Algonquin Portaging 101 ©

 

An outtake from the July 17, 2017, Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake portage video, part one, photo by the author.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to portage a canoe or a pack, between two lakes, anywhere in the northern wilderness?  If you have, watch the video that my cameraman shot on July 17, 2017 on a 635 meter portage between Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake, in Algonquin Provincial Park, HERE or HERE.

The portage in the video was a successful portage, in that it was a “one-trip” portage, meaning we travelled between the lakes just once and therefore, we spent the least amount of time and travelled the least amount of distance possible, on that portage.

What are the secrets to having a successful one trip portage?

First you have to match the number of people in the canoe to the number of things being carried across the portage.  For example, if there are three people in the canoe and you have two packs, plus the canoe, then everyone has one thing to carry.  Providing that they can physically carry their item, then you should be able cross the portage in one trip. 

An illustration of a “one-trip” portage, drawing by the author

However what if your canoe has two people and two packs, not to mention the canoe?  Well, in that case, you are going to be forced to make a “two-trip” portage.  The problem with a “two-trip” portage is that you actually have to spend three times as long and cover three times as much distance as you would on a “one-trip” portage.

An illustration of a “two-trip” portage, showing you crossing the portage three times, drawing by the author

Why “three times” you ask?  Simple, there are three items and two of you; one the first trip across the portage you each carry one item, then you walk back across the portage to the starting point and get the last item: you have walked the portage three times and have taken three times as long as you would on a “one-trip” portage. 

What if you have enough people to carry everything, but the packs are too heavy for one of the people to carry, or maybe you are trekking in the wilderness with a child or young adult?  What is the ideal weight of a pack and when is the canoe too heavy for someone to carry?

You should always try to match, whenever possible, the weight of the packs and the weight of the canoe to the people who will be carrying them.  REI, Inc. recommends that the ideal pack weight should be 20% of your body weight and other experts recommend 25%; Stephen J. Townsend, in his thesis that used S.L.A. Marshall’s data from The Soldier’s Load and the Mobility of the Nation, suggested that a sustainable, comfortable load to carry is about 30% of your body weight; further he cautioned that you run the risk of injury, if you repeatedly and frequently carry more than 45% of your body weight.  Additionally he wrote that, occasionally overloading someone to between 65% and 90% of their body weight for up to twenty kilometers, or twelve and a half miles, for several days is possible, however the person carrying the overload has an elevated risk of an injury and it will travel slower.

How much can be carried by your body weight, by the author.

                                                Percentages of body weight

                                                and weight to be carried

                Body Weight          25%         30%         45%

                        180 lbs            45 lbs      54 lbs      81 lbs

                        150 lbs            38 lbs      45 lbs      68 lbs

                        120 lbs            30 lbs      36 lbs      54 lbs

                          90 lbs            23 lbs      27 lbs      41 lbs

                          60 lbs            15 lbs      18 lbs      27 lbs

So have fun and I hope that you enjoy your “one-trip” portages.

 

An outtake from the July 17, 2017, Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake portage video, part one, photo by the author.

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and my videos at BandanaMan Productions and don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube, and if you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles and videos on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

Sources

Townsend, Stephen J., Major, USA, “The Factors Of Soldier’s Load”, [Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1994], p 15-16, https://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CSI/docs/Gorman/06_Retired/03_Retired_2000_11/22_09_SoldierFuture_Jun.pdf, accessed 8/6/2019

Pasteris, Joe, “How Much Should Your Pack Weigh?”, [Recreational Equipment, Inc., 2019], https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-much-should-your-pack-weigh, accessed 8/6/19