lake.

But that Little Trout to Misquah Lake portage...well let me tell you a story. Back in the 70s 4 of us guys in our early twenties, fit as a fiddle and with considerable BWCA experience took that portage on the way up to Vista Lake. Our plan was to do an up and back trip as our vehicle was parked at the Ram entry. After that portage we spent the rest of the trip trying to find any other way back other than taking that portage again. We explored a few options and settled on exiting through Morgan, even though it meant a 7 mile walk back to our vehicle at the Ram lake entry. It has been 35 years since that trip and honestly I don't remember much detail about that portage but I do remember sitting in camp with the guys all agreeing that we would figure out another way to get out or die trying. Luckily that trip led to the discovery of the Morgan Lake portage which is a great entry into the Vista area, which is one of my favorites.

The fact that a portage of that length has been mentioned so many times alongside portages several hundreds of rods longer tells you a bit about it. If you like challenges, go for it. I can say for a fact that I will never see Little Trout Lake again.

Prarie Portage between sucker lake and basswood! My back hurts pulling up the motor when I drive it onto the trailer... Huge elevation change on that steep hill.. Truck exhaust and my wallet hurts too after forking out 28 big ones to the Govi....

quote Savage Voyageur: "I would put one of the hardest portages is from Cherokee to Sitka Lake. It climbs fast and goes over the Laurentian divide. "

I agree! Stairs at the beginning right out of the water, big boulders taller than my short legs to climb and on hairpin turns. Could hear my son ahead of me who was portaging the MN3 "commenting" on that one as he tackled it.

quote mcspin50: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I would put one of the hardest portages is from Cherokee to Sitka Lake. It climbs fast and goes over the Laurentian divide. "

I agree! Stairs at the beginning right out of the water, big boulders taller than my short legs to climb and on hairpin turns. Could hear my son ahead of me who was portaging the MN3 "commenting" on that one as he tackled it."

Brother and I single portaged Sitka to Cherokee a couple weeks ago...that was a bear. And made worse when you see the water at little Snub lake and think you're about done! Mean trick there!

My vote for within the BWCA is the 665 rod from Rose to Rove. Difficult only due to distance and for me when I did it, due to confusion when I found the portage trail forked. What! My map didn't show a fork in the trail. Single carry heavy load on my shoulders and then I hit a fork- which way to go? Heck of a time to ponder things when one has a heavy load digging in.

Outside of the BWCA? WhiteWolf was close but my 25-mile bush/tundra portage from the Chandalar River to the Koyukuk River in Alaska was worse than the Chilkoot.

For sheer length, Algonquin Park, Nippising River - 2970 rods, wish we had been single portaging but 19 day trip. Other comments were right on, raining and mud sucking portages double the difficulty as well as end of day exhaustion.

Nahanni

Sorry no personal sagas here but this portage is forever burned into my brain. The portage begins at minute 7. And Albert is in his 70s!

quote BeaV: "My vote for within the BWCA is the 665 rod from Rose to Rove. Difficult only due to distance and for me when I did it, due to confusion when I found the portage trail forked. What! My map didn't show a fork in the trail. Single carry heavy load on my shoulders and then I hit a fork- which way to go? Heck of a time to ponder things when one has a heavy load digging in. quote>




I know what you mean BeaV... I got some good blisters on that portage on my forty day... my fault! I think the right fork would have gone to Daniels Lake as I think you were heading east. I had always thought the one from Canoe to Pine was one of the toughest, but it's been a million years since I've taken that one.

Horse river to crooked lake in low water. I accidentally tried it in sept in a drought. The last 75% is walking the river bank.

To me it's more about the days than just one portage. Toughest day for me was going from Gilles to Bearskin via the Muskeg to Kiskadinna and Meeds to Poplar in the same day. The 2 mile walk down to Hungry Jack from Poplar definitely crowned off a long day.

fadersup--

Thanks for that link. I remember watching that film many years ago.

My vote would be the Little Trout to Misquah Lake portage as well. No two steps are repeatable. Every step is either an elevation change(uphill/downhill, boulder to boulder, around a rock or boulder, along a submerged slippery plank or a random combination of the above. For lack of a better term, it's the most technical portage I've experienced and the only one upon reflection in which I was just happy everyone got across safely.

