BWCA lake travel conditions ely? Boundary Waters Winter Camping and Activities
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Arlo Pankook
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12/11/2013 09:42AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Has anyone attempted travel by foot, ski, or snowshoe on any ely area lakes lately? I'm assuming the conditions are variable and poor but am planning a trip in a week or two over a smaller lake, most likely wood or wind.
 
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12/11/2013 10:50AM  
I will be traveling in that area (out of Fall Lake and west of Wind) next week although most travel will be on that 4 mile portage. I will post when I get back.

I would assume things are going to be slushy.
12/11/2013 10:07PM  
Was a lot of slush. Some of it is freezing up.
Arlo Pankook
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12/15/2013 02:03PM  
That would be great Soledad.
12/17/2013 01:20PM  
Arlo, two guys went into Fall lake today planning to get across the 4 mile portage. They reported lots of flush and taking 2 hours to go from the EP to the portage. (1.5 miles?) They are setting up camp for the day and not planning to go further. Not good news.
Arlo Pankook
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12/19/2013 06:07PM  
Thanks for the update. We'll plan a short route then and see what happens.
catfish72
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12/22/2013 11:49PM  
Arlo, If this helps at all I just got back from 4 days on Wood lake. The ice conditions were poor! lots of slush on the way out. We did make a good trail out to the back end of the narrows that ended up freezing up pretty well. So it made for a far better pack out. There seemed to be a few people out there prior to us, most likely before the big snow. we managed to catch a bunch of pike, 2 walleye and a dozen or so big perch. All in all it was pretty good fishing considering we could not go far due to slush. Have a great trip where ever you end up going!
Arlo Pankook
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12/23/2013 07:14AM  
Thanks catfish72! I was hoping that some of the lakes had set up a little by now, too much snow I guess. We'll keep our options open.
hubben
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12/23/2013 09:18AM  
This may sound like an awfully-ignorant question, but does the slush problem ever resolve itself over the course of the winter season? With the large blanket of insulating snow over the top of it, I would conjecture that the slush would be a more or less permanent reality-- until ice-out, but I lack the experience to know this for sure.
12/23/2013 09:27AM  
quote hubben: "This may sound like an awfully-ignorant question, but does the slush problem ever resolve itself over the course of the winter season? With the large blanket of insulating snow over the top of it, I would conjecture that the slush would be a more or less permanent reality-- until ice-out, but I lack the experience to know this for sure. "


The answer is yes,sometimes.
Quite often the slush will freezeup under the snow. Sometimes creating two layers of ice until they freeze together.
Arlo Pankook
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12/23/2013 09:34AM  
Here in N.Central MN slush was really bad but it's really coming around quickly. We had 4"-6" of ice in some areas with 16" of snow on top, now these same areas have 6"-8" of solid ice with 4" of chunky ice. Some areas have 10" of good ice. I was hopping Ely ice would be coming around.
12/23/2013 12:20PM  
quote catfish72: " Arlo, If this helps at all I just got back from 4 days on Wood lake. The ice conditions were poor! lots of slush on the way out. We did make a good trail out to the back end of the narrows that ended up freezing up pretty well. So it made for a far better pack out. There seemed to be a few people out there prior to us, most likely before the big snow. we managed to catch a bunch of pike, 2 walleye and a dozen or so big perch. All in all it was pretty good fishing considering we could not go far due to slush. Have a great trip where ever you end up going!"


Were you planning on going to a lake further in? I was going to make a day trip into that area towards the end of the week and was thing of spearing Good. To much slush to get in that far I suppose? But if you did well on pike I might just stick to Wood!
12/23/2013 01:01PM  
I you had someone already go in that path usually freezes up solid,but drifting may make it hard to follow old paths. It does seem slowly in north
central Minnesota some areas are getting better now.
12/23/2013 01:06PM  
quote catfish72: " Arlo, If this helps at all I just got back from 4 days on Wood lake. The ice conditions were poor! lots of slush on the way out. We did make a good trail out to the back end of the narrows that ended up freezing up pretty well. So it made for a far better pack out. There seemed to be a few people out there prior to us, most likely before the big snow. we managed to catch a bunch of pike, 2 walleye and a dozen or so big perch. All in all it was pretty good fishing considering we could not go far due to slush. Have a great trip where ever you end up going!"


