While I don't know the official answer to Biodiversity, my hunch is that two rivers enter only 100 yards or so apart. It has a mud bottom and I'm sure that many fish spawn there. Additionally, you will see many birds there, along with beavers and other mammals including Moose. Hence, an area of great biodiversity in a small area.

Thanks for the input guys, when I posted, I actually thought this was on my trip thread.  Didn't mean to hijack DB's questions. 

Biodiversity is an interesting name....wonder how that came about?

I used to drive the Stanton road back in the day. It is an old logging road. Back in the 90's the road was given over to the Canadian outfitters to use and control. That's when the rule was made about using a Canadian outfitter. Also, parking was banned.

The road is susceptible to major washouts. There used to be warning signs posted at the entrance basically telling folks that using the road and parking was at your own risk. Folks were getting stranded on the wrong side of the washout and were upset by it. The Canucks saw this as a solution.

Like db and others, I'm ambivalent about the advantages of using this entry. I will not use it as an exit. I just don't want to take the chance that the road will washout while I'm on a trip. French is an easy choice and riding the white horses can be an exhilarating last day.

I assume the purpose of your trip is to get outside and enjoy the park.  If you put in at French you start your trip with paddling across French and then Pickeral Lake.  If the weather is bad you make the most of it.  If you put in at Stanton Bay, you have to deal with an outfitter and the transferring of your equipment.  You also have to assume that you arrive at French at the right time.  That your outfitter gets there on time and the road to Stanton is open.  It just seems that putting in on French avoids hassles and cost.  If you put in at Stanton and the weather is bad, just like French Lake, you'll have to deal with it.  My preference is reduce the number of moving parts that you have to deal with.

  Quote:


When I plan a trip in a wilderness area where you don't have total control of the situation, especially weather, I base it on the WORST case scenario and what happens then?

I think French is your better option ALL things considered.

DB said:
"And I still think that it saves no time at all over a French entry. And if you get a late start and a north wind you could become screwed by the wind depending on your objective for the day."

This is where I keep getting stuck on my decision.  If it is a nice day here is how it plays out. (In my mind anyway)

Stanton entry:
I am calling outfitter while driving to update them on arrival time at French Lake.  I'm sure they don't want to sit and wait an hour or more for me.  I arrive and start transferring gear to their vehicle, when they get there, I feel the stress of making sure I have everything.  Then we drive ( I was told it would be 45 minutes to an hour), unload, portage to the lake, start trip.

French Lake entry:
Check in at Ranger station, drive down to put in, sort my gear, unload canoe.  Park car, walk down to lake, go back to car and get what I forgot, or lock the car... Start my trip.  2 hours of paddling and I am where I would be dropped off, but on the south side of the lake.

The problem is if there is a strong west wind blowing down the lake that day.  Then I progress to the Pines, at best.  But probably would be stuck in Stanton bay if I entered there.  In that situation, I would clearly have a head start the next morning crossing a hopefully calm Pickerel from Stanton.

I keep waffling, If it was free, I'd enter Stanton.  I am now leaning toward French.

Thanks guys! I was wondering if they rotted away by now. As I recall the portage follows a stream at points.

We were talked into it one year and the next year I had a company van so… Then it became Canadian only. Might have been the year before but what are they going to do? Tow it out?

I hate those stairs to this day. The two biggest blisters of my life were caused by new boots and those stairs. My footwear totally changed after I used Gore-tex socks and Converse high tops the rest of that trip.

And I still think that it saves no time at all over a French entry. And if you get a late start and a north wind you could become screwed by the wind depending on your objective for the day.

Stairs and long boardwalk at Stanton Bay.

[quote author=db link=1483605408/0#0 date=1483605408]#1 - Does the Stanton Bay portage (to and from the parking lot) still have sections with wooden stairs?
quote]

You guys answered all the tough ones, let me take the light load here.   Yes, the wooden stairs were at the Stanton Bay Portage in the Fall of 2014

When I read this post I was reminded that somewhere I saw a map of all the old logging camps in the area before logging was banned and Quetico Park came into being.
I think it showed the man-made dams to move the logs from the logging areas.

I wish I had marked where because so far I can't find it anywhere I've looked.

I did find this. According to the author there WAS a dam on the Maligne River at TWIN Falls which allowed steam powered vessels to go up too?

I'm guessing hauled logs out that came down Maligne?

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Logging camps in Quetico park. They used wood sluice dams in some spots, I imagine there would be no sign of them except for maybe iron logging relics?


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