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      Trip Report - A Week In January - Annual Winter Trip
 
  Last Visit: 04/11/2026 09:20AM

Entry Point 37 - Kawishiwi Lake


view flash version | view topographic map
Kawishiwi Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Tofte Ranger Station near the city of Isabella; Tofte, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 33 miles. Access is a boat landing at Kawishiwi Lake.

Number of Permits per Day: 7
Elevation: 1653 feet
Latitude: 47.8390
Longitude: -91.1036
Author Message Text
TreeBear
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/09/2023 12:58PM
  
New Trip Report posted by TreeBear

Trip Name: A Week In January - Annual Winter Trip.

Entry Point: 38

Click Here to View Trip Report

"Once you have heard the music of the Boundary Waters, you will yearn for it until you can yearn no more." - Miron Heinselman
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brulu
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/09/2023 04:41PM
  
Awesome trip, and nice detailed report!


I'm curious, in hindsight, do you think your bushwhack northward through the Kelso River cleft (if I understood your description correctly) was better than staying on the portage trail? (Which I assume would have been hillier, but maybe less bruising.) Sometimes I look at spots like that on Google Earth and think "I bet I could get through there in the winter", but it's hard to tell how tough it might be.
TreeBear
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/13/2023 12:15PM
  
brulu: "Awesome trip, and nice detailed report!



I'm curious, in hindsight, do you think your bushwhack northward through the Kelso River cleft (if I understood your description correctly) was better than staying on the portage trail? (Which I assume would have been hillier, but maybe less bruising.) Sometimes I look at spots like that on Google Earth and think "I bet I could get through there in the winter", but it's hard to tell how tough it might be."


And conditions play a huge role in what is and isn't easy!


For us, heading up the valley instead of the trail was definitely worthwhile. The portage from the Lujenida landing to the creek crossing was so much small up and downs along with tight turns that we were making no progress. In retrospect, we could have blazed the trail and gotten through the portage fine, but the brushy valley ended up being easier for us with heavy sleds. We didn't jump on the creek right away because there was open water near the Lujenida end. It was better by the pond. And then yes, we followed the Kelso River from the pond to the portage crossing, staying to the east side of the island (you can see it on the air photo, maybe some maps.) We did question if we should have tried Steak Creek instead since much of that is open marsh, but there are bushwhack sections there too and it's no telling what's going to be bad just looking at the airphoto.

"Once you have heard the music of the Boundary Waters, you will yearn for it until you can yearn no more." - Miron Heinselman
brulu
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/15/2023 02:16PM
  
Thanks, that helps me calibrate my eye when looking at aerial photos. Based on the photos I don't think I would have been inclined to try to go up the Kelso river, but now I know it can be done. Sometimes just the direction of the light in the photo makes it look thicker than it is. I'm sure it was plenty tough though!
TuscaroraBorealis
Moderator
 
02/15/2023 07:17PM
  
Quite the adventure! Thanks for taking the time to put the story together & share.


It seems unjust that we the readers of this adventurous tale are so effortlessly transported to Wine lake in a few all too short paragraphs when considering the massive amounts of 'sweat equity' it actually took to get there. Still I thoroughly enjoyed your story telling, and always appreciate your perspective.


You didn't mention how you felt about it in the report but, was wondering how you felt having a helicopter 'crash your party' after working so hard to get deep into the wilderness? Obviously nothing you could do about it, but would seem to be something of a downer.
TreeBear
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/21/2023 12:56PM
  
TuscaroraBorealis: "Quite the adventure! Thanks for taking the time to put the story together & share.



It seems unjust that we the readers of this adventurous tale are so effortlessly transported to Wine lake in a few all too short paragraphs when considering the massive amounts of 'sweat equity' it actually took to get there. Still I thoroughly enjoyed your story telling, and always appreciate your perspective.



You didn't mention how you felt about it in the report but, was wondering how you felt having a helicopter 'crash your party' after working so hard to get deep into the wilderness? Obviously nothing you could do about it, but would seem to be something of a downer."


Thanks. You always offer such great perspectives also.


