Hi, I'm planning a solo trip with my dog after Christmas and was hoping to do a loop from south Kawishiwi up and over to little Gabbro and out. When I look at the satellite map of Kawishi, it shows some areas where it narrows down and am wondering if I will have issues with open water that I would not be able to get by.

Thanks

quote wharrier: "Hi, I'm planning a solo trip with my dog after Christmas and was hoping to do a loop from south Kawishiwi up and over to little Gabbro and out. When I look at the satellite map of Kawishi, it shows some areas where it narrows down and am wondering if I will have issues with open water that I would not be able to get by.

Thanks"

I have done some of that in late February-March skiing and all I can see be super careful your going to see weak ice in spots. Its a river system. I also parked on the Spruce road. I think once I went thru Bruin lake portage to Little Gabbro. Its been over 3 decades ago,I know once I turned around because of bad ice and also cut thru the woods.
I tell you with my remembrance because of time span I can't help much. But I question having good ice by December there? Also if you get snow it insulates thus thin ice is possible.

A Organization that does a ton of Winter camping on Little Gabro is Outward Bound-they maybe can help.
I have also winter skiied from the Little Gabbro-Gabbro going thru the swamp area southeast of Little Gabro. Skied up to Little Pietro and back for a day trip in march when days are long. Did it thru a winter portage that skips the narrows between Gabbro-Bald Eagle lake on the north side.
Be careful. You do that complete route of the Kawishiwi r, to Little Gabbro I would talk to somebody much more familiar to that area than I.

Also water level much higher than normal this year in the Kawishiwi river-thus more current.

Agree with what Pinetree said. Personally for a winter trip I would go to a different entry point with less moving water.

Thanks for the feedback. I've gone into little gabbro and taken both the portages you mentioned to gabbro and bruin. I wanted somewhat familiar ground without just doing the same trip.

Will probably go to Gabbro instead.

Thanks

I’m going into Little Gabro in January. Gonna camp on Gabro. Any advice would be great. Kind of worried about getting to the EP if there’s to much snow.

quote PaddlinMadeline: "I’m going into Little Gabro in January. Gonna camp on Gabro. Any advice would be great. Kind of worried about getting to the EP if there’s to much snow. "

Usually it is plowed up to the parking lot Entry 32 on the Kawishiwi. I have just parked there sometimes and made it to Gabbro. From the parking lot to at least the Little Gabbro parking lot it will be hard packed by dog sleds and snowmobile traffic. They have been doing a lot of logging down that way-this year I don't know.
Usually also from Little Gabbro thru the swamp to the southeast to Gabbro dog sleds run it.
If you try to go directly from Little Gabbro to Gabbro be darn careful that current goes out a long ways past the rapids-it can fool you.
Gabbro is a nice easy winter trip usually. Good northern pike fishing and crappies if you can find them.

Outward bound use to do a lot of camping and activity on Little Gabbro years ago. Now?

It has been plowed to 32 for me. After that, it was actually closed to wheeled vehicles regardless of drivability. So will have to hump it from there.

When going from Little Gabbro to Gabbro, do not take the water channel, if the water's not open, it will most likely not be safe. There's a dog sled trail through the swamp. If you look at the satellite view on google maps, you can see the swamp that connects the 2. It's the larger swamp. The trail can be hard to see until you're right on it but it's easy going.

quote wharrier: "It has been plowed to 32 for me. After that, it was actually closed to wheeled vehicles regardless of drivability. So will have to hump it from there.


When going from Little Gabbro to Gabbro, do not take the water channel, if the water's not open, it will most likely not be safe. There's a dog sled trail through the swamp. If you look at the satellite view on google maps, you can see the swamp that connects the 2. It's the larger swamp. The trail can be hard to see until you're right on it but it's easy going."

agree

PaddlinMadeline: "I’m going into Little Gabro in January. Gonna camp on Gabro. Any advice would be great. Kind of worried about getting to the EP if there’s to much snow. "

The location of the winter dogsled trail between Little Gabbro and Gabbro is incorrectly shown on McKenzie maps. They place the trail closer to the rapids between the two lakes. As noted, it's in the southeastern bay of Little Gabbro, where Nickel Creek is shown on the following map:

Link