BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
April 27 2024
Entry Point 36 - Hog Creek
Hog Creek 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 30 miles. Access is a 15-rod portage to Hog Creek leading into Perent Lake.
Number of Permits per Day: 4
Elevation: 1664 feet
Latitude: 47.8104
Longitude: -91.0864
Hog Creek - 36
Number of Permits per Day: 4
Elevation: 1664 feet
Latitude: 47.8104
Longitude: -91.0864
Hog Creek - 36
In Search of Lost Hope - A PMA Crossing
by TreeBear
Trip Report
Entry Date:
May 26, 2023
Entry Point:
Hog Creek
Exit Point:
Kawishiwi Lake (37)
Number of Days:
4
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
The primitive management areas have always fascinated me as the truest sense of wilderness to be found in the BWCA. They are remote, challenging to navigate, and seldom visited. The scenery is neat in its own way, but they will never stack up to the big favorites like Kekekabic, Crooked, or Rose. The fishing usually isn't all that great either. Add in a potentially high risk of getting turned around or getting injured on a tough bushwhack (and the increased challenge of getting help if needed) and I would not recommend such a trip to the majority of folks. In fact, I would actively discourage people from it in most cases. But as we were looking for a trip over this Memorial day weekend, our eyes turned towards the primitive, the chance for solitude and personal challenge on another level, and an opportunity to see parts of the BWCA we had never visited and that likely haven't see other people for a very long while
Day 1 of 4
Friday, May 26, 2023 
The trip started out with an odd start as so many of ours do when looking to make the most of a weekend. The two of us have grown accustomed to late paddling and scheduled to meet up at Kawishiwi Lake at 7:30 after work and a remote drive. After some brief packing and commenting on the newly hatched swarms of bugs, we headed for our entry point at Hog Creek, leaving our shuttle vehicle at Kawish for the finish. We made the water by 8:00 pm after picking up a good amount of garbage at the landing and started making good time down the creek. We lined the rapid set and then it was a portage-free track to Perent. It felt great to be out in a canoe again and this narrow winding creek stretch is where the Royalex Bell Prospector really shines. We pulled into Perent Lake at about 9:30 and started looking for our campsites while groups were still awake, fires were still burning, and headlamps could clue us in to what sites were open. It took a fair bit of back and fourth paddling past six full campsites before finding one without lights. A cautious check found it empty and inviting so we pulled in, had a good snack before bed, and called it a night. The next day would be the true start of our adventure. ~Perent Lake
The trip started out with an odd start as so many of ours do when looking to make the most of a weekend. The two of us have grown accustomed to late paddling and scheduled to meet up at Kawishiwi Lake at 7:30 after work and a remote drive. After some brief packing and commenting on the newly hatched swarms of bugs, we headed for our entry point at Hog Creek, leaving our shuttle vehicle at Kawish for the finish. We made the water by 8:00 pm after picking up a good amount of garbage at the landing and started making good time down the creek. We lined the rapid set and then it was a portage-free track to Perent. It felt great to be out in a canoe again and this narrow winding creek stretch is where the Royalex Bell Prospector really shines. We pulled into Perent Lake at about 9:30 and started looking for our campsites while groups were still awake, fires were still burning, and headlamps could clue us in to what sites were open. It took a fair bit of back and fourth paddling past six full campsites before finding one without lights. A cautious check found it empty and inviting so we pulled in, had a good snack before bed, and called it a night. The next day would be the true start of our adventure. ~Perent Lake
Day 3 of 4
Wednesday, June 26, 2002
We set our sites on disappointment mountain but before we left our Jordan Lake campsite, disaster struck. Our canoe had sprung a monsterous leak. We tried to patch it, but were unsuccessful. Ryan ended up with fiberglass all over his hands that stayed for days because we didnt bring any gloves. Our canoe was taking on water fast. We put most of our gear in the other canoe but I couldnt fit so I had to sit in the middle of the leaky canoe. We decided we should just head for Snowbank and get out of the BWCAW before we died. The weather was horrible, windy and rainy. I was soaked up to my waist, desperately bailing the canoe with a pot. We decided we should ride out the night on Disappointment Lake. I tell you, this lake lived up to its name. There were no campsites available. We stopped to dump out our canoe and kept pushing on. We finally made it to the portage and quickly made it to Snowbank. The water was choppy and a few times I honestly thought I was going to die either by drowning or from hypothermia. Somehow we made it to the van, loaded up and left. This was my first ever camping experience and it was really really bad. I laughed, I cried, I actually cried alot, and the next year I returned. On that trip, I vowed for a better trip where I would be dry. Kevin put our canoe in the water with me inside and all of our gear and then our canoe capsized...but that's another story.
