Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Disappointment / Old Pines Hiking Trails
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zappy |
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Huntman94 |
HappyHuskies: " Anyway if you go have fun and please post a trail report. It's a special trail and the volunteers that maintain it deserve our thanks and gratitude. " Thanks for the wonderful advice! I am definitely planning on going up so i will take some notes and write up an update when I get back. not sure how far we will get because it will be a quick trip. I am extremely excited and will post after i get back. Thanks , Hunter |
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Huntman94 |
I am planning a hiking trip with some buddies for the last weekend in April, the last weekend you do not need a permit, up to hopefully Disappointment / Old Pines Hiking Trails. I have never been up there and cant find much for current info on the loop trails around Snowbank lake and Disappointment lake. I am wondering if anyone has any advice about hiking this area. 1) Is the trail head (entry point #74) easy to find, and how far is parking form there? 2)What kind of shape are the trails in? 3)Any other advice or tips you can give me Thanks for any input, Have a great day Hunter |
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billconner |
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carmike |
I don't know if you've heard of Shug, but he's a hammocker who spends his time hiking the MN northwoods. He has a video on the trail. A quick search on Google or YouTube will bring it up. |
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zappy |
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Soledad |
Ice is still on most of the lake :) cold water to drink. 2 mosquitoes and 2 ticks. |
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TuscaroraBorealis |
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Huntman94 |
Shug's video was really helpful, I will have to watch some more of his stuff. |
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Huntman94 |
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HappyHuskies |
The trailhead is easy to find and there is plenty of parking. It is right on Snowbank Road, just before you get To Smitty's on Snowbank Resort. There is a good sized sign marking the parking lot. The beginning of the Kek is right across the road from the parking lot. I have not been back since then, but have been told by friends that the Kek has been cleared. They did not hike the Snowbank trail, so could not tell me about it's condition. A hike over to the Old Pines trail should be fun. The last time I hiked the Old Pines Trail, it was pretty over grown and had a fair number of deadfalls across it, but was still very hikeable, but not a fast hike since there was not an easy tread to follow. The campsites on both Medas and Moyaka Lake are nice. The Medas sit is very large and has a great rock outcrop next to the lake. I also like hiking the Benzie/Becoosin Loop, but the last time I was through it it was also pretty overgrown and has numerous deadfalls across it. Keep in mind that I have not hiked most of this since early 2016, so things have almost certainly changed. I do plan on getting back for a hike on the western end sometime this spring, once most of the snow is off the trail, but it sounds like you may beat me there. I'm also planning to through hike the Kek again this year, but will wait for fall to come around for that. If you have not hiked in the BW before, keep in mind that these are what I would term minimally maintained trails that do not always have a defined tread and there is little in the way of trail markers ... generally just a few cairns and the occasional piece of flagging tape. Some of the side trails can go years before getting any trail maintenance. Since the Kek itself got some attention last year it should still be in decent shape. The side trails will probably be more challenging. Anyway if you go have fun and please post a trail report. It's a special trail and the volunteers that maintain it deserve our thanks and gratitude. |