T2K June 19

T2K -- Boundary Waters Fur Trade (La Verendrye) Route

June 19, 2000

Location Distance To,
Miles Portage Length,
Rods Total Miles
Including Portages Total
Rods Portaged Comments

Lac La Croix Dry and calm; left camp at 8:15. Arrived at Canadian Ranger Station at ten to pickup Quetico Permits and Canadian fishing licenses. Breeze from the east started mid-morning, but no problem paddling into it.

Eastbend Island 11.5 105.1 165 Ate lunch on this historic island where the Kaministikwia and Boundary Waters Fur Trade Routes met. Voyageurs used to cut 'lobpoles' in this area. Lobpoles are pine trees that had all the branches except the very top cut off so that they could be distinguished by the voyageurs as 'their' marker.

To Bottle Portage 9.5 114.6 165 Water started getting rough near the end of this stretch.

Bottle Portage 0.3 80 114.9 245

Iron Lake to Rebecca Falls 2.9 117.8 245

Iron Lake to Curtain Falls 2.4 120.2 245 All campsites on Iron Lake were full.

Curtain Falls Portage 0.4 140 120.6 385

Crooked Lake 0.5 121.1 385 Strong east wind after portage. High waves forces us to shore and to camp at a undeveloped site. Arrived at camp at 8:15

Day's Total 27.5 220

Maps: Fisher: F-23, F-16, F-17

HISTORY OF ROUTE TRAVELED ON JUNE 19

Jacques de Noyon was the first explorer to travel any part of the boundary waters. In the late 1600's he traveled the Kaministikwia River route from Thunder Bay to Rainy Lake were he wintered. (Ref. 2, p 7)
Kaministikwia route joins the Boundary Waters route at Eastbend Island on Lac La Croix (Ref. 3, p 21)
August 17th, JMcD: Probably camped near Eastbend Island. (Ref. 11, p 102)
Original portage around Curtain Falls and the Bottle Portage "have been bulldozed beyond hope of return to their natural state" (Ref. 1, p 73)
August 16th, JMcD: Slept at Bottle Portage (Ref. 11, p 102)
In 1797, David Thompson passed Bottle portage on July 18th. He arrive at Grand Portage on July 22, 5 days later!. (Ref. 4, p 26-27).
David Thompson states on his 1797 trip that he was "very near upset" in a "strong current" just before reaching the portage at Curtain Falls. He describes the portage as about two hundred yards in length on the right-hand side of his route. The unloading was "very bad" and the bank was steep. At nine thirty he and his people encamped for the night. (Ref. 4, p 26-27).

HISTORY OF ROUTE TRAVELED ON JUNE 19
Jacques de Noyon was the first explorer to travel any part of the boundary waters. In the late 1600's he traveled the Kaministikwia River route from Thunder Bay to Rainy Lake were he wintered. (Ref. 2, p 7) Kaministikwia route joins the Boundary Waters route at Eastbend Island on Lac La Croix (Ref. 3, p 21) August 17th, JMcD: Probably camped near Eastbend Island. (Ref. 11, p 102) Original portage around Curtain Falls and the Bottle Portage "have been bulldozed beyond hope of return to their natural state" (Ref. 1, p 73) August 16th, JMcD: Slept at Bottle Portage (Ref. 11, p 102) In 1797, David Thompson passed Bottle portage on July 18th. He arrive at Grand Portage on July 22, 5 days later!. (Ref. 4, p 26-27). David Thompson states on his 1797 trip that he was "very near upset" in a "strong current" just before reaching the portage at Curtain Falls. He describes the portage as about two hundred yards in length on the right-hand side of his route. The unloading was "very bad" and the bank was steep. At nine thirty he and his people encamped for the night. (Ref. 4, p 26-27).

Lunch on East Bend Island Sleeping voyageur

East shore of Eastbend Island Bottle Portage

Rebecca Falls Curtain Falls

Crooked Lake campsite -- another wet one

RETURN TO SUMMARY

Details for June 12, June 13, June 14, June 15, June 16, June 17, June 18, June 19, June 20, June 21, June 22, June 23, June 24, June 25, June 26, June 27, June 28 or June 29

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Last updated: December 25, 2013

Location	Distance To, Miles	Portage Length, Rods	Total Miles Including Portages	Total Rods Portaged	Comments
Lac La Croix					Dry and calm; left camp at 8:15. Arrived at Canadian Ranger Station at ten to pickup Quetico Permits and Canadian fishing licenses. Breeze from the east started mid-morning, but no problem paddling into it.
Eastbend Island	11.5		105.1	165	Ate lunch on this historic island where the Kaministikwia and Boundary Waters Fur Trade Routes met. Voyageurs used to cut 'lobpoles' in this area. Lobpoles are pine trees that had all the branches except the very top cut off so that they could be distinguished by the voyageurs as 'their' marker.
To Bottle Portage	9.5		114.6	165	Water started getting rough near the end of this stretch.
Bottle Portage	0.3	80	114.9	245
Iron Lake to Rebecca Falls	2.9		117.8	245
Iron Lake to Curtain Falls	2.4		120.2	245	All campsites on Iron Lake were full.
Curtain Falls Portage	0.4	140	120.6	385
Crooked Lake	0.5		121.1	385	Strong east wind after portage. High waves forces us to shore and to camp at a undeveloped site. Arrived at camp at 8:15
Day's Total	27.5	220
Maps: Fisher: F-23, F-16, F-17


Lunch on East Bend Island	Sleeping voyageur

East shore of Eastbend Island	Bottle Portage

Rebecca Falls	Curtain Falls

Crooked Lake campsite -- another wet one