We set our sites on disappointment mountain but before we left our Jordan Lake campsite, disaster struck. Our canoe had sprung a monsterous leak. We tried to patch it, but were unsuccessful. Ryan ended up with fiberglass all over his hands that stayed for days because we didnt bring any gloves. Our canoe was taking on water fast. We put most of our gear in the other canoe but I couldnt fit so I had to sit in the middle of the leaky canoe. We decided we should just head for Snowbank and get out of the BWCAW before we died. The weather was horrible, windy and rainy. I was soaked up to my waist, desperately bailing the canoe with a pot. We decided we should ride out the night on Disappointment Lake. I tell you, this lake lived up to its name. There were no campsites available. We stopped to dump out our canoe and kept pushing on. We finally made it to the portage and quickly made it to Snowbank. The water was choppy and a few times I honestly thought I was going to die either by drowning or from hypothermia. Somehow we made it to the van, loaded up and left. This was my first ever camping experience and it was really really bad. I laughed, I cried, I actually cried alot, and the next year I returned. On that trip, I vowed for a better trip where I would be dry. Kevin put our canoe in the water with me inside and all of our gear and then our canoe capsized...but that's another story.
Day 9 of 4
Sunday, May 28, 2023 The next morning, we worked our way back to the old portage. After locating the rock described in the 1964 DNR benchmark survey, we noted where the portage used to be. As predicted, nothing serviceable remained, and though the portage was gone, the obstacle to portage around was far from it! The water falls quickly out of Maniwaki into a deep, rocky gorge. We tried the creek briefly before turning up the ridge into the thick jack pine stands above. I scouted ahead and hit a couple of dead-end points where the route ahead was too steep to portage safely, especially with a canoe. We slowly managed our way through the tangle, trying to connect the open rocky patches with brief sections of barreling ahead through mangled brush or precarious jungle-gyms of down timber. This ridge sits way above the valley below. We didn't know how long to portage, but we knew the old portage was some 200 rods plus, and if the sound of whitewater below was any indicator, we had our work cut out. We bashed down the face at the most manageable decent we could find, still a tricky obstacle course. We popped out at the creek below the four set of rapids and above the fifth. We paddled a short distance down and started the portage around the fifth on the south shoreline. This beautiful stretch of water is a complicated one to portage as the topography is pretty jagged in the surrounding valley walls. We waded through the stream at a tough point, followed a little further on the north shore before coming back to navigable water below. There are some massive log jams in this section which impede progress downstream and force portages around them. After a few more stretches, we blasted out into the open valley of Hope Creek. A few more push-throughs lay ahead before we pulled into South Hope Lake. 
At South Hope, we sat and filled waterbottles and watched a pair of moose for awhile. They seemed to detest the flying critters as much as we did. Forebodingly, they took off right down the rapids we were intending to follow. Figures. Wonder if we'll find them again? The topography around South Hope was nice, more scenic than Maniwaki. We headed for the rapids and portaged briefly on the south shore. There were a pair of swans in the pond which took off at our approach. We lifted over the beaver dam at the end and into Hope Lake. We climbed the 15 ft boulder at the lake and had a snack break overlooking this primitive lake in front of us. In 2019 we took a post-dinner trip back here from Insula during a guide staff-training trip so we had a pretty good idea of what lay ahead. The worst was behind us and we could afford to enjoy this moment. 
We paddled down the south shore, pointing out former campsites as we went. It's short portage around the first scenic rapid set on the creek out from here. The second former portage is where we remembered the worst portaging. The old 50 something rod portage went up and over the ridge, thus shortcutting some distance. Following the creek forces a few shorter portages along a longer route. Further on is a single rapid set which once had a short portage. We knew that there was a trail around the final rapids, at least there was four years prior. We were unable to find it at first so we started bushwhacking as we had been. I finally bumped into the trail and we took it to the end.This was a surreal moment. It felt almost as if someone had dropped us into the middle of a BWCA trip. Everything before this moment was new and challenging and difficult, harder than any trip either of us had ever taken by canoe. Everything after this moment was back to a standard Boundary Waters trip with portages and campsites and other groups. It was like two totally different trips joined together by this moment. We savored it as we headed out into Insula right around lunchtime.
