If you firm your plans to go in the route I suggested, be sure to do a search on the lakes you'll be traveling thru.

There are numerous trip reports that hold info about that route.
I don't think you'll lack for campsites or fishing going that way.
Badwater is a destination for some coming out of Beaverhouse becasue of it's rep as a walleye lake.

That time of year it shouldn't be an issue as you'll be passing thru.
If you don't exit via Maligne to LLC village, I consider going back thru Jean Creek/ Jean lk and west down Quetico lk.

You can make it to Jean lk easily in a short day and depending on wind, even make it to the east end of Quetico in a long day. From there you should have wind at your back, and a nice ride back to Beaverhouse.

Search that route in trip reports, lot's of good info there.

I'm guessing the Maligne will be full of water in the spring.  We have already had a full winter's worth of snow and still have 2-3 months more to look forward to. 
If you exit the Maligne you won't need a tow to the LLC village, it is just a few miles due west of Bell Island.  You might have to plan to get there when an agent is on duty to get your vehicle out of the locked wire enclosure.   

I think Poohbah is on the Native's fly-in list. That's the easiest, quickest way in or out.

solotripper wrote on Jan 20^th, 2011 at 4:26pm:


Thank you Mr Tripper, I like your idea the best, I do have an outfitter friend who could pick us up / drop us off at the put in and we would get to see a whole nother sectcion of Quetico we have never seen, it is just me and 1 other going.

bigpike wrote on Jan 20^th, 2011 at 3:49am:


You never mentioned how many are in your crew? Having more than one vehicle would expand your options.
I mentioned going in thru Beaverhouse/West bay/Badwater/Bentpine Creek/Lower Sturgeon. Traveling solo, with 2x on portages, I made it from Beaverhouse to Lower Sturgeon in one day, stating at 7 am to about 5 pm. Even if you stopped 3/4 of the way, your looking at no more than a day and a half tops.
If you had a vehicle stored a LLC, you could arrange for a pick-up at Bell Island. From Lower Sturgeon, a day should put you on Poohbah. A day from Poohbah to Bell Island or less.
No easy way there other than fly-in.
I'd rather paddle small lakes/short portages, than fight a heavy current going up the Maligne. Going from Badwater to Jean and then down is dicey when the wind is out of the E/NE, which is the usual spring pattern.

You can run the North shoreline of Beaverhouse even in windy conditions. Once on Quetico lk, you take the short sand drag over on the peninsula separating the lake from W. Bay and your at the Badwater portage. Long but mostly flat and not a bad as it's been made out to be.
I've done it solo 2x, took about 1 1/2 hr double portaging. A few mud holes and the ever present ominous spirits , but not a big deal, just keep you head down and give no mind to the the feeling you being watched
Nice campsites on the Lower Sturgeon and good fishing.
Depending on your level of paddling skill, fighting up the Maligne in normal spring conditions can be nerve racking. Putting rusty paddling skills together with treacherous water is a recipe for bad things to happen. Taking a longer but easier Northern route gives you a chance to get you Mojo working and if you do take a spill, you in far more forgiving water

RE: current on the Maligne in spring

Didn't Stu (Boundary waters Journal (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)) stop trying to run his guide service up through the Maligne in spring because of heavy current.

It is probably 50/50. Somebody will know conditions. Then have a plan B if it seems a little dicey. Should be a fair amount of daylight that time of year if you want to put in big days to get there.

So it seems there are no easy ways into Pooh Bah, is there any other access options we have other than Crane Lake or Lac la Croix? We do have 10 days to paddle total. You guys have me a little spooked on the current flow of the Maligne. It certainly is an intriguing lake to get to.... Thank you guys again for the input, I appreciate it!!

pine_knot wrote on Jan 18^th, 2011 at 7:48pm:

I have done this several times.  It works well but takes 2-3 days to paddle to the LLC Ranger Station from Crane Lake or the Echo Trail entries.

RABC is cake, and all of the Crane lake operators will also stop at Customs on Sandpoint for ya.  And Sandpoint customs is quick to boot.  Heck, most operators will even run you 1 bay N to Sandpoint lodge for liscenses and (me) Crownland permits as well.

The RABC would take the place of a customs stop. My bad.