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      Trip Report - My solo on the Isabella River
 
  Last Visit: 03/28/2024 10:52AM

Entry Point 33 - Little Gabbro Lake

Little Gabbro Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Kawishiwi Ranger Station near the city of Ely, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 23 miles. Access is a 200-rod portage from the parking lot to Little Gabbro Lake.

Number of Permits per Day: 1.5
Elevation: 1235 feet
Latitude: 47.8481
Longitude: -91.6357
Author Message Text
VoyageurNorth
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10/17/2010 11:53PM
 
New Trip Report posted by VoyageurNorth

Trip Name: My solo on the Isabella River.

Entry Point: 34

Click Here to View Trip Report

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
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alpine525
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10/18/2010 08:10AM
 
As a woman, I admire other women who take solo trips - I wish I had the courage. I know I would like the solitude - but I'm afraid of - well I'm not sure what I'm afraid of! I would love to know what type of boots you wore - the pictures look like they come up pretty high. Thanks for your report - and photos!

Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. Dalai Lama
Zulu
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10/18/2010 11:13AM
 
Thanks for the trip report and photos. I am glad you were able to take a trip yourself after helping so many others with theirs.


How did you like the Vagabond? Would you take it again? Is it something you would only use on smaller lakes and rivers? Is it similar to a Wilderness?


It looks like a nice little canoe.
Trix
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10/18/2010 11:32AM
 
Lynn, Glad you finally got a trip in with the Vagabond. SO what did you think of her? Can't beat the weight & length for portaging!

Nice little trip you took. It is an area that I have not been to yet other than Island River entry. We went the other direction to Isabella Lake & beyond.


Yes, I am the one that put the first scratches in her, (which I was trying so hard not to.)
But I didn't dump her!!!!
Just giving you a hard time Lynn!!!

C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E: Do not let what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do.
Gunflinter
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10/18/2010 03:00PM
 
Thanks for the report, very nice pictures. I'm planning on another solo next year and am interested in how the Vagabond performed. Would take it again?

God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure. Eric Liddell
Koda
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10/18/2010 05:44PM
 
Nice report, Lynn. My trip next May will be in that area and it was nice to see a bit of it. I'm looking forward to hearing how the Vagabond handled.
lars54
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10/18/2010 07:14PM
 
thanks for the nice report and pictures
BWPaddler
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10/19/2010 09:11AM
 
Very fun Lynn! Glad the thumb and the capsize were relatively minor incidents. Glad you had some solitude and just enjoyed your time alone.

Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe. -Thoreau
boonie
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10/19/2010 09:59AM
 
Thanks for the trip report, Lynn. It brought back memories of my trip into Island River a few years ago. We enjoyed talking with you. I'd also like to know more about how the Vagabond handled, especially in the wind, since many solos are just too big for me and my load.
VoyageurNorth
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10/20/2010 09:37PM
 
I thought the Vagabond handled quite nicely. Easy to turn, held enough stuff easily for my four day trip and paddled forward fine too (once I got the heavier pack in front of me, which helped keep the front down better in the wind).


I would definitely take it again and except for really big water (which I don't do for solo trips anyway), I think it would be fine.


Trix, what did you think of the handling?


30 pounds of canoe to carry is "just my cup of tea". :-)


My boots were just rubber pull on boots, going over my Keen sandals. Not sure of the brand, but your basic set of galoshes, I think.

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
Boppa
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10/21/2010 08:03AM
 
Lynn,
Nice trip report, enjoyed reading it. Your pictures were very nice as well.
Thanks for bringing us along.
Boppa

"Yesterday is the past, Tomorrow is the future, Today is a GIFT, that is why it is called the present".
TuscaroraBorealis
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10/21/2010 09:17AM
 
Enjoyable report & photos.


I really like that area as a change of pace from the larger lakes. Sounds like it was a memorable trip? Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.


TB
SunCatcher
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11/01/2010 11:29PM
 
VoyageurNorth,
Nice Report, Great Pics, and sounds like the maiden voyage of the canoe for you went well. I especially like the part about dumping the canoe and pulling yourself right through it all. (been there done that) and keeping cool, calm, and collective is a must.
Many more happy voyage's.
SunCatcher

"WWJD"
VoyageurNorth
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11/01/2010 11:43PM
 
Thanks!


So, where was your "dumping"? :-)

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
BWPaddler
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11/02/2010 11:59AM
 
Were you calm enough that there was no swearing when you dumped? That would be truly amazing :-)

Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe. -Thoreau
tremolo
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11/02/2010 03:25PM
 
thanks for a great trip report and all the photos. I think dumping would be scary, but at least you were near shore. I imagine the advance in canoe technology is allowing more and more of us women to trip. I know I wouldn't even want to try to portage an aluminum canoe, and 30 pounds, the weight of your vagabound, seems ideal. Thanks for sharing.
VoyageurNorth
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11/02/2010 04:05PM
 
BWPaddler, honestly not a bit of swearing!


I came close but remember saying, "Shoot, Holy cow, oh my goodness and what an idiot" before it was all done. My insides may have been whispering something else, but those phrases are part of the reason I started laughing. I came close to losing all my stuff & the canoe (down the rapids most likely) and all I could do was mutter those things.


We have a saying here at VNO that my daughter started, "if you hear Mom actually swear, run the other way, because she is MAD!" :-)

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
cowdoc
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11/02/2010 06:09PM
 
Good job Lynn. Thanks for the read.

"What could happen?"
boonie
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11/03/2010 07:08AM
 
quote VoyageurNorth: "BWPaddler, honestly not a bit of swearing!



I came close but remember saying, "Shoot, Holy cow, oh my goodness and what an idiot" before it was all done. My insides may have been whispering something else, but those phrases are part of the reason I started laughing. I came close to losing all my stuff & the canoe (down the rapids most likely) and all I could do was mutter those things.



We have a saying here at VNO that my daughter started, "if you hear Mom actually swear, run the other way, because she is MAD!" :-)"



They know I'm mad when I quit swearing and start using those big, fancy words :).
VoyageurNorth
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11/03/2010 05:50PM
 
What big fancy works? :-)

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
boonie
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11/03/2010 09:29PM
 
Anything that's not monosyllabic ;).
paddlefamily
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11/04/2010 07:38PM
 
Thanks for sharing. Really inspired by your soloing. The tent sites looked lovely.


Do you know any of the possible history behind the pictos? They seem really different from the ones we've encountered.





VoyageurNorth
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11/05/2010 02:11AM
 
No, sorry I don't. I was thinking of contacting Mike Furtman in Duluth (Magic on the Rocks book) and see if he had any info on them.

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul...
bapabear
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11/09/2010 10:31AM
 
Thanks for your report!


I traveled the same area two years ago and really loved traveling on the Isabella River.


Quadga Lake is a favorite of mine. Is this another view of the Butt Rock formation?


I appreciate your honesty about falling and jamming your thumb and the tip-over incident. As much as I want to solo sometime the thought of doing something like that, only with much worse consequences, always pops into my mind and makes me wonder. Do you actually prefer a solo trip?

My superhero name is TYPOMAN. Writer of wrongs.
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