BWCA Toughest piece of portage in BW ? Boundary Waters Listening Point

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Listening Point - General Discussion

Toughest piece of portage in BW ?

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Kevlar

07/05/2011 12:19PM

I found the toughest piece of a portage I've ever been on in the BW on a trip this June into the Knife Lake area. We went in on the South Arm, north on Hansen, and then west to Cherry. Then I decided to see Lake of the Clouds because it has such a great name...the portage from Cherry north to Lunar is okay for 2/3, and then it goes up a ravine that the loggers may have enlarged by blasting...there were many smaller rock fragments. You can see the rough footing, steepness, and brush and trees...altogether a very tough 15 rods. This whole string of lakes, Cherry, Lunar, Topaz especially, have beautiful cliffs.

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snakecharmer

07/05/2011 12:54PM

Looks like fun :)

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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YaMarVa

07/05/2011 12:54PM

This was the angleworm portage last June, it was like this all 700+ rods.

"Miller owns that field, Locke that, and the Mannings the woodland beyond. But none of them owns the landscape." - R.W.Emmerson.

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butthead

07/05/2011 01:05PM

For me so far the nastiest piece has been Sandpit to Mudro. Short legs, steep rocky ravine, in a drizzle.

butthead

"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin

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TuscaroraBorealis

07/05/2011 01:10PM

I KNOW what you mean! :) That is a tough little stretch with some awfully precarious footholds/leaps of faith. LOL

My personal "favorite" was the Mountain ~ Pemmican trail. Just finding the trail was work enough. :) The middle half is mostly straight uphill, several twists & turns where the canoe will barrely squeeze through, throw in several downed trees along the way that you must go over, under, around............(catching my breath)........plus when it did flatten out it was muddy & slick.

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aandrew

07/05/2011 01:16PM

That "portage" from Poplar to Skipper is often a challenge...

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fitgers1

07/05/2011 01:31PM

Anything over, say 125 - 150 while portaging the Alumacraft is a pain in my arse! I'd love to try the route you wrote about though Kevlar, after I buy a Kevlar!

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson...and...“Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

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arctic

07/05/2011 01:44PM

quote Kevlar: "
I found the toughest piece of a portage I've ever been on in the BW on a trip this June into the Knife Lake area. We went in on the South Arm, north on Hansen, and then west to Cherry. Then I decided to see Lake of the Clouds because it has such a great name...the portage from Cherry north to Lunar is okay for 2/3, and then it goes up a ravine that the loggers may have enlarged by blasting...there were many smaller rock fragments. You can see the rough footing, steepness, and brush and trees...altogether a very tough 15 rods. This whole string of lakes, Cherry, Lunar, Topaz especially, have beautiful cliffs.
"

I know that portage well. The ravine is natural, as logging never occurred in that part of the BWCAW.

“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” -Edward Abbey

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254Bow

07/05/2011 02:27PM

The last one out is the only one that is tough, and only emotionally, ya bunch of wimps!!!LOL

Warrior mind, Warrior heart.

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Savage Voyageur

07/05/2011 02:56PM

Cherokee to Sitka was a killer for me. It goes over the Laurentian Divide. I could hardly climb over the tall boulders as I started the portage. It is not that long but it sure is bad.

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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canoller

07/05/2011 03:01PM

Loon Lake to Heritage Lake,up hill most of the way for about 3/4 of a mile if my memory serves me correctly

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Arlo Pankook

07/05/2011 03:58PM

For me it was Misquah to Little Trout, a little bit of everything.

All Rapalas that wander are not lost.

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AndySG

07/05/2011 04:01PM

quote aandrew: "That "portage" from Poplar to Skipper is often a challenge..."

I agree, especially when its the last one coming out. :-(

BTW, welcome to the site aandrew. Looks like we have the same first name. Stick around, this site is FUN!

Andy

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jb in the wild

07/05/2011 05:00PM

The one from the Fridge to the couch when my arms are full of goodies.
Trying to get back before the commercial ends.

JB

You can't explain the obvious to the ignorant.

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jcavenagh

07/05/2011 05:26PM

quote YaMarVa: "

This was the angleworm portage last June, it was like this all 700+ rods."

So....isn't that a 700 rod pull over, then?? ;)

LNT - The road to success is always under construction. http://hikingillinois.blogspot.com/

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kanoes

07/05/2011 05:27PM

for a piece of a portage? the first 60-70 rods of the fente to hub portage. howerever, that was my last portage of the day after doing all of the frost river.

