The Lost Portage is no longer Lost

[Keith W]

Over the weekend of December 4-5, our team of six made the connection known as the Lost Portage, between North Harney River and Broad River. Up until now, the only route between Cane Patch and Camp Lonesome was nearly 30 miles long and took two days to travel. We have shortened this connection to about 8 miles that should take no more than 6 hours for the average paddler to complete. The actual Lost Portage passage is less than 2 miles long.

Outward Bound groups have done this before, and they are the ones who gave the Lost Portage its name. Their undocumented routes plowed straight through heavy sawgrass and they dragged their boats almost the entire way. They took two days to make the crossing and spent the night in their canoes. We have managed to find a clear, open route that can be done in less than 3 hours, and impacts the sawgrass prairie far less by following navigable water trails at every opportunity.

While every Wilderness Waterway paddler should experience the Nightmare (until now, the closest thing to a 'shortcut' between Cane Patch and Camp Lonesome), those desiring more in the way of adventure on their next trip should consider the Lost Portage. However, before you start making plans, I'd like to make it clear that this is not a route for beginners, and even experienced paddlers should be well prepared before attempting this crossing. I'd also suggest that you don't try to do this solo until you've had a chance to cross at least once with a companion. You don't want to get stuck out there alone without any help. There are areas of shallow water where you may need to get out and pull your boat, and you will encounter holes that will open up under your feet and send you chest-deep into the mud soup without any warning. There is a ridge of high sawgrass about 200 yards wide that you will need to pull your boat and gear across, and the central section of the Lost Portage runs through a series of interconnecting freshwater ponds that are difficult to follow on the ground. We will post a GPS route as soon as it is finalized, but the bottom line is that there is great potential for getting lost unless you are very observant.

Now that the 'gotchas' have been listed, I guarantee that you are in for a real treat when you finally get to cross the Lost Portage! 99% of Everglades paddlers never get past the wall of mangroves that lines the Wilderness Waterway, and the Lost Portage provides a rare glimpse into the deep sawgrass Everglades that very few ever get to see from the boat, and that you will never come close to duplicating just by driving down the park road. Being there up-close-and-personal is the way to go.

[Swamp Witch]

Oh, forgot to say.  Check out Keith's avatar.  That’s the boat for sawgrass.

My Lost Portage experience was part of a larger trip.  8 day 7 night loop.  Highland Beach to Harney River via the Nightmare, Harney River to Canepatch.  3 nights at Canepatch.  Exploring Rookery Branch and visits from Park Rangers.  Canepatch to Camp Lonesome via the Lost Portage.  And Camp Lonesome to Highland Beach via the Wood River.  I had an outfitter drop me off and pick me up at Highland Beach.  Just not enough time to be able to paddle the whole way.  I hope to post a trip report when I have time.

[Terry]

You hit on one of the most important aspects of the Lost Portage.

The entire Wilderness Waterway is in the saltwater coastal edge of the park, the WW traveler

is only exposed to half of the Everglades ecosystem.   The Lost Portage is not a

slough experience but it does get the paddler into that very important other half -

the River of Grass.  

[toofaraway]

That's fantastic!  Congratulations for sure, that's something you'll never forget.  I'm pretty blown away that you did it by yourself.

Swamp Witch said:

Oh, forgot to say.  Check out Keith's avatar.  That’s the boat for sawgrass.

My Lost Portage experience was part of a larger trip.  8 day 7 night loop.  Highland Beach to Harney River via the Nightmare, Harney River to Canepatch.  3 nights at Canepatch.  Exploring Rookery Branch and visits from Park Rangers.  Canepatch to Camp Lonesome via the Lost Portage.  And Camp Lonesome to Highland Beach via the Wood River.  I had an outfitter drop me off and pick me up at Highland Beach.  Just not enough time to be able to paddle the whole way.  I hope to post a trip report when I have time.

[Rob Stevens]

8 hours! 8 HOURS!!!!! You, Swamp Witch, smoked it. We are impressed. Try two days plus 2 hours. Will write more later.

[Connie Mier]

We are really looking forward to your story Rob. We met up with John & Donna Buckley (invited us for dinner on the Swamp Lily) a few days following your LP adventure. Awesome people, by the way. Glad you made it out of there. John told us that a full or new moon high tide and lots of seasonal water are required to get thru the LP without slogging thru waist deep mud. The persistent north winds and lack of full or new moon tide worked against you.

At any rate, Vivian and I just returned from a 9-day trip that included hell, labyrinth, graveyard and nightmare. Lots of fun! We did some of the old camp routes between Lane Bay and Watson river, thanks to Vivian's GPS tracks.

