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Heading to scorch lake in July for my annual camping trip with high school buds.
I've seen recent posts and pictures about water level being down alot, is this a concern? I think I read that a dam broke, can't remember where.
This will likely be the furthest we've gone interior too, or very close to North Depot last year. I'll have to check.
Is there any suggestion on route ? Do we take the river up (from where we get out permits and canoes, Pine Grove point) or go though Kingscote?
Also, any suggestions on a campsite once we get there? The only thing I've been able to find is not to pick the first one we come across.
I'm hoping (I say this every year tho) to get a bunch of pictures of all the campsites and contribute to the PCI project. I just need to do the write up for Sunday, Crotch, Basin and North Depot from our last 5 years. 
Thanks in advance!
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The southeastern most site is a good one on Scorch. nice beach and landing. We went in and out through Kingscote so don't know about the river south of there.
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You could get there by either route, the best might be to go there from Kingscote and out by the river, I think you can arrange a shuttle back to your car from Pine Grove Point fairly affordably.
I'd agree with taking the easternmost campsite on Scorch if you can.
Getting onto the main part of the lake from the portage might be challenging. It was a bit of a rock garden when I was there a few years ago and I've also heard the dam broke, that would mean the beaver dam at the outlet of Scorch Lake (near the portage where a creek drains it into Branch Lake) so that might lower the water levels a bit. I'm sure it's still doable but it might take some extra portaging or wading.
Don't miss the short hike to the lookout.
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DanPM wrote:
You could get there by either route, the best might be to go there from Kingscote and out by the river, I think you can arrange a shuttle back to your car from Pine Grove Point fairly affordably.
I'd agree with taking the easternmost campsite on Scorch if you can.
Getting onto the main part of the lake from the portage might be challenging. It was a bit of a rock garden when I was there a few years ago and I've also heard the dam broke, that would mean the beaver dam at the outlet of Scorch Lake (near the portage where a creek drains it into Branch Lake) so that might lower the water levels a bit. I'm sure it's still doable but it might take some extra portaging or wading.
Don't miss the short hike to the lookout.
Lots of wading and extra portage probably 200m+ we were able to put in and paddle for about 50m before we just had to pull the canoe. Sometimes ending up waist deep in muck There was a small beaver dam at the end and we were able to paddle from there.
Looking at previous pictures it's crazy to see how much this lake level has dropped even from 2014. (Sometime between 2009 and 2012 is appears the first major dam broke - and an additional one broke sometime after 2014). Does make it difficult if you planned to get there on day 1. We left Kingscote about 10:00 (due to storm) and got at the site at 6:30pm.
Heading home along the river route to do that loop there was at least 3 beaver dams we had to pull over, some very impressive, at least 2 over a meter tall, and one that basically surrounded us as we pulled into it. Very cool.
Alot of the Portage signs are missing. We needed up missing the one near the Gut Rapids Trail, pulled over a beaver dam, found the trail then had to double back. and pull back over the beaver dam. Probably lost an hour of time there cause we got lost.
We ended up leaving our site on Scorch Lake at 8:10 and in Pine Grove Point just before 6.
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I wish I saw this thread earlier, I have a recent trip report from fall 2017 with lots of details and pictures for most campsites in the area (see my site in my signature). Probably could have helped with your planning but it’s a little after the fact now lol
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I wish I saw this thread earlier, I have a recent trip report from fall 2017 with lots of details and pictures for most campsites in the area (see my site in my signature). Probably could have helped with your planning but it’s a little after the fact now lol
We found your trip report and campsite pictures a few months ago, that helped with us picking the campsite, etc.
Judging by your pictures that you have, the water level is at least 1-2 feet lower today, that beach firepit on campsite #4 while still there, the beach surrounding it is completely covered in shrubs and other vegetation.
We were able to find Campsite #1. Didn't have a camera with us, but it was in really really bad condition.
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I wish I saw this thread earlier, I have a recent trip report from fall 2017 with lots of details and pictures for most campsites in the area (see my site in my signature). Probably could have helped with your planning but it’s a little after the fact now lol
We found your trip report and campsite pictures a few months ago, that helped with us picking the campsite, etc.
Judging by your pictures that you have, the water level is at least 1-2 feet lower today, that beach firepit on campsite #4 while still there, the beach surrounding it is completely covered in shrubs and other vegetation.
We were able to find Campsite #1. Didn't have a camera with us, but it was in really really bad condition.
Glad I was able to indirectly help at least. Shame about the low water levels and overgrown beach; it's a pretty good summer destination but not if it's difficult to get to and the beaches are overgrown. Water levels could also be because I was there in October, but even then it was a bit of a pain to navigate from the portage to the main body of the lake.
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