"DentonDoc: looking at my topo map, I figured there might be a pretty boggy portion on the McDougall end of the McDougall-Eag portage (which you confirmed) which is why I want to avoid that"

I took that route in 2006 and 2008 I think the years were.  Portage crew had put in a lot of logs in the McDougal end of the lake, and that pretty much eliminated any bog, as it was easy to walk the "boardwalk"

the second time, the water was high and all the logs were floating - that was actually easier, in that I could just walk in the water and tow the boat the hundred yards or whatever thru the bog to dry land - it was good footing, and just knee deep, and shortened the carrying.


Regarding the Keats to McDougall cliff, you can get out of your boat at the portage landing and see what the cliff looks like - its right there.  If you don't like it, then you can do the normal portage around the falls to Keats, and go on to Chatterton and then into McDougall from there if you want to.