i had a chance to do the Man Chain in the Q some years ago. My plan was to go in Knife after a tow up Moose Lake on the US -Ely side. LaTourell's had a devil of a time getting my up to the Indian portage between Sucker and Birch. It was early May, I think the 6th or so and ice out was on a day or two passed. Lots of ice pancakes were blocking Moose and the two boat had to ram them like an ice-breaker to get through. When I reached Knife late that day, the lake looked eerily quiet and gray. It turns out there was considerable ice just under the surface and the lake was still very much locked in. I was able to paddle to an island and set up camp to wait for the ice to break up and move out. Long story short, I never made it up Knife to access this chain via Ottertrack--- which was my plan to loop my way back out via Carp.

I'm enjoying these Man Chain portage shots as it shows what I missed....it's still on a bucket list for me somewhere tucked away probably with the remnant spare parts of several whisperlite stoves in my basement. Someday...