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BWCA Portage 413 (Kekekabic to Strup)

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Approximate Length:
412m (82 rods)

Lakes:

Climb/Descent Meters:
39

"Hilliness" Index
95

# of Comments:
10

On 9/21/2026 2:06:40 PM, eagle98mn said:
Visit Date:
9/17/2026

Up up up. It basically climbs the entire time. It isn't that it is the worst climb ever, but I was surprised at how steady the climb was. Somehow I didn't even notice the Kek trail crossing. We were moving quick and I guess I just missed it.
On 9/21/2026 5:32:53 AM, Big Bean said:
Visit Date:
8/19/2026

The steep incline out of Kekekabic Lake is brutal early on but gets better as the portage goes on. Still a significant amount of elevation change and a good workout.
On 9/11/2026 8:12:46 PM, collinsm22 said:
Visit Date:
9/5/2026

Both ends are rocky and uneven, but no more so than all of the portages along this route. There are cedars on the Kekekabic side that provide some nice shade/shelter. We got to go downhill at this one (toward Kekekabic Lake), payback for going uphill at Gerund. It would be quite the workout going in the opposite direction.
On 2/25/2022 9:38:36 PM, elkninja said:
Visit Date:
6/18/2020

Tough incline out of Kek...calf burner!
On 6/2/2019 9:20:41 PM, TuscaroraBorealis said:
Visit Date:
5/24/2019

Idyllic landing on Kekekabic end, sloped and stony on Strup end. Very tough climb out of Kekekabic and the hiking trail intersects near the Strup Lake end.
On 3/2/2019 12:41:26 PM, Riley Smith said:
Visit Date:
6/5/2018

We fought the wind coming across Kek, this portage proved quite the challenge. The Kek end will really give a workout. We made it over and kept on trekking.
On 1/27/2019 7:51:02 AM, Mike Monahan said:
Visit Date:

You'll feel the burn on this portage. Tough portage from Kek to Strup.
On 1/3/2019 4:34:05 PM, flynn said:
Visit Date:
6/5/2018

This portage sucked. The climb is fairly significant and certainly woke me up after the beautiful early morning paddle out of Kek. It just goes up and up. In my GoPro footage I can be heard saying "I could go the rest of my life and never do this portage again and be happy with that". lol.
On 7/22/2018 9:38:24 PM, Egapillar said:
Visit Date:
10/3/1992

Met a Bull moose on the Kek side of the this portage when I returned to get the canoe.
On 3/17/2018 1:38:51 AM, runningrealtor said:
Visit Date:
7/21/2017

good footing but it is a big climb from Kek
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Strup ~ Kekekabic portage
Strup ~ Kekekabic portage by TuscaroraBorealis
5/24/2019
Approach to portage 413 on Strup
Approach to portage 413 on Strup by collinsm22
9/5/2026
Difficult put-in/take-out on Kekekabic
Difficult put-in/take-out on Kekekabic by collinsm22
9/5/2026
View into Kekekabic from the portage
View into Kekekabic from the portage by collinsm22
9/5/2026
Approach to the portage from Kekekabic
Approach to the portage from Kekekabic by collinsm22
9/5/2026
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