We are a group of six going on a 4 day trip entering at EP #14 and heading north up the Little Indian Sioux River. Right now we are just planning on staying at Lower Pauness Lake, but I want to make sure we have seclusion and nice campsites; I'm worried we will have that there. Does anyone know which lake will have better sites, fishing, seclusion and wildlife: :Lower Pauness or Loon Lake, or any better lakes in that area.

One important thing to point out is that Loon Lake is a Motorized Lake.

I would suggest taking the long portage into shell and potentially into Lynx to find what you are seeking. It all depends on how much you want to portage. They arent "hard" but they are long. We enjoyed our stay on Lynx very much. We continued on from there to Oyster and then out at EP16.

Loon lake is a motor lake and a popular one at that. Both upper and lower Pauness are busy as well. I think a lot of people day trip or overnight at these lakes. The fishing on lower Pauness is not very good. Another option would be to go north thru Loon, East Loon and into Slim lake. We went this way last Sept. Once we were thru Loon we didn't see anyone for two days. It all depends on the time of your trip. This area of the BW is fairly popular and will be "busy" in the middle of summer.

Ok what about lower pauness, does that have pretty good seclusion? We are going early may 14th so I assume less people will be up there in general.

Both are busy. They lie on a route....people travel thru them to get up to Loon or to Shell. Do like Darkstar says and push on to Lynx or Heritage. Either of those will be much quieter. Day trip back to Shell for your fishing or fish either of those two.

This is my favorite entry point and Regardless what you do you won't b disappointed. Lower Pauness is on a main route to either shell or loon. However, most of the traffic going to shell will pass on the back side of the lake and you won't even see them. Also, if you are going may 14th I don't expect that you see many people anyways. This lake is gorgeous with high cliffs, small rapids on the south side, a large waterfall/rapid on the north (devils cascade), and some decent fishing. The campsite on the east side of Pauness is very nice so if its open grab it and spend at least a night there. If you really want more seclusion head to heritage lake. Heritage is not on the routes the most people travel because the portage from heritage to loon is rather difficult. The other two are pretty easy. Heritage is known for it's Pike fishing and shell for it's walleye. Lynx is another option that has great small mouth fishing and if you can find the right spot on the right day, good walleye fishing. I recommend camping at at least two of these lakes during your trip and visiting all of them.

If you want seclusion, head up to Emerald. Not sure of the fishing in it, but it is a dead end lake. You could always portage back to Hustler to fish. I think Hustler has some big Pike.

Decisions. You will need to paddle a bit more to get the solitude you desire.

Let me throw this one at you:
From Entry 14 it is 10.25 miles, 4 portages (300r) and 6 hours to Little Loon Lake (non-motorized). You will pass through Loon (motorized) and you will be heading into a lesser used country.

On May 31st of 2008, every site on Loon was occupied by motors. Loon is not the place for your solitude, but if you continue on to Little Loon, Slim, South, and Steep, you will find a bit of peace.

I have added a link to my trip report. The report gives paddling times from each of our camps. We double portage, so we are not real speed demons.

My loop going through Loon

A couple thoughts.

I don't know, but if I wanted seclusion I'd be more inclined to stay at Upper Pauness rather than Lower. I think most people blow right through Upper on their way to other places and if I remember right, most of the sites are beyond the portages.

I do like Lynx Lake. I like Emerald, too, though there are no fish in that lake. Shell Lake has some nice sites but it is by no stretch of the imagination secluded. All of those lakes may be further than you want to travel.

Getting to Loon there is a fairly long portage, but it is along Devils Cascade, so take your time to enjoy it. Take pictures. Going to Loon isn't too bad, but coming back you have a steep climb.

I do like HPD's suggestion of Little Loon. You do have to cross mortorize, and potentially windy, Loon. But you pass through a narrows to Little Loon which is non-motorized. The northern campsite is nice. That's what I'd make for, though the chances that campsite is taken are pretty good. I bet you'll like Little Loon.

I love Little Loon and would gladly go there and stay week the next time I go... From there you can go to Slim, Section Pond, and South with ease, (although the portage to Slim can be fun if it is wet) Snow Bay out of North Lake is a nice area too. From there you can paddle down to the mechanical portage and back around. A very interesting area. I only wish I had stay there longer than a day last year on our loop.

