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Rs130754
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03/13/2018 07:12PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
This is probably a dumb question but I am thinking of a second trip this summer and was wondering about motor lakes. If I have been reading correctly the motor lakes are the ones along the boarder along with any that lie have half in and out of the BWCA boundary. Is all of Basswood a motor lake? If so is it that big of an issue as far as paddling and noise. I would avoid the lake if it was full of water skiers and jet skis.

I was thinking of EP 24 Fall Lake, or EP 27 Snowbank. Either way I would head north. I like the smaller lakes northeast of Snowbank but I thought I read that Ensign can get pretty busy. As always thanks for all those who graciously answer not only my questions but those of others as well.
 
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cyclones30
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03/13/2018 07:40PM  
Yes those are motor lakes. Most maps show the boundaries of where they're allowed and where they aren't. I'm not fond of camping in a motor area, but will go thru one to get to where I want to go. Snowbank I'd be more worried about wind than motors.
03/13/2018 07:45PM  
I've never found it to be that annoying. Maybe once, paddling on Moose in the morning, while headed to Knife. A fair number of tow boats and fishing boats went by us, but it was a far cry from anything that is totally wide open to motor boats like around home. They are soon put behind you unless you choose to camp in a motor area.
mgraber
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03/13/2018 11:03PM  
No, not all of Basswood is a motor lake, but quite a bit of the US side is. None of the Canadian side is. There are no "water skiers or jet skis" as there is a 25 hp limit. There is a strict quota on how many enter so it is never really busy. I have been through there and seen several boats and I have been through there and never seen or heard a boat. You never know, but most likely you will see or hear a few but not many.
Savage Voyageur
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03/14/2018 07:22AM  
Moose and Newfound lakes are motor lakes. We take the tow to the Splash portage. Then the rest of the trip is motor free. Since you asked about Ensign, it is a motor free lake. I have been in a tow boat lots of times where the driver zooms past canoes wide open. Some would say they should slow down past canoes. But unless you are at no wake, it’s better to go past at full speed. The boat is on plane and less wake at wide open. The noise is pretty much gone on the next Lake, so motor noise is not much of a problem. I have been on Saganaga where on a calm day you can hear the motor coming and going for 10 min long. It depends on the shape of the Lake and wind conditions as far as noise.
billconner
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03/14/2018 05:59PM  
I frequently enter at Moose Lake, and boats never bothered me. They almost always swing wide or on opposite of lake. It's a nice 8 miles. I think of it as a warm up.

I've paddled Basswood a number of times and have seen motor boats but rarely, and not close. 3 or 4 times in or out of Snowbank, never a motor seen.

Rs130754
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03/14/2018 06:19PM  
Thanks for the replies I think I am going to try the Moose to Snowbank loop. I am glad to hear that the boat traffic isn't what I thought it would be.
yogi59weedr
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03/15/2018 11:21AM  
Us motor guys are really good people too.
yogi59weedr
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03/15/2018 11:21AM  
billconner
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03/15/2018 06:22PM  
Rs130754: "Thanks for the replies I think I am going to try the Moose to Snowbank loop. I am glad to hear that the boat traffic isn't what I thought it would be."


Theres a simple portage from Snowbank to Moose EP if you dont want to shuttle. We dropped our packs at Snowbank ep, went light to Moose, and drove back for gear. Nice loop options without back tracking.
 
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