BWCA Entry time for camping on Lake 1 Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Trip Planning Forum
      Entry time for camping on Lake 1     
 Forum Sponsor

Author

Text

andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/31/2018 04:39PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
We are entering on Monday, July 9 with a 30F (restricted) permit for a couple of nights of camping on, hopefully, Lake One with my niece's family, including her 4 and 7 year old sons. The boys have done a lot of car camping but never been "in the wilderness." The parents want to stay fairly close to the EP in case of a problem or it just isn't working out. Our niece and her husband did a 10 day trip with us about a decade ago and so they know the BW.

While I have nothing against a Lake One entry, when we've done that in the past we've been on the water at first light and camped on Hudson or Insula by the end of the first day.

What I'm wondering about is the best time to be on the water to find a camp site on Lake One. Do we start at first light and wander around waiting for folks to get up and leave? Or will it be better to start a bit later when people will start heading out? I've just never camped on an EP lake before.

I'm curious what other people think. I'm also open to other EPs near Ely with low portaging options. I had thought of Little Gabbro but it is booked that day and I'm not sure our niece's husband wants to start with a 200 rod portage.
 
Reply    Reply with Quote    Print Top Bottom Previous Next
06/01/2018 09:00AM  
I would get on the lake early, maybe you'll get lucky and find a campsite that wasn't used the night before. If not you can cruise the lake and look for sites where it looks like people are packing up. That way you can be ready to swoop in and grab a site.

If you start later you may miss a couple sites that open up early or were already open the night before.

andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
06/01/2018 12:13PM  
That does make sense. It will be interesting how early I can get them all going and then how long we have to paddle about before we have a spot. Not my dream form of a trip but I do like having a chance to get my great nephews into the BW.
06/01/2018 01:56PM  
Just leave the fishing gear on top of the pack in case you need to kill some time. Maybe you'll be able to pull into camp with a stringer of fish for lunch.
Grandma L
distinguished member(5628)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
06/01/2018 04:01PM  
In recent years we have camped a lot on lake three - with grand kids. Seems as though the traffic starts to move out anywhere from 7-10 am. you might check the two "newer" sites up on the north end of Lake One. If folks are using old maps they will not be aware of them. One of them is pretty big and has several tent sites - the other is smaller. The newer sites are the ones just as you come in past Kawishiwi Lodge and south in the channel - stay to the left (north east). sort of a turn north.
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
06/01/2018 04:50PM  
GrandmaL: Thanks for the tips. We ate lunch at the one by the rapids during a day trip last July. The 7 year old might enjoy the path to the latrine but I don't think I want to do that late at night! We'll take a look at the other one. That can be a nice area because you are off the beaten path. Sounds like an early start is the way to go.

Lake 3 was in the burn area. We haven't been through since 2012. Camping didn't look so inviting then. When did you last camp there and how was it? Just found your reviews along with some by other people. Sounds like the forest service managed to save some of the sites.

Nofish: as vegetarians we're really and truly no fish. But it is a good point to have activities ready for the paddle.

Thanks for the help.
Grandma L
distinguished member(5628)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
06/01/2018 10:31PM  
The Lake Three area, just as you come in from Lake Two is fine. The sites on both sides of the channel were not burned. The bottom of Three is pretty bad but coming back more each season. Some of the new birch trees are now taller than I am. The site in the bottom of One is also nice just in high demand. I am lucky enough to have a son (lives in Ely) who usually goes in on his own a few days ahead of the rest of us and gets the site we are hoping for.
 
Reply    Reply with Quote    Print Top Bottom Previous Next