BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
September 18 2025
Entry Point 16 - Moose/Portage River (North of Echo Trail)
Number of Permits per Day: 5
Elevation: 1348 feet
Latitude: 48.1230
Longitude: -92.0991
Labor day weekend 2024.
Entry point was 25-Moose lake. Went north, and then west onto Ensign Lake. Camped on eastern end of Ensign lake. Very busy and lucky to get a campsite. Day 2, went to Cattyman Falls and on down to Disappointment Lake. All sites full. Had to get off the water due to inclement storm. Ended up on Parent Lake on day 3, western camp site. Beautiful site. Exited from Snowbank lake on day 4. Overall fishing was poor. Some small mouth bass on Parent lake.
Nothing elsewhere. Approximately 20 miles of paddling/portaging. 11 portages in total. Already planning for 2025.
Bbbbbrrrrrrrrrule
Entry Date:
October 05, 2022
Entry Point:
Brule Lake
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
3
The first site we wanted was taken so we changed course towards the East and found a great island site that accommodated my 16" diameter circus tent. I realized I had the car keys in my pocket, so we dropped our first load of gear and raced back to the entry point. My brother, Fred, was nowhere to be found. We hopped in the car and headed down the road, picking up small piles of firewood neatly stacked by the side of the road. about 1.5 miles down the road we caught up with him and he was very glad to see us. After returning with a car full of wood we packed the rest of the gear and a lot of the wood in the car and headed to the campsite, arriving at about 6:30. 
We had some set up to do in the dark, but at least we were warm inside the tent with the stove glowing. this night there would be a massive cold front blowing in and it did not disappoint the forecasters. It blew all night as we got the inside of the tent set up and ate our delicious Subway sandwiches for dinner. 
Eventually I got cabin fever and rallied the troops to lay in some more firewood as long as we were wind-bound and needing something to do anyway. we really got a good stockpile and retreated back into the warm tent. 
When not exploring or laying in wood we were playing Uno or chess, and just having a good time spending some quality family time together. We were able to shore fish a bit, and managed to bring in one small pike. 
The wind seemed to have died down enough to get out and do some fishing so we ventured out and started trolling deep diving baits on the steep side south of the island. Zarek got a really nice Walleye that we kept for dinner that night, and then we trolled all the way back into Brule bay and stopped for lunch on the last campsite back in Brule bay and made some hot beverages over a fire to warm up and then headed back towards camp. 
When we got back to camp we warmed up before dinner and then Uncle Fred taught Zarek how to filet his walleye with a really picturesque moonrise in the background. We cooked it and some potatoes for dinner, and boy Zarek was proud to have put our food on the table this night. 
Day 2, Wednesday, August 5th ‘09; EP 14 to Lower Pauness
We all woke early; I was now on woods time so I don't know what the actual time was and could really care less. I headed to the office to check out; the Adventure Inn is a great little place and I will definitely stay here again. When I got back to the room, Butch was out front talking to the gentleman with the strippers (at least that’s how I like to tell the story). I knew that he could stand there and tell stories all day but alas, our trails must part. [paragraph break]Breakfast at Britton’s was great as usual. Ollie finished his French toast and bacon and one of my eggs and half of my hash browns and his sister’s sausage links… I fear what this kid’s appetite will be like when he is a teenager. [paragraph break]The drive to the LIS was uneventful. We made a pit stop at EP 16 for the kids to use the out house, little did we know that going potty would become the theme of the trip. At EP 14 we unloaded and portaged our gear the 36 rods to the river. The kids were troopers and were eager to pull their own weight. Our load consists of two #4 Duluth packs (one Deluxe, one Monarch) a Duluth Pack Camp Kitchen, personal (day) packs for Butch and the kids and a fishing rod tube. I talked to the kids before we left home about only packing “essential” gear or things that you think would be very important to have in the woods but in the end I let both kids pack anything that they wanted as long as it fit into their personal pack and they could carry it themselves. So, added to this years “essential” gear list were a hand knit purse and silk scarf (for dress up of course), a light saber, Luke Skywalker bobblehead, a floating orca bath toy and a ford tractor with a front end loader. [paragraph break]We met a family from Joliet, IL on the portage and exchanged cameras at the put in for group photos. [paragraph break] 
[paragraph break]Immediately following push off, we saw a doe in the tall grass to our right but we were eager to paddle and missed the photo op. [paragraph break]Butch and I quickly found a rhythm and we are at the 60 rodder in no time. Though doubling, we made quick work of the portage. On our second trip across we stopped to explore the rapids and take some pictures of the little falls; Ollie sighed and told me that he could “look at that water fall all day”.
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[paragraph break]The second stretch of river provided more spectaculaR SCENERY; THE LIS IS REALLY A beautiful paddle. It was time for a potty break so we stopped at the first camp site on Upper Pauness. Emma’s first experience with the dreaded “thunder box” went off without a hitch; I could tell that she was proud of herself. We checked all but the northern most site on Upper and decided to move on to Lower Pauness.
[paragraph break]At the take out for the 40 rodder to Lower Pauness, Emma’s foot slipped off of a rock and she fell and banged her knee up. Based on her reaction I was expecting a shattered knee cap, broken femur or a severed foot but upon close inspection we decided that it was just a scrape, treatable with love from her dad and brother. I carried Emma over on my first trip and headed back for a load of gear; half way across I realized that she was right on my heals ready to help… I say again, what a trooper. [paragraph break]We saw another deer as soon as we pushed off from the portage. [paragraph break]Both of the northern sites on Upper Pauness were occupied so we headed south through the rice filled channel. Camp site 42 was open and we found it to our liking so we set up our base for the next couple of days. [paragraph break]Lunch was summer sausage, smoked salmon, cheese and crackers. We spent the bulk of the afternoon getting set up and settled in. Dinner was brats and mashed potatoes over wood fire and not a morsel was left uneaten. After dinner, Butch and I cleaned up and the kids busied themselves exploring camp. Before long Butch and I heard Ollie’s voice from behind us; “look guys, I made my own thunder box”. We turned around to find my boy at the edge of camp, shorts to his ankles and a grin from ear to ear. We buried his mess in the woods and had a talk about the importance of using the latrine provided… this is a fear that he would have to face. [paragraph break]A little later, a storm blew in. It did not last long but the front was pretty powerful with high wiNDS AND SIDEWAYS RAIN. WE Huddled under the tarp the best we could; the kids were pretty scared for a minute but it moved through quickly and the sky’s cleared. The kids and I ended the evening with a paddle
[paragraph break]...arriving back at camp in time to take in a rose colored sun set. Exhausted; we retired to the tents… a campfire will have to wait until tomorrow. [paragraph break] 
