BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 24 2025
Entry Point 62 - Clearwater Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1673 feet
Latitude: 48.0702
Longitude: -90.3752
Clearwater Lake - 62
5 days of type 2 winter camping fun and lessons learned
Entry Date:
January 13, 2025
Entry Point:
Clearwater Lake
Number of Days:
5
Group Size:
2
On Monday we entered Clearwater and trekked 3.5 miles, in subzero temperatures with strong wind gusts at our backs, to a lovely site overlooking the palisades. We setup our shelters, processed wood, struggled with our stoves, and prepared for our first time experiencing negative double digits in the BWCA. We stayed two nights and our lowest temperature recorded was -13. Success! We both slept warm in our separate hammock hot tents.
Also due to previous years being mild with questionable ice, we’ve always base camped. This year, on top of the goal of subzero temperatures, we wanted to move camps. On Wednesday morning we broke camp and crossed over the brutally hilly, 200 rod portage into a cold and windy (head wind no less) Caribou Lake. After another 3.5 miles, we claimed a nice campsite and, with daylight fading, boiled water and searched for wood. I lucked upon a lovely felled cedar that kept us warm the next two days. Temps also warmed into the 20s (what a swing) that brought on different challenges. In spite of Bret, unbeknownst, bringing in his kids head cold, we enjoyed a day of rest and recovery with even a bit of ice fishing. On Friday we packed up early and began the 2.5 mile trek, complete with another hilly 200 rod portage, to complete the loop back to our Clearwater entry point.
This trip was memorable! It was filled with some type 2 fun (portages, I’m looking at you) and lessons learned. Firstly we learned, in the future when planning, to pay closer attention to the topography of portages. Those hills will haunt us. Secondly, the same gear and setup for lollygagging or base camping does not behoove multiple days of moving camp. Thirdly, dealing with near -20s and +20s has it's own unique challenges (condensation, stove management, sleep system adjustments, food choices, etc…). Lastly, having a cold in the backwoods sucks, just ask Bret.
All in all, it’s yet another trip to the Boundary Waters that we won’t forget and can’t wait to get back to. ~Clearwater Lake, Caribou Lake
