BWCA Portage 229

As mentioned by others, the maps (MacKenzie, PP) are basically wrong on this stretch in regards to portages. To get from the parking lot to the Isabella River, there are 4 portages. The first long 200 rod one, then 3 more 30-ish rod portages. The MacKenzie map position of the portages is pretty close just not the number or length. BTW the Snake River is pretty choked up with Alder trees along the first stretch after the long portage; this gets much better after the 2nd short portage. The first portage is on the right. BUT there are rocks and a large log that make trying to figure this one out tricky. You can see where many have tried the left side as well. The trick is to come alongside that log on the right, hop out, toss canoe packs over the log, slog through the little mud puddle and get to the well-traveled short portage after that. The entry back into the Snake is better. The next portage is not that far downstream from the previous one, with the take-out on the right. This is very straight-forward except for one thing - the half-fallen tree you have to navigate under on the up-stream side of the portage. Note it is possible when traveling up-stream to avoid this 2nd portage in the Spring and just run it, but not worth it (we did it and were successful but should have just done the portage). The 3rd portage is a bit farther downstream (a different portage on PP maps; I will put these comments on both portages). The location is basically correct, MacKenzie shows 2 30-ish portages, but it is only 1 and like ~30 rods. The portage entry / exit is straight-forward. The route is a rock-and-tree root fest but doable without too much trouble.

The landings (on east side) for this portage were quite obvious even during the high water in spring of '23. I was able to successfully run the rapids with only minimal scraping but, that option will always be a 'gametime' decision dependent on current water levels. Needed to use the portage trail on the way back up stream. Likely the best option with warmer water will be to walk/line the canoe down/up this short stretch of river. The portage is probably only about 15-20 rods and very level. However, it's not a freebie, as it is absolutely polluted with shiny smooth protruding roots with some knobby boulders and overhanging branches thrown in for good measure.

I'm not even sure where this is. I portaged four times on this river, not three, and the two middle ones I think were on the east side of the river instead of the west. At points, the river was almost too narrow to paddle even with high water. I finished the Snake pretty confused about my map and where portages even were. The portages I did find were lightly used and felt unofficial.

Rough, rocky. At the south end you'll have to walk on the roots of a tree, that's the path at that part. Bizarre.