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      Trip Report - Spring??? in the Misquah hills
 
  Last Visit: 03/28/2024 05:23AM

Entry Point 43 - Bower Trout lake

Bower Trout Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. 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 25 miles. Access is a 72-rod portage from small parking area into Bower Trout. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 1
Elevation: 1650 feet
Latitude: 47.9469
Longitude: -90.4442
Author Message Text
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/13/2018 09:14AM
 
New Trip Report posted by TuscaroraBorealis

Trip Name: Spring??? in the Misquah hills.

Entry Point: 44

Click Here to View Trip Report
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ducks
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06/13/2018 11:29AM
 
Another great trip report from TB! Thanks for sharing.

Ride EZ
treehorn
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06/13/2018 11:56AM
 
Thanks for the report - I'm heading in this EP solo at the end of June.


I plan to loop north up and out through Poplar. Can't wait to see what these nasty portages are all about - lol.
ducks
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06/13/2018 12:05PM
 
treehorn: "Thanks for the report - I'm heading in this EP solo at the end of June.



I plan to loop north up and out through Poplar. Can't wait to see what these nasty portages are all about - lol."



Please report back afterwards. That trip is on my solo "to do" list. I did one from Morgan to Poplar and want to do Ram to Poplar sometime. If you haven't booked a shuttle and need one... Rockwood is great to work with and you can leave your vehicle parked at their place and paddle right to it.

Ride EZ
treehorn
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06/13/2018 12:55PM
 
ducks: "treehorn: "Thanks for the report - I'm heading in this EP solo at the end of June.




I plan to loop north up and out through Poplar. Can't wait to see what these nasty portages are all about - lol."




Please report back afterwards. That trip is on my solo "to do" list. I did one from Morgan to Poplar and want to do Ram to Poplar sometime. If you haven't booked a shuttle and need one... Rockwood is great to work with and you can leave your vehicle parked at their place and paddle right to it."



Yep, already have a bunkhouse, canoe and shuttle arranged through Rockwood.


I'll let you guys know how it goes...my first trip alone!
ducks
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06/13/2018 04:12PM
 
Good People at Rockwood.....
My daughter, dog, and I will be in a bunkhouse at Rockwood on June 28


Be careful....... it becomes addicting. My first solo was to "see if I could do it"... now I do one every year.

Ride EZ
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/13/2018 06:02PM
 
treehorn: "Thanks for the report - I'm heading in this EP solo at the end of June.



I plan to loop north up and out through Poplar. Can't wait to see what these nasty portages are all about - lol."



We didn't get to 'enjoy' the Little Trout - Misquah portage on this trip but, we've crossed it on a previous adventure. IMHO it's one of the toughest maintained trails in the BWCAW. Couple that one with the portage into Ram and the Rum - Little Trout portage and you will soon come to realize why EP #44 is considered amoung the toughest in the BW.


That being said, the stunning beauty of the Misquah hills makes the effort worthwhile. As a testament to this fact - it was surprising how many people were in this area when we were there. By the sounds of it, the day we visited Little Trout was the only day of that long weekend where there was any vacancy.


After it's all said and done, I'm sure you'll find visiting this area and extremely rewarding experience. Enjoy your trip!
DanCooke
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06/13/2018 07:43PM
 
Great report of Gem of an area. Thank You.

Dan Cooke
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/13/2018 08:55PM
 
DanCooke: "Great report of Gem of an area. Thank You."


Thanks Dan,


Glad I could provide a temporary diversion for you during this trying time. Please know that you and your family continue to be in my prayers.
boonie
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06/13/2018 10:06PM
 
Nice report, TB. Sounds like you had a nice trip. Warm, humid weather is always more taxing when you haven't acclimated to it yet.


Steve and I stayed on Vista last fall and took a day trip to Little Trout. It's quite a view when you come to the top and look down on Little Trout. It would be a tough walk with a portage load.
Pack light ducks! The Morgan portage is a pancake by comparison ;).


I was surprised by the number of people on Vista last fall, although I think several were day trippers.
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/14/2018 06:30AM
 
Hiking trail discussion
treehorn
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06/14/2018 08:21AM
 
ducks: "Good People at Rockwood.....
My daughter, dog, and I will be in a bunkhouse at Rockwood on June 28



Be careful....... it becomes addicting. My first solo was to "see if I could do it"... now I do one every year."



