BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 08 2025
Entry Point 49 - Skipper & Portage Lakes
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1865 feet
Latitude: 48.0517
Longitude: -90.5366
Skipper & Portage Lakes - 49
2023 LIS North (14) - Moose River North (16)
Entry Date:
July 07, 2023
Entry Point:
Little Indian Sioux River (north)
Exit Point:
Moose/Portage River (north) (16)
Number of Days:
9
Group Size:
8
Everyone is excited to begin our trek into the great north wilderness this year, so our crew is up early to make the drive from Ely out to EP 14, Little Indian Sioux North. The alarms begin going off at 4:30 am. Our stay at the VNO bunkhouse was perfect. We leave the bunkhouse before daylight, and make our way northwest. Once at the EP 14 parking area, we unload our gear and part of our group begins to portage, while Noah and Christopher shuttle one of our vehicles over to the EP 16 parking area, since we plan to exit there in a few days. We watch the sunrise as we portaged our gear down to the LIS River. Now that we have the vehicles shuttled and our gear portaged, we begin paddling at about 6 am. 
The 40 rod portage from Upper Pauness to Lower Pauness has a small uphill at the beginnning, then downhill at the Lower Pauness end. It's a very easy well used portage. 
After a quick paddle across Lower Pauness, we decide to take an early break for a lunch snack at Devil's Cascade. 
Angelina and Dakota decide to swim, while the rest of us relax and enjoy listening to the water rush through the canyon. The water level is lower than I remember in the past, but the cascade is still very impressive! The portage from Lower Pauness to LIS River has a few elevation changes, but isn't difficult. It is a pretty well used, and well maintained portage. 
Once we begin paddling on the LIS River, the boys begin fishing. Joel catches the first fish of the trip on a floating weedless frog. Of course it's a small mouth bass.
Not to be out done by his big brother, Levi catches a northern pike on a black/white stripe spoon. 
The overcast skies decide to rain off and on most of the morning into the afternoon. We decide to put on our rain gear and stop at campsite 26 at the south end of Loon Lake for a break from paddling in the rain. The site suites us well, and we decide to stay for the night. This site is large enough for our large group, and offers a great view of Loon lake to the north. After camp is set up, Joel and I decide to go fishing to try and catch the ever elusive walleye. We didn't have any luck catching walleye, but we did catch several northern pike and a few small mouth bass. Levi decided to spend the afternoon taking a nap in his hammock, while the rest of our group relax and enjoy the wilderness. 
After fishing, I spend some time looking at the map, documenting our route for today, and looking ahead for our plan of attack tomorrow. 
Christopher and I decide to go for a paddle to check out other nearby campsites. Site #28 seemed smaller than #26, and we agreed that we liked #26 better. Then we paddled over to Site #25. Of the 3 sites (25, 26, and 28) our opinion is #25 is by far the nicest. It was the largest of the three and had nice tent pads and hammock hangs. If we hadn't already set up camp at site #26, we would have moved to #25 for the night. Joel wanted to check out site #25, and I wanted to get some photos of it so Joel and I paddle back over. 
After fish and rice for dinner, and washing dishes, it's time to get some sleep. As I write in my journel I hear the drumming of a ruffed grouse in the distance, the buzzing of mosquito's outside the bug net of my hammock, and the snoring of Christopher in his hammock a couple of trees away... What a great day!
After lunch, Joel, Christopher and I go fishing most of the afternoon. We catch 2 northern pike, and 2 small mouth bass. The winds changed directions very abruptly while we were fishing in bay in the southeast corner of Snow Bay. The wind almost pushed us west out of the bay! Then the rain came, and we heard thunder north of us most of the afternoon. It didn't storm where we were, but it sounded pretty rowdy to the north of us. At camp it would rain for a few minutes, then sun, then rain for a few minutes again, off and on for most of the afternoon. For some reason, everyone goes to sleep pretty early tonight. I think I'm the last one awake, and it's still daylight. We're all alseep so early, we didn't even make dinner... We did have a little squirrel visit camp. 
After lunch, Joel, Christopher and I go fishing most of the afternoon. We catch 2 northern pike, and 2 small mouth bass. The winds changed directions very abruptly while we were fishing in bay in the southeast corner of Snow Bay. The wind almost pushed us west out of the bay! Then the rain came, and we heard thunder north of us most of the afternoon. It didn't storm where we were, but it sounded pretty rowdy to the north of us. At camp it would rain for a few minutes, then sun, then rain for a few minutes again, off and on for most of the afternoon. For some reason, everyone goes to sleep pretty early tonight. I think I'm the last one awake, and it's still daylight. We're all alseep so early, we didn't even make dinner... We did have a little squirrel visit camp.
After breakfast we break camp and paddle south towards Tiger Bay. We are lucky to have the wind at our back again today. After a short paddle, we decide to stop for a shore lunch at the island site just east of Fish Stake Narrows. After some chicken noodle soup, with some rice added in, and some Cajun 2 Step seasoning, we decide that we like the site so much, we'd just stay for the night. This Island site #167 is a real gem. It is one of my top 5 sites I've had the pleasure to stay at so far. It has a nice sandy beach landing to load/unload gear, a large grassy area large enough for several tents, unlimited hammock hangs, trails to hike, great fishing, sun and shade, blueberries, old artifacts from years gone by, and a couple of really cool large rocks that are split in half. This site truely has it all! 
