BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
December 11 2024
Entry Point 25 - Moose Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 27
Elevation: 1356 feet
Latitude: 47.9877
Longitude: -91.4997
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.
Moose Lake to Lac la Croix & Back
Entry Date:
September 20, 2022
Entry Point:
Moose Lake
Number of Days:
16
Group Size:
1
Things I wish I'd known:
1. The Canadian side of the Sucker Lake--Basswood Lake portage is 20 rods shorter than the American side.
2. The Canadian side of the Horseshoe Falls portage is shorter but muddier. Because my dog, Sadie, was on the trip, I cut an old Ensolite pad to lie on the floor, which was tucked under the gunwales, this raised Sadie up a half-inch and kept her dry. Rain turned to hail while crossing Basswood Lake, and the pad became a quick shelter for man and dog. The pad stays neatly in place in the canoe on portages.
The first week temperatures were in the mid-30's in the morning and warmed to the 60's during the day. There was a fair bit of rain the first week, and then fair and warm temps the second week.
The wind was in my face crossing Basswood Lake, both ways.
Many swans on the Basswood River including cygnets. They flew down the river in the morning, past my campsite, honking, and flew back at night.
Finished about 8 plein air paintings, and took 1,471 photographs to serve as reference works for studio paintings. The canoeists were generous in agreeing to serve as "models" for photos of them paddling.
Wonderful trip.
