BWCA Portage 917 (West Pike to Gogebic)

This is the worst "marked" portage and the worst portage I've experienced yet. The portage is not easy to find, it took us about a half hour getting out multiple times to see if it was there, it didn't seem to be exactly where it was on the map. The portage itself was up and down and was almost straight up from West Pike to Gogebic. Maybe this is a good fishing lake, or maybe you were like us and there were no open campsites on Clearwater or West Pike and you were hustling to find a campsite as the hours were growing longer. I would not do this portage by choice but I am also probably biased as we were extremely exhausted doing this portage after a long day. Look for the giant downed tree (I know, a very unique landmark) to locate the entrance to this portage. It's also a horrible landing that's really sketchy. Pretty little lake. We survived, so doable, just a lot of rocks, roots, and elevation/incline. Good luck!

One hill of a portage. Once you get the canoe on land (poor landing), it is all up hill. When you get to the top and see this gorgeous lake it is worth it.

This portage is closer to the Clearwater to West Pike than most maps. Were this maps shows the portage is an initial well traveled false portage, I found out the hard way. The actual portage is fairly well traveled. Personally I didn’t find it that terrible as I had heard and read. Steep and one that will make you breathe, but I have been on much harder ones. 1 -10 I give this a solid 5 or 6. The landing on West Pike is very rocky and hard not to scratch your canoe, slip, and or canoe blow away. The landing on Gogebic is perfect!

I have been to some of the toughest portages in the BWCA, and this contends with some of them if it's wet. Where to start? Terrible landing on the North (one can't get within 15 ft of the landing before beaching rocks.) From there begins the climb:upwards still upwards most of the way to Gogebic. One spot my canoe didn't fit (had to flip it down to a bear hug and carry it sideways through), lots and lots of loose rock, a couple low hanging trees to duck under, and a couple flat spots that trick one into thinking the climb is done. If you catch trout (or even if you don't) the cool lake is worth it, but there is quite the price to be paid.

From the rocky West Pike landing the trail climbs steeply to the extreme. As an added bonus, there was a spot where the canoe barely squeezed through a few trees. The trail briefly levels out at the BRT intersection before resuming the incredibly steep ascent. Only now there are also knobby boulders to contend with! The landing on Gogebic is a rocky, though welcome spot.