One way many of us get through the canoeless season is with lots of map time. And if you're like me, map time means looking at a map and finding a lake that I've never been to and trying to figure out how to get there, what I would see when I get there, and why a particular lake might be interesting. This may go off the rails pretty quickly (sorry moderators), but I want to offer up a fun little route dreaming game. For this game to work, we'll need to keep side comments to a minimum. Basically, the game is to explain how to get to the lake the previous commenter says and name a lake for the next commenter to route plan using the template below:

"You want to see {insert lake name of previous commenter}? Well, if it were me, I would take {insert route idea.} As for me, I want to see {insert new lake name} because I have always wanted to see {insert reason.} How do I get there?"

So if I start the game here, I would say, "As for me, I want to see No Sleep Lake because it has a very funny name. How do I get there?"

The next person would say "You want to see No Sleep Lake? Well, if it were me, I would take Cherokee Creek until Violation Lake where I would buswhack north into No Sleep. As for me, I want to see Travois because I have always wanted to see the topography. How do I get there?"

The next person would plug Travois Lake into the template, give the route they would take, and plug their dream lake in and on and on it goes. This is experimental and I could see it going off if two people respond to one prompt. If that happens, don't edit. The next person should just choose the one they want and get it back in line. In any case, it sounds fun to me.

My starting prompt will be:

"I want to see Cuckoo Lake because of all the crazy topography around it. How do I get there?"

Who's going to start?

I'll give it a try, TreeBear...with the caveat that in all conceivable realities, you are better positioned and more experienced at accessing lakes in the bwca than I am. :)

You want to see Cuckoo, Treebear? Well, if it were me, I would choose the Baker Lake entry point and proceed up through South Temperance and Brule and camp the first night on site 956. The next day I would proceed to Cam and follow the stream/bed into Cuckoo. As for me, I want to see Amimi Lake to see if the campsite still exists. How do I get there?

And you are right, the topography of Cuckoo looks impressive with some cool cliffs on the northern end of the lake.

YetiJedi: "I'll give it a try, TreeBear...with the caveat that in all conceivable realities, you are better positioned and more experienced at accessing lakes in the bwca than I am. :)


You want to see Cuckoo, Treebear? Well, if it were me, I would choose the Baker Lake entry point and proceed up through South Temperance and Brule and camp the first night on site 956. The next day I would proceed to Cam and follow the stream/bed into Cuckoo. As for me, I want to see Amimi Lake to see if the campsite still exists. How do I get there?

And you are right, the topography of Cuckoo looks impressive with some cool cliffs on the northern end of the lake.


"

You want to see Amimi Lake, YetiJedi? I would use Kawishiwi Lake entry. Stay at Malberg Lake the first night. Spend the second night at Makwa Lake. The third day, I would travel to Hoe and MayMay Lakes. I would try to bushwhack from MayMay to Amimi on the east side of the stream. On topo maps there is an old portage from Vee Lake to Amimi, but there have been threads asking about this. Some have looked for it, but no one has found it. Google Earth shows that there is still a clearing at the site of the old campsite. Should not be hard to find. This is on my bucket list, but will have to be a trip with just a couple of us more experienced trippers I think. Don't forget your PMA permit!

Topo Maps show a way in from Gabimichigami, but I think if all you want to do is find the old campsite this route would be much harder.

I would like to visit Leah Lake again, but I need a way in that will allow me to get my canoe there to paddle the Lake this time. The route I took last time was much too brushy to get a canoe through.

Well, I can go again.

You want to see Leah Lake Michwall2? Well, if it were me, I would try to make a loop out of it as best as I could. It looks like there is almost a loop from Hub Lake. I would stay on Hub at site 852 and just bring the essentials to make a long day trip out of it. From Hub, I would take the creek towards Chuck. It sure looks like there might be some bog walking in there! From Chuck, it's a short tromp through to Florence which looks like a very interesting lake! Here, I would likely get distracted and go check out Snuff Lake before back tracking and heading into the big beaver swamp west of Florence. From there, the toughest bushwhack of the route lays ahead from the beaver swamp to Leah. If I make it into Leah, than I get to enjoy the whole of the lake including that unique narrows with what looks like some exposed rock. After what's been a long day so far, I would try to follow the creek north all the way back to Hub which also appears to have some nice rock near its mouth.

As for me, I want to see Red Eye Lake because I have always wanted to see the Misquah regions remotest lakes. Red Eye is likely the highest elevation lake in the BWCA and one of the highest in the state after the group to the south (Thrasher/Thrush.) There's also some fascinating lakes nearby like State and Whitaker. How do I get there?"

You want to see red eye lake?

I would take the Brule entry and travel north to Winchell lake. At 6 miles this could easily be accomplished before lunch. I would try to make it down to tremble lake, where I would make camp for the night. There is a large waterfall to climb before tremble and i would want to be able to take plenty of time. The morning of day 2 I would proceed down the the lower river on tremble and proceed to Whitaker lake. Although the other stream leads directly to red eye, it would be quite a bushwack the whole way there. Taking Whitaker lake puts you less than 100rds southwest of red eye lake, a much more manageable bushwack. If you use terrain features on your maps you will see that there is a hill you can follow the base of almost the whole way over to red eye, so guaranteed to not be as swampy.


As it's basically in the center of a giant bowl structure and likely collected a lot of cool fossils, I've always wanted the see and fish acorn lake. How would I get there?

Which one? Basswood-ish or Seagull-ish?

treehorn: "Which one? Basswood-ish or Seagull-ish?"

Sorry, the one by basswood

If people are waiting for me to answer this because I asked the clarification question...stop waiting! I have no idea...I'd probably be looking into a helicopter to get to that lake!

I was just trying to clarify. Anyone with ideas...answer away!