Ha - I'm missing you by one day...I'll be there late afternoon on the 29th.


Have a great trip.
treehorn
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06/14/2018 08:22AM
 
TuscaroraBorealis: "treehorn: "Thanks for the report - I'm heading in this EP solo at the end of June.




I plan to loop north up and out through Poplar. Can't wait to see what these nasty portages are all about - lol."




We didn't get to 'enjoy' the Little Trout - Misquah portage on this trip but, we've crossed it on a previous adventure. IMHO it's one of the toughest maintained trails in the BWCAW. Couple that one with the portage into Ram and the Rum - Little Trout portage and you will soon come to realize why EP #44 is considered amoung the toughest in the BW.



That being said, the stunning beauty of the Misquah hills makes the effort worthwhile. As a testament to this fact - it was surprising how many people were in this area when we were there. By the sounds of it, the day we visited Little Trout was the only day of that long weekend where there was any vacancy.



After it's all said and done, I'm sure you'll find visiting this area and extremely rewarding experience. Enjoy your trip!"



Thanks for all the info. I'm keeping a very loose itinerary. Being my first solo, I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to want to travel a ton just to keep busy, or be content hanging in camp & fishing. Also need to account for the tough portages and possibility of full lakes, so I'm just going to see how it goes and adjust accordingly. I know I've got options in terms of making my way to Poplar. There are currently no permits going in at this EP the 3 days preceding my put in, so I'm hoping not to run into what you did at Little Trout.
ducks
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06/14/2018 10:48AM
 
treehorn...... so close;) I'll tell Mike and Carl to take good care of you.


I don't know the Ram to Misquah area but I know the rest of your trip well so let me know if you have any questions on that part. I've been around there several times. One of my favorite parts about going solo is that it's so easy to go with the flow and be flexible. As you get closer to Lizz I really like Allen and Pillsbury lakes because they are much quieter than the other popular ones around there.


TB...... I just read your report again and enjoyed it as much as I did yesterday ;)

Ride EZ
BearRaid
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06/15/2018 04:15PM
 
I loved the report and the great pictures. Thank you.

Dave G.
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/15/2018 07:23PM
 
I forgot to mention about Lantern Lake (NW of Little Trout Lake) in the trip report.


In my pre trip planning, i stumbled across the MN DNR's lake finder page for Lantern Lake. That page indicated, in a fairly recent survey, that there was some natural reproduction of brook trout there. I emailed Steve Persons at the Grand Marais office to verify this and get whatever other info they may have about Lantern. After researching this, he said their records show the lake hadn't been surveyed since the 1940s. And that all the information on the lake finder page was inaccurate - possibly from a different lake. I haven't checked back yet to see if they've updated it.
scramble4a5
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06/17/2018 07:06PM
 
Two years ago we hiked the Little Trout to Misquah portage with just day packs. It was absolutely horrible! No way I woukd want to hump a canoe over that beast.


Nice report!
SaganagaJoe
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06/17/2018 07:10PM
 
How is life up north going for you?

aka HermitThrush "Such sights as this are reserved for those who will suffer to behold them." -Eric Sevareid
TuscaroraBorealis
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06/18/2018 10:41AM
 
SaganagaJoe: "How is life up north going for you? "


Good; thanks for asking.


We're pretty much settled in now. Vickie has a job at the nursing home right in Virginia, and I have been working up in Ely at Razor Edge Systems. God has provided for us (as he's apt to do) - and then some. Life is good.


How about you? Hoping you'll be able to enjoy some time in Canoe Country in the near future, and bless us with one of your great reports too.
tg
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06/19/2018 10:42PM
 
great trip report TB!


I've done some tough portages and the Little Trout to Misquah ranks right up there if not at the top of my most challenging maintained portage in the bwca list. We encountered it on a loop where we entered Ram and exited at Bower Trout. We were single portaging beasts back in those days and had no idea what we were getting in to. If those hills had ears they would have been blushing.

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul
carmike
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07/04/2018 10:05PM
 
Another great report! I loved the photo of her reeling in the lake trout with her own fishing rod. :)
BearBurrito
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02/12/2019 04:39PM
 
As always, an excellent trip report. Sounds like an interesting area.

One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning
schweady
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02/12/2019 05:12PM
 
Thanks for pulling this to the top. A wonderful report!


"You can observe a lot just by watching." -- Yogi Berra
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