BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 05 2025
Entry Point 39 - Baker Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1497 feet
Latitude: 47.8452
Longitude: -90.8169
Summary: A 5-day loop from Baker up the Temperance lakes to Cherokee, and back through Sawbill and Smoke lakes back to Baker. A fairly difficult trip.
Day 0: We drove up from Stillwater in the morning and camped at one of the 5 walk-in campsites at Baker Lake, and it was nice.
Day 1 (Baker to S. Temperance) - A beautiful day, we decided to paddle all the way to South Temperance the first day which was a great paddle with easy portages except for the last one. We picked the campsite on top of a huge rock that was close to the middle of the lake. Tried fishing some but no luck
Day 2 (Rest) - In the night, we encountered the worst storm of the entire season. While we were there 19 people had to be rescued from the BWCA. We had about 50mph straightline winds, and I'm still surprised that the huge tent we had stood up to it. We slept in and took a rest day because of the intense winds. Amazingly beautiful sunset.
Day 3 (S. Temperance to Cherokee) - We left as early as we could to beat the heat, but it was no good. The lengthy, hilly portages were challenging and by the last portage we were pretty beat. We overpacked and single portaged which led us to speedier exhaustion. Still amazing weather. North Temperance was a beaut- I wish we had stayed there instead of South. We took the southeasterly facing campsite on Cherokee on the southeastern skinny island. Neat little site.
Day 4 (Cherokee to Sawbill) - Left a little later in the day but it was ok. We took our time going down the river letting out of the southwest part of Cherokee and it was a great area. BEWARE: The area between Ada and Skoop Lakes appears to be floatable, but a dam built recently has made the portion impossible to float. Be prepared for a long portage through muck and water. A guy that we saw there said he had been going to the BWCA for 40 years at least once per year and it was the worst portage he had ever seen. By the time we got to Sawbill it was pretty hot. We paddled all the way down to the site next to the portage onto Smoke.
Day 5 (Sawbill to Baker) - Cooler, cloudier weather for the first time on the trip. We were pretty hungry (I underpacked food a little and I felt really bad) and we were taunting each other with vivid descriptions of the burgers we were going to eat ASAP after getting out. We paddled back to Baker and returned our gear to Sawtooth outfitters.
Overall great route.
2 weeks of reality in the time of COVID
Entry Date:
August 10, 2020
Entry Point:
South Kawishiwi River
Exit Point:
Sawbill Lake (38)
Number of Days:
14
Group Size:
2
Nice meteors after dark, then off to bed. 
Latrine has been chewed on by some animal- sharp edges! Found a rope and weighted bag abandoned in a tree and managed to free it.
Got up before the sun and were on the water by 8. Portaged into Lake One and then took the back way to the main body of the lake, avoiding the entry point. So many people! Found a site on the far shore of Lake Two near the portage into Rifle. Large, spacious, not too many tent pads but a real nice rock kitchen area under the trees. Used my new solar shower for the first time....awesome! Shored up the firegrate, which is rusted out on 3 legs, washed our clothes. Found: 1/2 a cigar.
Decided to take a layover. Explored the cool peninsula near camp, made pancakes, cut wood, and lazed around. Did some swimming. So many people paddling by in both directions! Another really hot windy day. Saw someone looking for a campsite at 730 pm....wonder where they ended up.
Paddled 12 miles today to get through the burn area to the end of Insula. We were both getting a bit hangry by the time we found a site. Lots of shade here and a very nice tent pad. Fire grate rusted out and cracked in half, but usable. Poured last night, lots of thunder and lightening. Thought it would rain all day, but only a few sprinkles. Evidence of spruce budworm everywhere so far- lots of dying spruce.
Super noisy guys across the way from us tonight, hollering to passing canoes and talking about their sonar that came with a radar service, warning everyone that it's gonna rain. Yup, sure is. Sigh.
Camped in a lovely cedar grove across the lake from the pictographs. Kitchen is up on a high rock, tent is tucked in the woods, nice spot for the tarp. 
Nice paddle up the Kawishiwi to Malberg. Saw an eagle eating fish guts and a loon with baby super close to the canoe, making little squeaky noises to each other that I did not know loons made. Only 2 portages, but the 2nd one to Malberg started with a knee deep sucking mud pit and had a beaver pod in the middle of it. Fun! 
Baffin Swamp Buggies earned their stripes! They did not get sucked off my feet, and the insides were not full of silt and sticks. Impressive.
Gorgeous campsite down at the end of a bay on Malberg, feels very private for such a busy lake. We've been out a week now.
Found: Green carabiner
Saw loon baby being fed by it's parents just off shore from our campsite this morning, and a kestral being chased by blue jays. Started out real foggy, but now a clear blue sky.
Got to Polly- seemed like all the sites were taken, but found one tucked behind an island and got everything set up before it rained. So many tent pads here! Also a million skeeters- haven't really seen many of them on this trip. Gorgeous sunset, but a lot of canoes on the water.
Found: spork
Up before dawn again, cereal and coffee and on the water by sun-up. Paddled and portaged the Phoebe River to Hazel. Saw one group- they daytripped into Hazel, sat on the shore for 30 minutes, then turned around and left- odd. Other than that, totally deserted back here. HOT! Hung sleeping bags to air out, everything just a bit damp.
The route here was interesting....Phoebe River is little and full of beaver dams. They have widened some areas and made others much more shallow, so portages are only approximate....some treks along the river edge to reach navigable water.
Heating up the solar shower again....could be last shower of the trip.
Layover on Hazel- explored the gorge. Really amazing little place that feels like no one has ever been there before, though I'm sure they have.
Crazy thunderstorm last night with high winds and a little hail, torrential rain. Dog was none too happy about it!
Saw 3 Western Grebes that must have been blown off course, swimming around the lake all day. Ate the pouch of pickles that we brought in...what a treat! Pickles! 
Found: Rayban sunglasses, red stringer
Paddled, portaged, and lined canoe through the shallows to reach Ella Lake. Fell in the river twice before I learned not to have my pack on when walking over algae slimed rocks (LOL) Still have not seen anyone- it's been 3 days now. The portage from Grace into Ella is....quite the boulder field at the start. Ella is deserted. The campsite just across from the portage is a 5 star for sure- All granite and white pines, lots of stone benches/tables. Very flat tent pad.
Last full day on the trail....foggy misty day. Lots of ravens here and still no people. Explored Ella and hiked the portage into Beth to see what's in store tomorrow. Piece of cake- easy as pie. Dreaming of real food, and starting to have attacks of maniacal laughter over...the smell of our scrubbie. Probably have been alone in the woods too long!
Got up and going- we have a smooth routine now. I break down the tent and pack our gear, Jesse makes coffee and breakfast and packs the kitchen pack. and...it's a wrap.
Once we hit Alton, it's crazy again. The portage into Sawbill is a congested madhouse- 8 canoes in the portage and more waiting to load/unload. Nuts.....and then it's back to the world of masks. Sure was a good couple of weeks though...