BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
February 05 2025
Entry Point 64 - East Bearskin Lake
East Bearskin Lake entry point allows overnight paddle or motor (25 HP max). 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 26 miles. Motors allowed on East Bearskin Lake only. No motors on Alder and Canoe. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1471 feet
Latitude: 48.0407
Longitude: -90.3800
East Bearskin Lake - 64
Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1471 feet
Latitude: 48.0407
Longitude: -90.3800
East Bearskin Lake - 64
Pine Lake Windstorm
by Pete2Paddle
Trip Report
Entry Date:
September 13, 2024
Entry Point:
East Bearskin Lake
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
4
Trip Introduction:
East Bearskin EP
Day 1 - Pine Lake
Day 2 - Fish for Brook Trout
Day 3 - Fish Pine
Day 4 - Travel to Moon Lake
Day 5 - Fish Moon
Day 6 - Exit
Day 1 of 7
Friday, September 13, 2024 On Friday I traveled through Duluth and stopped at the Duluth Grill for brunch. Based on the positive reviews and the lunch hour, I wasn't surprised by how busy it was. Since I was traveling solo, I bellied up to the bar and ordered the Barbacoa Hash. I had heard great reviews about this place and they were spot on. My first bite prompted an audible 'holy sh*t' followed by a knowing grin from the server working the bar. Make it a stop if you're in the neighborhood. [paragraph break] After lunch, I continued north and met my bow paddler at Superior National at Lutsen golf course. As it was the 2nd week in September, I wasn't surprised that the greens had been punched. I understand it's a necessary step in keeping the greens in great shape, but a course should let you know when you book your tee time and/or offer some sort of discount. Setting my minor irritation aside, the course was beautiful. My expectations for scoring were low and I concentrated on just enjoying what would probably be my last round of the year. The course is challenging and even though we played forward tees, the course still ate at least a dozen balls. [paragraph break] Next stop was a quick bite to eat at Gun Flint Tavern in Grand Marais before heading to Hungry Jack Canoe Outfitters and the bunkhouse that awaited us. We arrived after close but the owners left us a note directing us to our bunkhouse. The room was comfortable so we settled in to combine our gear over a few whiskeys. 
Day 2 of 7
Saturday, September 14, 2024 The day started with a delivery basket of Cereal, milk, muffins and coffee from the outfitter. We loaded our gear into the car and drove up to the office to pickup our canoe, paddles and PFDs. We spent some time talking to the staff about our route and plans to fish a few lakes for Brooke Trout. They asked about what tackle we were bringing and realized we didn't have quite the right gear. What would you know it.. they just happened to have just the setup we would need for a few bucks each. I admit, I was skeptical at the time but it turned out to be the only thing the brookies would bite, so I'm glad I spend the extra few bucks. [paragraph break] A short drive to East Bearskin Lake had us on the water by 9:30. We traveled to Alder, Canoe then to Pine Lake. The portages into Alder and Canoe were short and easy but the portage into Pine lake was tough. The climb up and out of canoe lake was steep and I had to take quite a few breaks to catch my breath. The path down the other side is full of switchbacks and there are a few other climbs and descents along the way. While I started the portage carrying the light pack and canoe, I ended up dropping the pack about a quarter of the way and had to go back for it. Our original plan was to take the same portage on the way out and hit Crystal lake to try for some Lake Trout, but I decided right then and there, it would be even worse going back and I was not interested. [paragraph break] We paddled away from the portage into Pine Lake just before 1:00 and started looking for a site. Our goal site was on the south side because it was adjacent to the portage into Vale Lake, where we hoped to catch our first Brooke Trout. The first two sites on the northern side were occupied as was our goal site. As we were paddling towards our goal site, we noticed another canoe trailing us that must have come from Little Caribou. When we looked to the Northeast, we could see an empty site so we dug-in and it was a race! I thought we had a good lead and would get there before the other group, but those guys breezed right by us and made it look embarrassingly easy. As it turned out, the next three sites were also occupied and we ended up at the site right next to the portage into McFarland Lake. [paragraph break] As we paddled up to the site, I thought 'hey, it looks nice enough... it's on an isthmus and should have a nice breeze.' Well, as I walked up into the site, my heart dropped. I looked out onto McFarland and saw cabins and a pontoon buzzing towards our end of the lake! All of that work just to end up right back next to civilization?! We were hoping to spend 2-3 nights in the same site on Pine but we knew immediately that we would be packing up the next day and either moving north to West Pike or hoping a group would vacate one of the sites we passed that day. Thankfully, the end of the day brought us an amazing sunset and a few nice bass. 
Day 3 of 7
Sunday, September 15, 2024 [paragraph break] We started Sunday with a quick breakfast and started breaking down camp right away. Just was we were loading our canoe, a younger couple paddled past on their way to the portage into McFarland. They looked a lot like the people we passed around our goal site on the south side of the lake. We used that hopeful energy to help loosen our aching shoulders as we began paddling back west. Eurika! It WAS the couple we saw the day before and our goal site was open. We quickly setup camp, had a quick lunch and packed for a day trip to Vale to hopefully reel in a Brookie or two. [paragraph break] The portage into Vale was barely a portage. There are no campsites on Vale so the low traffic levels make it full of protruding branches and fallen trees. It is only 51 rods but it's steep and untraveled nature make it a fun challenge. It helps that we were only bringing snacks, water and tackle so our load was light. [paragraph break] This little lake is a gem. It feels like a separate world unto itself. The sun as out and our spirits were high in hopes of both catching our first Brook trout. We tried some of the lures we brought but it didn't take long for me to change to the setup we picked up at the outfitter. Not 5 minutes later I had my first fish! They are such a beautiful fish! We both caught an released 2 fish each but one of them was gut-hooked and didn't make it, so we gutted it and bagged it to eat back at camp. [paragraph break] I wish I would have brought some tinfoil to cook the trout. Instead we fileted it and fried it with a light batter. I was happy to have the experience but in the end, I would prefer a nice walleye. I think it was 80% preparation and I will make sure to bring better supplies to cook trout in the future. 