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TuscaroraBorealis

07/05/2011 05:31PM

quote jb in the wild: "The one from the Fridge to the couch when my arms are full of goodies.
Trying to get back before the commercial ends.

JB"

LOL

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Merganser

07/05/2011 08:30PM

quote butthead: "For me so far the nastiest piece has been Sandpit to Mudro. Short legs, steep rocky ravine, in a drizzle.

butthead"

That one gets sited a lot. I didn't think it was bad.

The portages in and out of Louse are worse by far. There,'s a long one closer to malberg that is worse. example As a matter of fact malberg to trail is a pretty tough haul. Thats more than one portage but it gets my vote... So far.

"That sort of thing is my bag baby."

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Kendra

07/05/2011 09:05PM

quote canoller: "Loon Lake to Heritage Lake,up hill most of the way for about 3/4 of a mile if my memory serves me correctly "

Did this one last year with kids. Kind of a bugger!

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butthead

07/05/2011 09:32PM

quote Merganser: "
quote butthead: "For me so far the nastiest piece has been Sandpit to Mudro. Short legs, steep rocky ravine, in a drizzle.

butthead"

That one gets sited a lot. I didn't think it was bad.

The portages in and out of Louse are worse by far. There,'s a long one closer to malberg that is worse. example As a matter of fact malberg to trail is a pretty tough haul. Thats more than one portage but it gets my vote... So far."

Piece of a portage.
Worse portages? I can think of many, worse than Sandpit to Mudro.
You tall poeple just don't realise what it's like having stunted legs! I'd look like a squirrel going thru that mess you linked, mostly under!

butthead

"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin

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PortageKeeper

07/05/2011 10:17PM

quote Merganser: "
quote butthead: "For me so far the nastiest piece has been Sandpit to Mudro. Short legs, steep rocky ravine, in a drizzle.

butthead"

That one gets sited a lot. I didn't think it was bad.

The portages in and out of Louse are worse by far. There,'s a long one closer to malberg that is worse. example As a matter of fact malberg to trail is a pretty tough haul. Thats more than one portage but it gets my vote... So far."

Lots of bad ones out there, but I've done these as well, later in the day. Legs were rubber and my attitude had a lot of suction by then!

“The more you know, the less you carry” Mors Kochanski

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tom m

07/05/2011 10:37PM

did Lake of Clouds from Cherry, Misqua to Little Trout, Sandpit to Mudro, all tough but the nastiest I've done was the PMA 200r. Beartrap Lake to Beartrap River portage. everything but the kitchen sink ,a true demolition derby. tom

TOM

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Chilly

07/05/2011 11:34PM

Of course the direction has a ton to do with the difficulty. Also the time of year/temp and how wet it was would also add to the fun, so to speak. Would have to agree with kevlar that from what I recall there was a neat little stretch in the lake of the clouds area that stuck out from the rest. I remember a creek running underneath lava like rocks that you could hear but not see. It was hotter then an 8 dollar pistol that day but was nice and cool in that particular valley. Wish dearly that we didn't take it on a day trip and had a chance to smell the roses on the way back for the rest of the gear on that one. Hard to take it all in with a 90 pound canoe overhead.

"Now days these kids take out everything: radar, sonar, electric toothbrushs" Quint

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dicecupmaker

07/06/2011 12:37AM

quote Savage Voyageur: "Cherokee to Sitka was a killer for me. It goes over the Laurentian Divide. I could hardly climb over the tall boulders as I started the portage. It is not that long but it sure is bad. "

I agree with this one. It was my first solo and I did triple this one. Kicked my rear.

Joy is a great teacher, but so is dispair. Wonder is a great teacher, but so is confusion. Hope is a great teacher, but so is disillusionment. And life is a great teacher, but so is death. To deny yourself any of those in any aspect is not experiencing life totally.

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dicecupmaker

07/06/2011 12:48AM

quote Merganser: "
quote butthead: "For me so far the nastiest piece has been Sandpit to Mudro. Short legs, steep rocky ravine, in a drizzle.

butthead"

That one gets sited a lot. I didn't think it was bad.

The portages in and out of Louse are worse by far. There,'s a long one closer to malberg that is worse. example As a matter of fact malberg to trail is a pretty tough haul. Thats more than one portage but it gets my vote... So far."

Ya, Malberg to Trail was another one that comes to mind for me. Last year me and my son did that one. My son kept thinking we were lost. We did see a moose back in that crap.

