Boundary Waters Trip Reports, Blog, BWCA, BWCAW, Quetico Park

BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog

March 19 2024

Entry Point 16 - Moose/Portage River (North of Echo Trail)

Moose/Portage River (north) entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by La Croix Ranger Station near the city of Ely, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 27 miles. Access is a 160-rod portage heading North from the Echo Trail.

Number of Permits per Day: 5
Elevation: 1348 feet
Latitude: 48.1230
Longitude: -92.0991
A favorite route offering many trip options and memorable things to see including;

World Class fishing for all four BWCA Species
Pictographs
Soaring granite hills and cliffs
Small lakes
Small rivers
Tumbling rapids and waterfalls
Wildlife, including Moose
Vistas from high points across the region if you're willing to climb. Rating Easy to Moderate. Day One. Get to EP16 off of the Echo Trail early. The initial portage is long, but well worn and smooth, sloping gently downgrade to the launch area. Load your canoe and head North. You'll be paddling with the slight current on this narrow winding river. The water is clear and make sure to tell the bowperson to watch for looming rocks!

Moose river north

by riverrunner
Trip Report

Entry Date: June 18, 2015
Entry Point: Moose/Portage River (north)
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 2

Trip Introduction:
We entered on June 18th leaving the parking lot at 1137am we traveled down the moose river to Agnes lake with the idea of spending the night their continuing to Oyster the next day.

Report


Thursday We arrived on Agnes around 430pm we took the first camp site open 1810 I would rate it a 2 the worse part being no good landing spot. We were bashed up against the rocks by the wind as we tried to land had a hard time pulling the canoe up. The site worked for us a quick over night. I wouldn't want to spend any length of time there.

We went out for some quick fishing and did not have any luck. But then we didn't try very hard.

Hit the sack at dark rose about 6am as normal for us we didn't hit the lake until 10am the morning of the 19th.

One things I don't like about eastern side sites is the lack of the morning sun to dry the dew of the tent and fly. this was a tight site keeping thee sun out.

Friday We headed out thinking about taking the oyster river into oyster lake avoiding the portage out of Agnes. We paddled back up the moose to the mouth of the oyster and started up we missed the main channel by about 100 feet and had to push threw some weeds to find it. Once in the main channel we traveled up the river with just a few pull over beaver dams being in the way.

It was well worth it to avoid the 160 rod portage. Lower water could be a problem but there was plenty on this trip. If traveling that way I well try this route first again. finding the main channel is the key.

We arrived at oyster and continued onto Ge-be-on-e-quet to spend the next two days there at camp site o the eastern side not shown on the map here.

This is a very nice site a 4 for sure the only thing that would make it better would be it was eastern facing site. I stayed here 4 years ago with my son. Plenty of fire wood due to a lot of near by blow downs.

We set up camp and ate dinner cut fire wood and went to bed. Saturday was a rain day starting out lite and steadily increasing. We dressed in are rain gear and went fishing.

We caught enough small mouth for dinner that night and the next. My partner caught and released around a 10lb northern. No luck fishing with leaches for walleyes. We went out later to try for walleyes again no luck but we did stop at the rock chairs and very much enjoyed them at this time they were in very good shape and very interesting. I hope no one damages them in the future. They are unique and enjoyable to find.

Saturday evening the weather cleared and help dry camp out. Sunday morning woke to a bright sunny day allowing us to dry clear and pack up. We left around 11am and traveling out to LLC traveling east towards boulder bay. Had a very nice trip up taking the inside shore line up LLC with a very nice tail wind. Stopped on a nice small rock point had lunch and continued onto camp 173.

A nice site I would easily rate a 4+ as it didn't have a good place set up a tarp nice the fire grate if it would have that I would rate it a 5. Went fishing caught nice northern and released it. One small mouth that we added to are fish from the day before for dinner.

Monday We woke up to gray sky's with air smelling of rain We made breakfast and started packing up camp it started a lite rain and just as we had are gear all packed it started to pour. We head to Agnes across the two short portages and in countered very heavy rain all the way back to Nina moose some times so hard it was hard to see the far shore line.

As we entered the moose river we were lucky to encounter a cow moose and twin calves crossing the river. The quickly disappeared into the brush. We decide that if it was still raining hard when we arrived at Nina moose we would continue out to the parking lot and head home. As we arrive there the rain stopped allowing us to set up camp site 1789 I would rate this site a 4. Just in time for it to start pouring again.

We were stuck in camp than about 9pm it stopped and stated to clear I cooked dinner and we went to bed.

Tuesday woke up to a beautiful sunny day allowing us to dry gear and pack up for the paddle to he parking lot. We left the site at 956am and arrived at the truck at apox. 1230pm It took us about another 30 min to load up and change before heading to Ely for lunch and the drive home.

Over all a great trip the only thing that was missing was the hordes of mosquitoes that one normally encounters at this time on the year.

We only used are head nets on Monday while portaging in the rain and camp that night and the next morning until the sun was out. I can say this was one of my most bug free trips ever.

thanks for reading

Riverrunner

 


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