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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Trip Planning Forum Portage between Lujenida and Zenith Reply
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| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| butthead |
06/30/2018 09:25AM For what it's worth,  Topo with portage profile.butthead |
| cowdoc |
06/30/2018 08:30AM We were there on June 4th, 2017 and were lucky enough to get the island site. The better fishing is in the east basin. There was a huge block of ice lingering in the south shore cedars just around the corner, in the bay, from the long portage in. It was melting and trickling into the lake and keeping the water cooler in that bay. There is a 20 foot saddle there between the 40 and 50 foot holes. That is where we trolled for lakers and along the breakline where the cool water was trickling in. |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/29/2018 06:23PMcowdoc: "MN_Lindsey: "cowdoc: " the boardwalk " Exactly! I've wanted to get to Wine Lake for some time, for an obvious reason, and the campsites are supposed to be great, and the trout fishing... Definitely will call this Type 2 fun! Thanks everyone so much for the tips/advice etc. Now... when to go (in 2019)?! |
| cowdoc |
06/29/2018 07:15AMMN_Lindsey: "cowdoc: " the boardwalk " Just face it Lindsey......in the end, we all call it fun! |
| Ajoutdoors |
06/29/2018 06:59AM I did this portage in May of this year and let’s just say I didn’t enjoy it. It was wet, hilly, and long. It was also 85 degrees outside so that didn’t help. I think if it’s been dry, it wouldn’t be bad at all. The portage trail creates little streams on the hills so all of the rocks were wet. Tricky footing. At the boardwalk provides a good opportunity to rest and replenish water. It took me about 50 minutes to walk one way, so 150 minutes total double portaging. All that being said, I would do it again in a heartbeat to reach Wine. I loved that lake. I stayed on the campsite closest to the portage and it was excellent. FYI, the portage from the south into Wine is a hilly beast. Have fun. |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/28/2018 09:40PMcowdoc: " the boardwalk " Oh.My. Gosh. "Walk across this with some trepidation" "Tread Lightly" "Step into one about a foot and a half deep, and hope that holds up" "...but it makes you wonder when you walk through there... " |
| kbm |
06/28/2018 06:59PM you want a tough loop check out ram lake - wont ever do that sill trip again |
| Mashuga |
06/27/2018 09:45PM We did that portage last August. We were a group of 5 and I was the oldest at 63. We single portaged it. It wasn't that bad except at about the mid point in a couple of places the water was about knee deep on me and too murky to see the bottom. I had to do the 'old man shuffle' going through the water. |
| boonie |
06/27/2018 09:08PM Well, Lindsey, I was 63 when we did it and I didn't pour concrete or do cross fit, so you guys should make it ;). I didn't pack real heavy though ;). You'll like it. |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/27/2018 08:36PMMN_Lindsey: "TuscaroraBorealis: "It's a bit dated but, here is my trip report from visiting that area." Definitely seems like the portage will be long. Good thing I a.) am currently hiking the SHT, so that's good practice, and b.) we did Crab Lake last year. Thank you SO MUCH for the trip report. This is EXACTLY the trip we want to do, and I just told Mr.MN that we should basecamp on the Isle of Fine Wine White Pines site, and skip a day of fishing, and do the loop over the course of the day. Then #goals is trout Fishing on Wine. At this point, thinking of goin around the same time you did (which besides Camptober is my favorite time), so I'm hopeful for some "ice" as well. ;-) Super excited now that I can really visualize this trip. Thanks again everyone. Our trip mates are: A personal trainer who does cross fit, and my husbands co-worker (they pour concrete), so I feel like we're all in fairly good shape for this. Honestly my biggest concern is the navigation on the loop up to Mesaba out of Wine. Nervous, Scared, and excited all at the same time! |
| cowdoc |
06/27/2018 07:26PM the boardwalk |
| carmike |
06/27/2018 02:39PM It's easy for a long portage...plus, the area north of there is worth a little effort. :) |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/27/2018 07:52AMTuscaroraBorealis: "It's a bit dated but, here is my trip report from visiting that area." Can't wait to read it! I'm very excited about this trip as is the husband. Thanks everyone for the tips! |
| inspector13 |