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Stumpy

07/06/2011 12:59AM

If there's a trail, it's easy.

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly

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BearBrown

07/06/2011 01:37AM

quote Arlo Pankook: "For me it was Misquah to Little Trout, a little bit of everything."

What he said. Tough and long portage. Seems longer than mapped as well.

Richard "Bear" Brown

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cheesewiz

07/06/2011 06:47AM

07/06/2011 01:37AM
quote Arlo Pankook: "For me it was Misquah to Little Trout, a little bit of everything."

What he said. Tough and long portage. Seems longer than mapped as well.

+1

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy!

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eguygabe210

07/06/2011 07:13AM

Hardest portage is from the water to the trailer once the trip is over...sniff, sniff

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Beaverjack

07/06/2011 08:15AM

quote eguygabe210: "Hardest portage is from the water to the trailer once the trip is over...sniff, sniff"

You obviously don't take long enough trips. Just about everyone is looking forward to getting the car packed and getting back for a shower and a steak. I start thinking of that about mid-day on the last day. My wife, probably earlier. Seems to me the final part of getting off the EP is ubiquitously the fastest, most satisfying chore - hard only in the sense that it can't be over fast enough, and there may be other pilgrims of varying abilities unloading their stuff or otherwise clogging the works. My advice is to stay out longer, and take less food.

You cannot hope too much or dare too much. - R.W. Emerson

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aandrew

07/06/2011 09:34AM

My wife and I purchased a cabin along the Grade between EP's 39 and 40... so our journey to a shower and steak is about 4.2 minutes once we get the canoe/kayaks on the car!

Best purchase of my life!

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ChazzTheGnome

07/06/2011 10:04AM

The toughest for me so far has been going from cherokee to brule through town-vesper-gasket-cam I remember these being very rocky very up and down. Not to mention that this was my first trip and my group was horrible over-packed and hung over and too macho not to single portage. Uughh.

"Every day on this side of the dirt is a good day." ~ My Grandpa

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Corsair

07/06/2011 12:37PM

Vera to Ensign sucked big time

"Pack lightly, Tread lightly"

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butthead

07/06/2011 12:53PM

quote Corsair: "Vera to Ensign sucked big time
"

But some of the best scenery on a portage, IMHO!

butthead

"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin

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07/06/2011 01:08PM

quote tom m: "did Lake of Clouds from Cherry, Misqua to Little Trout, Sandpit to Mudro, all tough but the nastiest I've done was the PMA 200r. Beartrap Lake to Beartrap River portage. everything but the kitchen sink ,a true demolition derby. tom "

I didn't think it was that bad.

The purpose of the journey is not to arrive.

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Mrsfishfry

07/08/2011 01:11AM

For me, I nicknamed the portage into Ham Lake "Boyfriend Bootcamp!" Not only was that the first trip for my now fiance (fishfry) and I, but that bugger had stairs that were about 2 feet tall and no fun at all!

The second worst portage for me is the one from Hudson to Insula! That 105 rodder is the pits! Going from Hudson to Insula is not nearly as bad as it is going back from Insula to Hudson!

Loving life and creating dreams!

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fisher

07/08/2011 12:04PM

quote tom m: "did Lake of Clouds from Cherry, Misqua to Little Trout, Sandpit to Mudro, all tough but the nastiest I've done was the PMA 200r. Beartrap Lake to Beartrap River portage. everything but the kitchen sink ,a true demolition derby. tom "

that one is a doozie. but the natural bath pool about mid point makes it worth it.

angleworm was tough after double portaging out of beartrap in an august heat wave.

im the guy the forest service warned you about

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jwartman59

07/08/2011 12:24PM

in my experience the 600 rod portage from big rice lake to hook lake (west of Slim) is without a doubt the nastiest in the BWCA. it doesn't get used much, go figure.

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y84k

07/08/2011 12:39PM

quote kanoes: "for a piece of a portage? the first 60-70 rods of the fente to hub portage. howerever, that was my last portage of the day after doing all of the frost river."

Ha, I know what you mean... the Frost River is kinda like a mini portage all by itself. Low water, get out. Paddle, beaver dam, paddle, low water get out... oh look another beaver dam. :)

I'd have to say the Sitka to Cherokee portage for me though as well... There is a nice 4 or so foot drop off over a giant boulder towards the end of that one.