The best route in the BWCAW: Put in at South Kawishiwi River and head for Lake One Then on to Malberg via Insula and Alice. Head south to Kawishiwi Lake and take the 400 rod portage (most difficult; plan a full day) to Perent Lake. Head down the Perent River to Isabella Lake onto the Isabella River and back to the South Kawishiwi entry point. Plan a ten day trip for this excursion; you'll see it all and want to reload with food/dry gear and do it again. This was a premier loop back in the 30's and 40's. It fell out of use in the 50's and 60's due to the logging roads but it's back in pristine shape again.

quote Sparetime: "I second Ozarkpaddler. Canoe to Pine was absolutely a bear. I read an article afterwards in the BWJ that listed it in the top ten, maybe the worst can't remember exactly. Thankfully, my buddy is a landscaper and in good shape, by the end I was ready for him to carry me. "

Pine to Canoe is a tough one... Pine to Gadwall/Gadwell is one of the wettest I've done, Ella to Grace is perhaps the rockiest one, Cherokee to Sitka very up and down, Pine to Long very UP, Pine to Vale is pretty steep, Pine to East or West Bearskin a long haul.

From my experience, steep portages are the worst, followed by boulder hopping, then muddy, next would be wet, and then long portages bringing up rear. Throw in a combination of these on any one portage... Good Luck!

In the BW, I think the Lunetta to Hassel portage was the toughest I've encountered.

Head south to Kawishiwi Lake and take the 400 rod portage (most difficult; plan a full day) to Perent Lake.

Don't see that one on the maps?

Is it an official portage?

I have don the death march and memory lane portages, I have done North Portage and the "Bitch and the Bastard", but to me the portage that kicks my but every time is the short portage from Ottertrack to Ester. I absolutely dread that portage!

quote CrookedPaddler1: "I have don the death march and memory lane portages, I have done North Portage and the "Bitch and the Bastard", but to me the portage that kicks my but every time is the short portage from Ottertrack to Ester. I absolutely dread that portage!"

When's the last time you did North Portage? There's been a lot of trail work done on that portage the last 2 summers. The B&B are always a good time.

its probably been 20 years since I did north portage. I find it interesting that 90% of the named portages are "rough" portages. The easy ones tend not to be named. Wonder why that is?

quote CrookedPaddler1: "its probably been 20 years since I did north portage. I find it interesting that 90% of the named portages are "rough" portages. The easy ones tend not to be named. Wonder why that is?"

Probably because they are memorable. lol

Here are some pics on the Basswood side that was worked on this last summer by the trail crew I work with. It's getting easier to take. The Quetico asked us to do this to slow down traffic into Burke and keep that trail from getting overused.

quote ozarkpaddler: "The one I dread is Canoe to Pine. I've done longer, rockier, etc, but that one just wears me out. Done it 4 times, don't know that I want to do it again, but I sure like Johnson Falls. That one over around Tuscarora is Loooong, but not nearly as bad IMHO. But, the nasty portage makes Johnson Falls that much more special when you get there, though!

I think I've got a pic of Spartan2's Horsetail Rapids portage. One time there I fell and hit my head pretty hard. If you can line down some of it it's a bit easier. TW "

I agree on the Horsetail rapids portage. Unless you are a mountain goat, there is no graceful way through. I now wetfoot right down the middle; still rocky and trippy, but my path of least resistance.

quote Turnpike: "

quote CrookedPaddler1: "I have don the death march and memory lane portages, I have done North Portage and the "Bitch and the Bastard", but to me the portage that kicks my but every time is the short portage from Ottertrack to Ester. I absolutely dread that portage!"

When's the last time you did North Portage? There's been a lot of trail work done on that portage the last 2 summers. The B&B are always a good time. "

I did that portage this past June, with my daughter. In order to catch up to the other couple I one tripped it, with my Grumman & two Duluth packs. When I got to my cabin, I weighed the whole load. It came in at 140 pounds....ok for a 54 year old!

