2013 Canoe Plans

[Jon]

Bon Voyageurs avec la fromage!
Time to plan the 2013 canoe journey! I have attached a map that pictures a couple routes through Caviar into Rowan and then either ending where we started at Whitefish Bay or at the Crow Lake put-in. There isn't a lot of detail but the yellow route is 55 miles and the red route appears to be a bit shorter. Both routes start in Dogpaw lake at Whitefish Bay, cross into Caviar via Dogpaw and Foam Rapids and then across the north side of Caviar into Denmark Lake. The first predicted portage is across a small isthmus into the northern reaches of Rowan Lake. The red route explores more of Rowan Lake and then crosses into Shingwak lake via a very small portage into Baby Shingwak. The yellow route spends less time in Rowan and cuts to Shingwak via a very short theoretical portage. The rationale for rapidly achieving Shingwak via the yellow route is that it provides time to Make Isinglass. This lake is reportedly supposed to have water so clear that you can see 100’ down. Based on the shore-line topography it appears to be a pretty flat area. The lake however is supposed to be deep. I am wondering if this lake is actually the result of a meteorite strike. From what I hear these lakes with exceptionally clear water may show this tendency as a result of phytotoxic metal accumulation. 25 feet of crystal water I can but as the result of a few veins of copper but to get 100 feet of vis there must be some form of extraterrestrial iron chromium copper nickel stuff wadded up in the bottom. Any might be cool to check out. The yellow route back-tracks out of Isinglass, across Shingwak and both head into Cameron (Go Mike!) via a couple of diminutive portages through Beggs Lake. Out of the NW corner of Cameron into Bog Lake (thing there’s leeches in it?) and via Cameron Creek into Stephen Lake. The Yellow Route courses into Stephen Lake and then via a couple of cool portages it makes Cedartree. Another option is to proceed up into Flint Lake and then into Cedartree via the Cedartree river. Might be a bit less carrying. The Yellow Route then makes Kakagi via the dam and the rest is history. The Red Route crosses into Flint and then after barely crossing into the very southern connecting arm of Caviar Lake we cross to Dogpaw via a small and innocuous appearing portage. From here there is a 5 mile paddle NW (can you say headwind?) back to Whitefish.
Anyway these plans are fully negotiable.
Here is what I am looking for: Headcount, timing and challenge. Would be great to know who is planning to go, whether the proposed time of travel is suitable for everyone (late August to first week of Sept) and whether a bit of bushwacking and stress would be desirable. Remember, these challenges (hard portages, strange food, strong drink, and Dave somehow cutting, bruising or otherwise impaling himself) are what make these trips memorable. Currently Carrie and I plan on making it. The boys will both be in college, pending the outcome of the campus police investigation, and so they will not be making this trip.

[rusty]

Jon,

Looks like my kind of trip, however i am left a little concerned, indeed deeply suspicious, by the repeated use of phrases such as "first predicted portage is across a small isthmus ", "very small portage ", "very short theoretical portage", " a couple of diminutive portages ", "a couple of cool portages ", and "a small and innocuous appearing portage". the use of the adjective cool in relation to portaging is of particular concern. Voyageur avec la fromage indeed!

But apart from that it might be fun, i'll start considering it!

[Chris]

I enjoy these trips not so much for the paddling, but for the chance of carrying a bunch of ungainly stuff through the trackless forest. Ada and I are in, and the timing is good. We will bring all the food (I figure 50lbs each of rice, flour and bacon should feed us all (no matter how many) with plenty of cushion if we have headwinds). Will also bring rope and powerful magnets to bring up meteorite fragments from the abyssal plain of Issinglass (this trip could pay for itself!) I plan on putting all the meteorite samples into Dave's backpack without his knowledge (please don't tell Dave, because I'm going to hide all the beer in his kit too).
Junta plume array!