Hello Everyone,

For the last decade my group and I have been exploring the eastern side of the BW. We usually enter on Big Sag off of the Gunflint and paddle that area (Ottertrack, Eddy, Knife South, Wisini, Tuscacora, et al).

I am looking for a new area to explore that no one in my group has been to and is not out of the Gunflint or Ely side of thing, so I was looking at going further West.

Who has been out of Entry Point 14 (Little Indian Sioux River)? From viewing the maps going into Loon Lake and Lac La Croix, or going over to Lynx and Oyster Lake, the area looks interesting. But I have never been in that area.

Info, anecdotes, and pics of that area would be awesome if you have any to share.

Thanks
RT

RT

I've only done one trip through EP 14 into Shell Lake, but thinking about going that way this summer with my kids. Pretty easy paddle up to that point and though the portage into Shell is long, it's not really difficult. If you're thinking about getting up to Lac La Croix, however, I've done EP 16 (Moose River North) several times up to the Boulder Bay area of Lac La Croix. It takes about 3.5-4.5 hours depending as to the group's experience. While not brutal by any stretch of the imagination, the portages tend to be longer, 160 rods, 95 rods and 75 rods with a few shorter ones. If you opt for the 65 rod portage from the Boulder River into Boulder Bay, that one is a steep up-and-over that we have dubbed the Widow Maker. The Moose River isn't difficult to paddle, it just twists and turns quite a bit. But I love the area and had some of my best fishing up in the Boulder River and Boulder Bay. There are also a few times we just opted to stay on the north end of Lake Agnes instead of going all the way up and still had some phenomenal fishing. If you want any additional information, feel free to email me.

I did a solo trip up that way last year, and I wrote a trip report with an attached video report if you'd like to check that out. I went up through, Loon and Little Loon, to Slim, Fat, Eugene, Beartrack, Finger, Pocket, Ge-be, Oyster, Hustler, Ruby, Shell and back out in 5 days. It was easy traveling and very scenic. I didn't see another person from the time I left Little Loon (day 1, 10am) until Oyster (Day 3, 3pm), 3 days of having every lake to myself. I went towards the end of July and the fishing was just ok, but that wasn't my main goal anyway. Some people complain of hearing float planes on Lac la Croix in this area, but I never heard any.

Feel free to bounce any other questions off me as I've gone through many of the EP's in this area as it is my favorite section of the BWCA. Here's the link to the trip report...

LIS

Tony

There can be quite a bit of tow traffic heading to bottle portage also many planes at the village at the namakam river. I’ve been in the area many times but prefer to stay away from the busier part of LLC, the northwest and stick to the southern part of the lake. It’s a huge lake so the traffic isn’t really a problem. All the little lakes south of LLC are canoe paradise. Magnificent old growth forest makes one of my favorite areas of the bwca.

If you're going during a busy time of year, from EP 14 to Shell Lake will be BUSY (relatively speaking of course).

2 years ago we were paddling out from Shell and I could not believe the amount of groups coming in.

I think anything past Shell you're good to go though. I can't speak to the area north of Pauness, but if you go in the direction I'm speaking of, I would target Heritage or Lynx on your first day...very doable and you'll likely get away from crowds.

Been in there several times and will go again!
Personal favorite is starting at Oyster, Pocket, Finger, Thumb, Beartracks, Eugene, Step, Section, South, Slim, to Little Loon. You will hear planes on LaCroix, but lots of potential seclusion.

A site search of "Little Indian Sioux North" will bring up reports and info.

butthead

Been that way twice at least. EP14 to Snow Bay is pretty easy, can be snotty crossing Loon and LLC can kick up. (There is a portage out of Snow Bay to east not marked on all maps that allows you to get as far east as 27 Island protected.) I did that last year and back to Snow Bay through Pocket, Finger, Thumb, and Beartrack. Some of my favorite kind of paddling along streams filled with water lilies and such. Above Pauness (to Loon, not Shell) very few people in June which surprised me. Might go down Section and Slim another time - but we wanted to avoid the portages that day so returned to Snow Bay.

Nice area. I wandered around Fishstakes Narrows and the numbered islands a previous trip and really liked those areas.

My group based camped on Lynx, and loved it. The lake is beautiful, fishing was mediocre, but caught plenty to eat. Our site was amazing, mature pine trees with tons of open space to explore underneath. Also allowed for a good breeze to come through which made the bugs almost non-existent.

The Paddle in was fun too, except when we lost our leech locker on a portage, and a pretty nasty storm kicked up right after we arrived at our campsite so we couldnt go back for them until the next day, and they were gone. Might have been why my fishing report isnt better. MN DNR shows a healthy walleye population in Lynx, though that report is old.

And the wild rice lining the river the whole way in. Im still finding wild rice wedged in my pfd from 2 years ago...

I dug up a few pictures from our trip.

One year, during our rather naive formative years, we put in at LIS around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and somehow made it to Oyster around dark-thirty. All due to a leader who had the trip plotted out in his head forever and would not let it go. The trip has taken on the name "Iron Man" and still conjures up some awful experiences. I do not recommend that.

A few other times we've entered there and base camped on Shell, having a great time without sensing a huge amount of traffic (and this was in late July/early Aug). Good fishing, too, around Con Island especially.

