Hey All,

First ever post here––jumping right in!

I have a seemingly odd request- I am looking for photos of the cliffs of Winchell lake. Could you share them here? I am a rock climber and I plan to make a trip up there this summer; I am trying to figure out if there are any possible routes, and what gear I might need to bring.

The more pics the better, the more detail the better! I've seen some pictures that have been posted already, curious what else is out there.

Also if anybody has any knowledge of climbing in that area, I would love to hear about it!

Thanks, Arlo

Welcome to bwca. com!

Probably not as detailed as you're hoping for? But, check out this thread from the 'Cool spots in canoe country' forum.

I found this about climbing in the BWCA, you might know this but others might not.


The Boundary Waters Canoe Area, carved long ago by glaciers, is filled with beautiful basalt and anthracite bluffs and vistas surrounding pristine lakes.
Safety first! Keep in mind that the Boundary Waters is a true wilderness experience. You will be far from any roads, far from any telephone, and far from any hospital. Cell phones do not work in most of the BWCA. The Forest Service does not automatically initiate searches if a party does not exit as planned. Risky behavior can and has caused deaths in the BWCA.
With that said, it is not recommended to climb in the BWCA. It is not banned, however. If you choose to rock climb in the BWCA, please use caution and plan ahead.

Let people know where you are going and what your itinerary is.
Bring a first aid kit and be knowledgeable in first aid.
Consider renting a satellite telephone (available from Buck's Radio Shack in Grand Marais).
Do not climb alone. Do climb with other experienced climbers.
Beware of loose rock and poorly rooted vegetation.
Do not climb without previous experience.
Do not climb in wet conditions.
"Leave No Trace" ethics apply to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Motorized drills and fixed bolts are not allowed. We ask that you consider the BWCA a bolt and chalk-free zone.

Thanks you two! Anybody else have any pictures buried in the old photo albums? Been digging through the archives on this site and found a few good shots already!

Help a guy out?

Arlo,

Im kinda looking for the same thing. In a couple weeks I am heading up to EP41 and hoping the nw corner of Brule has climbable rock. Which is close to winchell. I could let you know what I find after I return.

Are you looking for close ups or pics from a distance, such as the other side of the lake?

Mike

Just curious. Have you checked out the mountainproject website?

Have fun

forgot view from the top (we took the "path" up around the west end)

I am (was) a climber and usually checking out lines when I can. I don't recall thinking of those cliffs as anything other than a choss pile. While taller than anything in the BWCA that I have seen, they offered nothing that I would think worthy of carrying a trad rack that far. If you find out different, let me know!

Now there are certainly plenty of options for short routs, often very steep, in many areas of the BW. Personally, I would climb at one of the several north shore crags like Carlton Peak or Palisade Head that has quality routes to scratch that itch. Neither are out of the way at all and can get tied into the trip.

Whatever you decide, there is a strict ethic in the BW. No chalk!
John

We frequent Winchell, and I just wanted to say I think it would be really, really cool to see people rock climbing while paddling through!

These may not be any more helpful than those already posted, but I'll add them anyway. We have been on Winchell twice, but I only have photos of the cliffs once, from our long trip in 1992. Not great quality photos, but the only two I have that would qualify as showing the cliffs.

When I was on Clearwater I thought of this thread. Good sheer cliffs on this lake that are higher than Winchell. Also you could rent a motor boat for heavy climb gear and still camp inside the bwca. Be safe.