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
Trout bums
by jeffish
Trip Report
Entry Date:
June 13, 2008
Entry Point:
Ram Lake
Number of Days:
4
Group Size:
6
Trip Introduction:
I had done this entry portage about 10 years ago. Either my memory is bad or I'm not in the same shape I was ten years ago. I don't remember the portage being uphill for all but the last few rods. The portage is sometimes listed as short as 90 rods but I've seen it listed as quite a bit longer. I was able to portage the canoe back down the hill on the way out without stopping but the portage in required a few rest stops. There are certainly longer initial portages but this is one of the hardest I've done.
Report
We had Ram lake to ourselves, with the exception of a couple of canoes that came in to fish for the day. The fishing was not as fast as I would have liked and the lakers we caught were all fairly small. The rainbows we caught were nice sized but there were harder to catch. I regret not bringing my fly rod; the rainbows rose after dinner every night.
A couple of guys from our group paddled over to Little Trout one rainy day and just got one nice laker. I've read that there is a good population of lakers in that lake though. I've done the portage from Little Trout to Misquah, which is a killer. It goes up and down a few times and is really buddy in the summer.