Portage conditions McCargoe to Chippewa, approp footgear

[eddy_line]

We'll be heading from McCargoe Cove to Chippewa Harbor, via Siskiwit, next week. Haven't been able to find much info on the portages (beyond the Greenstone chart of distance, elevation, comment) which might help us determine whether we should wear hiking boots or mukluks.

Can anyone direct me to an existing chart, or forum thread, or at least provide a heads-up on any marshy or swampy sections? Are there any of those "boardwalks" we have experienced in BWCA?

[Ingo]

I'd go with boots, but haven't used mukluks before. W/o a lot of rain boots were just fine, and I like the ankle support. Some spots wished I had gaitors though, as the legs got pretty wet just from bushes overhanging the trail.

[jshandyman]

we wore our mukluks on all portages and it was just fine. The mukluks realy helped in the slippery conditions over rocks and roots.

[eddy_line]

Well, we are back from the 8 lakes and 8 portages of the McCargoe to Chippewa adventure, and the jury is still somewhat "out" regarding the best choice of footgear. Our group of 3 utilized Keen sandals (with and without socks), Chota Mukluks, medium weight hiking boots (Keens and another brand. One member paddled and portaged in the sandals without serious discomfort, avoiding the transition delays to change footgear. One member was comfortable wearing sandals for paddling, but usually wore boots for the portages, and preferred the foot and ankle support of the boots. I wore the mukluks for paddling and boots for portaging, keeping my feet dry for the entire trip, and providing the traction and support I needed on the portages.

Changing footgear at the start and end of each portage does add a few minutes, but I felt that the boots were well worth that for improved comfort and safety on the portages. The mukluks, however, are hot and heavy, also can be a bit awkward entering a keyhole cockpit.

Sandals are self-draining, and can be comfortable, if your feet are well conditioned to them before the trip. Particularly without socks, they do expose you to leeches, and the sight of 50 leeches on one foot, no matter how small the leeches, is a rather unpleasant surprise. Salt and the back edge of a knife speeds their removal.

My personal conclusion is that boots are desirable for the portages, still looking for a dry but lightweight option for paddling and launching the kayaks. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[offthegrid]

I left the boots hanging on my pack and used my vibram's for portages and in the boat. If you can get past the looks and not stub your toe on a rock they are the ticket. You can't sprain your ankle in them and they grip the rocks better than boots I would definitely condition your feet to them first as it's like being barefoot on rough terrain.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm