We're heading to Cherry this summer for a basecamp trip. Plan is to settle in and take a lot of daytrips. Getting a tow to American Point and then paddling from there. All new lakes for us and we're excited to see new area.

One of the daytrips we're planning is to the peninsula on Ottertrack where Benny Ambrose made his home. I've read most of what I can find on this site about it, but didn't see any accounts from the past year or two. Just wondering if anyone has been there recently to see what remains.. is the dock still partially there, etc.

Also, anything else we should make sure we check out in the area? We're contemplating going to Dorothy's Island as well, though that would be a longer daytrip from Cherry than Benny's place will be.

The Forest Service torched the cabins many years ago, don't think you can find any remnants of them.

I know that the full structures themselves are long gone. It appeared from some comments here a few years ago that part of the dock remained and that there were foundation remnants from the burned down structures. Just trying to get a sense if there is anything at all left behind before we venture there. Interesting to see and explore the peninsula either way.

Here's a photo from our 2000 trip there.


My husband was there several times in the mid 1950's when he was 8-10 years old and his family was guided on trips by Ben. This foundation remnant was on the shoreline and he thought it was the ice house. There were also other foundation remnants, including the doorstep to one of the cabins. There were still the remains of a flower garden and vegetable garden. I imagine that seventeen years has changed much of that and it's overgrown now. However, I think a day trip there would still be interesting. There seemed to be such a sense of place and history.

If you do go, it would be nice to see some pictures of what it looks like now. Also, if you are interested, I do have more pictures of the site.

QuietWaters: "Here's a photo from our 2000 trip there.



My husband was there several times in the mid 1950's when he was 8-10 years old and his family was guided on trips by Ben. This foundation remnant was on the shoreline and he thought it was the ice house. There were also other foundation remnants, including the doorstep to one of the cabins. There were still the remains of a flower garden and vegetable garden. I imagine that seventeen years has changed much of that and it's overgrown now. However, I think a day trip there would still be interesting. There seemed to be such a sense of place and history.


If you do go, it would be nice to see some pictures of what it looks like now. Also, if you are interested, I do have more pictures of the site."

I would love more pics of the site... feel free to post them in this chain if you wish. I'd love to compare the location now and then. I am presuming that much or all of it is hard to find now but that will be part of the adventure.

My wife and I stopped last Aug. We always do when we go by. Such a beautiful, idyllic spot. Sit up on the point and have your lunch and you'll realize why Benny was ready to fight to keep it.

Don’t know anything about the cabin but I can say the middle site on cherry is absolutely awesome. Easy hike to the top of the cliffs from there.

Highly recommend heading up to lake of the clouds, sweet lake also and the trip in there is really cool.

tarnkt: "Don’t know anything about the cabin but I can say the middle site on cherry is absolutely awesome. Easy hike to the top of the cliffs from there.


Highly recommend heading up to lake of the clouds, sweet lake also and the trip in there is really cool."

Both are in our plan! That campsite is our goal. Probably do lake of the clouds as part of a loop to ottertrack & Benny's place.

Thanks !

Here are several more photos of Ben's Homestead site.



On a natural pathway.



Doorstep and part of a cabin's foundation.

View over the back cove.

View down Ottertrack Lake.

You have a great trip planned. Hope the weather cooperates so you can do your day trips.

Awesome pics QuietWaters...thanks for sharing. Will definitely try to get many of the same locations when we are there in late July.

My wife and visited the site of Benny's cabin in 2014. Also visited Dorothy's island as well as stayed at the site on Cherry that you're interested in. Lots of photos in the trip report here .

onepaddleshort: "My wife and visited the site of Benny's cabin in 2014. Also visited Dorothy's island as well as stayed at the site on Cherry that you're interested in. Lots of photos in the trip report here ."

Thanks for the link... great report and fabulous photos. Now I want to expand our trip to include some time on Knife as well.

Twins87: "Thanks for the link... great report and fabulous photos... "

A very enthusiastic +1.

schweady: "

Twins87: "Thanks for the link... great report and fabulous photos... "

A very enthusiastic +1.
"

Glad the report was useful again. We’ve taken a couple more trips since then but that was the last one I took the time to write up a trip report.

We stayed at the Cherry Lake site a couple of years ago. Very nice! The portage coming in from the east is pretty challenging so be prepared to slow down and be careful. Then the put in is very difficult with mucky water and lots of dead trees in the water. The portages into Lake of the Clouds and the smaller lakes in between are billy goat trails. But, the mother of all blue berry patches is right is where the portage trail meets Lake of the Clouds, so enjoy!!

Closely watching this thread to see where we are heading on our daytrips for this trip ;-p

Lake of the clouds and Lunar both hold Lake Trout. Not a bad day trip from Cherry.
Cherry is one of the most picturesque lake in the BWCAW.

oh, what great photos! i can only imagine how Benny felt upon waking each morning and basking in the beauty of his home.

luft: "Closely watching this thread to see where we are heading on our daytrips for this trip ;-p


"

;-)

Don't forget to check out the memorial plaque on a rock face on the Canadian side.












tony

If you can work it in, the portage from S Knife to Hanson is pretty cool. Also, Topaz is full of Largemouth bass, I thought that was kinda weird...;-)

Just bumping up this thread in case anyone has thoughts or advice to add. We're heading up in less than two weeks and starting to do final prep to pack... can't wait!