BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 09 2025
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.
solo #3
Entry Date:
October 15, 2020
Entry Point:
Lake One
Number of Days:
3
Group Size:
1
[paragraph break] At the entry point there was one guy on a kayak, and 6 people (one group? two?) who were taking their time. I saw no one else through One and Two, other than a duo in a tandem who I caught up with at the portage into Two, and passed them on my way down to the island. Compared to August, where every single site through Three was occupied, this was a pleasant change of pace. [paragraph break] I got ashore, I opened the bear barrel for a granola bar and left it open for a minute while I set up the tent, and then caught a squirrel with his paws up on the side trying to get in. I screwed the lid back on, but by then he decided it was worth some effort, and when my back was turned I caught him trying to gnaw through the lid. I don't have claw marks from a black bear on the bearvault, but I do have teeth marks from a determined squirrel. 
[paragraph break] Since it was going to be so cold, I decided it was also the perfect time to pack a lot more fresh meat than usual. First night? CHEESESTEAKS. But as I was frying up the beef, and mixing in the onions and green peppers, the mice, chipmunks, and red and grey squirrels all came out in force. I saw my loaf of bread wobbling from side to side - because there was a mouse gnawing on the other end of it a foot away from me. Little !%@*. [paragraph break] 6:15 pm sunset. Wind blowing, cold as hell. I burrowed into the thermolite liner, into the sleeping bag, and realized I couldn't feel my toes, and the liner was so tight that I couldn't grab them with my hands to warm up. The things you learn how to handle when solo camping below freezing for the first time. Also, helpful things like "zip up the windows on your tent, because you're losing heat through that, idiot" and "maybe pull your sleeping bag up to your neck both above you and below you, because that'll keep you warmer."
We had planned to go in at Isabella have a nice easy paddle down stream to Bald Eagle lake on day 1. (normally we do 15 or so miles first day so this was going to be easy). We planned to take out at the outfitters in Farm Lake bypassing our scheduled take out point of Little Gabbro, however BWCA had other plans for us.
Day 1 (campsite #1940)
We set out heading west across Isabella lake with a pretty strong head wind in our faces that persisted for the next 3 days. Every single portage was more difficult to land at as the water level was so low many rocks were out of the water that normally would have been well below us. Not the end of the world. As we completed the first portage again into the strong head wind of the river rendering the slow moving downstream current useless. If we stopped paddling we were easily blown back up stream, again such is life when canoeing. As we approached Rice Lake we started having some more issues with the water levels. Well before the lake we started bottoming out in the middle of the river with spots of 3-6" of water. (all reports I have read about Rice Lake say its pretty much pointless to go under normal conditions, I would be willing to say it was impossible to get there under current conditions). From this point on for another mile and a half or so was slow going between pushing the canoe like a Gondola and getting out to push/pull it through the water and mud. 
We did however see a family of River Otters playing in the water up ahead of us about 20 yards, as well as plenty of beavers and eagles so that was great for the kids. Once our impromptu portages were completed we were back on the water so to speak. After about 4 hours on the water we had made little progress to where we had planned to be. Finally we decided to grab a camp that was available just below the last 30 rd portage before Quadga Lake. Reading the campsite reviews prior to the trip I had low expectations as most sites were rated 1-3 stars. The site we grabbed however was actually pretty nice sitting on the corner of a bend in the river. Under ideal conditions this looked like it would be a great fishing spot up and down from the site and we did have a little luck with a couple very small northerns. The site was big enough for 3 three man tents since we were not having a fire and could be close to the grate. Under normal conditions though I would say this was a 2 tent site to be comfortable. Bugs were not bad as we had a nice cross breeze and this is in the burn area from about 10 years ago so not many bigger trees around to shelter from wind. Also made it difficult to find a suitable bear bag tree. Great open sky for star viewing though. 
Day 2 (campsite #1721)
We decided to get an early start before the wind picked up and it worked out great. Hit the water at 0630, perfectly smooth and actually felt a slight bit of the current pulling us along every once in awhile. Our lead boat came around the corner and saw a bobcat in the river, but that was pretty much it for wildlife this morning. We pushed up to Bald Eagle lake and covered both sides of it looking for a suitable base camp. 2 of the sites we looked for were not even able to be found, and yes we were using updated current maps showing them as open. Quite a few other parties on this lake as we arrived about 9 so most were not breaking camp for the day yet. We wanted a site up around the corner leading to Gabbro lake but it was occupied for the 2 nights we stayed on this lake. Fishing was horrible, tried everything in our kit around the entire lake, weed beds (very shallow), deep water and everything in-between. Ironically the best fish caught on this lake was in front of our campsite 18" northern which is still nothing to brag about. Site was sheltered from the westerly wind which was not great for the bugs at night between sunset and cold time but it was survivable. The landing was actually nice with water levels so low it was a semi sandy/rocky beach. Again a suitable bear tree was difficult to find and the latrine was missing a lid so the west wind blew a pleasant smell through the campsite, personally would not recommend this site. 