Vivian should have some good stuff to post later.
Connie

[Swamp Witch]

Rob, as Connie said, I am looking forward to your story.  My trip almost became a 2-dayer.  After that 3^rd or 4^th pull through the center ridge, I just collapsed on the saw grass and watched the clouds drift by for a long time.  I thought, “This would be a great area to set up my tent”.  So tempted, but I figured that I could make the mangrove tunnel section by sunset, & I thought the Buckley’s might check up on me at Camp Lonesome.  They had each day when I was at Canepatch.  Didn’t want to alarm anyone.  Connie, you are so right the Buckley's are awesome people.  They are also to be envied.  In winter they volunteer for ENP and in summer they are at Isle Royale.  Living the dream.  Connie, did John give you his card?  They asked me to email them when I finished my trip, but the card he gave me got destroyed and I can't read the email address.  If you have it and are willing to pass it on, please let me know.

[Kim Gass]

Some day I will be able to figure this route out..  We met John Buckley a couple of years ago in his motor craft and also in the Flamingo campground. When I saw his Monarch strapped to the side of the boat I knew that was the boat of my dreams.  He was so much fun to talk to. I never met his wife Donna.

So far I am just progressing through the Labyrinth , Nigtmare, Wood River , this year Charley Creek and looking forward to doing the LP in 2015,,,gee I already have the trip planned ...fuzzily!

[Rob Stevens]

Swamp Witch. I am just blown away by your crossing the lost portage in 8 hours. The Lost Portage whipped my butt. Not Al's but mine.

      Allison and I took 2 days and two hours to get from Camp Lonesome to "deep" water at the south eastern end just three days after you. We went on Dec 24th to 26th.I wish I had the actual rainfall amounts but I think what I was hearing on NOAA is that Florida (southern?) gets 54" of rain annually and there was a 4 or 5" deficit and the month of December gets 0.9" and had only received 0.1". (Folks please correct me if I'm wrong.) The moon was a half moon on the 25th and the first day there were strong winds out of the NE.

   We had arrived at Camp Lonesome the day before with enough time to explore the mangrove beginning. I'm glad we did because the trail does not start where I thought it did. Where I thought it did the saw grass was 6" above the creek level and no water running off of it. So we kept pushing through the mangroves. There are very faded orange survey tapes and white and blue polka dots marking much of the way, but not all, through the mangroves. We did not have time to  get to the end of the mangroves before heading back to Camp Lonesome for an amazingly bug free night. (I thank the two frogs in the outhouse.)

   The next morning we started off at 7 and entered the mangroves at 8. We followed the tape with only a few wrong turns and soon got to the first white pole. Alan, an Outward Bound instructor I met when I signed in and then again on Lostman's River had told us of the poles. He also said he had tried the portage 8 times and succeeded 5 times. I did not ask how can a group of Outward Bounders  fail and wondered about that often in the hours to come.

   Well we entered the saw grass. We take a 17' Grumman and started with 18 gallons of water. All right, all right, 15 gallons of water and 3 gallons of diet pepsi. And we pushed and we pulled and we dragged. We pushed until I stepped in a mid thigh deep hole. If Al fell in a hole, Tough Beans, me and the canoe are not stopping till I fall in a hole. I think it usually took three sets of pushing to go one canoe length. Occasionally Allison would carry our water forward. While she did that I would try my best not to faint. This is where it really became all Al's fault, going on and on about how beautiful it was.

   Sometime after 4 it was clear we wouldn't finish  that day. So we stuck the canoe up against some saw grass, took the water jugs out and the food cooler and the beach chairs, and shuffled our gear to the bow and stern. THATS RIGHT BEACH CHAIRS. There I said it. I'm not embarrassed. Well yes I am. I tried to hide them from view under a life jacket when paddling. Fortunately I had replaced the center thwart at some time with a wooden thwart. Cut that out with a saw. Now we had a space 66" by 32". Put down our double wide thermarest. Used our tent as a bag to slide our double wide sleeping bag in. What a beautiful night. The wind blowing, the stars, the cool temperature. Just wonderful. And then the wind died. Out came the mosquitoes. No problem, just pull the tent over us. Yes problem. Where you use your body to hold the noseeum netting away from your face the mosquitoes can bite you. Al had bumps upon bumps.

