Quetico Portage 5389 (Pond to James)

Goat Hill. Easier going east --> west, but difficult in either direction. Was severely impacted by '21 fires. In June 2022, trail was sometimes difficult to track... should improve as undergrowth regrows.

rocky/boggy start unloading spot and then a ridiculously steep incline, be careful on this bit. Afterwards, the trail is mostly flat but has some ups and downs, generally a flat trail. Difficult portage but manageable- got a group of 12-year-olds through the portage successfully, if that tells you anything. thought it was longer than 898, definitely longer sandy put in at the end after a descent.

Took this portage when I was in my prime and it totally blindsided us. We got through it but I'd never go this way again. Going from Pond to James on the way to Darky was more uphill, but even coming back we took the Darky River home and came back through Minn. If going through this area again I'd take the river, hardly any longer but much much easier. Even going back from James to Pond it would be steep and rocky. F that! We did have a huge fish on in Pond Lake. Never did see it because it stayed deep. Likely a big laker or northern.

This is a tough one for sure. Pretty steep on both ends and it seemed that right when you thought it was going to level-out, it would kick your butt again in one way or another. Luckily it was pretty dry when we went through, but a real challenge nonetheless.

My old Fisher Map shows this portage as 220 rods. I used my GPS to measure the actual trail and it is longer at 246.4 rods. Trail was dry, but always a challenge with elevation at the front end of Pond and the back end of James.

As stated earlier. It is one BMF of a portage. I don't plan on ever doing this one again! Exhausting.

We refer to this portage as the Big MF (Big Motherf**ker). It had rained the night before and portage was muddy and slick. Noticed a large pile of wolf poo in the middle of the trail first off (still steaming). A real tough portage, it has earned the name the Big MF or Death March. But, once you get half way through it it tends to level out and and it's not so bad.