BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 08 2025
Entry Point 49 - Skipper & Portage Lakes
Skipper and Portage Lakes entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 28 miles. Access is a 320-rod portage from Poplar Lake or a 230-rod portage from Iron Lake. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1865 feet
Latitude: 48.0517
Longitude: -90.5366
Skipper & Portage Lakes - 49
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1865 feet
Latitude: 48.0517
Longitude: -90.5366
Skipper & Portage Lakes - 49
Six Nights on the Ram
by BeaV
Trip Report
Entry Date:
August 01, 2009
Entry Point:
Ram Lake
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
Friend and I hiked the long portage up to Ram (and I do mean "up" to Ram, as you will gain significant elevation doing so). It's a tough portage, steep and rocky, so wear appropriate shoes, i.e., hiking boots. Ram Lake is deep and cold. Fishing was slow, but we caught two big rainbows, one of which was almost too big for two big young guys to eat at once. I think we got a fish-fat high. We took the campsite on the eastern shore. It's a steep, rocky, and small site, but we didn't know any better, so we thought it was splendid. My friend camped with his dog in a nice flat depression near the fire ring; I laid out, under a tarp and mosquito net, underneath a big white pine in back. On our fourth night there, we endured a thunderstorm for several hours. I lay under my tarp and counted the time between lightning strikes and thunder for a long time, hoping that pine would not be a victim. I stayed nice and dry, but didn't sleep much. My friend slept better, but woke up to 4-5" of water outside the tent, which drained away in the AM. We had two minor medical incidents. My friend cut his finger deeply while cleaning a fish, and could not close the wound until he applied pressure for several hours, losing some blood in the process. He splinted the finger, though, and it held okay for the trip. I was digging for fishing worms below a rotten tree and found a yellowjacket nest, one of which stung me on the calf, which proceeded to swell to 2x its size. It was stiff and uncomfortable, but it also was okay in the end. Next trip, we brought sutures and epipens.
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