Day 4 of 7
[paragraph break]Monday, September 16, 2024 [paragraph break] We enjoyed a few extra hours of sleep and made it a late start to our day. We set out a little before lunch for some fishing and to gather some fire wood. We fished the south shore to the east but didn't have much luck. We headed back to camp by early afternoon as we noticed some thunderheads building off to the west. We knew the weather report called for a chance of rain in the afternoon. [paragraph break] It turned out that 'a change of rain' ended up to be the most severe wind and rain I have survived in the BWCA to date. We started hearing thunder well before the storm arrived so we had plenty of time to batten down the hatches. I thought we were well prepared. The CCS tarp was hung low to the ground, fire wood, packs and chairs under the tarp, canoe tied down, checked the lines on my hammock... check, check, check. Well, as obvious as it seems now... we didn't put on our rain gear! I mean, why would we need it? We were going to weather the storm under the tarp. [paragraph break] Well, the storm came right down the lake from WNW to SSE... directly at our site. It kept building and building... and just when we thought it couldn't blow any harder... it did. I honestly thought at one point it was a tornado! Even though our tarp seemed well secured, we were both holding the leading edge because it felt like it was going ripped from the line! Then as I'm sitting there laughing nervously at the incredible power of nature, my buddy says 'Holy crap, the rainfly for your hammock is gone!' I look over, and sure enough, my hammock with top-quilt and under quilt is getting soaked and blown around like a rag doll. (This is where It would have been great to have on my rain gear). [paragraph break] I have no choice but to try and rescue my hammock from being shredded and soaked. There was no way I was going to re-tie and secure the rainfly to protect my warm gear, so my only choice was to try and unhook my hammock and carry it under the tarp. Now, I hang my hammock with a whoopie-sling and toggle and up to this point I thought it was great. I have sense come to learn that a wet whoopie-sling under high-tension will not release! To further complicate things, my under-quilt has become tangled with the sling and it was an absolute battle trying to get the hammock toggle free. Then, I have to hold my hammock, top quilt and under-quilt while I fight to free the toggle on the other side. All while getting pounded by wind and rain! I finally managed to free my gear and carry it back to the tarp. [paragraph break] While I'm fighting my battle, my ground-sleeping buddy realized a sizeable lake was forming right where he pitched his tent. We had a 2 or 3 long branches that had not been sawed into fire-grate lengths, so he ingeniously slid them under tent, to hold his tent bottom and warm gear up and out of the water. We met back up under the tarp and continued our string of 50-60 'holy sh*ts' until the wind finally died down and the sky started to lighten. [paragraph break] All in all this probably lasted 20-30min but it felt like a lifetime. I kept listening for loud cracks from two very sizable trees in our site. We talked strategy about running to shore and squatting on our life-jackets. Our canoe tried to fly away but thankfully I remembered to tie it down before it all started. It was easily the most dangerous situation I have been in. [paragraph break] Then, just like that... it was over. 15 minutes later the sun was shinning and the winds were gone. Clotheslines were hung and my hammock gear actually managed to dry out (save for my pillow but that's no big deal). I don't spontaneously give prayers of thanks very often but I did that day. I am so thankful that even though it was mid-September, the temperature was in the 60's. Without the sun that dried my hammock gear and warm temps, I would have been in serious jeopardy from hypothermia. In year's past, I've woken up to frost! Just imagine dealing with that with wet gear. [paragraph break] That night was spent gratefully depleting our whiskey rations around a fire. It was clear night and a full moon and many moments of silence were broken with 'That was crazy'... or 'I can't believe that' and the aforementioned 'holy sh*t'. 
Day 5 of 7
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 [paragraph break] Our plan for Tuesday was to leave camp as early as we could and fish our way to Deer Lake or Moon Lake. The day started with some dense fog that lifted as we pushed our canoe away from camp. [paragraph break] We fished for a bit at the west end Pine Lake and had some fun catching quite a few aggressive Northerns. The portage into Little Caribou was easy and passed a group on a day-trip to see Johnson Falls. My only regret of the trip is not taking the time so hike back and see the falls. [paragraph break] Little Caribou lake rewarded my bow paddler with our largest northern of the trip and a bass the size of an NFL football. With a single campsite on this lake, It would be a pretty neat spot to spend a few nights. [paragraph break] On Deer Lake we ran into a spot with some perfect eater-size northerns so we kept one to make sure we had a fish dinner that night. After finding a site on Moon Lake and setting up camp, we took a quick swim to [paragraph break] we headed out to catch the evening bite. We were rewarded with another nice sunset and an eater sized Walleye. Dinner was a Walleye Northern combo platter and it was delicious. 
Day 6 of 7
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 [paragraph break] Our last day in the BWCA was going to be a fishing day. Now that we knew there were Walleye to be found, we would fish every way we could and hopefully treat ourselves to another fish dinner. The wind picked up that day and I was happy to have an anchor. We managed to catch 3-4 nice keepers and settled on keeping two since there were only the two of us. [paragraph break] Most of the Walleye were caught with Mepps or Blue Fox spinners just casting towards shore. To me, this is unusual. Normally I struggle to catch walleye because I need to find them suspended and jig for them. [paragraph break] It was a great way to spend our last day. 
Day 7 of 7
Thursday, September 19, 2024 [paragraph break] Our trip out the next morning was a quick paddle across Moon Lake to a medium length portage and about an hour paddle back to the EP.