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      Trip Report - Snowbank, Raven, Alice, and Insula Loop
 
  Last Visit: 03/29/2024 01:05AM

Entry Point 27 - Snowbank Lake

Snowbank Lake entry point allows overnight paddle or motor (25 HP max). This entry point is supported by Kawishiwi Ranger Station near the city of Ely, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 24 miles. Access is a boat landing or canoe launch at Snowbank Lake. Many trip options for paddlers. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 8
Elevation: 1191 feet
Latitude: 47.9716
Longitude: -91.4326
Author Message Text
TomT
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08/23/2009 12:52AM
 
New Trip Report posted by TomT

Trip Name:Raven, Alice, and Insula

Entry Point: 28

Click Here to View Trip Report

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
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satchmoa
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08/23/2009 07:44AM
 
Great report with pictures. I really enjoyed seeing some familiar areas and seeing a father son trip that both seemed to enjoy. Thanks

I would rather be upside down in my canoe than right side up at my desk
alpine525
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08/23/2009 09:39AM
 
Nice trip report - it sounds like you had a real adventure getting through all that mud! We're headed to Ely a week from today - from the Northwest suburbs in Chicago. Can't wait!

Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. Dalai Lama
bojibob
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08/23/2009 10:58AM
 
Nice report. Excellent male bonding, some challenges, good food and some danger (Cliff jumping). What more could you ask for??

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"
timatkn
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08/23/2009 01:40PM
 
Thanks for posting.

I really enjoyed your pics of Raven, I have had my tent set up in that exact same spot 2-3x myself. Brings back some good memories. FYI the portage from Roe to Cap is really quite easy, but mismarked on some of the maps, you just needed to keep heading east. I think the portage is a lot shorter than some maps show and you have to head up the stream towards Cap quite aways further than the map indicates. That area really gets quite overgrown though so I can see how you got confused. I remember just having to power through those vegetation mats--a lot of work. When you finally get to the portage it is quite obvious. If you have to hit the wrong Lake though--Raven is a good one to hit :)

T
onajourney
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08/23/2009 06:57PM
 
I enjoyed your report....glad I am not the only one that has face planted in the muck this year! It wasn't much fun.

Congrats on raising a fine son. You should be very proud of his willingness to serve our country. My son commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force in Dec. and his new bride also commissioned in May. Unfortunately they won't be at the same AF base til next spring. Please tell your son thank you for his commitment to our country.
mr.barley
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08/23/2009 11:23PM
 
We walked back to Raven a few years ago. Looked nice. I don't think the slab rock is the real campsite on the lake though. Someday I will be returning with a PMA permit in hand and find out where the real campsite is. I've also been to the sand beach sites on Alice a couple times. Nice sites.

serenity now
Bog
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08/24/2009 11:24AM
 
Reading these trip reports remind me that no two trips are the same. Different lakes, different people, different weather, different circumstances. Still that 'quiet' of the Boundary Waters always makes a mark on me.
salukiguy
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08/24/2009 02:11PM
 
Loved your report. I am curious whether you or anyone found out more info about the cause of death for the man at Thomas Lake.
TomT
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08/24/2009 05:18PM
 
I thought for sure there would be mention of it on this board when I got out. I told the guy about this site though.

I'm not sure how it happened. When we passed through Thomas Lake the next day we saw a large fire at a site and lots of canoes out front. It was very far away from us so really don't know what was going on.

I have a feeling something will come out about it. My son (and me) were a little freaked out about it. Imagine being the 28 year old son and having to stay with your dead fathers body.

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
Boppa
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08/26/2009 09:26PM
 
TomT,
Enjoyed your trip report very much. Not your ordinary trip by any means, but still a fine one. The pictures were great and added a lot to the report.
Boppa

"Yesterday is the past, Tomorrow is the future, Today is a GIFT, that is why it is called the present".
outdoorguy54494
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08/28/2009 07:52PM
 
Great report. Sorry I missed you guys at the rock. I feel bad about the guy who died and his son having to wait there. I'm not being funny.....But, what better place to go. Beats some cold hospital room.

SunCatcher
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11/22/2009 06:51PM
 
Really nice trip report. Nothing like a father son trip.
Take care.
SunCatcher

"WWJD"
Dbldppr1250
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11/22/2009 10:01PM
 
Great report. I really enjoyed the pictures. I soloed to Williamson Island last June 16, so I just missed you I guess.

Walking School Bus
Koda
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11/23/2009 11:30AM
 
Nice report, a pleasure to read. We had a thread on "Dad stories" a little while back - maybe we should have one on "Kid stories." This one would be a keeper.

I, too, soloed at Williamson Island (last Sept. 13-14), and would stay there again for sure.
Beemer01
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11/23/2009 12:12PM
 
Nicely written - I applaud your sense of adventure.

Cheers -



"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
lars54
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11/23/2009 07:17PM
 
Thanks for the report, and also for the pictures
drnatus
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11/23/2009 08:41PM
 
Enjoyed the report, Thanks!

Never criticize someone until you walk a mile in their shoes....by then you'll be a mile away and they will be shoeless!
TomT
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11/24/2009 06:48AM
 
Hey, this is like an encore or something. Thanks for reading you guys and Beemer, that's nice praise coming from you. I DO have a sense of adventure that goes back to when I was a kid. I don't get too much adventure here in the burbs anymore.

Recently Alex expressed his desire to go to Quetico and "see if we can get lost". We probably won't get to go for awhile because he will be in the Army and I'm looking forward to see how he changes as a result of this. Hopefully we can make many more trips with ultimately going to Wabakimi.

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
Koda
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11/24/2009 12:47PM
 
>"see if we can get lost"
Alex has a great attitude!
Beemer01
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11/24/2009 01:06PM
 
You can get lost the The Q.

I can certainly show you how to do that....:-)




"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
Kevlar
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11/28/2009 07:49PM
 
Enjoyed your report. I had never seen pics of the sand beach campsites on Alice...I've been thru north to south, but we didn't camp. Quite a range of food you had...bars to delicious. Congrats to you and your son.
TomT
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11/29/2009 06:00PM
 
The beaches surprised me too. There are at least 4-6 really nice beach sites there. We were at probably the largest one that's in the middle of the east shore.

There's 2 really nice ones to the north of there on a peninsula. These 2 are more protected from the wind but you don't get the view of the lake that we had. However, the westerlies can really blow at the site we were on. Lots of good shoreline to explore at these also.





"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
sotaman
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12/01/2009 01:21PM
 
Great report sounds like a nice trip

Don't take life to serious remember no one gets out a live
TomP
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02/04/2010 07:04PM
 
Tom, Great trip report. We traveled the same route. I can understand how hard the portages are to find after Sagus. You are correct that the portages get very little use in that area. We took the wrong portage out of Cap to Boulder and did quite a bit of bushwhacking. I agree that the beach sites at Alice are great.
IBFLY
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02/04/2010 07:47PM
 
Nice trip - bushwacking builds "character" and a definite appreciation of the sites you found at Alice.
I had a similar experience in an unamed bog/lake between Brule and Winchell. Sunk down to mid thigh in muck after the canoe got stuck in the middle. Took me nearly an hour to get back to shore, soiaked, slimy, stinking and a few leeches. Mosquito bait.




You say that like it's a bad thing.
TomT
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02/04/2010 11:31PM
 
TomP, I remember talking before our trips and you were going in just ahead of me. As you enter the bog on Roe did you findthe portage off to the right? I'm thnking I may have missed it cause we were looking left. The maps weren't very specific as to where it is.


Did you camp on alice?

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
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