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Bang

07/08/2011 02:10PM

quote ChazzTheGnome: "The toughest for me so far has been going from cherokee to brule through town-vesper-gasket-cam I remember these being very rocky very up and down. Not to mention that this was my first trip and my group was horrible over-packed and hung over and too macho not to single portage. Ugghh."

I agree. All those portages are "rock gardens."

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chott1

07/08/2011 02:21PM

Sandpit to Mudro aka "the stairmaster!". My tripping partner wrote in his journal "Don't do it. Time has went by and dulled your memory of the experience but DON'T DO IT!". At the time it was no fun but those are the memories to laugh about later. I think that's a big part of why we go - to test our mettle.

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Bergy

07/08/2011 09:17PM

I don't have much experience since I only had my first visit to the BW last month but I'd vote for the Little Trout to Misquah Lake portage as the toughest. Had to negotiate 4 downed trees in addition to the 3 "little" hills, 2 swampy areas and numerous boulder fields. Snapped a couple of pictures to remind me of the enjoyment I was having along the way...Stopped taking pictures when I realized the whole portage was something to enjoy...

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Frenchy19

07/08/2011 11:04PM

Pine to canoe. Yuck.

"The future ain't what it used to be" Yogi Berra

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Brent

07/09/2011 08:37AM

quote dicecupmaker: "
quote Savage Voyageur: "Cherokee to Sitka was a killer for me. It goes over the Laurentian Divide. I could hardly climb over the tall boulders as I started the portage. It is not that long but it sure is bad. "
I agree with this one. It was my first solo and I did triple this one. Kicked my rear."

I agree... we nicknamed this one... the ROLLER COASTER PORTAGE.

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The Great Outdoors

07/09/2011 08:56AM

quote fitgers1: "Anything over, say 125 - 150 while portaging the Alumacraft is a pain in my arse! I'd love to try the route you wrote about though Kevlar, after I buy a Kevlar!"

Keep portaging the Alumacraft, heck with the Kevlar!!
What a whimp!! :)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Outdoors-Bait-Tackle/1606420532911075?skip_nax_wizard=true

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Savage Voyageur

07/09/2011 09:04AM

quote butthead: "
quote Corsair: "Vera to Ensign sucked big time"

But some of the best scenery on a portage, IMHO!

butthead"

I would have to disagree with this one. It is a very nice portage to take 180 rods long. Yes it climbs at both ends but levels out and it is a walk in the park.

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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billsta

07/09/2011 09:26AM

quote Corsair: "Vera to Ensign sucked big time
"

Especially right after doing the one from Knife to Vera, which I found a bit tougher.

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motdur

07/09/2011 11:43AM

Not a fan of the three between Mudro and Fourtown. Especially the 125r in the middle.

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butthead

07/09/2011 11:54AM

This thread really shows how our perspectives are different! One person's ass kicker is a walk in the park for another.
Both portages in and out of Vera are tough rocky climbs of respectable length. But I was too enthralled with the scenery to notice! Double portaged both, yet went back to take more photos!

butthead

"never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" George Carlin

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analyzer

07/09/2011 11:56AM

We day tripped into Ashdick from Swamp once. I would never do that again. I'd do the 3 portages into Ottertrack, Ester, and then into Ashdick, before I'd do Swamp to Ashdick again, and the one from Ottertrack to Ester isn't exactly easy. Much like the portage Bergy spoke of, swamp to Ashdick had 3 or 4 trees across the portage, providing pass-overs, pass-through's, and pass-unders, as well there were some muddy sections where you sucked in up to your knee. I'd never do it again.

I might mention, it was interesting fishing though. One of the few lakes up there that I've caught a largemouth bass, and we caught a couple.

I remember reading a while back in the BWJ about some folks (it may have actually been a solo, I don't recall) who were following what was suppose to be one of those narrow little beaver creeks, but the water was gone, and they had a very lengthy nightmare. Couldn't walk in it, because they sunk up to their waste, and couldn't paddle in it. I would not want to be in a similar situation.

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Rob Johnson

07/09/2011 01:01PM

quote Stumpy: "If there's a trail, it's easy."

I now understand Stumpy's quote. After hauling a canoe up the Kek trail (which was tough = not maintained well for hikers let alone pushing a canoe through) it was pretty clear that bushwhacking with a canoe is a whole new kind of tough.

I'll take a portage trail...any portage trail...and be happy for it from here on out.