06/27/2018 07:25AMTuscaroraBorealis: "It's a bit dated but, here is my trip report from visiting that area." I remember reading your detour route and thinking, “I was there at my cabin the day they drove past my place.” |
| TuscaroraBorealis |
06/27/2018 06:38AM It's a bit dated but, here is my trip report from visiting that area. |
| DeanL |
06/26/2018 11:11PM The previous post have hit the nail on the head. To me the portage was just long, a pretty easy go the first half, then after a quick climb after the halfway boardwalk it seemed like one big hill, gradually up then down to Zenith. We just day tripped to Wine but thought there were some nice sites on the east half of the lake. On Mesaba both the narrows and the site on the north shore of the west arm are really nice. The one on the south side I remember being one of the worst I've ever seen when we checked it out. |
| Michwall2 |
06/26/2018 10:41PMMN_Lindsey: "Planning an all adult trip so we were thinking of a bit more of a challenge. Tank up on water and then fill the bottle full before starting this one. The south end has had some rerouting from when I first started crossing this portage. A few more ups and downs in there now. There are obvious spots to rest or to leapfrog your gear. (We do it in fourths.) We crossed it twice last year and the water in the beaver pond was knee high as we went north and only ankle high 6 days later when we returned. There is a step up and down off the boardwalk. Tread carefully, especially if muddy water. Nice route up to Mesaba Lake through Duck and Hug Lakes. I like the narrows campsite on Mesaba Lake. (I think it is better than the 3* it is rated on the maps here on this website.) Great spot to spend a few days. Bushwhack to Leah Lake to the east of Mesaba. Nice spot. Keep heading north to LIttle Sag for a true gem of the BW. The rapids and river between Mora and Little Sag is a beautiful spot. (Beware the north end of 300 rod portage between Hub and Fente Lake.) Louse River is a tough route, but I loved going there. Very few people want to work that hard. Wine Lake is a beautiful spot. The Louse River is always changing. Beavers are the main reason. Start early and just keep a steady pace. Saw a bear on Bug Lake. Trail Lake stay was magical. I think the beaver dams and navigational issues going west to east along the Frost would fit your definition of more difficult. Stay on Afton the night before and start early the next morning. |
| boonie |
06/26/2018 09:27PM Steve-O and I came out that way in 2014. As cowdoc said it's long, it's not flat, there's some mud, and a flooded portion. It reduces the crowd in a hurry. Be careful stepping out of the canoes at the Lujenida landing - it can be a little muddy. Enjoy the change of pace. |
| cowdoc |
06/26/2018 08:29PM It's long. Some mud. Long. Couple little up downs. Did I mention it's long. Most of it is pretty good trail...a long trail. Beaver ditch to cross on a boardwalk......walk through water to get to boardwalk. We started out trying to single it but kept dropping extra packs and going back for them. Took us probably 75-80 minutes to do it. Wine to Mug is a steep bugger on the Mug end. Poe to Louse is a nasty, ankle busting rock garden. Going up to Dent, the trails are lightly traveled and overgrown. Totally missed the portage out of Bug. Thought it was near the outflow...beavers had things flooded up. Wound up trying to follow river before we bushwacked 15 rods to our left and hit the portage. Still not sure where it starts. You will turn up towards Dent though and avoid this. Also, I believe it was the 105 out of Louse that was flooded in the middle. It looks like you should paddle straight across the flooded portion but instead you need to make a hard right and follow the shore a short ways and then hop down about an 8 foot high beaver dam to the trail on the backside. Portage is wet and sloppy for a ways after that. Pictures in my photos....Louse River loop journal. |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/26/2018 07:31PM I think we're heading towards Wine/Poe/Bug/Dent/Mesaba loop... |
| kbm |
06/26/2018 07:24PM Did the frost river loop last year and ended going from zenith south. It was a decent path, wet and long. in comparison to the rest of the trip it was our cherry on top for difficulty. we were wind locked on frost for 3 days and it rained all three days. when we hit the portage all we wanted to do was leave because of how crappy the weather. So what I remember most is some pretty decent sized logs, it being very wet, and long...very long. but not all that difficult. |
| MN_Lindsey |
06/26/2018 07:08PM Planning an all adult trip so we were thinking of a bit more of a challenge. Anyone have any thoughts about this portage & area? |
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