Hi, so I'm wondering if anyone can give me some thoughts or advice on camping way north of Grand Marais during the super early spring. Entry date is May 9th. I've got a few goals in mind which I'll keep to myself but aside from the potential for just about anything weather wise anyone have any thoughts? Should I expect to see many people? Will the ground potentially still be frozen? I am potentially going to hike a swampy area and I am wondering if the ground might be hard? I expect the potential for wind/rain. Ice out was May 9th according to the information I was able to find last year in this area. I'm pretty good on my BWCA prep/skills but I've never gone in this early before. Just want to make sure I'm thinking of everything.

Swampy areas will not be frozen, but most years you’ll encounter remnant snow piles in the woods. You will not see many people and some forest roads may not be passable. Check with the ranger station before attempting to drive on back roads.

inspector13: "
Swampy areas will not be frozen, but most years you’ll encounter remnant snow piles in the woods. You will not see many people and some forest roads may not be passable. Check with the ranger station before attempting to drive on back roads.


"

if phone service is sketchy , it can be a long walk for help.
there are a few options for carry in lakes in cook county. look at a map and cross reference with lakefinder.com

I'm entering on May 11th, my earliest entry ever. I look forward to seeing the responses. I'm going to be tripping with my brother in the same general area and at the same general time that he did last year. He ran across some guys that said that Brule had a lot of ice on it last year.

Take a long hard look at all the info here and plan accordingly:

MN DNR Lake Ice Out Dates

Every year is different, and weather can change overnight. Start watching forecasts about two weeks before your trip to see what's happening. Any predictions made this early are pure speculation.

My only advice is to bring appropriate clothing (i.e. winter gloves, hat, etc.) . Temperatures during May can still dip below the freezing mark and snow is not out of the question.

Like others have said, be prepared for anything in May. On the same trip we've gone from 78 degrees and sunny to 28 degrees with a half-inch of snow and 25 mph winds. Personally what I've found is warm footwear is key. I use the Muck Woody Max boot which is rated to -40 and has been a great portaging boot for me. Feet have never gotten cold in them. The other thing I'm a huge advocate of is merino wool. I always bring a pair of Smartwool long underwear designed for active use and love them. They do a great job regulating my body temp so rarely am I sweltering in them.

May 9th forecast: Maybe 85 degrees maybe a snowstorm. Nature likes to play tricks on you.
I would say on average many lakes up the Gunflint will be like 4 days or so later than the Ely side on ice out.

Have done a couple early Spring trips (I think May 4th ('17) on Brule was our earliest). We usually see a little snow, but so far the only ice I've run into has been early ice in the fall, not the spring.

Remember that lakes will be COLD (please wear your PFD when on the water) and even if you get some decent weather during the day it'll likely be chilly at night and like the last post said, you really have to prep for just about everything. Make sure you have a good base layer, insulation, and a bomber shell/pants. I would also pick up a pair of Xtratuffs or some sort of 15" rubber rain boots and a couple pair of nice insulated socks to use for portages.

Fishing hasn't been great, but if you go before Memorial Day you're not likely to get much competition for campsites...which, other than getting ancy from a long winter, is why we go early. It's also a nice time to bag a couple of the routes that get booked later on in the summer or on creeks/rivers where water levels play a factor.

Check the DNR ice out site - you can typically change a permit easy enough if you needed to but like I said, we've always been fine.

You should be fine with your typical random weather May. I’d be going in April 30th if I could still paddle.

Right now temperatures are running a little above normal so we could have a normal to little earlier than normal ice out. State tune.

It's too early to tell right now what you will encounter.

I do ice out trips and plan my trip around the specific day the ice starts retreating.
I have had issues with back roads to entry points almost impassible in my car due to snow.

I have been stuck on lakes where the ice has not gone out completely and the sheets blocked my path. It's all part of the fun. I am literally the first person in a canoe on the lakes for the season. The best of times but very challenging in terms of navigating and weather.

Tom

I love tripping very early in the season. There's something very cool about being the first one down a portage trail or in a campsite.

