For what it's worth, I wrote a blog with my thoughts back in September. Here's an opinion of an outfitter just 5 miles from the Quetico Park at Cache Bay.

The Quetico Park is looking for comments regarding their "plan" for the Provincial Park.  Much of the plan centers around the Dawson Trail Campground and surrounding area which doesn't affect us at the southeastern entry point into Quetico.  There is however a part of the plan that deals with fly-in options that does affect us.  

    Guests can fly from Saganaga Lake to the edge of the Quetico Park and paddle back to us through the Park.  We've had groups fly-into Beaverhouse but the majority of our guests fly into Clay Lake.  When low water levels have made travel on the Greenwood River near impossible the Quetico has allowed planes to land in Mack Lake.  This was the case at the beginning of the season but it changed around the first of September when we were confirming travel plans for a group of ours.  We were told planes were no longer allowed to fly into Mack, end of story.

    Our guests wanted to do the route very badly so we had them taken to Ross Lake.  After paddling several hours and traveling across lots of portages(one over a mile in length) they made it into Mack Lake.  Just in time for a float plane to drop down in front of them and let a group of canoeists plunk down into Mack Lake to begin their trip.

    It's confusing to say the least.  It's obvious the Quetico Park needs a plan and one they will stick with.  But I don't understand why just because you can drive to an entry point means you shouldn't be allowed to fly to an entry point?  A fly-in is exciting and it saves time which is very valuable these days.  Is the "plan" to make Americans drive into Canada if they want to access Beaverhouse and Clay Lake?  The folks in Atikokan and outfitters think it's a good idea, well, duh!  Does the Quetico need to force folks to drive into Canada just so they can gain access to the Quetico?  Isn't it enough we already have to use Canadian flight services and pay extra for the camping fees when groups come from the US.

    And if the Quetico Park "plan" isn't what I've stated above and they just want to get rid of planes then why still allow float planes to drop only Canadians into Cache Bay?  Do Canadians make a different noise when they fly or cause less impact than an American?  Why can't they just drive down here and paddle across Sag to get to Cache Bay like everyone else?    

The park would prefer to continue to allow commercial aircraft on Saganaga (Cache Bay) and Basswood Lake, yet only for Canadian residents. The reason being, said Reilly, is that for Canadians the only other option is to enter through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

    I'm not sure what would happen to a Canadian if they had to enter through the Boundary Waters but obviously Reilly is concerned.  Is it because Canadians would realize the fees for the BWCA are considerably less than they are for the Quetico Park?  

    I have no clue what kind of a "plan" these people can come up with.  For years the outfitters and businesses have been trying to cut off access to the Quetico Park from the south.  It seems to me pretty soon they won't have to because they are doing such a good job of cutting their own throat that very few people want to access the Quetico from the South anymore.  Will those folks drive to Atikokan to start their trip or will they bypass the Quetico altogether and go to Wabikimi or Algonquin or even worse yet, the Boundary Waters?

    They say they want input and public comment about the "plan."  I encourage you to contact them with any of your concerns or questions.  Maybe you'll get a straight answer and then again maybe not.  We'll just have to wait to hear the "plan."