2 of us, putting in on Sunday morning (5/21) at Sawbill and we need to come out the following Saturday morning in order to make it home for the Indy 500 on Sunday. A couple of questions for those who have done this loop.

Most of the route guides I've seen call this a 5 day/4 night trip. Since we'll have 6 nights, where would you take your zero days?

The plan is to spend a night on Cherokee, Frost, Hub and then figure the rest out based on weather and time. We'll be coming out on Memorial Day Weekend, so I assume it will be busy near Sawbill Friday night (Alton, Sawbill, Kelso). We're leaning towards Kelso for Friday night, so the long portage is behind us and Saturday is a short day with minimal portages, if any. Once you're past Hub, where would you try to spend the last night?

This was a route that I had earmarked for a solo, but when my partner suggested it, I couldn't say no. It's an intriguing route that should be pretty and offer solitude in the middle of the trip.

I did a Northern loop so can't help with the South side, but Frost lake itself is an incredible lake and well worth a layover day if you have one.....lots of opportunity for seeing wildlife and catching lake trout.....The day you run the river could be a long one depending on water level (which should be good in May) and the number of beaver dam lift-overs.....I think we hit 20 of them....The final portage into Frost lake is a long one and the landing on frost is covered with ankle breaker rocks.....look to the right of the portage and there is a marsh that you should be able to paddle thru and then lift over a beaver dam down to Frost lake.....

Enjoy!

Mike

Frost and Mesaba.

Frost has the golden sand beaches, some very nice campsites and good wildlife spotting chances.

Mesaba is one of my favorite places in the BW. Haven't been there in a few years, but the site on the narrows from the north bay is a nice place to stay. If you leave early morning, you can be out back to Sawbill by about 1-2pm.

I like Frost lake but it's fairly early in the loop to layover. The site on Afton lake was very nice and would be a good option for nights 3 and 4 to rest up for the long portages to come.

The site on Bolonga was unimpressive and I did not care for the sites on Hub. Mesaba was a really nice lake but we didn't camp there so I can't comment on the sites. The Zenith lake site was very nice.

Here's what I would do with a six-night loop down the Frost River: night 1 Cherokee Lake, night 2 Frost Lake, nights 3 & 4 Afton Lake, night 5 on Mesaba, and night 6 on Zenith (or Kelso if you're feeling it).

Water levels should be great in May and you should be able to "run" many of the beaver dams.

Thanks for all of the replies so far. We are considering a night on Mora too, Maybe instead of Hub and then on to Mesaba. It looks like Mora only has pike in it though.

I wouldn't mind a layover on Frost to fish an entire day, but that is early in the trip.

As a travel timing reference. I did a similar loop solo starting and ending at Baker Lake EP 39.
Stayed on Cherokee, Whipped and Kelso. Cherokee to Whipped was a long travel day, so a night or two on Frost or Afton would be a nice place to layover. Travelling the Frost River is one of my favorite paddling memories. Have fun.

quote Jiimaan: "I like Frost lake but it's fairly early in the loop to layover. The site on Afton lake was very nice and would be a good option for nights 3 and 4 to rest up for the long portages to come.


The site on Bolonga was unimpressive and I did not care for the sites on Hub. Mesaba was a really nice lake but we didn't camp there so I can't comment on the sites. The Zenith lake site was very nice.


Here's what I would do with a six-night loop down the Frost River: night 1 Cherokee Lake, night 2 Frost Lake, nights 3 & 4 Afton Lake, night 5 on Mesaba, and night 6 on Zenith (or Kelso if you're feeling it).


Water levels should be great in May and you should be able to "run" many of the beaver dams."

I understand that no campsite is promised and people can choose to stay as long as they want on a campsite. That being said, I thought it would be polite to move on after one night on Afton. Make room for the next group. The day is long enough on the Frost without having to move on from Afton. Just my thought.

Met my tripping partner for lunch today and he just upped the ante. Sawbill up through Cherokee to Little Sag, across west to Mora and down through to Mesaba before heading on out via kelso to Sawbill.

That solved my issues what lakes are worthy of layover days. There will be no layover days.

When doing the portages on frost river watch the rock portages when wet, can be very slippery, few steep one's, have a good trip.

quote hooky: "Met my tripping partner for lunch today and he just upped the ante. Sawbill up through Cherokee to Little Sag, across west to Mora and down through to Mesaba before heading on out via kelso to Sawbill.


That solved my issues what lakes are worthy of layover days. There will be no layover days."

Not sure you worded that route correctly.......but have a great trip

quote cowdoc: "

quote hooky: "Met my tripping partner for lunch today and he just upped the ante. Sawbill up through Cherokee to Little Sag, across west to Mora and down through to Mesaba before heading on out via kelso to Sawbill.



That solved my issues what lakes are worthy of layover days. There will be no layover days."

Not sure you worded that route correctly.......but have a great trip"

Wow, I did butcher that, didn't I? LOL