I do an annual Q trip, but have never entered the park from the south. A goal on Day 1 is to get as deep into the park as the conditions allow, and we usually are disciplined enough to not fish along the way on Day 1 as we approach what we think are better fishing waters.

If we wanted to take a tow to Washington Island or that area, do we have to check in at Prairie Portage or can we just get an RABC? Do we have to stop for customs on the way out? When entering from the west using a towboat, we stop at Sand Point on the way in, and customs gets done at the dock during the tow in.

When we entered the Falls Chain, we stopped at the ranger cabin on the way in, but not on the way out. I can't remember the specifics and would appreciate if you all would help me clear this up. Thanks.

mb-

If using a tow to Washington Island (did this last year), you check in at Prairie Portage.  We were dropped off at PP (Canadian side), so we could make the quick "portage" to the the Canadian ranger station for check-in (with RABC).  Then, our tow backed out and over to the truck portage (US side) to get the tow boat (and all of our gear) tranported into Inlet Bay (Basswood).  Then the tow boat (staying on the US side of Basswood), made the trip to Washington Island for our ultimate drop off.

On our return, we exited via PP, but you don't check with the Canadian rangers on the way out.  You'll need to stop just north of Ely to check-in with the US Customs.

dd

Thanks. So, if your outfitter leaves from Moose Lake, goes through Sucker Lake and you do the PP customs and the boat gets shuttled over, etc., how long does that all take?

Say you get an early tow (maybe 7am) out of Moose Lake, what time could you be paddling near Washington Island? It doesn't look like it is that far on the map, but I'm sure a lot depends on how many parties are waiting in line at the Ranger station. Anyone know what time the ranger station opens in mid-June?

From my trip report from last year, here is our rough time line:

Departed from CBO (on Moose Lake) via tow to PP:  7:20 am
Reboarded tow craft after paying fees and completing truck portage: 8:15 am
Arrived at Lincoln Island (adjacent to Washington Island): 9:00 am

We didn't have to spend time actually checking in at the PP Ranger Station because we entered in May prior to the first day reservations are required.  Thus, we only stopped long enough to use the self-service drop box to pay camping fees before we climbed back into the tow boat to make the 50 yard trip to where the truck portage begins. (Paying fees, re-boarding, jump to truck portage couldn't have taken 15 minutes.)

We made a small detour to check out a huge tree (largest diameter in the park area) on the way to Lincoln Ilsand (could have added 5 minutes to transit time between PP and Lincoln Island).

Hope this helps.

dd

From previous trips, I beleive the PP Ranger station opens at 8:00 am.  I've been first in line to clear the check-in before, but by the time I rigged out my canoe and was ready to paddle, it was probably 9:00 am.  I would estimate that approximately 30 people showed up between the time we arrived (7:30ish) and when the ranger station opened--late July/early August time frame.

10-4 on the time the Ranger Station opens at PP. The Ranger Station has moved to "the other side" of the creek and the operation is much more efficient 2009 than in previous years. Have to check in, do not have to check out, though US Customs near Ely seems to be much more eager to have you stop by than in previous years.

Tim

Hello everyone, I have a couple elementary questions as well inspired by this post.

1) I have never stopped by US customs after returning from a Quetico trip on a RABC permit.  I have to admit the thought never crossed my mind, but I guess it is like any other time you cross the border.  Does US customs keep a record of who crosses on the permit and when they do it?  Do most of you check in after crossing back with a RABC?

2) Where is the huge tree on Basswood?

 

.....the reason to stop at PP is to check into the park and pay fees...Not to clear customs assuming you have a valid RABC permit.

The point of the RABC permit is to allow you to cross into Canada, at will, within a defined calander period and geographical area.  When you apply for, and obtain the permit...you essentialy "clear Canadian customs" for that permit period (1 year).

The permit is a Canadian document...not a US document.  Since you can cross "at will" into Canada on the permit....without clearing at an official Canadian port-of-entry, there is no "paper trail" as to when you've crossed into Canada.  The US still requires you to visit a port-of-entry on return to the US.

How does the US know if you've been in Canada "at will" on your Canadian RABC?   They don't.  It's a voluntary process if you are traveling under your own power.  If you check into a Canadian govmt run park and pay fees....in that sense you have left a "paper trail".  Is that data shared with or available to US Customs?  To the best of my knowledge it isn't.


Arrowhead...."does everyone stop in at US Customs upon return?"  Why yes, everyone does.

Seems obvious, I guess I will change my routine!

wrote on Oct 31^st, 2009 at 12:01pm:

2) Where is the huge tree on Basswood?

AP-

From what I remember, the tree is a "squat" cedar.  I say "squat" because it is not impressive due to its height, but rather its circumference ... "it takes 3 adults to reach around."  It is estimated to be about 1000 years only and was apparently missed when the area was logged in the park's earlier history.

Unfortunately, I didn't record a GPS location, but as I recall, the location is in a shallow bay on the US side east of Norway Point--the end of the long peninsula on the eastern side of Bayley Bay.  In face, you can basically draw extend a line south down that peninsula and you'd be pointing into the bay.

I realized after the fact that I wasn't paying too close attention to everything the tow driver was telling us ... must of been more focused on getting to the "official start" of my paddling trip.

dd

FWIW,
US Customs built a beautiful new facility north of Ely, replacing the trailer they used to have. So, we dutifully stopped by at the end of our Quetico trip this year. There's a souvenir/information store in the building. The FS office was locked, nobody in sight. The clerk at the store counter said the official "just stepped out; try coming back in an hour or so."
Right. I should be there any time now.  ;D

WiF

Thanks dd, I will have to try and find that tree the next time I am on Basswood.

When we checked in at the US Customs building north of Ely, the Customs official there said that the US Customs agency does check with the Canadians to determine who was in the Park...and then they cross-check to see if these Americans checked back in with US customs.  He said you can receive a hefty fine for not checking in with US Customs.  I'm not sure exactly how the "checking" with the Canadians gets done...but it's so easy to do (stopping in at the US Customs office), why take the chance?  It takes maybe 10 minutes.  

prouboy