I can all but guarantee that you will not have any problems with them.

I'm pretty sure I saw another poster speak well of these folks, too, earlier this year.  With Quetico Dave on the sidelines and Ed Ottertail of LLC Village always a bit dubious (at best), there is not much else on the west side of the park.

Jimbo  

Quote:


You can say that, again!  Maybe the towboat is working, maybe not.  Maybe he shows up at Bell Island to save you that long paddle across Lac La Croix at the end of your trip, maybe not (rumors, only; frankly he has ALWAYS shown up on time for me).  Get him talking about his service career or time spent with the Mounties, etc., and "colorful" is definitely the right adjective!

I brought a rather large buddy of mine (400+ pounds) on a trip that ended at Bell Island on the Maligne.  Ed was there to pick us up on time but, when he jumped onto the dock to help us load up, he noticed the size of my buddy's feet (something like size 16 or even 18... yes, he was a REALLY big guy!).  Ed couldn't get over those feet.  He spent a half hour on the dock just admiring & envying them.  Kept saying that if HE had feet that big, he could kick anybody's ass that he wanted to!  Throughout the shuttle back to LLC Village (where our vehicles waited) he just kept going on about those feet.  Even took a picture of them!

Yes, Ed is quite a colorful guy with a foot fetish like I've never seen before!

You never know whether Ed is going to run his business or not in a given year.  I guess it depends upon whether or not his tow boat is operating.  He can be very difficult to reach, too.  On the other hand, just as Jim J says, he is part of the experience & "adds to the adventure"... very much like Doug Chapman of Canadian Quetico Outfitters on the opposite side of the park.  They are immensely entertaining, each in a different sort of way.

Long after a trip is done, I find myself talking as much about these guys as I do about the actual trip.

Please DO post about your experience with Branches.  We need to know we have a solid provider on the west side.

Jimbo  

I'll give a big thumbs up to Quent at Branches Seine River outfitters.  Our group of 4 outfitted with them in 2008 and they couldn't have been nicer.  Treated us like family.  We got there a day before our entry and wanted to go to Atikokan for a meal and a few beers. Quent tossed us the keys to the family car and said have at it.  Wouldn't even take any gas money and it's about a 30 minute ride.  Great folks that I'd highly recommend.  About as convienent to the Beaverhouse entry as you can get.

VAcanoer