BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
May 09 2024
Entry Point 39 - Baker Lake
Baker Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Tofte Ranger Station near the city of Tofte, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 26 miles. Access is a boat landing at Baker Lake with a 10-rod portage into Peterson Lake to reach first campsite. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1497 feet
Latitude: 47.8452
Longitude: -90.8169
Summary: A 5-day loop from Baker up the Temperance lakes to Cherokee, and back through Sawbill and Smoke lakes back to Baker. A fairly difficult trip.
Day 0: We drove up from Stillwater in the morning and camped at one of the 5 walk-in campsites at Baker Lake, and it was nice.
Day 1 (Baker to S. Temperance) - A beautiful day, we decided to paddle all the way to South Temperance the first day which was a great paddle with easy portages except for the last one. We picked the campsite on top of a huge rock that was close to the middle of the lake. Tried fishing some but no luck
Day 2 (Rest) - In the night, we encountered the worst storm of the entire season. While we were there 19 people had to be rescued from the BWCA. We had about 50mph straightline winds, and I'm still surprised that the huge tent we had stood up to it. We slept in and took a rest day because of the intense winds. Amazingly beautiful sunset.
Day 3 (S. Temperance to Cherokee) - We left as early as we could to beat the heat, but it was no good. The lengthy, hilly portages were challenging and by the last portage we were pretty beat. We overpacked and single portaged which led us to speedier exhaustion. Still amazing weather. North Temperance was a beaut- I wish we had stayed there instead of South. We took the southeasterly facing campsite on Cherokee on the southeastern skinny island. Neat little site.
Day 4 (Cherokee to Sawbill) - Left a little later in the day but it was ok. We took our time going down the river letting out of the southwest part of Cherokee and it was a great area. BEWARE: The area between Ada and Skoop Lakes appears to be floatable, but a dam built recently has made the portion impossible to float. Be prepared for a long portage through muck and water. A guy that we saw there said he had been going to the BWCA for 40 years at least once per year and it was the worst portage he had ever seen. By the time we got to Sawbill it was pretty hot. We paddled all the way down to the site next to the portage onto Smoke.
Day 5 (Sawbill to Baker) - Cooler, cloudier weather for the first time on the trip. We were pretty hungry (I underpacked food a little and I felt really bad) and we were taunting each other with vivid descriptions of the burgers we were going to eat ASAP after getting out. We paddled back to Baker and returned our gear to Sawtooth outfitters.
Overall great route.
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1497 feet
Latitude: 47.8452
Longitude: -90.8169
Summary: A 5-day loop from Baker up the Temperance lakes to Cherokee, and back through Sawbill and Smoke lakes back to Baker. A fairly difficult trip.
Day 0: We drove up from Stillwater in the morning and camped at one of the 5 walk-in campsites at Baker Lake, and it was nice.
Day 1 (Baker to S. Temperance) - A beautiful day, we decided to paddle all the way to South Temperance the first day which was a great paddle with easy portages except for the last one. We picked the campsite on top of a huge rock that was close to the middle of the lake. Tried fishing some but no luck
Day 2 (Rest) - In the night, we encountered the worst storm of the entire season. While we were there 19 people had to be rescued from the BWCA. We had about 50mph straightline winds, and I'm still surprised that the huge tent we had stood up to it. We slept in and took a rest day because of the intense winds. Amazingly beautiful sunset.
Day 3 (S. Temperance to Cherokee) - We left as early as we could to beat the heat, but it was no good. The lengthy, hilly portages were challenging and by the last portage we were pretty beat. We overpacked and single portaged which led us to speedier exhaustion. Still amazing weather. North Temperance was a beaut- I wish we had stayed there instead of South. We took the southeasterly facing campsite on Cherokee on the southeastern skinny island. Neat little site.
Day 4 (Cherokee to Sawbill) - Left a little later in the day but it was ok. We took our time going down the river letting out of the southwest part of Cherokee and it was a great area. BEWARE: The area between Ada and Skoop Lakes appears to be floatable, but a dam built recently has made the portion impossible to float. Be prepared for a long portage through muck and water. A guy that we saw there said he had been going to the BWCA for 40 years at least once per year and it was the worst portage he had ever seen. By the time we got to Sawbill it was pretty hot. We paddled all the way down to the site next to the portage onto Smoke.
Day 5 (Sawbill to Baker) - Cooler, cloudier weather for the first time on the trip. We were pretty hungry (I underpacked food a little and I felt really bad) and we were taunting each other with vivid descriptions of the burgers we were going to eat ASAP after getting out. We paddled back to Baker and returned our gear to Sawtooth outfitters.