During the years chaperoning kids (moving every day), we twice did a loop - in at LIS, out at Stuart. One year was through Oyster, Agnes, LLC and that was an awesome trip (maybe because it was my first ever) but my favorite was 2 years later, following the northern route that butthead described. Quiet, little lakes. Some of the clearest water ever. Both of those trips included viewing the pictos on LLC and they are etched in my memory, even these 40-some years later.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and comments.

I have another question. Are motor boats allowed on Lac La Croix? I notice that the Canadian side is not part of the Quetico (or at least I think so based on the maps I am looking at). Dealing with other canoes is fine, but I would really prefer not to have to deal with motor boats.

expect power boats from the resorts in Canada to cross into the USA at.Snow Bay and Coleman Island I found them fishing.a few years ago a power boat group was camped at Snow Bay and some years ago I took photos of guys tossing cans out.i reported this and got a call back but was told the power boats drive off if we go by canoe and the "word go's thru the grape vine" if they take power boats.i hope the border patrol is working on this.

Yes, and some of them seem to enjoy crossing the border (illegally?) to buzz canoes for laughs, kicks and giggles. I never ventured out to that part of LLC after my maiden trip in June 2000 because it was so annoying and there were so many other amazing fishing locations where that wouldn't be an issue. Apart from the boats, that is the biggest water I have ever paddled in the BWCA and it can be nasty.

anthonyp007: "I did a solo trip up that way last year, and I wrote a trip report with an attached video report if you'd like to check that out. I went up through, Loon and Little Loon, to Slim, Fat, Eugene, Beartrack, Finger, Pocket, Ge-be, Oyster, Hustler, Ruby, Shell and back out in 5 days. It was easy traveling and very scenic. I didn't see another person from the time I left Little Loon (day 1, 10am) until Oyster (Day 3, 3pm), 3 days of having every lake to myself. I went towards the end of July and the fishing was just ok, but that wasn't my main goal anyway. Some people complain of hearing float planes on Lac la Croix in this area, but I never heard any.

Feel free to bounce any other questions off me as I've gone through many of the EP's in this area as it is my favorite section of the BWCA. Here's the link to the trip report...

LIS

Tony"

I really like this route. We did our last trip to this EP and had some great experiences and some not as great. Loon is open to motor boats, you will see one most likely. Many are running to the Beatty portage where they go over on the rails to LLC. (Where they need to be in Canada from Snow Bay east) We got a good start from the parking lot on the first morning and were at Snow Bay campsite that afternoon but it was our goal and we worked for it. If I went that route again I'd go for Slim which is really cool and do the small lakes listed above. Snow Bay from there is nice too. Beatty portage is cool to see but can get rough in windy days and boats are annoying.

RT- my first trip we went in Ep # 16, Moose River North to LLC, saw the pictos and Warrior Hill, went from Pocket down through Gebeonequet to Oyster and back out. On a later trip I went in #14, Little Indian Sioux North, and looped around to Ep #16, on the reverse of butthead's route. Very quiet area south of LLC and between those two points. One of my favorites.

Our group in 2010 did LIS to Lynx to Oyster to Gebe to LLC to Agnes to EP16. We saw a few people, found some pretty good fishing and had a generally fantastic time. That route covers small and large lakes, creeks and rivers. We found some great campsites and had very nice weather in early June with just a few bugs. By all means, do it. Beautiful area.

We did one trip into EP 14.

4 adults and their 3 children.
LIS, U. Pawness, L. Pawness, Shell, Lil Shell, Lynx, Heritage

Camped on U. Pawness, first site west of long portage (One night...Ok, good for star gazing, but traffic like an interstate hotel)
Then Lynx, Campsite 62, (Base for 3 nights, Nice...Landing rock that is flat with one side protected from main lake, sandy bottom...spread out site, good shade, but from pines, so wind can still move through to help with bugs, shore trail around lake for lots of possible shore fishing)
Then Lower Pawness, Peninsula Site (One night on the way out, Decent site, but hot...elevate about 10' from water...landing was tricky)

Portages-
Not bad at all:
Portage from parking is easy in, but tough out. It drops toward the water, so the incline hits on the way out. Imagine rocks would be slippery.
Along LIS, these are beautiful. Lots of "dropped" items though. Wife caught a "trophy" perch just north of these near the little falls.
Between pawness lakes, there is a good ridge with decent elevation, that was tough on the kids.
Long one into Shell has a bog drain that you have probably have to paddle through, frustrating to unload and reload to paddle 100 feet.
Lynx to Heritage is nice and flat, but poorly maintained. With a 21' canoe on my 6'1" shoulders, I was glad we only had daypacks.
Nothing else notable.

Highlights:
-These small to medium lakes have natural character, different vegetation below water, different water flow areas, views from campsites, etc.
-Devils Cascade is impressive, but you have to go into the campsite at the top of the ridge to get the best view. The slope into the gorge is steep and sheer...be mindful of young-lings. There was a mill stone placed as a stepping stone across a spring here. That interested me more than the falls, honestly.
-Blueberries enough to add to pancakes around campsite on Heritage.

Our pace was too fast to really enjoy this area to its fullest with the age of our kids (too young to really contribute on portages and paddling). We are considering returning soon.