The only real difference, in my opinion, is there's less room for error re: water temps and/or general hypothermia if extended periods of cold and rain. Other differences are pretty obvious (no bugs, fewer people, etc.) or so dependent on weather that speculating weeks in advance is meaningless.

carmike: "I love tripping very early in the season. There's something very cool about being the first one down a portage trail or in a campsite.


The only real difference, in my opinion, is there's less room for error re: water temps and/or general hypothermia if extended periods of cold and rain. Other differences are pretty obvious (no bugs, fewer people, etc.) or so dependent on weather that speculating weeks in advance is meaningless.
"

Love being on a portage and knowing no one went that way yet this year.

I've been going the second or third week of May for a while now. Cold water kills people; fast. Be careful.

Even the first few days after ice out last year (May 13th on Seagull) we saw a different group of people, sometimes more, every day that week. The loons hadn't yet found their rhythm that week.

Laker fishing is really good, and I gather the walleye can be great if the water temps are right. No ticks or mosquitos! I've never seen a bear in the BWCA that time of year.

March 2012 I was canoeing in lakes along the Gunflint on March 30-31 for lake trout. Small lakes were half open. A year to remember.

One year (some time in the early 80's) I went car camping at Lake Jeannette, and we went SWIMMING around the first of May. Granted, you had to sort of float in the top layer of water, but we went swimming. Another year on fishing opener I remember huddling around a campfire and drinking hot pop it was so cold. So there you go. Pack winter clothes and a swimsuit.

Yes been in a couple of snow storms in Mid may also and 80 degrees plus also. Who knows natures hand.

Pinetree: "


Love being on a portage and knowing no one went that way yet this year."

Knowing that you're the first on the thunderbox doesn't hurt either. Plus, I can put food on the grate without worrying about fire-extinguishing practices. :)

Regarding the cold, if your water purification method involves a filter, put the filter somewhere where it won't freeze overnight, or during the day if it is a cold day. Hiking and bushwacking should be easier with less foliage.

paddlinjoe: "Regarding the cold, if your water purification method involves a filter, put the filter somewhere where it won't freeze overnight, or during the day if it is a cold day. Hiking and bushwacking should be easier with less foliage. "

Early season plus-no bugs usually.
One thing when water is cols and you got a breeze along with a cool day it is going to be extra cold.
In the fall on a cold day the water may be semi warm still so it helps some.

Nothing colder than snow flurries,wind and cold temps round a campsite. Its misearable(sp).

My recommendations on a early May trip throw the long Johns or underwear in,you will never regret it.

Don’t forget to bring a hatchet and lots of fire starter. Wood will likely be wet and you will need to get to the dry center for it to burn well. Nothing helps a cold campsite like a blazing hot fire!

I go in solo every year on the fishing opener. I stay close to shore and keep a complete change of warm clothes in a dry bag readily accessible. Bushwhacking can be very tough as there can be deep snow and cold water pools in the woods. Every trip seems to present some new challenge so keep your expectations low and reasonable.

I've entered as early as May 2. We started on Baker Lake. Got to the next lake (Peterson?), and it was iced in. We attempted to paddle on the collar of the ice, very near shore. Eventually we ran out of open water. I'd recommend having some way of reconnaissance of your route to insure that it's open and ice free. It's beautiful and a rare experience to paddle next to the large sheets of ice on a lake.

Mike

I've only been mid-May but all I can say is find a way to dryfoot it because the water will be holy shit cold. When we went two years ago it was so cold your feet would be numb by the time you loaded/unloaded. Any earlier and I think we would have needed boots. Also be prepared for the worst temp-wise. It might look reasonably warm on the forecast but it could easily drop below freezing that time of year so better to be safe than sorry.

MikeinMpls: "I've entered as early as May 2. We started on Baker Lake. Got to the next lake (Peterson?), and it was iced in. We attempted to paddle on the collar of the ice, very near shore. Eventually we ran out of open water. I'd recommend having some way of reconnaissance of your route to insure that it's open and ice free. It's beautiful and a rare experience to paddle next to the large sheets of ice on a lake.
Mike"

Ice recon is actually feasible thanks to Landsat. The resolution is inadequate for targeting Hellfire missiles and the frequency of imaging is not perfect, but it might save a trip:

LandsatLook Viewer