As for toughest...

direction does matter...Tuscarora into Missing link starts with a climb up through a rock garden, it has mud, it has elevation changes, and oh yeah...it is long BUT THAT WASN'T the toughest for me this trip...

The toughest for me this year was Peter into French...it may not be that challenging on some days but we hit it on a day that was so hot, humid, and still that the rocks were sweating. What makes this one tough is that it is in the burn = no shade whatsoever...that was tough.

I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I realized I am somebody. Lily Tomlin

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Kevlar

07/09/2011 01:44PM

Chazz, that string of little lakes from NW Brule to NE Cherokee is rated by a very experienced BW and Q tripper (over 100 trips) friend of mine as the toughest back to back to back portages he has ever traversed. I did two of them and a kid fell, hurt his wrist, and we had to go back out and to the Grand Marais hospital (he was okay) so I never saw them all, but I was impressed.

And yes, that little portage at the start of this thread did have a stream running under it...you could hear it at the lower end...as someone just mentioned.

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jwartman59

07/09/2011 02:14PM

while i usually single portage on most of my trips, there are portions of some portages that i feel require a spare man available to assist the canoe carrier on the steep, rocky stretches. after slipping twice on the topper to south lake portage, (drops over 260 ft in less than 80 rods) i asked my son to drop his packs and be available to assist me in my downhill plunge. it helps psychologically and could prevent a dangerous accident. By the way, if you were to take this portage from south lake to topper lake it would easily make the list of toughest portages in spite of it's short length and well groomed path.

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arctic

07/09/2011 03:00PM

That portage is a real thrill in the winter!! ;)

“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” -Edward Abbey

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jwartman59

07/09/2011 03:04PM

off topic response. even on snowshoes this would be exciting. we once (teenage years) snow-showed down the bluffs above Lake Of The Clouds, porcupine mountain state park, michigan. we were drinking to stay warm and the snow was at least 10 feet deep, a memorable trip. it was so cold our whiskey froze completely solid. 1978 or so.

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spottedowl

07/09/2011 07:52PM

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)

swimming upstream makes you stronger

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fitgers1

07/09/2011 08:12PM

Check my first response Id like to change my answer. My worst portage is either one of the following. From my truck across the road into Cedar Lake in Mpls or from the truck to the backyard after a trip to the BDub. Probably the latter.

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oneportage

07/10/2011 12:34AM

the second half of the cap to boulder portage really sucks. you stop to cross the deep little stream and load back up for another 150 rods. it was hot this year so we took a swim as soon as we got across that longer than s-it portage.

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Wables

07/10/2011 07:28AM

I know it's not in the BW, but the worst for me is the Badwater portage in the Q.

"Hold on, I think I can get in without getting my feet wet."....SPLASH...

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Widespreadpanic

07/10/2011 07:38AM

My worst peice of a portage was by far the Crab lake portage. I've done longer and nastier but that one took the cake so far.

After a night of boozing in Ely and playing cards until 3:00am. We hit the Crab lake portage at 7:00am and I threw up for the entire 400rd length of it.

Good advise: Portaging sober= good, portaging still drunk=good, portaging hung over= bad day!

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billsta

07/10/2011 02:09PM

quote butthead: "This thread really shows how our perspectives are different! One person's ass kicker is a walk in the park for another.
Both portages in and out of Vera are tough rocky climbs of respectable length. But I was too enthralled with the scenery to notice! Double portaged both, yet went back to take more photos!

butthead"

We stopped for a few photos too...and a brief dip when we got to Vera.

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bruceye

07/10/2011 06:35PM

quote Stumpy: "If there's a trail, it's easy."

Ditto.

Bruceye

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canoepaddle

07/10/2011 07:53PM

For those of you that are old enough to have portaged when motors were still allowed. Id have to say the meadows portages with a pack and a five gallon gas can one in each hand. The pain in my hands is still remembered.
Canoepaddle

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TuscaroraBorealis

10/18/2011 06:54PM

I'll add the 1/8 mile bogwalk out of Duck lake on the way to Big Moose lake.

I'll add, that the portage in it's entirety is about the toughest I've come across in the BWCAW.

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mocha

10/18/2011 07:11PM

quote Corsair: "Vera to Ensign sucked big time
"

corsair: do you single trip your portages? this is one of the most beautiful portages i've ever been on! didn't find it difficult any of my three trips across it. love the scrub oak trees, the rock formations, scenic overlook of the swamp, really nice landings on both ends.

like to do a little whining about the wood horse portage on the granite river, coming upstream when there is very little water in the river. huge boulder field to even get to the portage. lesson learned, don't travel upstream in the fall when the water levels are several feet low.

