Any recent trips to Sargent Lake?

[Redbad]

I am thinking/planning a 2013 pack boating trip to ISRO which would include a zone camp and paddle on Sargent Lake. I am planning on approaching Sargent Lake from the south at a point on the Greenstone not to far west of the intersection of the Daisy Farm access trail. The zone camp would be on or near the "tongue" peninsula that sticks into Sargent Lake at its midsection. Egress would be in the direction of McCargoe Cove (not via the outlet stream which I understand to be a series of beaver dam impoundments).

Having only seen Sargent Lake from the Greenstone and having seen the eastern shore of McCargoe Cove from the GC, is this plan reasonably possible? If someone has a route from McCargoe Cove to Sargent Lake, please let me know.

[honouredamongfoxes]

I hiked past the intersection you mentioned, last month. Beautiful view of Sargent Lake in the vicinity. I back-countried, just day-hiking, up the outlet stream from McCargoe Cove a few years back, in early spring. At that time of year, the remaining snow-melt makes the stream splashy enough to be heard across at the campround, rivaling the one coming down from Chickenbone. My recollection is of the stream itself to be pretty steep. I kept the stream - or rather, its gorge - on my left as I went upstream, finding the heights to be easier going than the immediate stream environs. I also thought I'd reduce the distance by taking the inside of the curve that way. At all times I could hear what I took to be waterfalls. Only at Sargent's west margin did I see anything that looked like beaver-works, off to the south, but I did not actually visit the stream's exit. Anyway, it's a tangle in there, and I doubt there is any substantial floatable ponding along that stream's length; it drops fast through a really rugged gap in the ridge. I think though that a determined hike by a lover of the country could portage the trek I did. Just get up above the broken bluffy tangles; no need to ascend too high.

[bergman]

The only paddling i've heard about on Sargeant Lake is by the fishery biologist doing research there. I've bushwacked in off the greenstone to fish from shore. Without a trail to follow, and with the grade quite steep in spots, and with tall undergrowth, you can't see what you are about to stumble or trip over. The chances of an ankle sprain or other injury are only compounded if you are trying to carry in a canoe. I've read of others planning to take a raft or float tube in, which seems more doable.

[treeplanter]

I've always wanted to take my Klepper folding kayak to Sargent. It be no problem carrying the boat in it's bags and assembling once you were at the lake's shore. I just have to find the best route to get to the lake. Looking at an aerial photo, Sargent Lake looks to be quite the place to paddle.

[kypaulfg]

I am thinking/planning a 2013 pack boating trip to ISRO which would include a zone camp and paddle on Sargent Lake. I am planning on approaching Sargent Lake from the south at a point on the Greenstone not to far west of the intersection of the Daisy Farm access trail. The zone camp would be on or near the "tongue" peninsula that sticks into Sargent Lake at its midsection. Egress would be in the direction of McCargoe Cove (not via the outlet stream which I understand to be a series of beaver dam impoundments).

Having only seen Sargent Lake from the Greenstone and having seen the eastern shore of McCargoe Cove from the GC, is this plan reasonably possible? If someone has a route from McCargoe Cove to Sargent Lake, please let me know.

CURIOUS: Did you make it into Sargent Lake? If so what was your approximate route to and from Sargent Lake?
It’s on my bucket list. This will be our 12th trip to the island.
Thank you in advance


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Redbad]

In 2013 I did not get into Sargent. Ended up doing the center lakes by packraft.

In 2016 I packrafted in McCargoe and looked at the area around the Sargent Lake outlet stream to recon a trip to Sargent.

The logistics are difficult. There is no established trail and the outlet stream has multiple beaver dams. I was solo, so it would have been extremely difficult to break trail and and to portage. If you are going with multiple persons (I don't know what the maximum number of people that are allowed on a back country zone camping permit, so the permit is going to regulate the number of people in your party), you have the advantage of having one person break trail and one or more persons portaging. Figure on the better part of a day to get to Sargent Lake from McCargoe; possibly less time to hike down from the Greenstone. You will need a zone camping permit to overnight (there is a permanent post on how this process works).

Good luck!