Overall great route.
EP 37 to Koma/Malberg
by RoJoYo
Trip Report
Entry Date:
May 11, 2009
Entry Point:
Kawishiwi Lake
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
5
Trip Introduction:
Earliest venture into the Bdub for me and I expected almost anything and wasn't disappointed.
Part 1 of 9
Flew into Rochester, MN with my buddy Adam to hook up with my son and two of his co-workers for our venture into the BWCA. Although it's my third trip into the Bdub it is by far my earliest entry...May 11 through May 17. My son John has hiked the SHT and had one excursion into the Bdub. His two buddies, John and Lourens both have Bdub and north woods experience. For Adam it's his first venture. [paragraph break] After the 370 miles trek from Rochester we arrive at EP 37 and set out for Polly Lake. The paddle and portage in is pretty much uneventful and we take up residence on the north end of Polly Lake.
Part 2 of 9
Our campsite on Polly is located on a bluff overlooking the lake. It accomodated all three tents but wasn't the most comfortable campsite I've ever used. On Tuesday we got up to steady showers...nothing hard or windy...just showers. John and John went fishing and had some considerable luck with some nice smallies, one walleye and some small northerns.[paragraph break]It was sure enjoyable to be waking up in the Bdub once again....the air was so clean and our breafast of steak and eggs and starbucks was extra tasty.
Part 3 of 9
Wednesday started out pretty much like Tuesday....well, maybe a bit worse. But the good news is that the fishing was very enjoyable. About mid-afternoon, since the weather cleared nicely, we decided to head north into Koma. It was a great day to pack up and travel.[paragraph break]John and Lourens were paddling John's aluminum canoe...one that he got for his high school graduation. The ol girl has served him well. On one of the portages they decided to run the rapids and that canoe really served them well. Having Kevlar rentals, the rest of us portaged ours.[paragraph break]The campsite on Koma was excellent and although one fella had told me that Koma wasn't a very pretty lake...in my humble opinion it was an outstanding lake.
Part 4 of 9
On Thursday morning we were greeted with snow. The snow started around five in the morning and continued off and on throughout the morning. We all enjoyed a hearty breakfast and we hunkered down around the fire to wait out the snow...all except my son John who just had to get out and fish.[paragraph break]The day cleared in the afternoon and the contrast from the morning snow was a real treat.
Part 5 of 9
Friday morning the wind really kicked up and Koma had some considerable whitecaps...but still, all in all, it was a beautiful morning in the Bdub. We ventured through the high winds on Koma and made our way to Malberg to fish the rapids at the end of the portage from Koma into Malberg.....it is a spectacular setting. We caught quite a few northerns and even more smallies...but no walleyes.
Part 6 of 9
The forest around our campsite on Koma was very thick. I saw alot of woodpeckers...one pileated. Warblers were all over the place eating alot of newly hatching bugs. There was also an abundant supply of firewood.[paragraph break]On Saturday morning we again woke to snow on what was going to be our last full day in the BWCA.
Part 7 of 9
Breakfast on Saturday morning was cooked and eaten with snow falling once again. Snow accumulated in a number of different places but it wasn't an aggravation at all...as a matter of fact it was the first time that this Kentucky boy ever made and threw a snow ball on May 16th.[paragraph break]Adam and my son John paddled over once again to Malberg fish and John was rewarded with a four and a half pound smallie....it would be the second time we had fish for dinner. I was amazed at how much meat we got off that one smallie...it was really good size.
Part 8 of 9
Sunday morning we awoke to an absolutely stunning morning. Beautiful sunrise...dead calm...water as smooth as glass and the birds were singing their hearts out.[paragraph break] We ate our last morning in the Bdub...country ham and biscuits...packed up our camp site and we were off for the paddle and portage from Koma back to Kawishiwi at EP 37.
Part 9 of 9
Sunday turned out to be a perfect travel day. Thankfully we didn't have some of the bad weather that we had had earlier in the week. I did something on the push out that I had never done in the Bdub before. Having run out of water in my Nalgene and not want to stop and filter more, I dipped down deep in the middle of Kawaschong Lake and filled my Nalgene. I drank the whole thing and thankfully there were no ill effects. I know it sure tasted great.[paragraph break]It took us just about six hours to the EP and I have to admit...I was worn out. We took our rentals back to Tofte and made our way to a local eatery and then headed back to Rochester.[paragraph break]Suffice it to say we all had a great time...esp. with no bugs!!!