BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 05 2025
Entry Point 24 - Fall Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 14
Elevation: 1324 feet
Latitude: 47.9527
Longitude: -91.7213
"This trip will be taking off from Fall Lake up through Newton Falls portage onto Pipestone Bay campsites. 3 day, 2 night trip into the wilderness.
18 lakes in a week
Entry Date:
July 28, 2012
Entry Point:
Fall Lake
Exit Point:
Moose Lake (25)
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
6
First nite super: Salmon hobo burgers, red potatoes, onion, carrots in foil wrap inserted into hot coals.
We returned to camp for a quick chicken salad wrap lunch. Leaving the women at camp, three of us set out to explore the four mile portage on foot. It went from being as wide as a road to a foot path in brush to a flooded track through marsh, at times knee deep. At one point it actually disappears and we had to set up out of water and take to higher ground. While not impossible to travel, I cannot imagine portaging gear through here. On the way back we ventured west to dip our toes in Muskeg Lake.
Our hopes of spotting the sunken steam engine from the end of the four mile portage in Hoist Bay was a disappointment on this day... Due to whitecaps on Hoist Bay..to be rewarded from a water- paddling view a few days later.
Dinner: pork loin smoked over an open fire served with Stove Top stuffing and cheesy potato soup.
From Ella to Fall Lake to Newton, Newton to Pipestone Bay....our goal was to reach Back Bay. Underestimating the toll of four portages and the windy weather, we did not make Back Bay but opted for a campsite northeast of New York Island. This site was a great choice.
Dinner: rehydrated beef and noodles.
Trying to make up ground our group decided to head for Basswood Lake for the night. Breaking camp, heading out of Pipestone Bay to Back Bay, to Hoist Bay...we paused to explore this side of the four mile portage.
We were able to find the sunken steam engine as clear as day a few generous inches above the waters surface located on the east side of the creek coming out of Gook Lake.
From Hoist Bay we headed to Basswood Lake and stopped for lunch at Norway Island. This site on the east side of the island was open and sunny, full of Mosquitos and a bit rocky. While it may work in a pinch, we opted to continue for a better site. Across the way was a beautiful campsite site 11 on the Fisher map. This campsite was georgous and would accommodate three tents easily. A bit secluded and buggy, we opted to move down to the end of Wind Bay in hopes for yet a better site.
This choice paid off. Wind Bay offered a nice campsite for three tents, easy access, less Mosquitos and positioned us for a nice day trip the following day.
Dinner: spaghetti-pepperoni-chicken with rehydrated sauce.
Leaving camp at 10 am we headed through the bog to Indiana Lake. This was the clearest and most beautiful lake of the trip. Two campsites in this lake... Less Mosquitos and a great breeze... A must visit if you are lucky enough to get a site.
From Indiana Lake over a 100 rod portage to Good Lake., 150 rods into Hula, 40 rods without canoes for a toe dip into Wood Lake.
Reversing the trip back to camp we stopped on Hula Lake island for a bean burrito-chicken-rice lunch and a hula dance or two.
We returned to camp around 5 pm to a nice swim and rehydrated baked ziti dinner.
Later in the evening, just before dark, we fixed dinner for a few new friends in search of a late campsite.
Once camp was set up we paddled to Washte Lake and took the unmarked portage to Withness Lake. Watch out for the leeches in these smaller lakes.
Dinner: lentil soup as a starter. Calzones for dinner (Italian flat bread-pepperoni-chicken-pizza sauce-onion-bacon bites-Parmesan cheese)... One even had tuna.
This night brought our first still water...and the sunset mirrored on the water. What a beautiful last night.
Breaking camp we left Wind lake taking the 175 rod portage to Moose Lake, paddling straight up to the outfitters dock.