Catfish-Curious, how was Fernberg @ the Wood Lake entry and where did you park?
12/23/2013 02:23PM  
Just to add a little more info. Fall lake would have been terrible to cross without all of the dog sleds that are running up to Basswood multiple times each day. We made it back from Hoist Bay in 2 hours 10 minutes on Saturday, the lake travel was awesome, but only because of the dog sleds. When I had to get off the path to let them pass, I would step in slush. I will try to get a couple pics posted, but I am traveling for work then hopefully home for xmas tomorrow.
We need several cycles of warm and freezing to deal with the slush.

12/23/2013 02:47PM  
Nice Pike!!!
12/23/2013 03:14PM  
yeah, that's my lucky little bro. Ciscos side by side rigged the same way 3 feet apart, they always went for his. There was a bigger pike but it wouldn't bite, big old scar on its back. Fishing was great up there.
12/23/2013 04:18PM  
How do you like your eskimo fish house?
walleye_hunter
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12/24/2013 12:00PM  
quote hubben: "This may sound like an awfully-ignorant question, but does the slush problem ever resolve itself over the course of the winter season? With the large blanket of insulating snow over the top of it, I would conjecture that the slush would be a more or less permanent reality-- until ice-out, but I lack the experience to know this for sure. "

It usually takes a nice little thaw to get rid of some of the slush. Where I would ice fish in Alaska temps of -50 would not freeze the slush when there was a good blanket of snow on top. Last winter we never had any little thaws. Here's hoping we get a couple of warm weeks in Feb and March this year.
12/24/2013 07:31PM  
quote PINETREE: "How do you like your eskimo fish house?"

That was the first time we had it out. I liked the insulated version, a bit heavy in my opinion to haul 6+ miles on a sled, but thats why smart people hire dog sleds.

Lots of space for two guys gets very dark inside for looking at fish.
catfish72
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12/25/2013 12:57AM  
quote karola: "
quote catfish72: " Arlo, If this helps at all I just got back from 4 days on Wood lake. The ice conditions were poor! lots of slush on the way out. We did make a good trail out to the back end of the narrows that ended up freezing up pretty well. So it made for a far better pack out. There seemed to be a few people out there prior to us, most likely before the big snow. we managed to catch a bunch of pike, 2 walleye and a dozen or so big perch. All in all it was pretty good fishing considering we could not go far due to slush. Have a great trip where ever you end up going!"



Were you planning on going to a lake further in? I was going to make a day trip into that area towards the end of the week and was thing of spearing Good. To much slush to get in that far I suppose? But if you did well on pike I might just stick to Wood!"


hey Karola, wood lake was going to be our base camp. We pondered taking day trips further on but, traveling was slow and tedious and in our opinion not worth the time. on the way out we spent a lot of time scraping our sleds free of freezing slush and trying to deal with ice encrusted snow shoes. My hope is that conditions change for everyone else! Merry Christmas and safe travels to all!!!
catfish72
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12/25/2013 01:23AM  
quote Frenchy19: "
quote catfish72: " Arlo, If this helps at all I just got back from 4 days on Wood lake. The ice conditions were poor! lots of slush on the way out. We did make a good trail out to the back end of the narrows that ended up freezing up pretty well. So it made for a far better pack out. There seemed to be a few people out there prior to us, most likely before the big snow. we managed to catch a bunch of pike, 2 walleye and a dozen or so big perch. All in all it was pretty good fishing considering we could not go far due to slush. Have a great trip where ever you end up going!"



