Hi Kevin, thanks for posting this. I'm planning on doing Rain L. to Bandit with my 10-year-old daughter. On the map, I see there is a waterway from Sawyer's to Jubilee. Any chance we can canoe that section instead of portaging? We'll be there in September.
Just completed this route (Sept 09) to Misty from Rain using both arms of the route. Started Rain, Sawyer, Jubilee Juan, Moccasin, Bandit, Wenona, Muslin and Misty for 6 days and headed out Little Misty, Petawawa, Unknown, Moccasin etc etc. Petawawa to Unknown portage entrance is a disaster! Up to my thigh in thick crappy smelling mud for the first 20m. The portage distances have changed on several portages from the map (more accurate GPS co-ordinates available). 980m from Muslin to is now 1030m. Many have increased 30-50m we noticed. One site on Jubilee is misplaced near portage to Sawyer. I'd say overall it's an intermediate route with some descent climbs and descents on portages with large roots and narrow bridges to navigate. Took us 7hrs to get in and 4:45 to get out. We were able to portage packs and canoe at once on the way out. Very enjoyable.
Just finished route on sept 22 2009. We only got half way on rain lake on 19th as arrived late. Nice site though with easy pull up. Nicer one on peak just before island ... All the portages to Misty Lake were a challenge for me, not so much for my wife ... but we were both beat by end of day. We took north route to the Petawawa ... still some mud midway and at put in, but not too bad. Weather was on our side. Misty was truly misty and gorgeous in morning. Way back was easier as we took the southern route over two days ... lunched at middle site on Winona ... very nice ... and continued west to Mocassin ... (sorry to see a bit of clutter on these sites but cleaned up as much as we could.) Otherwise lovely. Then, a great stay on Jubilee main site (can't miss it, in the middle with rock face ... lovely site). Another great site on Jubilee (albeit small) is nearest to portage to Sawyer ... very pretty ... and easy pull up. Then home. Cute little Otters on entrance to Misty, scared a Moose on the trail to Bandit and had a resident Beaver at Mocassin and bullfrog (good to see they are still surviving) on Jubilee. Great weather ... excellent trip, but not so easy for us in our 50's ... See pics here ...
My wife and I did the Rain Lake>Moccasin>Petawawa>Misty>Bandit>Moccasin-Rain Lake loop last week (Sept 2008). Very small lakes and short portages makes the route a bit of a hassle. Great campsite on the small island at Misty entrance.
Good alternative to busy Hwy 60.
My wife and I just did this route (Aug 2008), except we spent an extra day on Misty and returned back along the Petawawa. I agree that the Moccasin to Petawawa is similar in either direction really. It was a lovely trip, although a lot of the portages were very muddy and heavy going from all the rain this summer.
Found the western campsite on Moccasin to be lovely.
I did a very similar trip, only in the opposite direction. If you stop on Misty for a day off, I recommend the most south-westerly campsite next to the Muslim portage. The bog west of there is great for some moose spotting. Overall, the route offers campsites that have seen less use than average, providing lots of wood and wildlife sighting opportunities.
While on Jubilee Lake, check out the campsite that is directly under the first "e" in Jubilee on the map. There you should find, on a rock sloping from the shore to lake, petroglyohs of a sun, moose and tree!
I agree this is a nice route, but when my friends and I did the day trip, we saw no problem with doing the portaging in the counter-clockwise direction. Hills seemed pretty equal in each direction, to us.
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Hi Kevin, thanks for posting this. I'm planning on doing Rain L. to Bandit with my 10-year-old daughter. On the map, I see there is a waterway from Sawyer's to Jubilee. Any chance we can canoe that section instead of portaging? We'll be there in September.
Just completed this route (Sept 09) to Misty from Rain using both arms of the route. Started Rain, Sawyer, Jubilee Juan, Moccasin, Bandit, Wenona, Muslin and Misty for 6 days and headed out Little Misty, Petawawa, Unknown, Moccasin etc etc. Petawawa to Unknown portage entrance is a disaster! Up to my thigh in thick crappy smelling mud for the first 20m. The portage distances have changed on several portages from the map (more accurate GPS co-ordinates available). 980m from Muslin to is now 1030m. Many have increased 30-50m we noticed. One site on Jubilee is misplaced near portage to Sawyer. I'd say overall it's an intermediate route with some descent climbs and descents on portages with large roots and narrow bridges to navigate. Took us 7hrs to get in and 4:45 to get out. We were able to portage packs and canoe at once on the way out. Very enjoyable.
Just finished route on sept 22 2009. We only got half way on rain lake on 19th as arrived late. Nice site though with easy pull up. Nicer one on peak just before island ... All the portages to Misty Lake were a challenge for me, not so much for my wife ... but we were both beat by end of day. We took north route to the Petawawa ... still some mud midway and at put in, but not too bad. Weather was on our side. Misty was truly misty and gorgeous in morning. Way back was easier as we took the southern route over two days ... lunched at middle site on Winona ... very nice ... and continued west to Mocassin ... (sorry to see a bit of clutter on these sites but cleaned up as much as we could.) Otherwise lovely. Then, a great stay on Jubilee main site (can't miss it, in the middle with rock face ... lovely site). Another great site on Jubilee (albeit small) is nearest to portage to Sawyer ... very pretty ... and easy pull up. Then home. Cute little Otters on entrance to Misty, scared a Moose on the trail to Bandit and had a resident Beaver at Mocassin and bullfrog (good to see they are still surviving) on Jubilee. Great weather ... excellent trip, but not so easy for us in our 50's ... See pics here ...
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2039789&id=1310392359
My wife and I did the Rain Lake>Moccasin>Petawawa>Misty>Bandit>Moccasin-Rain Lake loop last week (Sept 2008). Very small lakes and short portages makes the route a bit of a hassle. Great campsite on the small island at Misty entrance.
Good alternative to busy Hwy 60.
My wife and I just did this route (Aug 2008), except we spent an extra day on Misty and returned back along the Petawawa. I agree that the Moccasin to Petawawa is similar in either direction really. It was a lovely trip, although a lot of the portages were very muddy and heavy going from all the rain this summer.
Found the western campsite on Moccasin to be lovely.
I did a very similar trip, only in the opposite direction. If you stop on Misty for a day off, I recommend the most south-westerly campsite next to the Muslim portage. The bog west of there is great for some moose spotting. Overall, the route offers campsites that have seen less use than average, providing lots of wood and wildlife sighting opportunities.
There is a nice long sandy beach at very Easterly end (almost the south east corner) of Rain Lake. Great for swimming to cool off on a hot day.
While on Jubilee Lake, check out the campsite that is directly under the first "e" in Jubilee on the map. There you should find, on a rock sloping from the shore to lake, petroglyohs of a sun, moose and tree!
I agree this is a nice route, but when my friends and I did the day trip, we saw no problem with doing the portaging in the counter-clockwise direction. Hills seemed pretty equal in each direction, to us.