This loop has been discussed recently, here's Cliff Jacobson's take on it.

Cliff on the Frost

good story and description. we didn't do the lower frost, as Cliff describes, and from the photo there is no way i'd want to do it. i'd rather spend my time on little sag relaxing.

it's not the toughest route in the BWCA, but every person has their own perspective.

the beaver situation is quite interesting. the area has gone through cycles of beavers, then no or few beavers, then more beavers. if you pay attention on portages you can see old marks on trees so people could follow the portage. i wondered why there were so many since the portages are pretty straight forward once you're on them.

i asked some old timers in the gunflint area who told me there used to be a lot of trapping before it was the bwca and the forest has gone through changes over time... that was the summary of their opinion.

it's a great trip with so many photo opportunities, too bad there are so few campsites.

Cliff's article says only two campsites between Frost and Little Sag, but I think there are 3 (if you count the short hop into Bologna): Bologna, Afton, and Whipped.

quote rtallent: "Cliff's article says only two campsites between Frost and Little Sag, but I think there are 3 (if you count the short hop into Bologna): Bologna, Afton, and Whipped."

The one on Whipped isn't marked on all maps.

I'm not clear what he means by the Lower Frost. Do you head west from Whipped? Where do you go through and where do you enter Little Sag if you do that?

quote boonie: "I'm not clear what he means by the Lower Frost. Do you head west from Whipped? Where do you go through and where do you enter Little Sag if you do that? "

I'm guessing it is a passage through Time. Remember how we looked back up that arm and said is was good not to get lost in Time?

:) Thanks for reminding me of that, but that's not it because in the article he says you avoid portaging into Mora and then portaging from Mora into Little Sag. You'd have to do the latter if you went through Time. It looks like you'd go west from Whipped and somehow get to Hop Lake and enter Little Sag from there . . . ?

I think the portage he is talking about is the one between Mora and Whipped, not the one between Mora and Little Sag. He refers only to the “100 rod portage” and the "Mora Lake cut-off", which I assume is the same thing, in the article. (I don’t know what the book says.)

The flow of the water goes from Whipped through Time to the west end of Mora. I’m pretty sure the portage between Mora and Little Sag follows what once had started out as the Frost River. I just don’t see any other water connections even on satellite images.

Here's what confuses me:

Near the end of the article he says, "There are no established portages along the lower section. You'll just have to figure things out—which may mean dragging, lining or horsing boats short distances through the bush. But If you want solitude, exquisite beauty and the challenge of an "unprogrammed route", you'll love it. The Frost—notably the lower Frost—is a real adventure. A plus, is that by paddling the lower river, you’ll avoid the 100 rod portage into Mora Lake and the exit portage from Mora into Little Sag. "

So there he says you'll avoid both portages. Going through Time just takes you into the west end of Mora before the portage to Little Sag . . . ?

I couldn't figure this out either, does anyone have Cliff's book Boundary Waters Canoe Camping?

quote fadersup: "I couldn't figure this out either, does anyone have Cliff's book Boundary Waters Canoe Camping? "

I do, just pulled it off the shelf, and will investigate.

Page 35

"At Whipped Lake, you may choose to head north to Mora, Gillis, Chub River, and Brant, ending your trip at Round Lake."

"The first option is much more remote and adventurous, especially if you bypass the 100-rod portage to Mora and take the obscure Time Lake cutoff. The rapids and swifts between Whipped and Mora Lakes can all be run, lined, or portaged."

That is all I see in the book regarding that section.

Looks like he is saying to go through Time Lake, avoiding the first portage into Mora. You will still have to portage into Little Sag.

Yeah, I saw that in the book too and have decided that going through Time is what he means, along with running, lining, or walking it through the Mora to Little Sag rather than using the portage. Either that or it's just a confusion (senior Moment) in the write-up.

I remember the river going into Little Sag as "not to be lined" but my memory sometimes takes great liberties. I know there was a ton of water moving.

Yes, I'm thinking the statement at the end of the article saying you'll avoid the exit portage from Mora into Little Sag is just a misstatement.

Do you have another link to this article? The one on the post isn't working.