My adult daughter and I are planning a trip and I was wondering if anyone had done it and had thoughts. We are putting in at Kawishiwi, traveling to Polly for the first day. Then through Koma, Malberg, etc. to around Alice. Day three through Thomas and Fraser to one of those small lakes, maybe Gerund? Here is where I need site advice! Then up through Kek etc. to Ogish. Down to little Sag. Over to my favorite site on Makwa, which is a short day, I know, but favorite site! Then Kivinava. Polly for the last night, then out. 10 days give us a rain day, and the whole end of the trip is short anyway, so if need be we can linger anywhere. Best sites? Thoughts? The only lake I haven't been on is Alice, and I think my daughter has. I'm really looking for great sites, tricks, etc. We'll make the hike to the falls at Ogish for sure. If we get ahead of ourselves we'll nip over to my second favorite site on Tuscarora. What say you?

And, while I have your attention, my husband and I are going around end July for maybe 6 days, and I need a new to us, small lake, low stress, we can make the miles but my husband is nervous on big lakes and wants to chill, easy trip advice. We are open to any EP, starting midweek, so no worries about permits or crowds.

We are all single portage, fast paddlers, but we also usually make camp by noon, so if you have mileage advice calculate 6 hours of fast single portage travel. Thank you!

I've done parts of it on 2 different trips, but have not gone from Fraser around to Little Sag. In 2014 Steve inspector13) and I went from EP #37 to Little Sag, then out through Sawbill (Hub, Duck, Zenith). Steve and I both wrote trip reports on it. There are additional pictures at Shutterfly.

In 2016 I went in EP #37 to Alice like you plan then through Fraser to Cap, Boulder, Adams, Beaver, Malberg, out #37. There's a trip report and additional pictures at the same Shutterfly link. I made a detour to Fishdance for the pictos; it's not far so you may want to do that. A note on the short portage on river left going down the Kawishiwi River before Alice - there's an obvious portage landing on left, but a rough closed in trail. Go on down to the rock for an easier up and over.

You will likely have time to linger somewhere or extend your route if weather is fairly good since it's not terribly long for 10 days. I'd likely linger on Little Sag. Steve and I stayed at site 812 for 2 nights. I've also been through Tuscarora to Little Sag, but if I had extra time I'd probably head to Boulder and Adams instead.

Whatever you do, you'll have a nice trip. Enjoy it!

Great Trip! I have done the first half in one trip and the rest in several others.

Kawishiwi to Polly will be a short day. And I think Polly to Alice will be a very long second day. Go to Koma or Malberg the first day? (The peninsula site on Koma is OK. On Malberg, I liked the site on the south shore as you head northeast out of the lake. Headed southeast, we have stayed on the site at the end of the narrows going west. It is not a good site. pick another.

Are you planning a short side trip to see the pictographs on Fishdance Lake as you head to Alice Lake? If you haven't seen them before, please do.

The portage from Fishdance(Kawishiwi River) to Alice is a beautiful walk along the Kawishiwi River. If the river is low enough, allow some time for rock hopping to the middle of the river for views up the river from Alice Lake. There are sites either on or next to sand beaches on the east shore of the lake. We stayed on a nice site to the south in the long arm of water on the northeast side of the lake. It is on a little spit of land sticking into the lake. Nice take out. Nice tent pad. Not huge views, but more solitude than out on the big lake. Alice acts bigger than you might think. We spent our trip across the lake bouncing up and down like a bobber.

I don't remember much about the portages to Thomas Lake. Thomas was very scenic. The channel from Thomas to Frazier is a fun paddle. Frazier has a different feel from Thomas. Try camping on Wisini instead of Gerund. Huge cliffs and a couple nice sites. Try the one at the narrows if you get there first.

We moved on to Kekakabic Lake. We stayed at a very nice site on the island in the middle of the lake.

Have you been to the top of Thunder Point? Head north to the South Arm of Knife and climb the trail for an iconic canoe country view.

Head east on SAK to the Eddy Lake portage. Take one of the many side trails off the portage to Eddy Falls. Eddy, Jenny and Annie Lakes will bring you to Ogishkemuncie. We didn't find a campsite on Ogish. We stayed on Mueller. First campsite on the right is OK. A little brushy but lots of raspberries as I recall. Mueller Falls is well worth the side trip.

Spend an extra day on LIttle Sag. It is worth the time. There is a peninsula site on the south shore that has spectacular scenery. The take out is a steep climb to the site, but if it is open you will not regret staying there.

We got blown off the Makwa campsite next to the cliffs one fine BW afternoon. Only had a 2 person tent and could not get it staked down to stay. We finally left and went to Elton instead.

Headed south, the portage into Pan Lake is tough to find. There is a false portage take out to the east of the real one. The trail eventually runs out.

There is a cool canyon as you approach the portage back into Malberg Lake from the northeast.

Hope all this helps. Great Trip you have planned. Enjoy!

Very useful! Thank you.