Catfish-Curious, how was Fernberg @ the Wood Lake entry and where did you park?"



hey frenchy, fernberg road was plowed and also the parking area for the wood lake entry point.
12/25/2013 09:21AM  
Thanks, Catfish. Heading out on Saturday, and it looks like Sunday and Monday are going to get real cold! May rent a hot tent and stove from Piragis...Merry Christmas!
Twinsplusone
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12/31/2013 09:12AM  
My son and I just arrived back from Ely. We did a few nights hot tenting. The snow conditions vary from place to place on any given lake. on Friday (12-27)We had to plow though light fluffy powder and then 10 yards further we would be ankle deep in slush under the powder. The two days we were camping just north east of Ely the High temp was around -12 and the low was -22 with lots of wind. This did improve the ice for our trek out but still had to plow some snow with the sleds we pulled in. Had to stop to get ice off sleds as well. I called around to rent a fish house. Nobody has any out on the ice as they are not driving on the ice yet. Smitty's on Snowbank did mention they were hopeful at getting a few shacks out early this week.
12/31/2013 09:22AM  
quote Twinsplusone: "My son and I just arrived back from Ely. We did a few nights hot tenting. The snow conditions vary from place to place on any given lake. on Friday (12-27)We had to plow though light fluffy powder and then 10 yards further we would be ankle deep in slush under the powder. The two days we were camping just north east of Ely the High temp was around -12 and the low was -22 with lots of wind. This did improve the ice for our trek out but still had to plow some snow with the sleds we pulled in. Had to stop to get ice off sleds as well. I called around to rent a fish house. Nobody has any out on the ice as they are not driving on the ice yet. Smitty's on Snowbank did mention they were hopeful at getting a few shacks out early this week."


Thanks,one of the best assets of this forum is condition reports of what is going on.

I can relate very much with your experience,I don't mind plowing snow in fluffy conditions,I don't like it when slush builds up on skiis,snowshoes and sleds making it almost impossible to move.
12/31/2013 11:39AM  
Ugh-definitely sounds like tough sledding up there! These kinds of reports are indeed super helpful!
Primitiveman
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01/06/2014 12:36PM  
Just got back from 3 days of daytripping into the BWCA from Voyageurs canoe outfitters and slush was a problem still. Avoided it somewhat by following older tracks. Really cold every day and driving on the Gunflint Trail was an adventure in itself.
Jon
01/07/2014 02:47AM  
quote Primitiveman: "Just got back from 3 days of daytripping into the BWCA from Voyageurs canoe outfitters and slush was a problem still. Avoided it somewhat by following older tracks. Really cold every day and driving on the Gunflint Trail was an adventure in itself.
Jon"

Hey Jon-is the gunflint just endless glare ice? A couple years ago I hit those kind of conditions. Last year my timing was apparently much better. But when it stays really cold for long periods of time there is no opportunity for melt off. Not sure if they use salt at all on the gunflint? I was hoping to get up that way later this week but with my current 2wd vehicle I really don't enjoy the icey road conditions:(
01/07/2014 09:19AM  
quote tg: "
quote Primitiveman: "Just got back from 3 days of daytripping into the BWCA from Voyageurs canoe outfitters and slush was a problem still. Avoided it somewhat by following older tracks. Really cold every day and driving on the Gunflint Trail was an adventure in itself.
Jon"

Hey Jon-is the gunflint just endless glare ice? A couple years ago I hit those kind of conditions. Last year my timing was apparently much better. But when it stays really cold for long periods of time there is no opportunity for melt off. Not sure if they use salt at all on the gunflint? I was hoping to get up that way later this week but with my current 2wd vehicle I really don't enjoy the icey road conditions:(
"

That would be a good question for Mocha...?
Primitiveman
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01/07/2014 11:34AM  
Yup glare ice with lots of evidence of vehicles having been pulled out of the snow banks on the sides of the road
Jon
quote Doughboy12: "
quote tg: "
quote Primitiveman: "Just got back from 3 days of daytripping into the BWCA from Voyageurs canoe outfitters and slush was a problem still. Avoided it somewhat by following older tracks. Really cold every day and driving on the Gunflint Trail was an adventure in itself.
Jon"

Hey Jon-is the gunflint just endless glare ice? A couple years ago I hit those kind of conditions. Last year my timing was apparently much better. But when it stays really cold for long periods of time there is no opportunity for melt off. Not sure if they use salt at all on the gunflint? I was hoping to get up that way later this week but with my current 2wd vehicle I really don't enjoy the icey road conditions:(
"

That would be a good question for Mocha...?"
Now a Sconie.......
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01/08/2014 10:33AM  
Can anyone tell me if the dog sleds have a trail through Prairie Portage? Thanks for any info
kaparzo
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01/08/2014 12:25PM  
I was up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend. No slush on Moss, Duncan, Rose or Bearskin lakes. Poplar did have a small amount of slush. Duncan had 13" of ice and Rose had 10".