After Lunch we set up camp, and then went fishing. Fishing here is outstanding!! Noah caught a nice small mouth bass and northern pike. Joel caught a nice northern pike, a small mouth bass and a small northern pike. Levi hung out with Dad around camp. Levi ended up catching a nice small mouth bass later in the day. A group of paddlers caught a walleye near the rocks west of camp. We didn't find the walleye, even though we tried!! I love this place! 
After dinner, we watched a beautiful sunset and took some photos.
After breakfast we break camp and paddle south towards Tiger Bay. We are lucky to have the wind at our back again today. After a short paddle, we decide to stop for a shore lunch at the island site just east of Fish Stake Narrows. After some chicken noodle soup, with some rice added in, and some Cajun 2 Step seasoning, we decide that we like the site so much, we'd just stay for the night. This Island site #167 is a real gem. It is one of my top 5 sites I've had the pleasure to stay at so far. It has a nice sandy beach landing to load/unload gear, a large grassy area large enough for several tents, unlimited hammock hangs, trails to hike, great fishing, sun and shade, blueberries, old artifacts from years gone by, and a couple of really cool large rocks that are split in half. This site truely has it all! 
After Lunch we set up camp, and then went fishing. Fishing here is outstanding!! Noah caught a nice small mouth bass and northern pike. Joel caught a nice northern pike, a small mouth bass and a small northern pike. Levi hung out with Dad around camp. Levi ended up catching a nice small mouth bass later in the day. A group of paddlers caught a walleye near the rocks west of camp. We didn't find the walleye, even though we tried!! I love this place! 
After dinner, we watched a beautiful sunset and took some photos.
Dad woke up with some pain in his hip this morning. I can tell he's uncomfortable. We decided to take a layover day to give everyone some time to relax. Dad hangs around camp most of the day. We found some more blueberries, and had blueberry pancakes for breakfast. 
After breakfast, I had the boys take some photos with one of the big rocks that is split in half. We took photos here a few years ago on a different trip. It's amazing how much they have grown since then!!! 
We spend the rest of the day relaxing, fishing, swimming and enjoying the wilderness. It's funny how layover days are so busy having fun, that I don't remember much to write about them... I guess I should take better notes in my journel. 
" > 
Once past the muddy part, it's easy peasy. We paddle from the portage head down the east shoreline of Agnes. Site #1808 has 2 good tent pads, and endless hammock hangs. The firegrate is a nice area with a large rock to lean against or climb to the top and sit on. There are several hammock hangs right next to the shoreline, with a great view of the lake! We worked hard today, set up camp, made vegetable soup for lunch and some of us took naps in the afternoon. Noah, Angelina, and Dakota all took naps. Levi and I played cards in the tent. Dad, Christopher, Noah, Joel, Levi, and I talked about past trips, and future trips and hung out around the firegrate. Levi and Joel are getting along really well today and hang out after everyone else goes to bed. It's really cool to see them getting along so well! Everyone is pretty tired today, time for bed and it's only 7 pm... I read a few chapters of Jack London's "Call of the Wild" and drift off to sleep. Levi and Joel took some photos with my camera...
We woke up this morning and had oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast. Last year the boys complained, to mom after we returned home, about being hungary most of the trip... This year we packed more food and we have plenty. After breakfast we break camp and paddle towards Nina Moose Lake. We paddle out of Agnes and into the Nina Moose River. The river starts out with a nice channel. 
As we paddle upstream the wild rice, grass, and lilly pads choke the channel down quite a bit in spots. 
Noah and Joel were travelling pretty light with only their packs and their canoe. They could paddle and portage much faster than the rest of our group so once we were across the first 95r portage, we sent them ahead to find a site on Nina Moose. The 95r portage was flat and easy. Last time we came through here, there was a water fall near the portage, but this year the water levels are low enough, there is not much water moving over the falls. The 70r portage is also easy and well maintained. Once on Nina Moose we meet up with Noah and Joel at Site #1786. As a dad, I'm proud that Noah (16 year old) and Joel (14 year old) were able to work together to navigate to the campsite on their own. They have been trekking in the BWCA since they were young, but I've never had them go out on their own out of my sight before. I was a little nervous, but also confident that they would persevere. To say I am proud of their wilderness, canoe, and land navigation skills would be an understatement. Site #1786 is a great site! It is large with mutiple tent pads, as well as endless hammock hangs. It is set up almost like it has different "rooms." The grassy point out front is a great place to relax in the sun. Past the firegrate there are multiple places that are sectioned off for tents and/or hammocks. A very cool site indeed. We set up camp, ate pizza for dinner, and relaxed for the afternoon. Joel and I paddled over to Site #1787 to check out that site since we had stayed there on a previous trip. There was another group paddling up to that site as we were, so we asked if we could check out the site for a few minutes. They were very pollite and let us take a few photos of Joel on the big rock at the site, before we paddled back to our site for the evening. 
Dad smoked our last cigar, and we squared away our gear as much as possible so we could get an early start to the day tomorrow. Everyone is excited to have breakfast at Brittons... 