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boonie

10/18/2011 07:21PM

I'm sure there are tougher, more awkward ones, but for those of you who like these things, go in E. Bearskin and take the "scenic" 80-rod portage out of the north arm into Alder Lake. So steep going up I couldn't stand up or the pack would have pulled me over backwards. Was not fun with a 60-lb load. The large fallen pine at the other end...just icing on the cake.

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HikingStick

10/18/2011 07:35PM

quote canoller: "Loon Lake to Heritage Lake,up hill most of the way for about 3/4 of a mile if my memory serves me correctly "

I just did that one last month (Sept. 2011). I didn't expect so much of a climb. While water levels are about 80' apart, the portage trail has about 130' of elevation change between the lowest and the highest points, not counting the additional dips and climbs along the way. Definitely not the toughest terrain or trail, but long enough and steep enough to really take a lot out of you.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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kanoes

10/18/2011 09:54PM

on my last trip those 2 wind lake portages really took the wind out of my sails....kinda fitting i guess. :)

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mooseplums

10/19/2011 07:22AM

for me it was the portage from Pine to Canoe.....uphill both ways! The portage is listed as a 230, but it seemed longer. Best to start from the Canoe Lake side the climb is only 40 rods up. Doing from Pine to Canoe IMO is completely out of the question.

"I am haunted by waters"~Norman Maclean "A River Runs Through It"

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ozarkpaddler

10/19/2011 09:02AM

quote Frenchy19: "Pine to canoe. Yuck."

Not MY favorite either, BUT it gets you to Johnson's Falls! Like Mooseplums, seems MUCH longer to me too!

"Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain

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Kevlar

10/19/2011 09:11AM

I left the canoes at the landing on the Canoe to Pine portage and just did a hike to see the falls. A group of girls from Menogyn were portaging over it...they had to be tough and stubborn! A good trail, as I remember it, but steep, with multiple switchbacks.

Kanoes, I just did the Wind Lake portages this fall, in and out. I told the group they weren't bad, that I'd done them a number of times back in the '80s and '90s...my memory softened up a bit, or I did. Seems like the hill never quits, either way.

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PaddleAway

10/19/2011 09:22AM

quote mooseplums: "for me it was the portage from Pine to Canoe.....uphill both ways! The portage is listed as a 230, but it seemed longer. Best to start from the Canoe Lake side the climb is only 40 rods up. Doing from Pine to Canoe IMO is completely out of the question."

I have no idea if Canoe-Pine was our toughest (aside from bushwhacking), but the memory is less than a month old & still painful. Interestingly, my old Beymer book lists the portage at 380 rods. Sure felt closer to that!

It is, however, the portage that irritated me the most. There's that glimmer of water! Almost there! Woohoo! Now walk for another eight minutes...

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wawasee

10/19/2011 10:20AM

I remember a portage that we did between Friday Bay and Gun. It was really steep and had trees across. You had to pull the caone over the tress because you couldn't go under.

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Hawbakers

10/19/2011 11:06AM

quote aandrew: "My wife and I purchased a cabin along the Grade between EP's 39 and 40... so our journey to a shower and steak is about 4.2 minutes once we get the canoe/kayaks on the car!

Best purchase of my life!"

Aw, that sucks!.. for me! lol Wishing I knew you better! Been down the 'Grade' many times coming back to the cities from Devil's Track Lake or Crescent Lake. We would love to buy property near you , for sure, ya betcha!

Love your photo, aandrew! And welcome to the board!
~Karen

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apugarcia

10/19/2011 11:07AM

The Sandpit > Mudro is the only one that sticks out in my head as being tough because of the vertical climb and the rocky footing.

However, the hardest portage I've ever done was a bushwack through a bog carrying the canoe underhand with a friend on our first trip trying to get from Slim Lake to Keneu Lake. You step in one spot, you're in water up to your ankles. You step 6 inches left and you're in up to your armpits. That was grueling and I've never done anything remotely as tough.

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Hawbakers

10/19/2011 11:20AM

quote canoepaddle: "For those of you that are old enough to have portaged when motors were still allowed. Id have to say the meadows portages with a pack and a five gallon gas can one in each hand. The pain in my hands is still remembered.
Canoepaddle"

If you're talking about the two from Sunday Lake into Agnes in Quetico, we have renamed those as 'Little Agony' & 'Big Agony'! We always traveled these coming out of Agnes on our way out! 140 rods & 192 rods with that little paddle in Meadows Lake.

