I'm planning a mid may trip and have narrowed it down to either the frost or louse river. They both seem similar from the various trip reports I've read, but I'm having trouble deciding between the two. Hoping someone has some info on the differences/similarities between them, and maybe the feel of the two are different? It's me and my lady but both of us have been on many trips together and are used to a challenge. Also, for the two routes, is there a specific direction you would suggest to do the loops (direction of river flow perhaps)? The things we are looking for are solitude and beautiful lakes, nice campsites and maybe some good stands of pine.

Thanks in advance for the help!

-Spirits

More chance to break the trip up on the Louse...more campsites. With either route....go west. Decent solitude on either.

I'm doing the Louse River/Lady Chain loop from Sawbill with my brother mid-late May. We did the Frost River loop last year starting/ending at Sawbill. The trails are pretty rugged and there are many beaver dams along the Frost River. I would suggest packing ultra lightweight and plan to single portage. We did the whole river in a day and I think it took us atleast 6 LONG hours. I'm thinking there were about 6-8 beaver dams you cant "ride over". There might be some small rapids you need to wade your canoe through too. And some pretty difficult portages along the way. Towards the end of the Frost River (going with the flow) there is a VERY steep portage. Watch your footing here especially if your shouldering your canoe down it.

We didn't run into anyone except on our first and last days. Very nice area if you are willing to put in the work.

I hope there will be some water for you. Got through the Portage out of Pencil Lake in August and about pooped my pants. Very little water! It was a nice "hike". The portage that was so steep I assume is the one out of Afton. Might be a good route in the Spring.

Can't help with the Louse comparison, but I put together some nuts and bolts info on the Frost from last July. If you're interested, you can find it here: Frost River, July 11, 2011

It's probably easiest to open the large view of the map into a separate window so you can follow along with the numbers on the photos.

Thanks for the info all. Very nice GPS map uncle, helps a great deal with the liftover locations etc. Can anyone comment on the quality of the lakes on this route (frost, afton, long island, etc.), descent campsites and shoreline? Not too worried abt the fishing, im sure there are plenty of northern in the area...which taste amazing in the spring. ALso, were any of the lakes on frost or louse river route affected by the pagami creek fire?

Both rivers were spared from the Pagami fire and are well clear of all that.

Long Island is an excellent lake with a few fire scars on the east side from some years back. My understanding is that it's a good fishing lake.

Frost is a wonderful, clear lake that I particularly like to stay on. A couple of the Frost campsites (north and west) even have beaches. Keep your eyes peeled for moose, especially over on the north and west sides.

The only campsite between Frost and Afton is on Bologna Lake, just a short portage off the main river route about midway through. The site itself is nothing special and a bit overgrown from lack of use, but it's very secluded and convenient if you want to take your time enjoying your trip along the river. My wife and I share a special memory from that site of listening one night to two groups of wolves howling back and forth from points on ether side of us.

Afton is a pretty little lake, and if I recall correctly, the water is quite tannin stained. The one campsite there is nothing fancy, but it's more than adequate for a small group. It's up on a little ridge which can help with getting a breeze.

I've noticed that many people start and end the frost river route via sawbill entry. I was planning on entering via cross bay or missing link. Is the sawbill EP quicker or more scenic than the former? I've seen both, so Im sure preference is a big issue.

-Spirits

I've gone both ways, and each have their pluses/minuses. I preferred the Cross Bay entry for its smaller, scenic lakes, but the entry point is a little more remote. If you go that way and need a place to bunk up the night before or want a great breakfast to get you started, Tuscarora Lodge/Outfitters is a great place right next to the EP.

Sawbill is a much more popular entry point and also has a first class outfitter right at the EP. Sawbill takes you through larger lakes, and Cherokee is particularly nice to pass through or stay on.

As you've anticipated, it's more a personal preference between smaller, intimate water vs. a more travelled route with more open water. You won't go wrong either way.

Both routes are nice and provide great solitude. Out of Sawbill, the 480 rod Lujinida to Zenith portage weeds out a lot of paddlers, and relatively few people head down the Louse River (really a creek and small lake route). The last time I was through there (late June a few years ago) the ticks were THICK.

The Frost River offers some of the best solitude in the BWCA and a good chance to see moose. I would check water levels before paddling it though, as you could be in for some dragging/walking.

Neither route is all that difficult, there isn't much in the way of old-growth pines, and the fishing isn't spectacular, but the scenery and solitude make up for it.

Frost Lake is, in my opinion of course, one of the most beautiful lakes in the BW. Clear water, sand beaches, and trout! And depending how you are exiting, Crooked and Tuscarora are beautiful lakes for making camp the last night. I did the loop starting at Cross River and coming out through Tuscarora in 36 hours once and saw the most wildlife I had ever seen on a trip.

quote SpiritsofAdventure: "I've noticed that many people start and end the frost river route via sawbill entry. I was planning on entering via cross bay or missing link. Is the sawbill EP quicker or more scenic than the former? I've seen both, so Im sure preference is a big issue.


-Spirits"

I actually started my trip up at round lake and worked my way down to frost Lake for the first night stay. Good thing, we started the frost river first thing in the morning, and it took us 7 hours to go 3 miles to afton Lake. After staying Afton, worked our way up to Little Sag, then over to Brandt and back out at Round.

cowdoc: "More chance to break the trip up on the Louse...more campsites. With either route....go west. Decent solitude on either."

I am pondering this exact question with permit day approaching for my May solo. I initially planned on Frost River, but am leaning toward Louse because there are more campsites along the way that appear to offer seclusion. Is there decent fishing for Northern along the Louse?

YardstickAngler: "

cowdoc: "More chance to break the trip up on the Louse...more campsites. With either route....go west. Decent solitude on either."

I am pondering this exact question with permit day approaching for my May solo. I initially planned on Frost River, but am leaning toward Louse because there are more campsites along the way that appear to offer seclusion. Is there decent fishing for Northern along the Louse?"

There is a picture from 2004 on the Sawbill Outfitter Blog of a good sized northern taken on Trail Lake.

Trail Lake Northern