Phoenix wrote on Sep 29^th, 2013 at 4:52pm:

db said he generally portages the canoe on the first leg. I generally (though not always) do the opposite - the canoe goes through on the second leg. That way I have an opportunity to scout out rock ledges, mud patches, downed trees or other features that might be more difficult to navigate if I came upon them cold with a canoe on my head.

What you are advocating makes perfect sense to me too and I do/did that as well.

The solos I've been borrowing recently are a joy to carry plus my saw is BDBed to a thwart. It's also my easiest load to get on and off by far.  I just need to remember to lift the bow to see what's ahead every so often.

The reason I say that is I have a fun (for me) story to tell from Baird to the noname towards Metacryst portage last trip. Unbenounced to me their are two portage paths to get there. One is high and dry the other is, umm, low and full of juice. I took the canoe first trip on the low road. Half way through I came to a rather large muddy section with no footprints. Fine. It's getting deeper as I go and by the fourth step I'm in past my knees and basically stuck. That's like my worst nightmare even with help around but there wasn't any.

I flipped the canoe off into the mud, used it to get myself out w/o losing a boot and used the painter to drag it to solid footing.

Oddly enough I know both portages now and the upper one better since I carried the canoe over both. Turns out at some point I remembered I left my rod and reel at the campsite and had to go back for it. DOH!