BWCA Portage 305 (Fan to Mountain)

There were 2 very distinct landings on the east end. If approaching from that direction (Moose) favor the north/right side and you'll likely need to paddle through some tall reeds - though there might be a faint channel to guide you in. Otherwise, the other landing adds a few rods of mucky portaging. This will be obvious when approaching from Mountain. This is another muddy, rocky trail with a generous amount of boardwalk and logs put down presumably to aid the traveler. Almost without exception, in my experience, these were more of a hindrance than help as they were very slippery. There were some exceptional cedars along the way and the small creek tumbling alongside the trail provides some nice scenery too. Boulder laden landing on Moose but there is a nice staging area just back from the lake and a convenient sitting log running along the shoreline of Mountain Lake.

This portage was a bit more of a challenge than expected. I could see this one being super difficult in more rainy years/seasons. There was a decent amount of mud for the time of year we went, and I could see it being worse but a fun challenge. There are three entrances. We took the first and there was a bunch of muck and I had to get out and haul the canoe through it. Then when we got on the portage we say there were two more entrances. The second is further back in the reeds and was not visible from the main lake. Though it went through less much and more in the water and the third seemed like more water but also more rocks. So, pick your poison ;)

nice landings. . decent elevation change for its length

Everything from here to Moose is mucky and shallow. The water was plenty low in 2021 so the east landing was a mud pit.

The water was down quite a bit and the exit out of Fan was essentially muck. There appears to be two entry points to the portage out of Fan. We took the first one (see Fanlake portage photo), but there is a second one a little further west (see richwood photo)

This portage, and the two east of it toward Moose, become progressively rockier as you head east. The real challenge here becomes mud and footing.