Bruce

With an early morning start, you'll make Pauness before lunchtime... Why not push on to one of the lakes east toward Oyster or north toward Little Loon? My first BW trip ever was the southern route and my 2nd was the northern one... both exited at Stuart. Memories...

Ya I want to push further, but the other people I am going with always just stay on Lower Pauness so I am trying to convince them otherwise through showing them that there are better spots people have. How are shell, lynx and heritage and how long would they take to get too from EP #14?

It shouldn't take you more then 2 hours to get to Pauness. Lynx is about 8 miles if I remember right and it is easy to get to in one day.

Lynx and Heritage are both beautiful lakes which are not much farther. Your group would gain more of a sense of seclusion which they seem to be looking for. Maybe appease them by staying on Lower or Upper Pauness the first night, and then move to one of the other two the next day. You will get more seclusion away from the Paunesses, especially LOWER. You also would not have to deal with any 'large lake' issues (windblown) on those two lakes, tho Shell can be pretty rough at times. It seems to me that many people like to basecamp at either Shell or the Paunesses, but do not go much farther unless they are daytripping or taking much larger loops. (EP14-16 through either Lower Pauness and up thru Loon/etc. or through Lynx/Oyster are the main loops which come to mind).

I'm looking for seclusion at least. They are lazy I guess, but this is the first time I've gone with these guys and I don't want to seem pushy. I want to travel as far in as we can the first day, a 2 hour trip to base camp isn't my idea of the BW, but I am a guest you could say cause they do this same trip every year. I've been pushing the subject though and I am making some headway, paddling against whitecaps though.

Me and a buddy went to Heritage our first trip. We hit the EP14 portage at 9am and were setting up camp on Heritage by 330pm (double portaging). We saw maybe 5-7 groups of people the first couple of days (Memorial Day Weekend) and then maybe saw a canoe or two every other day or so the rest of our 8 day trip. The extra couple of portages from the Paunesses was well worth it!

Amok how was the fishing on Heritage and was the campsite good?

Ok so I talked to my buddies and they are slowly starting to say maybe we can travel a little deeper to some place like heritage (still not my idea of "deeper"). And I guess it's upper pauness they go to every year not lower, so any info on that lake would be much appreciated.

Your probably not going to get much info on upper Pauness because most people blow right through that lake. If they can't go more than one lake in when their 22 they might as well just go car camping.

Ya that's what I said. I already have another trip planned for soon after this one because this will not be satisfying for me, it will be fun, but not satisfying.

Between the two....keep heading north into Loon and get out of the boat and tour the islands on foot.

However...like many others have said on this thread, you're better off traveling east into the Shell/Lynx area for more seclusion. The portage north from Pauness into Loon is 160 rods of up and down over and over again (devil's cascade is kinda cool in the rainy season), although this is shorter than Pauness portage east into Shell which is 220 rods, the portage into shell is much flatter. Terrain has more to do with my choices than distance any day.

Good Luck!!!
-Ben

There were lots of smallies, some walleye and some northern. I thought the fishing was decent :) We stayed at the south campsite and thought it was great, but apparently it is the 'worst' of the two sites on Heritage. The north site is apparently the better of the two according to most people who have been there. Maybe I was just happy to get away ...

I didn't fish there, but thought Slim looked like a beautiful lake to camp on, with decent access to other lakes. Only 2 sites.

HowardSprague, how did the guy in the solo do compared to the other 2 canoes on your trip? (I know, I'm not trying to hijack this thread. Just one question from me.) And nice pic.

He was totally comfortable - at one with his Bell Magic. Kept up just fine. In fact, you'll notice I took the photo from behind...while tandem in a Q17. He was clearly a superior paddler to us and we were lucky when we could keep up.

minnesotamatt.....tina and i may be in that same area when you're there. if you see a green old town with MOTHER NATURE on it and a couple tired old women in it, say hi!! :o)

greenydd- will do

Thanks, HS. My friends don't think any of us are experienced enough to handle a solo and a tandem on a trip. It's why I was asking. I, of course, keep saying 'solo/tandem' instead of one 3 man canoe. But not on my next trip with them. Maybe the one after that ...