Check out the USGS map. The canoe maps don't show it. It's bushwhacking at it's finest. But if you intend to do the loop, you'll appreciate the adventure of making this historic portage.

quote Atomic-Ant: "Check out the USGS map. The canoe maps don't show it. It's bushwhacking at it's finest. But if you intend to do the loop, you'll appreciate the adventure of making this historic portage. "

Interesting... I copied old roads and trails from USGS maps onto my Voyageur series some years back, but I must have missed this one. I have finished loops by walking between Kawishiwi and Hog Creek put-ins on the Kawishiwi Lake road (2 miles or less), but never gone direct between Kawishiwi and Perent Lake within the BWCA boundaries. Assume the old portage probably routed from s Kawishiwi to ne bay of Perent ?

quote Turnpike: "

quote CrookedPaddler1: ""

Here are some pics on the Basswood side that was worked on this last summer by the trail crew I work with. It's getting easier to take. The Quetico asked us to do this to slow down traffic into Burke and keep that trail from getting overused.


"

That looks exactly like the work they did between Nym/Batch/Pickerel a few yrs ago.

quote HowardSprague:
That looks exactly like the work they did between Nym/Batch/Pickerel a few yrs ago."

Some of the same guys worked on Nym/Batch are now working on North. About 200' of the trail looks like that now.

For the Kawishiwi to Perent portage, see the discussion in the trip planning forum.

I put in images of some of the relevant maps. It's definitely a bushwhack and I wonder which is faster: the bushwhack or the road! But the road is outside the BWCA.

Hardest portage? From the top of the truck to the shed after a trip

Whoever said Grand Marais to Minneapolis was not kidding. I'd rather be on the 550 rod portage than there. Driving back from this summer's BWCA trip, I had a guy on my butt and a jeep all over the road in front of me. Drove me nuts.

quote Turnpike: "

quote CrookedPaddler1: "its probably been 20 years since I did north portage. I find it interesting that 90% of the named portages are "rough" portages. The easy ones tend not to be named. Wonder why that is?"

Probably because they are memorable. lol


Here are some pics on the Basswood side that was worked on this last summer by the trail crew I work with. It's getting easier to take. The Quetico asked us to do this to slow down traffic into Burke and keep that trail from getting overused.


"

Were you the guy with the reddish beard? I think my son and I saw you, both on the S end of the North Portage and at Prairie Portage two weeks later.

Skoop to Ada, the new 80 rod that replaced the 12 and 1, sucked. Literally, sucked me into a muck hole waist deep. Smelled nice too.

quote arctic:


Were you the guy with the reddish beard? I think my son and I saw you, both on the S end of the North Portage and at Prairie Portage two weeks later."

That would be my buddy John.

How about these crazy kids?
Tooth Of Time at Philmont.
Tooth of Time
Well crap. Can't insert a link from the iphone.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152795887382630&id=644647629

quote Oisinirish: "How about these crazy kids?
Tooth Of Time at Philmont.
Tooth of Time
Well crap. Can't insert a link from the iphone.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152795887382630&id=644647629"

I think this is the picture you meant.



Second from right is my good friend Eric.

Every portage on the Granite River 2 days after the blowdown!

Arlo Pankook: "Misqua to Little Trout.



"

My now-husband and I did this one on my very first trip to the BWCA going on 20 years ago. Single portaging, at the end of a very long day, I was thirsty and bonky and had NO clue what I was about to do. :D As he always said, well, it didn't scare you off, so I figured you were good to come back again.

DeterminedOrange: "I have been on many of the tough ones mentioned here, but I have to consider the Misquah to Little Trout as rating "never again if possible". The hills, boulders and knee deep flooded woods are very tough. To me the cruelest part was at the very end going toward Little Trout, when finally seeing the lake and thinking it was over. In the year I was there, it was quite a task to get from the hill where this picture is taken to the water. Have fun.



"

HAHAHAHAHAHA I remember just standing up there, almost ready to cry, thinking "You have GOT to be kidding me. This is the song that never ends."

Cherry to Lunar is fun.

The 35 rod portage from seagull to Alpine, 2 days after the blowdown.
belly crawl with full packs, then climb over trees stacked like pickup sticks, then belly crawl some more. then we had to cut our way thru to get the canoes across.
About 3 hours if memory serves.

boonie: "

quote fisher: "1-angleworm. On the way back from beartrap of course.
2- "hell" very few have done it. Poplar to meeds."

What is it about Poplar to Meeds...?"

I agree, kind of strange to see this one mentioned so frequently. Did this one last spring a week or so after the crest of high water and still didn't find it overly crazy. It's wasn't a cakewalk but, neither did I consider it near the hardest of maintained trails in the bwca.