BWCA Basecamping near Basswood with an Agnes permit Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
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01/04/2018 12:35PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Typical baby boomers, we have been going to Quetico for over 50 years. Now we're starting to disintegrate physically--one of our guys is pretty crippled with foot problems and not able to portage much anymore (but can still paddle and fish like a 20 year-old). We decided on an Agnes entry last September and a basecamp on a lake just a couple short portages and some stream-paddling off Basswood, without actually visiting Agnes. When we told the ranger at Prairie Portage of our plans he informed us that we would either have to stay on Basswood or else travel to Agnes first, then return to our base camp destination lake. I had never encountered this rule before--thought I would share it. This also complicates a trip I was hoping to arrange with my young grandsons to Sunday Lake.
(photo: Agnes to Meadows, the "Big Agony" portage")

 
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GraniteCliffs
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01/04/2018 03:26PM  
Yep, we have been told similar things lately at Prairie as well. One trip, a group of three all going solo separately, stopped to get our permits. We were told that no one is ever allowed to basecamp on Sunday or North Bay. The guy with the Agnes permit headed toward Agnes as required even though he had planned to spend a number of days just on Sunday.
He apparently ran out of time even though we left Prairie before 9 AM and camped on Sunday. Must have run out of time a number of days in a row since he was still camped there when I returned from my solo up toward Yum Yum.
01/04/2018 11:55PM  
Here is a similar thread:
Through The Entry Point
01/05/2018 09:55AM  
Ausable: "Here is a similar thread:
Through The Entry Point "


Thanks--Anyone know what the policy is for base camping at Ranger Bay or other areas on the west side of Basswood Lake?
jacobf
member (40)member
  
01/05/2018 10:44AM  
There is an Agnes Lake/Basswood basecamp permit that would allow you to just stay on Basswood without visiting Agnes at all. Here is the text from the Ontario Parks reservation website:

"This entry can be used as a regular Agnes Lake entry OR be used to base camp on North bay, Big and Little Meriam Bays and Ranger Bay of Basswood Lake."
01/05/2018 11:34AM  
Thanks again--guess I'll read the fine print and call before the next trip, although hopefully we'll be heading in deeper than Basswood next time.
LDB
member (27)member
  
01/11/2018 03:21PM  
Last year we did the Agnes base camp. I, once again, called to the office and asked for a clarification. I was told that I could not head straight for Sarah, but I could go anywhere in the Agnes quadrant. I asked if I could spend two days on Sunday recuperating from the first day hassles and the North Portage as I am old and have a bad back. I was told of course. Then I mentioned people basing on the 'S' chain. I was told lots of people like to base camp on the 'S' chain. At Prairie Portage, after being told I had to stay on Basswood, I asked, if the wind was bad and could not get around the corner, would it be okay if we cut through Sunday heading for North Bay. I was told absolutely not. By the time we got to Sunday Island my back was too far gone and the wind was coming up that I could do neither. We waited out the wind for a day on Sunday Island. Two years back we encountered a ranger on the North Portage. I had slipped on a rock hidden in the mud puddle on the top and my wife was having heal spur pain. We were not looking good. The ranger advised us, since we were nearly finished, that we should go on to Sunday, suggested a camp sight, said the Sunday Lake would be a good place to chill for a couple days, before deciding what to do, whether we thought we could do the two portages to Agnes or head back. We were advised if we could not do the Meadows route that it may best to stay put and take the Singing Brook and Burke portages to get back to Basswood, when we had to head home. They carried our last packs back to out canoe which on the Sunday Lake side. I had the Agnes basecamp pass then as well, was told the same thing from the park office and was told by the ranger that was correct. There seems to be a difference concerning this the last few years from Prairie Portage to the head office.
billconner
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01/11/2018 06:53PM  
It's is a problem that the regulations are not consistently interpreted by employees (or outfitters and others) in both Quetico and BWCAW.
OldGreyGoose
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01/12/2018 05:01PM  
Don't ask, don't tell! --Goose
01/12/2018 05:48PM  
OldGreyGoose: "Don't ask, don't tell! --Goose"


yep
 
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