Had a conversations recently with the RABC guys in Thunder Bay. While they didn't claim to know what would happen, they considered it unlikely that their office would be up and running in time to allow entrance into Quetico this summer.

I had reserved a Mudro entrance for our group. Last year, we used Angleworm and the paddlers ended up in Crooked  Lake for the week. We are considering going back to Crooked via Mudro. I am also looking at a Snowbank entrance. It doesn't appear to be anywhere near as popular, but some of the lakes look inviting. I know there was a fire in the region 10 years ago or so. Can you guys give me some info on what the area east of Snowbank is like? Is it busier or less traveled? Thank you!

Last year around July 4th, I booked a Snowbank entry. It was a big mistake! At about 9AM, I watched group after group of canoes land at the put-in, all evenly spaced out at about 15 min. It took me almost 2 hours to put-in. That's an extreme case but most paddlers stayed on either Disappointment or Parent and portaged/paddled out early to get their shuttles at the take-out. What a mess! If you head northeast, you'll be making some climbs out of Boot to Abinodji and Gibson to Cattyman. The Swing portage can be muddy as in lose-your-boot muddy. No reason to avoid these portages, just beware. No campsites after you leave Boot until you hit Jordan. Last year from what paddlers told me, campsites were largely full from Jordan to Thomas. I hope this year won't be the same but who knows what demand will be like? I'd get a super-early start heading in Snowbank to avoid the wind on the paddle up the lake to the first Boot portage so that making say, Thomas by the day's end would be do-able and locating a site would be feasible. Mudro on the other hand would allow you to reach LBW by the day's end and locate a site nearby.

I just booked a permit for Kawishiwi Lake in early sept.  I got the last permit available for that day and all the days around it were booked up or close to it.

My plan is this.  Get the permit virtually so no need to pick up before the trip.  Sleep in the EP parking lot the night before.  Be on the water a half hour before the slightest hint of morning light.  Paddle my butt off and look to camp around 1:00 at the first open site. I say 1:00 because it might take me hours to find an open one.  Then day 2 push on to the interior (Adams Lake area).

If I lollygag at the start there will be delays at the landings.  I absolutely don't have that kind of patience on day one. I'm confident by launching in the dark and following a compass bearing across Kawishiwi I can avoid SOME of that crap.

boonie wrote on Mar 28^th, 2021 at 11:44pm:


There were 10 taken for the sat and Monday and 8 for Sunday over Labor day weekend.  10 is the max right?

goblu79 wrote on Mar 29^th, 2021 at 3:45am:


Going in on a Wednesday is best case scenario.  But try to be first on the water.  That's really the key IMO.  In 2012 I went in at Little Indian Sioux north and got to the parking lot around 8:00 am.  Big mistake as 3 other parties were unloading their gear in the lot already.  People walking everywhere carrying stuff down to the landing.  I vowed to always be early after that experience.  Unload in dark with a headlamp and shove off at the first hint of light.