At South Hope, we sat and filled waterbottles and watched a pair of moose for awhile. They seemed to detest the flying critters as much as we did. Forebodingly, they took off right down the rapids we were intending to follow. Figures. Wonder if we'll find them again? The topography around South Hope was nice, more scenic than Maniwaki. We headed for the rapids and portaged briefly on the south shore. There were a pair of swans in the pond which took off at our approach. We lifted over the beaver dam at the end and into Hope Lake. We climbed the 15 ft boulder at the lake and had a snack break overlooking this primitive lake in front of us. In 2019 we took a post-dinner trip back here from Insula during a guide staff-training trip so we had a pretty good idea of what lay ahead. The worst was behind us and we could afford to enjoy this moment. We paddled down the south shore, pointing out former campsites as we went. It's short portage around the first scenic rapid set on the creek out from here. The second former portage is where we remembered the worst portaging. The old 50 something rod portage went up and over the ridge, thus shortcutting some distance. Following the creek forces a few shorter portages along a longer route. Further on is a single rapid set which once had a short portage. We knew that there was a trail around the final rapids, at least there was four years prior. We were unable to find it at first so we started bushwhacking as we had been. I finally bumped into the trail and we took it to the end.This was a surreal moment. It felt almost as if someone had dropped us into the middle of a BWCA trip. Everything before this moment was new and challenging and difficult, harder than any trip either of us had ever taken by canoe. Everything after this moment was back to a standard Boundary Waters trip with portages and campsites and other groups. It was like two totally different trips joined together by this moment. We savored it as we headed out into Insula right around lunchtime.
Every campsite we passed was open, even some very popular island sites, which seemed strange for Memorial Day weekend with nice sunny weather. The first group we saw was camped at the narrows site heading out of Insula proper. Even Williamson Island was empty. Very strange indeed. We paddled through the back bay to take the portage into Carol as it was a new lake for both of us. Portaging felt oddly easy without any flora smacking one's face and shins. Alice was windy and choppy but we handled it. We pulled into Fishdance in early afternoon with time to spare and recreate. We ended up checking out every campsite and former campsite on the lake, following the perimeter of the lake south from the Alice portage. I ended up paddling a few more miles that night as Lil' Grumpy enjoyed some fishing. It was a uniquely relaxing end to a long and challenging day. We stayed at one of the remote sites in the corner, feasted on a three course meal, and weathered the bugs for another night. 
~Maniwaki Lake, South Hope Lake, Hope Lake, Insula, Lake, Carol, Lake, Hum Lake, Alice Lake, Fishdance Lake
Day 11 of 4
Monday, May 29, 2023 The final day of the trip was a long one for mileage, but it just felt good to be paddling again. It was north to River, east to Malberg, before fighting the headwind out the south through Koma, Polly, Townline, Kawasachong, Square, and into Kawishiwi, pulling into the landing just before 4:00. It was a long, hot day, but we made wonderful time now that we were in maintained territory. In looking back on it, this was one of the most physically demanding trips either of us had ever done, and yet we came off the trip feeling pretty good. For all the potential for things to go awry, this trip went incredibly smooth: we were never lost, never incredibly discouraged, and there were never points of wondering if we should turn back. We came back with a feeling of accomplishment in seeing and experiencing a piece of the BWCA which very few people ever do and that is worth something. It was a special trip and simply keeps the gears turning as we dream what adventures are yet to come. 
~Fishdance Lake, River Lake, Bow Lake, Malberg Lake, Koma Lake, Polly, Lake, Townline Lake, Kawasachong Lake, Square Lake, Kawishiwi Lake
~Fishdance Lake, River Lake, Bow Lake, Malberg Lake, Koma Lake, Polly, Lake, Townline Lake, Kawasachong Lake, Square Lake, Kawishiwi Lake
Lakes Traveled:
Fishdance Lake,
River Lake,
Bow Lake,
Malberg Lake,
Koma Lake,
Polly, Lake,
Townline Lake,
Kawasachong Lake,
Square Lake,
Kawishiwi Lake,
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