Portage Description:
We were stranded on Pickeral for three days because of a prolonged and gusty SW wind. We island hopped in the early mornings, when the wind was relatively subdued, and made it to Lookout Island on the third day of our trip to the Dawson Creek Ranger Station. If you're able, always camp on the southwest side of Lookout Island, as the black flies on the other side of the island are merciless.

Stranded on Lookout and running out of food, we decided that we would try to exit at Stanton Bay and hike or hitchhike back to the Ranger Station at Dawson Creek rather than wait out the wind and shoot the length of Pickerel.

We spent one night on Lookout Island. The following day, we paddled furiously across the quarter-mile of open water on Pickerel to the land that brings you to Stanton Bay.

The portage is longer and is a slight upgrade over the trail, maybe 10 degrees in all, with 5 of the 10 degrees coming in the final 8 rods. After spending two weeks in Quetico, the wooden steps up the trail to the parking lot from Stanton were surprising and seemed out of place compared with the rest of the park. But we were in no mood to complain about the easy walk on the planks.

With a canoe on your shoulders, it's about a 12-minute walk up to the parking lot.

Lake after portage: Pickerel
Known campsites: None at all
Lake Description:

Portage from Pickerel into:
Nym
Bisk
Maria
Dore
Pickerel
Gillnet