As novice canoers we first heard of Quetico in 1984,after a first trip to BWCA. "Wilder no signs" sounds good. We found the old handpainted rock sign to Beaverhouse on the dirt road from Flanders and we were all set.
Fourty years, two kids, two retirement days 20 wilderness canoe trips ( 10 to closer Algonquin) and 10 Quetico trips later we were set to return to Beaverhouse. Fortunately our 30 yo son loves wilderness as much as we and was anxious to come and help with the heavy lifting.
Other than a man made sign ( the old handpainted rock is still there but moss covered) and an official parking lot, Beaverhouse is unchanged! How many places can you say that about in today's world?
We had no definate route waiting to see how the old bodies would hold out, and we had nothing to prove. My wife, as she usually does, packed far too much food (you guys didnt eat as much as you usually do!) making the food pack very heavy, but thanks to Kevlar our canoe weighted half of what it did in 1984.
The weather was magnificent. Rain once. Mosquitoes were AWFUL but fortunately only out after dark. The campsites are all in pretty good shape despite 40+ years of use. Good to see.
In brief our trip paralelled "bobrowicz.. "80% Fun isnt bad" other than we did get through Trail into Badwater.I wont describe the portages he made.
Down quetico lake, into Jean Lake, Burntside but then straight into Sturgeon and back through Bentpine Creek Trail Snow Your and Badwater. We were able to get through Trail Lake swamp and into Snow etc but there are no campsites from Bentpine to Your so do not attempt late in afternoon. The Bentpine creek portages are gnarely and difficult with liftovers and no firm footing. But there were blueberry bushes full of berries!
Your lake is a jewel with a wonderful site looking to the West. We looked but did not find the watch we lost there in 1988! Badwater also has two nice sites but they are on the west end of the lake so plan accordingly.
The mile portage from Badwater to Quetico is a slog, but far better than one year when our canoe yoke broke, or the memorable year when the long misdle section cordouroy road was waist deep in water. We saw bear skat, wolf skat and wolf tracks! ( Definatel not dog... too big and no dog tracks anywhere else) Back in Quetico Lake we took a day off and played tourists, visiting the pictograph sites, which fortunately are stil intact
Very few other parties after we left Quetico and Jean Lake, even in mid July.
While not our longest or hardest trip and not the most wildlife ( we heard wolves onw time on Jesse lake!) we felt like we had been transported back in time to a quiet, motor free paradise where all the issues of civilization fall away.
As our Canadian friends seem to value this very necessary place more highly than some people in Washington, Quetico hopefully will be unchanged when my son comes through, aged 72, with his 30 year old child in 2064.