   Day 2. We started off at sunrise joking about how not knowing where we were we might be sleeping in the canoe another night. Well off we go. Thought we' be done before noon. Then noon. then 1 o'clock. Then 2 o'clock. We kept thinking my god Vivian and Connie are coming through here in a couple of days. Well sometime after 3 we came to a "deep" creek. The creek went off to the right. The creek went off to the left. There was an obvious alligator trail in front of us, above water level. Strangely enough we could not turn our 17' canoe to the right or left. How can this be? So we manhandled it right, went 20 feet, and stopped by mangroves. But there's water through there???? So we went left only to be stopped by mangrove roots in 20 feet. But there's water through there !!!!!!! No sign of cut or broken mangrove roots. So I walk down the alligator trail. At least I got to use the paddle. As a walking stick. I go a ways. Well this can't be it so I go back. We have a snack and we discuss our options. Well that alligator trail is awful straight. It must go somewhere. So I walk it. and I walk it. And I walk it. It gets smaller and smaller and just about disappears. And then Oh poop!!! there's a white pole. This is the trail! What took 15 minutes to walk will take 3 hours to portage.

   Al has a second wind and convinces me to keep going. We do know we won't finish today but off we go. This is the easiest. Often the mud is only 8" deep. So we go for a hour and set up camp. Take the water jugs and chairs out. Tie the jugs together so they won't float away if the tide comes in.  (Obviously I'm delirious by now.) Set up the canoe like last night but stand up a paddle to keep the netting off our faces. And then it starts to rain. Well its not cold, it feels good, obviously it will stop. Well obviously it doesn't. So I reach my arm out and pull the fly over us.  Then it stops. Then the mosquitoes come out. Then we have to pee.

   Now those off you with a vivid imagination should go onto my next post. Okay. You've been warned.  Remember we are surrounded by 8" of mud. How can one get out in the mud, pee, and get back in our tight quarters. Well being a guy life is easy. But Allison, what a trooper!!! She sticks her butt over the rail and pees. I slap the mosquitoes when they land on her butt. We are a team.

[Rob Stevens]

Part Two Day 3.  Well it settles in to keep raining. We get up and start off. We had developed a strategy by now. I hope no one reading this ever has to use it. Al is at the bow. I'm at the stern.

Command # 1 Stern Person "Wibble to me". (That means Stern pulls  the stern sideways.)

Command # 2 Bow and Stern  "Wibble Wobble Wibble Wobble". ( Wiggle the canoe sideways pivoting on the center. This breaks the suction of the mud on the canoe. Two woobles is always enough."

Command #3 Bow and Stern "Baby Steps"

Command #4  Stern Person "Give Me a Count"

Command #5 Bow Person "One Two Three"  At the beginning of the day one has a tendency to start before  three, Mid day the spacing between one two and three gets longer. End of day a four gets added.

   Well Day 3 went smoothly, as did Day 1 and 2. It continued to rain lubricating everything. Two more hours and we reached paddleable water. I think the last stretch between white poles is 1300 feet and it took us 3 hours.

We were now two days behind schedule and due at Graveyard that night. We decide to get there by going by the Harney Chickee and wonder if it might be free. Knowing the Buckleys live in Tarpon Bay we look for them wondering if they have the ability to change our reservation.  As we approach John looks at us and says "You look horrible. Where have you been?" We thought we looked pretty good, gear neatly stowed and lashed in, beach chairs hidden from view. Of course covered in mud up to our chests and my pants ripped from crotch to knee might not have impressed them. When we told him we had taken 2 days and two hours he kept saying "But it is only a mile." He has done a round trip in a day. Too bad for him. I would die happy to enter the Iditarod and come in last. More time on the trail. We had a wonderful visit with them and their friend Dave and were feed pie. Pie changes everything. Donna was able to get us changed to Harney which I will be forever thankful for. With the wind and tide we did 5 miles in an hour and a half.

   One last thing. When we met the Outward Bound instructor Alan and his wife Mitra (sp?) on the Lostmans River We arranged to maybe meet Alan at Camilla's Restaurant in Everglade City New Years Eve. Well we did meet him there and my first question was how does an Outward Bound group fail the Lost Portage? I guess even Outward Bound instructors can only take so much whining. We had a pleasant time but I can't help replaying the evening in my mind and thinking that he had an evil little grin when he first came in because he knew the water levels.I do not hold this against him. I would do the same.

[vivian]

Wow, I just knew your story would be fun to read but not fun to experience. Good thing you were able to sleep in your canoe. Several questions come to mind:

Is this trail marked the entire way?
Did you follow Terry's route or the marked route?
Where can one find information for water levels in this particular area and what is the water level needed to run this mile long portage?

It does make sense to me that a strong N/NE wind for several days (which was the scenario that week) would blow the water out. But the main clue that I think is the answer to a successful trip is running the portage on a new or full moon incoming tide. So IF the seasonal water is high and IF those winds aren't too strong. What do you think Terry, is my assumption correct?