There is also another from Sheridan Lake up to That Man that we lovingly refer to as the M...F... portage! It's one of the roller coaster varieties with 'slides'! Only 136 rods.

Husband's worst ever was Knife Portage. From Knife Lake to Crawford Lake on our way back to Carp, only 120 rods and I thought it was a lovely hike through the dense forest. But when one slips on a moss covered rock and becomes trapped with one leg bent under their body with a 67 lb Grummon on top of them, the tend to NEVER want to take that portage again! I was at the other end of the portage wondering what could be taking him so long! :B

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mooseplums

10/19/2011 11:49AM

quote PaddleAway: "
quote mooseplums: "for me it was the portage from Pine to Canoe.....uphill both ways! The portage is listed as a 230, but it seemed longer. Best to start from the Canoe Lake side the climb is only 40 rods up. Doing from Pine to Canoe IMO is completely out of the question."

I have no idea if Canoe-Pine was our toughest (aside from bushwhacking), but the memory is less than a month old & still painful. Interestingly, my old Beymer book lists the portage at 380 rods. Sure felt closer to that!

It is, however, the portage that irritated me the most. There's that glimmer of water! Almost there! Woohoo! Now walk for another eight minutes..."

The new book still lists it at 380

"I am haunted by waters"~Norman Maclean "A River Runs Through It"

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jcavenagh

10/19/2011 12:06PM

quote Hawbakers: "
quote canoepaddle: "For those of you that are old enough to have portaged when motors were still allowed. Id have to say the meadows portages with a pack and a five gallon gas can one in each hand. The pain in my hands is still remembered.
Canoepaddle"

If you're talking about the two from Sunday Lake into Agnes in Quetico, we have renamed those as 'Little Agony' & 'Big Agony'! We always traveled these coming out of Agnes on our way out! 140 rods & 192 rods with that little paddle in Meadows Lake.
"

Yeah, those two each got one of my knees. Rt knee in 2008 and left knee in 2010. Surgery followed each trip.

LNT - The road to success is always under construction. http://hikingillinois.blogspot.com/

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toddhunter

10/19/2011 02:59PM

deleted (i hope); see next post.

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toddhunter

10/19/2011 03:00PM

quote Frenchy19: "Pine to canoe. Yuck."

I'm glad someone mentioned canoe-pine (or vice versa). About kicked my butt on the first day of our trip this year, but made everything else seem tame after that. I don't know what was worse. Going up or going down. Feet started to cramp and knees hurt, but plowed through. I think I'd do it again though.

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MrBreeze

10/19/2011 03:16PM

I never met a portage I didn't like. and if you believe that, I have some great ocean front property for you, in Nevada.

The hardest I can remember of late is not really a portage. Small creek from north end of smoke to north end of sawbill became a portage. We were going to save some time, yeah right. Lost 5 pounds just to the mosquitos.

If it is a trail, and you can find it, life is good.

I wish I were, I wish I might, I wish I was in the BWCA tonite!

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TuscaroraBorealis

10/19/2011 07:27PM

The hill on the Pine ~ Gadwall trail deserves honorable mention.

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boonie

10/19/2011 07:46PM

I walked the Canoe to Pine portage on my trip last month without a load. It goes up pretty steeply from Canoe (but not as steep as the portage into Alder from the north arm of E. Bearskin) for a ways, but then is downhill. There's a lot more uphill coming back from Pine, but it's more gradual with the switchbacks. It would be harder from Pine to Canoe. It took me a little over 20 minutes to walk it over to Pine and 25 minutes coming back. I decided not to portage it.

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HikingStick

10/19/2011 09:27PM

In 2007 my group did Canoe to Pine and then immediately walked back uphill to see Johnson Falls. I was okay with the portage, but hiking back up to the falls and putzing around there for a while before hiking back to put in really took it out of me. Fortunately, it was my turn to sit in the middle of the three-seater, so I got some time to recover before we had to haul our gear up on one of the campsites on the steep northern bank of Pine.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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Hawbakers

10/19/2011 10:34PM

quote jcavenagh: "
quote Hawbakers: "
quote canoepaddle: "For those of you that are old enough to have portaged when motors were still allowed. Id have to say the meadows portages with a pack and a five gallon gas can one in each hand. The pain in my hands is still remembered.
Canoepaddle"

If you're talking about the two from Sunday Lake into Agnes in Quetico, we have renamed those as 'Little Agony' & 'Big Agony'! We always traveled these coming out of Agnes on our way out! 140 rods & 192 rods with that little paddle in Meadows Lake.
"

Yeah, those two each got one of my knees. Rt knee in 2008 and left knee in 2010. Surgery followed each trip."