Day 3
We decided to portage up in to Turtle Lake for a day trip as it was supposedly good for catching some decent northerns. This was not the case. First of all the portage is not great (not the worst by any means) but not great. The landing on the Turtle side was horrible full of mud and rocks. There were some really nice campsites and maybe if the lake had been at full depth would have some great fish but after 5 hours we caught a small perch and a very small bass both of which went back. Needless to say it was not worth the portage.
Day 4-7 (campsite #1707)
We made the decision to abandon Bald Eagle lake and head on up to Little Gabbro and check out fishing in the river on the other end of the portage #665 in to South Kawishiwi River. We again left early to beat the wind but unfortunately the wind picked up early this day so it was yet another day heading into a decently strong head wind while crossing Gabbro. Also worth noting with the low water levels in the middle of the lake while clipping along we suddenly bottomed out on a giant boulder just below the surface. After scouting some campsites we settled on one that was actually very nice. Plenty of room for 3 tents, a nice area we set up with a tarp for shade and rain shelter that had a great view out over the lake and the fire grate would be perfect if able to be used. Worth noting though if you dont want a climb then pass this one yup as its a good 25' up on a rock. Breeze was great and kept bugs very low. Latrine was a hike back into the bush with a slightly sketchy rock that could be slippery but was nicely situated in a clearing which kept bugs at a minimum. Fishing continued to be a problem, not a lack of fish just a lack of sizable fish worth keeping. We did land 4 nice size walleyes, a perch and a decent smally but all the northerns were still very small. Great star gazing from the campsite wide open views of the Milky Way reflecting off the water. 
Ultimately we made the decision that based on the low water conditions, poor fishing and strong head winds to just ride out the remainder of our trip at this site and take out at EP #33. Didnt want to totally crush the kids moral with another day of paddling and trudging through low water, instead we had a nice leisurely paddle 1/2 mile across the lake to the EP portage on Little Gabbro. Despite not one thing going as planned on this trip it was still a week in the BWCA and to me its one of the most amazing magical places around. Granted we would have preferred to keep our planned route, less other parties to encounter, better fishing, quite honestly better views also but such is life. I can say we would not recommend this route to anyone, but in a pinch it worked. Again this is based off of a crazy year so perhaps normal conditions it would be a great route as well.
[paragraph break] And there I was, around 11:30 am, back in the sleeping bag to get feeling back in my toes, and the snow started falling. It was supposed to be 1-3" over the next few hours, and I sat and watched for a while and thought. I like solo trips. I liked the cold-weather trip. But I didn't particularly like a solo cold-weather trip. My fingers were usually too numb to open the bearvault, so I had to use a twig to poke in the catch to turn the lid, and by the time I finished cooking and eating, I wasn't exactly looking forward to doing camp chores. [paragraph break] But the snow was falling, and the lakes were still as flat and glassy as could be, and I didn't know what tomorrow was going to bring... and so I decided to exit early. Paddling through the snow was a !%!@%* winter wonderland -- because there was no wind, let's be honest. Doing that with whitecapped waves would have been far less enjoyable. But I took my time, slow as could be, heading back out towards the EP. 
[paragraph break] I hit the EP, and turned the camera around on myself. I regretted the precautionary day 2 where I moved closer to the EP just in case, because a longer day of paddling through that winter wonderland would have been a treasure, but again, caution and conservative paddling was paramount when I was out there alone. That being said, I did feel like someone from Winterfell in Game of Thrones... 
[paragraph break] Pizza and beer at the Boathouse Brewpub in Ely, and a growler of their Oktoberfest to bring home with me (which I'm finishing off now). I'm looking forward to next year's trips: a family trip, maybe two; another solo in August, probably bushwhacking to Bedford Lake in the Spider Lake PMA; and at least one, maybe two trips with friends who have started to ask "So ... uh, can I come along on a trip sometime?" [paragraph break] Stay safe, enjoy your trips, take good photos and make good memories.