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       EP 14 Weeny PMA
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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 11:25AM
EP 14 Weeny PMA

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
Voyager 02/03/2022 09:21AM
I was in there years ago on a solo. Went in from Lynx to Yodeler, Achundo, Rangeline, Rangeline Pond, over the hump ( with only a goat path down a cliff) to Pageant Creek, ( which is but a trickle of water and a walk) to Pageant, Brigand, Contentment, Nahimana, Lucky Finn, Hustler River ( should be called creek) to Posse, and out at Hustler. No one should ever attempt to exit through the Hustler River! I had heard there were some rough-cut portage trails. I found some of them. The saplings were cut off about 2 feet high so you could maneuver the canoe. The rumor was, they were made by Rangeline and Stumpy, years ago. I was there before the blowdown of 2014. (?) If I were to do it again ( and I wouldn't) , I would walk the SHT either all the way to the campsite on Pageant , or as far as Pageant Creek and walk the creek valley to Pageant. ( instead of going over the hump to Pageant Creek) Of course if you are going the other direction, things would be in reverse order. There was the rough afore mentioned type trail from Pageant to Brigand. It was located where you would expect it to be, just before Pageant L. swings south. My notes say, 2/3 of the way along this trail it swings left 90 degrees, easy to miss. I had my notes on the back of the map, and I have since cut off and discarded the Canadian part of the map, which contained some of my notes. My notes say, could find no trail from Brigand to Contentment. I exited the creek on the left at a beaver dam, bushwhacked the high ground and 1/2 way through crossed the shallow creek and continued on the other side. There was a fire grate on Brigand and Nahimana, and the old campsite on Contentment was still visible. One thing to note, this is a PMA, and thus is a leave no trace area. Leave the machetes at home. Let's leave it a supreme adventure for all who follow us.
RJB 02/03/2022 06:52AM
Deeznuts: "I have been looking at a satellite maps but for all I know they could be years old and the overgrowth could be heavier. About how many rods was the portage between brigand and pageant? I'm really really tempted now!! We are going in late May/very early June to avoid too many bugs and hopefully some more passable water. This will only be our third trip but I've been to this EP twice and we were at pageant already via a day hike from Hustler. It's a gorgeous little lake with a magical feeling and I really want to get a canoe in there! "


My son's group also approached this area from Hustler and camped on Rangeline ahead of the bushwhack. We were also on Rangeline the night of the storm in 2014 (see my trip report also published in the Boundary Waters Journal summer 2015). The forest service after the storm did a great job clearing the Sioux Hustler Trail from Hustler to Rangeline but it was a little tougher last year as we hiked from Pageant to Rangeline. I doubt the bushwhack distance from Pageant to Brigand is more than 80-- 100 rods. Jake thinks there should still be evidence of where they cut their way through and they started near a rock cairn, again in the NE section bay above the island. He said you need to be a good navigator or you could easily get lost. Make sure you have a good machete, hatchet and compass. Post a trip report if you take the trip.
Deeznuts 02/02/2022 08:35PM
I have been looking at a satellite maps but for all I know they could be years old and the overgrowth could be heavier. About how many rods was the portage between brigand and pageant? I'm really really tempted now!! We are going in late May/very early June to avoid too many bugs and hopefully some more passable water. This will only be our third trip but I've been to this EP twice and we were at pageant already via a day hike from Hustler. It's a gorgeous little lake with a magical feeling and I really want to get a canoe in there!
RJB 02/02/2022 08:08PM
RJB: "Deeznuts: "I've scoured over what info I found from the weeny lake PMA and just interested to find out if anyone came into the PMA from pageant lake? It's a mile and a half portage from the heritage site and I'm debating if I want to try to take canoes up to pageant (which is not part of the PMA) for 2 nights. We made a day trip up there this past summer and that place is magical. I would love to spend an evening or two there but I am also leary of leaving the canoes unattended for so long. Looking for suggestions. "



My son took a group of guys in 2015 (all strong and mid 20's) from Rangeline to Pageant to Brigand to Contentment to Thumb to Pocket in one day. He said it was near mutiny by the end of a sun up to sun down day. Total bushwhack from the NE part of Pageant to Brigand. He said Brigand was a hole in the wall lake and not very pretty. Contentment was prettier and not hard to get to after a killer trip to Brigand. If he was going to camp in the PMA he would've stopped at Contentment. The stream from Brigand to Contentment was impassable (trip was in July) so they portaged beside the stream. Portaging from Contentment to Thumb was not tough. Good campsites on Finger and Pocket if you exit that way."



Also just got this from my son. They did find a rock cairn in the NE corner of the bay above the island. That is where they started to bushwhack but it had been so long since anyone had been there that there was no trail. They cut their way to Brigand and entered the lake to the left of the V shape on the southern part of the lake.
RJB 02/02/2022 07:46PM
Deeznuts: "I've scoured over what info I found from the weeny lake PMA and just interested to find out if anyone came into the PMA from pageant lake? It's a mile and a half portage from the heritage site and I'm debating if I want to try to take canoes up to pageant (which is not part of the PMA) for 2 nights. We made a day trip up there this past summer and that place is magical. I would love to spend an evening or two there but I am also leary of leaving the canoes unattended for so long. Looking for suggestions. "


My son took a group of guys in 2015 (all strong and mid 20's) from Rangeline to Pageant to Brigand to Contentment to Thumb to Pocket in one day. He said it was near mutiny by the end of a sun up to sun down day. Total bushwhack from the NE part of Pageant to Brigand. He said Brigand was a hole in the wall lake and not very pretty. Contentment was prettier and not hard to get to after a killer trip to Brigand. If he was going to camp in the PMA he would've stopped at Contentment. The stream from Brigand to Contentment was impassable (trip was in July) so they portaged beside the stream. Portaging from Contentment to Thumb was not tough. Good campsites on Finger and Pocket if you exit that way.
sns 02/02/2022 12:25PM
Maybe you saw it but here's the very old mention I recalled reading:


Brigand - Pageant
Deeznuts 02/02/2022 09:31AM
"Bump". I have read a few trip reports and only found 1 person that has used the SHT to exit the PMA. I've revised the route to have us entering the PMA from thumb and exiting into Pageant. There are old portages to follow all the way into brigand, but my main concern at this point is the challenges we will face between brigand and pageant. ANY INFO IS SO SO SO APPRECIATED!!!
sns 01/02/2022 09:07AM
I've looked at that but have not done it. Seem to recall reading an account of bushwhacking from Pageant to Brigand on this site, but I may be wrong.


That's a long portage on a hiking trail to get from Heritage to Pageant, should you bring the canoes. Would be no fun to get there and discover the only site taken by hikers.


I have portaged on another hiking trail (Angleworm) and found some spots a lot harder than a regular portage due to a lack of clearances for the 16 foot hat I was wearing.


I have been in that PMA, on Contentment, and it is a nice little lake with lots of little pike.
Deeznuts 01/01/2022 08:21PM
I've scoured over what info I found from the weeny lake PMA and just interested to find out if anyone came into the PMA from pageant lake? It's a mile and a half portage from the heritage site and I'm debating if I want to try to take canoes up to pageant (which is not part of the PMA) for 2 nights. We made a day trip up there this past summer and that place is magical. I would love to spend an evening or two there but I am also leary of leaving the canoes unattended for so long. Looking for suggestions.