I sure am thankful to Connie for forcing me to ditch my wish to run the portage this year and concentrate on doing the nightmare loop instead due to limited vacation days.

[Rob Stevens]

 Oh no, you mean there are other routes? We have to go back and try them all? Actually we had a blast. I would sit there dying between pushes and Allison would be saying "wow isn't this beautiful." Fortunately for me the Lost Portage was her idea.

   I spent the last year studying what had been written on this site and looking at Google Maps and MapQuest. There is an obvious trail visible on Google Maps. I don't know how old the photos are. I don't know how long saw grass trails stay visible.  We printed blow ups of the satellite photos and then left them behind in Maine. Well we studied Google Map on the computer before we left EC. Wrote down some notes. Basically figured a heading of SE would get us there. Too much east might put us in a over grown creek and too much south would definitely extend our stay in the saw grass.

   Fortunately we had time to investigate the mangrove creek the afternoon before. It was clear the trail on Google Maps, if it still existed, was too dry. So we followed the survey tapes into the tangle of mangroves. Lost our way a few times but not by much .If someone wants too those tapes could be refreshed.
 
vivian said:

Wow, I just knew your story would be fun to read but not fun to experience. Good thing you were able to sleep in your canoe. Several questions come to mind:

Is this trail marked the entire way?
Did you follow Terry's route or the marked route?
Where can one find information for water levels in this particular area and what is the water level needed to run this mile long portage?

It does make sense to me that a strong N/NE wind for several days (which was the scenario that week) would blow the water out. But the main clue that I think is the answer to a successful trip is running the portage on a new or full moon incoming tide. So IF the seasonal water is high and IF those winds aren't too strong. What do you think Terry, is my assumption correct?

I sure am thankful to Connie for forcing me to ditch my wish to run the portage this year and concentrate on doing the nightmare loop instead due to limited vacation days.

[Rob Stevens]

Woops. My fat fingers hit the wrong key and sent this before I was done

   So the next morning we set off. following the tapes. Not too many wrong turns. Where there are tiny yellow flowers is the most water.Then we found the white poles  Alan, who had never seen them, told us about. They are a rather straight line to the south east with a few mangrove puddles with the trail marked again by tape. We didn't have to search for the poles very often.

   Near the southeastern end the portage bisects a "deep" creek but the trail goes straight for I believe another 1300 feet.This was the fastest part. It took us 3 hours. No poles till the trail fish hooks south at the southern end. At this point the trail almost disappeared. I can't believe Swamp Witch was through here a few days earlier.

   In between incredulously telling us "But it's only a mile" John Buckley said he had done a round trip in one day, paddling 90% of the time. Hey anyone can do it when there is water. Swamp Witch did it when there was no water. Shame she had to rush through it and not take the 2 days and two hours we did.

 
Rob Stevens said:

 Oh no, you mean there are other routes? We have to go back and try them all? Actually we had a blast. I would sit there dying between pushes and Allison would be saying "wow isn't this beautiful." Fortunately for me the Lost Portage was her idea.

   I spent the last year studying what had been written on this site and looking at Google Maps and MapQuest. There is an obvious trail visible on Google Maps. I don't know how old the photos are. I don't know how long saw grass trails stay visible.  We printed blow ups of the satellite photos and then left them behind in Maine. Well we studied Google Map on the computer before we left EC. Wrote down some notes. Basically figured a heading of SE would get us there. Too much east might put us in a over grown creek and too much south would definitely extend our stay in the saw grass.

   Fortunately we had time to investigate the mangrove creek the afternoon before. It was clear the trail on Google Maps, if it still existed, was too dry. So we followed the survey tapes into the tangle of mangroves. Lost our way a few times but not by much .If someone wants too those tapes could be refreshed.
 
vivian said:

Wow, I just knew your story would be fun to read but not fun to experience. Good thing you were able to sleep in your canoe. Several questions come to mind:

Is this trail marked the entire way?
Did you follow Terry's route or the marked route?
Where can one find information for water levels in this particular area and what is the water level needed to run this mile long portage?

It does make sense to me that a strong N/NE wind for several days (which was the scenario that week) would blow the water out. But the main clue that I think is the answer to a successful trip is running the portage on a new or full moon incoming tide. So IF the seasonal water is high and IF those winds aren't too strong. What do you think Terry, is my assumption correct?

I sure am thankful to Connie for forcing me to ditch my wish to run the portage this year and concentrate on doing the nightmare loop instead due to limited vacation days.