The heli was kind of a downer, but we couldn't decide why it was there. If it was there as a search and rescue of some kind, who were we to be upset about it being there? As a moose survey, it was kind of a downer because we had overcome a lot to get to that spot. That said, it's sort of the same feeling as a satellite zipping through the northern lights view or a plane flying through the sunset. They are all rude reminders that despite our perception of being in a wild place, the BWCA is just a sliver of wild in a very human-filled world. I can be upset about it (and I usually am), but I try to embrace the beauty for what it is. At least I am in the BWCA annoyed by the helicopter than in an office wishing I was!

"Once you have heard the music of the Boundary Waters, you will yearn for it until you can yearn no more." - Miron Heinselman
TuscaroraBorealis
Moderator
 
02/21/2023 01:35PM
  
Well said.
Reply Top Bottom Previous Next

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There are no bad days in the BWCA
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First Trip-Been back since...
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LIS north to Little Loon, Gun, Gebe, Oyster and Shell
little indian souix to nina moose
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A Much Needed Trip
Four years to Nahimana (Photo link added on 8/7/08)
Four Solos 2008
Pauness Lakes to Heritage, Lynx, to Shell, loop
Too many motorboats
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LIS / Shell lake
June-July 2009
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Mom's first trip: LIS North out EP16
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5 Rivers Trip or Lac La Croix circumnavigation
Little Indian Souix River North
LIS Solo
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A week of R & R on Little Loon
Yodeler bushwack
Annual Adventure
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Solo LIS River North
Is it really solo?
Winter Camping, Shell Lake
SS Diva Slug Fest
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LIS North, Hustler, Gebe, Lac La Croix, Moose River
The Year of the Beaver
sept solo
2011 Heritage Lake Basecamp
a
LIS North Loop, April 2012
Little Indian Sioux and Beyond
Severe Trip
Snow Bay 2012
EP 14 exit EP16
2012 LIS North (14) loop to Moose River (16)
Gusto
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Lots of Animals
From Tinder Box to Please Pass the Napalm
Little Indian Sioux Getaway Trip
EP 14 to EP 16 Northern Loop
Loon Lake
Little Indian Sioux Solo Trip
LacLaCroix (It's A Really Big Lake)
My Trip on Everytrail.
.
15 Day Solo Trip LIS North
The Storm / Bushwack to Rangeline / A Trip to Warpaint / Lynx Lake
Warpaint Lake
Finally, a full week in the BWCA! LIS through Slim/Beartrack/Finger/Oyster/Lynx.
Little Indian Sioux #14 Sept. 2014
Shell - Little Shell - Lynx
Little Indian Souix and beyond
Sioux Hustler Area Voyage
Lazy, Fishless Awesome guys trip up the LIS
Sam and Andrew's First Adventure
Solo July 2015
Dear Mariel
Portage clearing trip 2016/ LIS North
Keep Calm & Paddle On!
Western Lac La Croix and Lakes to the South
LIS North to Loon and LLC
LIS North to Lynx, August 2016
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EP 14 Lynx lake
Solo Trip-EP14 Shell/Lynx
First Ever Solo- Little Indian Sioux River North- July 2017
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BWCA Sept 2017 EP14
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BW Full Send 2018
Indian Sioux North Solo
Operation Bushwhack!
Shell Basecame for Wife's Second Trip
Stormy September - Namakan-Loon River Loop
2018 BWCA Trex
June 2019 LISN to Devils Cascade
LIS Loop 2019 - Rivers and Storms
July 2019 Trip - 5 days
First trip to the western area BWCA
LIS September Paddle
The Camps Return to the BWCA
Nonstop wind
Lynx Lake Trip June 2020
A Walk In The Woods - Second Time To The Boundary Waters
Sioux-Hustler trail push
Shell Lake June 2021
Mid-Summer Lac La Croix Paddling Trip
Familiar waters-strange circumstances
September LIS Loop
100 Mile Solo on the Border
LIS Loop of Solitude
I found my thrill on blueberry hill
May 2023 EP14
There will be BUGS!,... and a floatplane.
LLC to Moose Lake
Lac La Croix - The Big Lake
2023 LIS North (14) - Moose River North (16)
Ep 14-14 loop with Weeny PMA exploration
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004
LIS July 2004