A group of myself and 3 others are planning to make a loop from EP19 to EP16. We will be going out for 6 nights. Our preliminary plan is as follows:

Day 1 Make camp at Stuart Lake
Day 2 Make our way to Iron Lake
Day 3 Base camp at Iron
Day 4 Base camp at Iron
Day 5 Base Camp at Iron
Day 6 Begin our way to EP16 (Lake Agnes or Boulder Bay)
Day 7 Depart Via EP16

Does this seem like a good route and time-line? We all like to fish so we like the idea of spending time on Iron area for a bit. From my research Iron appears to have excellent fishing. Of course we are planning some day trips to Curtain Falls and the Pictographs on the West end of Crooked Lake. Last year was our first trip to the Boundary Waters (Same group as this year) and we are hooked. We were not very welled planned and grossly over-packed. We went in at Crab Lake so we understand how difficult portages can be. This year we are going to try to single portage. Any input or feedback would be great.

Sounds like a great trip!

Personally, I would spend an extra night at Stuart, the fishing is great and you will likely have the whole lake to yourself.

Single portaging is a good idea. The portage north out of Stuart into Fox Lake is a doozy, harder than the 480 rod into Stuart in my opinion.

We paddled through Iron last year at the end of May and did not pass a single open campsite, so just be aware of that when planning.

This is a great region. I have not gone in EP19 but hopefully someone who knows Stuart well will chime in about whether you can reach Iron on Day 1. I would think that would be desirable since you plan to base camp.

Get a RABC and add Rebecca Falls to your list for day trips.

If you have not done LLC before, I'd recommend spend some extra time in the Boulder Bay area. If you prefer to base camp on Iron the whole time, you could make it one long travel day on Day 6...breaking camp in Iron early, doing the Bottle Portage in the morning and visiting Warrior Hill and the Pictos during the day, then moving to Agnes for your last night.

Single portaging can be a challenge especially when your food packs are swollen. What items were the most overpacked?

I doubt you'll make it to Iron on day 1. Stuart is a good plan, and if fishing is good you might want to stay there an extra day. Iron is good and curtain falls is a must. There's picto's on that side of crooked? I know of the ones by lower basswood falls but that's a trek. The ones on LLC won't be far off your path when you're headed west out of Iron into LLC.

I like your plan but I'd use one of those extra Iron days on either Stuart or LLC.

cyclones30: "I doubt you'll make it to Iron on day 1. Stuart is a good plan, and if fishing is good you might want to stay there an extra day. Iron is good and curtain falls is a must. There's picto's on that side of crooked? I know of the ones by lower basswood falls but that's a trek. The ones on LLC won't be far off your path when you're headed west out of Iron into LLC.


I like your plan but I'd use one of those extra Iron days on either Stuart or LLC. "

I've seen reference to pictographs on the west end, and looked for them. They were barely there. It's not the same as the Basswood Falls or LLC/Warrior Hill images.

And how easy is it to grab an RABC just to see Rebecca Falls? Can you do that by mail? Or are we talking a trip to the border?

I agree, stay in Stuart for 2 nights, it has some good walleye & pike fishing.

Iron is known for its walleye. When are you going?

If you did Crab (portage 1.25 mile) you won't mind the 1 1/2 mile for Stuart River. I did it for a solo trip a few years back & it is the nicest long portage I have ever done! Almost flat, like it goes through an old meadow.

Boulder area has some nice sized crappie in it.