MNMatt, you probably want to stay on the northern site, it is larger than the southern one if you end up basecamping on Heritage. There is room for three tents there, but I have the feeling that you and your friends will like the 'flintstone barcolounger' that is on the northern site by the firepit. Flinstone Barcolounger

So to everyone that has been on this post and heard my disappointment in my group due to their lack of initiative to actually canoe on a canoeing trip in the BWCA, I have revised my plans for the trip. I am getting a seperate permit and will be going in with them basecamping with the group the first night then soloing to lakes north east to get what I am looking for, I will then meet up with them again on the last night and head out with them the next day. So here is my new loop tell me what you think:

Day 1: EP 14 to group basecamp lower pauness (weak and boring I know
Day 2: Leave base camp, head through loon, little loon, slim, fat and camp at eugene
Day 3: Leave eugene and head through steep, south, section 3, slim, lillte loon, loon, meet with group at lower pauness (possible that group may move to little loon so may only be going there to meet them)
Day 5: paddle out at ep 14

Any advice? Too much for a solo (i've never been on a solo, but i am a strong paddler)?

Having two permits at one camp could be an issue since it is against the rules. Being so close to the entrance might increase your chance of being checked by a ranger and ticketed for the violation.
I personally don't have an issue with it as long as groups don't exceed the 9 person 4 canoe rule but its still in the books that way and should be followed.
Just thought I would bring that to your attention if you weren't aware of it.

ya i suppose i don't even have to stay with them. I'll have to look into it more.

I know that a group with one permit can't use 2 campsites but I'm not aware of any rule against groups with 2 permits using one site (as long as they don't exceed the size limits). I could have missed it somewhere but I sure don't recall every hearing/seeing a regulation on this.

I have been watching this post with much interest as we will be going
in this area in late July but not sure of a route.
mnmatt talks of going from slim to fat ,I thought I saw on here somewhere that that would be a bushwhack ,can anyone help on that?
I would like to do the same route as HighPlainsDrifter described but only have six days and we want a lay over day so I'm not sure if it could be done. Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks

Matt-

I have no idea how experienced you are but I would advise you to avoid the big water if you are new to paddling solo. Loon lake is a real big lake and aside from the safety aspect of it, you could get stuck up there for a day or two waiting for calmer water. And if you are planning on riding back with your buddies, which it sound like you are, you could be SOL. You might want to go solo to shell, heritage and lynx that are not as big.

kriskjg- ya i was kind of worried about loon to be honest. Arent you soloing around mid-may?

I may be wrong on the 2 permit issue, I just read another explanation of it and it sounds like as long as you dont exceed 9 people and 4 canoes your within the rules. I would look into it a bit further or call a ranger station and ask them about it.

Upper Iowa
You should have no trouble doing the route we did in 6 days. Take a look at the first paragraph for each day in my report for ideas. I show the distance traveled. You will see that over 8 days we did 10, 5, 4, 6, 3, 6, 3, and 8 miles. Obviously we do not bust our backs traveling (but we travel some every day). You could easily double up some of those days and get your lay over day. Something to think about

YES! I will be heading in on the 12th, my only objective is to find dogfish lake and fish on it. And relax after a long semester.

kriskjg - ya maybe ill see you. I will also be relaxing after a long semester (my last semester to be exact)

I put some fishing pictures in my photo album now, MNMatt.

It looks like you have got lots of replies already so I will only add I stayed on the campsite on lower pauness on a high ledge that was great. Good fishing, lots of smallies and some walleye. I would suggest staying on lower pauness 1 or two days before moving north to slim, south, steep, beartrack, etc. I also hear going through shell, lynx and yodeler is very nice area.

I would only pass through Loon lake. Too big and they allow motors.

Ya I am not doing loon, theres a small chance of passing through to little loon but I don't think so because the plan is the head more east.

Lots of traffic on Loon might want to hit the maps and rethink another route. Solitude without the work is hard to come by in the BDUB.

Let us know how your trip goes we will be going to same area the first week of june