Since you seem to have a little extra time on your hands, consider spending night 2 on the southern of the two island sites on River Lake. Beautiful site, great kitchen area, great rocks for swimming and lounging and a very nice view. Directly south of there is a point where the lake narrows - we caught about 35 walleyes there in an hour as the sun was going down a few years ago in mid July. Just drifting the point with a jig and leech. There are also pictographs on Fishdance Lake which you are probably aware of. This would slow your advance to Alice a bit but sounds like you have the time.

By the way, you can make it to Malberg in one day with an early start. We are older and out of shape and made it in 7 hours on an 85 degree humid day double portaging a few years back.


Trip report with pics relevant to the first part of your trip:

Kawishiwi to Malberg and River Lakes

Have fun!

RRHD: "And, while I have your attention, my husband and I are going around end July for maybe 6 days, and I need a new to us, small lake, low stress, we can make the miles but my husband is nervous on big lakes and wants to chill, easy trip advice. We are open to any EP, starting midweek, so no worries about permits or crowds.

We are all single portage, fast paddlers, but we also usually make camp by noon, so if you have mileage advice calculate 6 hours of fast single portage travel. Thank you!"

Couple of options for a small lake trip:

Option 1. Have you been on the small lake loop to the south of the arc Lac La Croix makes?
Entry 14 - LIS North. Head north west down the LIS to the Pauness Lakes and turn east to Shell, Little Shell and Lynx Lakes. Continue east through Ruby and Hustler to Oyster and then turn north to Rocky, Green and Gebe-on-e-quet. Continue north through Gebe and Pocket Creeks to Pocket Lake. Then turn west through Finger, Thumb, Beartrack and Little Beartrack. Continue west through Eugene, Steep and North/South Lakes. Turn south through Section Pond, Slim to Little Loon. From there head out onto the only large lake - Loon and slip into the mouth of the Little Indian Sioux River and back to the Pauness Lakes and out.

Option 2
Entry 47 - Lizz Lake - Travel out to Long Island Lake and the turn north east and come back through Skipper. Lizz to Horsehoe, Horseshoe to East end of Long Island. (Day trip to Frost Lake?) Turn northeast to Banadad Lake, Head out going east through Skipper back to Poplar Lake.

Michwall2: "Great Trip! I have done the first half in one trip and the rest in several others.

This is great advice, all of it! Thank you so much! Glad I asked!

Kawishiwi to Polly will be a short day. And I think Polly to Alice will be a very long second day. Go to Koma or Malberg the first day? (The peninsula site on Koma is OK. On Malberg, I liked the site on the south shore as you head northeast out of the lake. Headed southeast, we have stayed on the site at the end of the narrows going west. It is not a good site. pick another.


Are you planning a short side trip to see the pictographs on Fishdance Lake as you head to Alice Lake? If you haven't seen them before, please do.


The portage from Fishdance(Kawishiwi River) to Alice is a beautiful walk along the Kawishiwi River. If the river is low enough, allow some time for rock hopping to the middle of the river for views up the river from Alice Lake. There are sites either on or next to sand beaches on the east shore of the lake. We stayed on a nice site to the south in the long arm of water on the northeast side of the lake. It is on a little spit of land sticking into the lake. Nice take out. Nice tent pad. Not huge views, but more solitude than out on the big lake. Alice acts bigger than you might think. We spent our trip across the lake bouncing up and down like a bobber.


I don't remember much about the portages to Thomas Lake. Thomas was very scenic. The channel from Thomas to Frazier is a fun paddle. Frazier has a different feel from Thomas. Try camping on Wisini instead of Gerund. Huge cliffs and a couple nice sites. Try the one at the narrows if you get there first.


We moved on to Kekakabic Lake. We stayed at a very nice site on the island in the middle of the lake.


Have you been to the top of Thunder Point? Head north to the South Arm of Knife and climb the trail for an iconic canoe country view.


Head east on SAK to the Eddy Lake portage. Take one of the many side trails off the portage to Eddy Falls. Eddy, Jenny and Annie Lakes will bring you to Ogishkemuncie. We didn't find a campsite on Ogish. We stayed on Mueller. First campsite on the right is OK. A little brushy but lots of raspberries as I recall. Mueller Falls is well worth the side trip.


Spend an extra day on LIttle Sag. It is worth the time. There is a peninsula site on the south shore that has spectacular scenery. The take out is a steep climb to the site, but if it is open you will not regret staying there.


We got blown off the Makwa campsite next to the cliffs one fine BW afternoon. Only had a 2 person tent and could not get it staked down to stay. We finally left and went to Elton instead.


Headed south, the portage into Pan Lake is tough to find. There is a false portage take out to the east of the real one. The trail eventually runs out.


There is a cool canyon as you approach the portage back into Malberg Lake from the northeast.


Hope all this helps. Great Trip you have planned. Enjoy!








"

I can add that the portage to Thomas is not difficult. There are very easy landings on both ends (see pictures in album) and a little boardwalk on the trail, but otherwise pretty good trail. A scenic paddle up the channel from Alice. I stayed at the beach site on the east just on the south side of the peninsula before entering the channel towards Thomas (see pictures). Nice site, but was open to the strong SW wind. We stayed at the site on the western peninsula on Alice - Michwall's description would match it - steep climb, good tent pads, great views.