Images Of Quetico

[solopaddler]

Quetico park west of Thunder Bay is one of my favourite places on earth. Over the years I've spent a lot of time there, including several long solo trips. Probably the best flatwater canoe country in the world in my opinion....picture perfect shield country and campsites, fantastic fishing, not too many people, it's paradise!

This particular trip was done with two of my friends, Dan and Peter. We spent 3 weeks exploring the park, me in my solo boat, and Dan and Pete paddling tandem...we had a blast!

Sorry again about the poor quality of the pictures (one of these days I'll get a proper scanner!)

 

Campsite on Pickeral Lake where we started our trip

 

 

Dan with a Pickeral Lake laker

 

 

 

 

From Pickeral we paddled through a series of small lakes connected by rapids to reach Oliphaunt Lake. I shot this particular little swift in my solo boat.

 

 

 

 

Pete and Dan fishing at the inflow of one of the small rapids

 

 

 

 

Peter cooking breakfast at Oliphaunt Lake

 

 

 

 

Mmmmmm... bacon

 

 

 

 

We travelled from Oliphaunt to the famous "poet" chain of lakes, (Chatterton, Keats and Shelley). One of Quetico's more famous spots is Split Rock Falls where Keats flows into Chatterton.

Here it is

 

 

 

 

A view from of our campsite just below Split Rock Falls

 

 

 

 

Dan with a typical walleye caught right off our site

 

 

 

 

From there we made our way into a little gem of a lake which unfortunately I'm not at liberty to name

There's no campsites on this lake, so we had to carve one out of the bush

 

 

 

 

Dan with a decent pike from "unknown" lake

 

 

 

 

Typical smallie I caught....these are the types of shots you take when you're soloing!

 

 

 

 

From there we made our way over to Keefer lake. Right at the inflow from Sark Lake we stumbled onto a hotspot for Walleye....we had multiple triple headers...it was awesome! In the midst of catching Walleyes hand over fist, I set the hook into something a little heavier and managed to land this decent laker

 

 

 

 

One of my favourite lakes in the park is Burt Lake, it's a big, beautiful, windswept jewel of a lake that doesn't see too many visitors. That's where we headed to next.

 

Loon on Burt Lake

 

 

 

Me with a stringer of Burt Lake Walleye

 

 

 

Here's our site on Burt. It's early morning and Dan is still waking up, LOL!

 

 

 

 

Me with another typical Burt Walleye

 

 

 

 

Peter is a really light sleeper and in order to escape our nocturnal noise he elected to spend the entire trip sleeping in this (he's nuts! )

 

 

 

 

The following pic's are before and after shots of Dan......let's just say he lost a bet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western sun hitting the shorline

 

 

 

 

As we travelled back to our put in point we travelled to two of the most remote and beautiful lakes in the park, Delaney and Veron. To get to Delaney we had to traverse what's affectionately known as the "death march" LOL! About a 3km portage, and really, really nasty!

 

Here's a view of our campsite on Veron

 

 

 

 

Eventually we made our way back to Pickeral Lake and our car. Here's a shot of the sunset on our last night in the park.....

 

 

 

 

As I said it's paradise my friends, hope you enjoyed the pic's!

 

 

cheers, Mike

[Headhunter]

Awesome!

HH

[Basskicker]

Thanks alot for taking the time to share once again. Someday I really want to make the trip up that way....beautiful scenery and lots of fish....with no people.....just the way I like it.

 

Jason

[lew]

Incredible, every trip you take us on, seems a little better than the last....thanks Mike

[Entropy]

Very nice shots. Save those for when your in the retirement home. They will serve you well.

[bpsbassman]

Highlight of my day!!

Thanks for taking me away from work for awhile.

[fishindevil]

WOW.. ..the scenery is breathtaking,and the fishing up there is some of the best in the world,great report & pics,and it looks like you guys ate walleye everyday,very nice thanks for sharing your trip....cheers

[dustink]

My day just just a lot better!

 

 

Thanks,

dk

[solopaddler]

Very nice shots. Save those for when your in the retirement home. They will serve you well.

 

Retirement home! LOL! Speak for yourself

 

Glad you enjoyed the post guys...

[trapshooter]

Thanks a lot Mike. I really enjoy reading about your trips.

[SlowPoke]

Great report!

I have to ask, what bet did Dan lose?

[Fishnfiend]

Yet another awesome post.

 

Thanks. Sure was a nice escape from a cold winter's day at work.

[solopaddler]

Great report!

I have to ask, what bet did Dan lose?

 

Well, typically on each portage we carried once. I carried my boat, my pack, paddles and fishing gear. Dan and Pete had one very light pack which one of them would carry along with their canoe, and a really heavy pack which one of them would carry along with their other gear.

Didn't seem to matter what Dan carried he was always last, and always SLOW

He constantly complained that the reason I was so much faster was because my canoe "balanced" better and was easier to carry. I said I was faster 'cause he was just a big wimp .

Naturally things came to a head: He bet me he could carry my load faster than I could carry his load (his choice which one).

The stakes were this: If he beat me I offered to carry his gear across every portage for the rest of the trip. If I beat him he had to shave off half his beard and wear it like that for the rest of the trip.

 

The photos speak for themselves

[Fishnfiend]

Absolutely priceless!

[SlowPoke]

Ahhhhh, that 'splains it.

I've done a few portages in my day... let's just say that my screen name could also be "tailgunner". Equipment was never my issue, I dragged myself in last place regardless of whether I was carrying tackle or an outboard motor.

-Brian

[Entropy]

Retirement home! LOL! Speak for yourself

 

Glad you enjoyed the post guys...

 

Well ... some day.

 

I remember my Grandmother, said all she had left were her memories....

 

I guess its not who has the most toys at the end, but what you have to reflect on ....

 

Often spoke about a duck plucking contest she and her girlfriend won, back in the day ..

 

Make many good memories; reflect often.

 

Sorry to put a spin on it like this, but looking at your photo's .... Now that's living !!

 

Entropy

[snag]

I can't believe this cooking rock!

 

 

It looks like the main rocks slanted top has an awesome shape for wind protection and serving space!

Edited March 7, 2007 by snag

[mattyk]

thanks for sharing. Just gets me day dreaming more about catching some fish.

[solopaddler]

I hear you Entropy, just kiddin' around, you're totally right!

Not so long ago I'd regularly take a lot of grief for the way I live, and had lived my life. Many opportunites to "get ahead" in life were missed 'cause of my single minded passion.

Most of my friends had successful careers, homes, families. Me? I didn't have much except for a long list of outdoor related exploits.

Finally, at the age of 36 I got married, then in short order bought a house and had 2 kids...Big change for sure that I never thought would happen to me. I'm now much more "responsible" (some would argue that ) and have definitely slowed down as far as my expeditions go (not totally though..I'm not dead ), but it's all good.

I look back now at what I've done over the years, the places I've been to, the things I've seen and I wouldn't change a thing.

Memories are indeed a precious thing

 

The best part is things are only going to get better!

 

(My DEEP thoughts for the day! )

[douG]

Thank you very much, Mike. I enjoyed that a lot.

[carp-starter]

What a wonderful place. Is it called "Utopia"?

 

carp-starter

[bassmaster4]

nice scenery and fish good job

[tbayboy]

Awesome report Mike, our family use to spend time every summer on Pickeral lake but never ventured too much farther in. Now that I've moved down south I kick myself for never taking advantage of that opportunity. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to try again but until then I can just enjoy your photos.

[Garyv]

That looks like one GREAT time being had by all...with maybe one small exception!

[FinS]

awesome report solopaddler

keep up the good work