Here are a couple of my trip reports that cover some of the same areas you want to visit. Maybe they can give you some ideas?  If you don't have a Chrismar Adventure map for Quetico Park, get one.
If choice between McKenzie/Fisher maps and Chrismar for portage locations/distance, Go with the Chrismar 

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They update their Adventure maps on a regular basis for those who use the Chrismar map.

My current one is from 2014. The one I linked to is from 2021. I'll be ordering that.

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No problem. Just tell the HS agents that you IDENTIFY as an American and they'll let you slide. 

I think you'd enjoy going thru the Roland Lakes vs that long slog into Argo?

Thank you for the suggestions.

I was just joking about the border. I know my history haha:

"It being understood that all the water-communications, and all the usual portages along the line from Lake Superior to the Lake of the Woods; and also Grand Portage, from the shore of Lake Superior to the Pigeon river, as now actually used, shall be free and open to the use of the citizens and subjects of both countries."

I guess my decision on which of the three ways of accessing Argo from Crooked will depend on the state of the burn. The Roland areas  was within the burn zone, but looks only mildly affected, so I’ll probably try that. The topography looks spectacular through there.

I had thought to check out Ted lake, to see some pictographs, but it looks moderately to severely affected, as is Fishhook/Earl, so I’ll either skirt this whole area by heading south via Cone-Elk-to Gardner Bay-Bart-Craig-Robinson-Tuck-Sarah or get advice closer to my travel date from park staff. They’ll likely know by then the state of portages through the burn zone.

I’ll definitely check out Irene lake. The lone campsite on the lake looks to be on the unburned side of the lake. And Google earth is showing some lovely cliffs en route to Kahshahpiwi.

Thanks again

I've seen the recent Q burn map and began thinking about times in the past when I'd make it a point to visit certain burn areas I heard about - some were recent - some were older - some were stumbled upon. I don't know of any easy comparisons I can point to on a map but I've seen places with unusual beauty that became basically impenetrable after a few years.

Part of me says wait until you hear more but the other part thinks - be this kid.

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While the analogy is far from perfect, I hope you understand the spirit I'm trying to convey. Ya never know.

BEWARE!!!!!

You need to do a lot of research into the 2021 Fires in Quetico.

The whole middle of the park has been burned.  The "death march" is dead.   Kashapiwi Creek at the Kawnipi outlet is toast; Cutty creek at Eag and Cub is toast - I assume everything south of there is also blackened.  Call the Atikokan office and discuss your proposed route as to its feasibility - they do have a fire map that they showed me.  Imagine a map of Quetico spread out flat and then a can of ink is dumped onto the center of the map and spreads out to cover the middle "half" of the pack and you get the idea.  Maybe you can find a link to the map online ?    I changed my route a couple of times - had planned on going Cutty creek to Cutty/Sark/Trant/AgnesMurdoch - blew that off after I hit Eag.  The ground has been burned so that there is not much holding up the trees, especially those shallow rooted ones on rock - better sharpen your saw too.  And the burned ground is treacherous with holes where roots have burned out and a consistency like grease where its wet.  The Northern half of the park was untouched - better to route thru there.  Not sure about the border lakes.

Mad_Mat wrote on Jun 20^th, 2022 at 5:59pm:


Yeah, looking at the burn map it looks like that area around Eag and Cub was among the most severely burned areas, along with Alice to Montgomery and Shelley

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I’ve seen the north of the park and it’s easy for me to access. I won’t have too many opportunities to see the south, so I’m set on it this year.

I’ll skirt most of the burn.  From Sturgeon I’ll go down the Maligne and pass through Tanner, which has all burned. Not too keen on that, but there is just a single very short portage there (de Roche Grenovilleus).

Minn and McAree are burned on their east sides. I’ll likely take Crooked eastward and detour into Argo for a look-see (southwest bay is burned, north shore is slightly burned).

Robinson, Tuck, and Sarah are burned on one side only. And McIntyre looks like it got off lightly. So it looks like a passage through there is possible. From Sarah to Side and Kahshahpiwi, or via Irene if it’s not too badly burned there.

From Kahshahpiwi northward, it looks like there is a swath of unburned land that will allow a passage to Keats. The only problem will be the 170m to Heronshaw and the nearby 160m to Metacryst. After that it looks like the 340m to the lake between Meta and Baird is unburned, the 190m to Baird looks iffy, but the 730 to Keats is unburned.

Of course I’ll check with the park staff first. But I wanna also be that Dutch kid. 

Mad_Mat wrote on Jun 24^th, 2022 at 9:29pm:


Outstanding! I’ll keep an eye out for the ‘tunnel’.  You’re my portage hero.  Definitely bringing my bigger saw with me this time.

Looking forward to your trip report and some pictures