Please be careful if travelling towards the Stairway Portage on Duncan. The ice thickness was poor at least three hundred yards ahead of the waterfall. While walking on the ice and hugging the shore, my brother's leg went through. He wanted to power through the day with frozen boot and bibs while fishing Rose. Only fish of the day was a ~5lb eel pout.
01/08/2014 02:34PM  
quote kaparzo: "I was up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend. No slush on Moss, Duncan, Rose or Bearskin lakes. Poplar did have a small amount of slush. Duncan had 13" of ice and Rose had 10".


Please be careful if travelling towards the Stairway Portage on Duncan. The ice thickness was poor at least three hundred yards ahead of the waterfall. While walking on the ice and hugging the shore, my brother's leg went through. He wanted to power through the day with frozen boot and bibs while fishing Rose. Only fish of the day was a ~5lb eel pout. "


Thanks for the update on conditions. Was there many people on Duncan?
01/08/2014 02:39PM  
Was on snowbank this weekend. Did not have to go any further because there was not a soul to be seen :)

Virtually no slush (except right on shore line) but very deep snow going in, which is always the funnest day.

Good trail after we went in, but it was almost completely covered by the high winds blowing snow over it.
01/08/2014 02:39PM  
Was on snowbank this weekend. Did not have to go any further because there was not a soul to be seen :)

Virtually no slush (except right on shore line) but very deep snow going in, which is always the funnest day.

Good trail after we went in, but it was almost completely covered by the high winds blowing snow over it.
01/08/2014 02:44PM  
quote George: "Was on snowbank this weekend. Did not have to go any further because there was not a soul to be seen :)


Virtually no slush (except right on shore line) but very deep snow going in, which is always the funnest day.


Good trail after we went in, but it was almost completely covered by the high winds blowing snow over it. "


My what big bait you use for fishing.
01/08/2014 02:53PM  
^^ :)
walleye_hunter
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01/08/2014 03:32PM  
quote kaparzo: "I was up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend. No slush on Moss, Duncan, Rose or Bearskin lakes. Poplar did have a small amount of slush. Duncan had 13" of ice and Rose had 10".


Please be careful if travelling towards the Stairway Portage on Duncan. The ice thickness was poor at least three hundred yards ahead of the waterfall. While walking on the ice and hugging the shore, my brother's leg went through. He wanted to power through the day with frozen boot and bibs while fishing Rose. Only fish of the day was a ~5lb eel pout. "

The ice is never very thick there. I broke through in that area once cause I was too lazy to walk on shore like I normally do. It is very shallow but still makes your heart miss a couple of beats.
Kaparzo
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01/08/2014 10:36PM  
There weren't too many people on Duncan. A winter camper and one group of day trippers. Also checked by two different CO's. There weren't any recent tracks on Rose.

We opted to travel on foot since there was less than 12" of snow on the lake. Snowshoes weren't helpful enough to warrant the extra clumsiness. The trail we broke to Rose in the morning was covered up by the wind and we had to break a new trail back to Bearskin in the afternoon.
Franzenrp
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01/20/2014 07:11PM  
Just got back from a week on Little Bass Lake and travel conditions were good. The pull across South Hegman was good the lake slush was non existing as the slush was frozen from other travelers. Portage from North Hegman to Little Bass wasn't broken so snowshoes were in order. Once on Little Bass the lake ice was good had just a few areas were slush crept up on the pull out to a tent site. Ice depth was around 16 ". All in all travel conditions were very good.
OBX2Kayak
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01/20/2014 09:46PM  
quote PINETREE: "
quote George: "Was on snowbank this weekend. Did not have to go any further because there was not a soul to be seen :)



Virtually no slush (except right on shore line) but very deep snow going in, which is always the funnest day.



Good trail after we went in, but it was almost completely covered by the high winds blowing snow over it. "



My what big bait you use for fishing."


... and the fish were biting.
 
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