Aw, but you're better now? Hope so. I do recall it's a rocky path full of ankle twisters. Do you remember that there used to be a canoe rest halfway through the longer one of those portages?

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jtbwcaw

06/02/2014 12:59PM

The worst portage for me was from Daniel’s Lake to Stairway Portage. I'd had elbow surgery and I was unable to paddle so we made it a last minute hiking/camping trip.

Understand I enjoyed the entire trip, but if I had to pick a bad one... this would be it for my experience!

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DougD

06/02/2014 09:26PM

Rock Island to Clearwater. There is a reason most maps don't even show it as a portage.

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luft

06/03/2014 12:05AM

quote Mrsfishfry: "The second worst portage for me is the one from Hudson to Insula! That 105 rodder is the pits! Going from Hudson to Insula is not nearly as bad as it is going back from Insula to Hudson!"

I agree! I did that one from Insula to Hudson after battling my way across the lower half of Insula in the wind.

That first set of boulder step ups took me down with my canoe on my shoulders. I came a little closer than I would like to rolling off the edge into the rapids below! My legs are short and my thighs did not have what it takes to step up that high. I ended up dragging my solo up the rock face.

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riverrunner

06/03/2014 06:34AM

The ones with no wind and lots of bugs and the temps above 80.

Then the real long ones.

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2old4U

06/03/2014 02:58PM

Ella to Grace is a nasty one.

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HikingStick

06/03/2014 04:21PM

quote luft: "
quote Mrsfishfry: "The second worst portage for me is the one from Hudson to Insula! That 105 rodder is the pits! Going from Hudson to Insula is not nearly as bad as it is going back from Insula to Hudson!"

I agree! I did that one from Insula to Hudson after battling my way across the lower half of Insula in the wind.

That first set of boulder step ups took me down with my canoe on my shoulders. I came a little closer than I would like to rolling off the edge into the rapids below! My legs are short and my thighs did not have what it takes to step up that high. I ended up dragging my solo up the rock face. "

That sounds like the exact point where I broke my leg in 2006 (though I was going the other direction).

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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icecoldmilk

06/03/2014 06:15PM

So far, for us...... Cherokee to Sitka. Our tripping partners for this year have been pre-warned!

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jtbwcaw

06/03/2014 06:25PM

quote 2old4U: "Ella to Grace is a nasty one."

Oooh... I forgot about this one. Very fortunate to have done this years ago when I was younger, in great shape, and still experienced enough to handle it!

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HighPlainsDrifter

06/03/2014 07:54PM

quote kanoes: "for a piece of a portage? the first 60-70 rods of the fente to hub portage. howerever, that was my last portage of the day after doing all of the frost river."

Amen.... that sucker was unexpected and had me puffing like a steam engine. There seemed to be no end to that uphill grade. That section of the Hub Lake trail gains 100' of elevation in 40 rods.

"Boredom, Tyler - that's what's wrong. And how do you beat boredom, Tyler?... Adventure...(Never Cry Wolf, 1983)

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Woods Walker

06/03/2014 08:07PM

I've done a lot of them mentioned, some more than once... will be able to add the "Lake of the Clouds" portages to my list in a couple weeks :)

A road is a dagger placed in the heart of a wilderness. -William O. Douglas, in Ghost Grizzlies

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GeoFisher

06/03/2014 08:24PM

quote motdur: "Not a fan of the three between Mudro and Fourtown. Especially the 125r in the middle."

Yea, that is tough......

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GeoFisher

06/03/2014 08:29PM

quote Woods Walker: "I've done a lot of them mentioned, some more than once... will be able to add the "Lake of the Clouds" portages to my list in a couple weeks :)
"

YOu will like it.........no need to use the "magic" bait there :)....but be SURE to fish the surrounding lakes. Cherry, Hansen, Ester, Ashdick. Lots, and lots of serious fish to be caught there.

Also, weedless tubes on ESTER around the down trees on the banks will produce serious smallies.

Later,

Geo

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