So my buddy and I have been fast friends for 47 years, since our first year of high school together. We could tell some stories:). We are both avid outdoorsmen, avid photographers, ardent hikers, occasional backpackers, interested but not fanatic fishermen, and love to just relax and soak in the beauty of the northwoods.

I have 40 some BWCA trips under my belt and I think he is not far behind me. We trip to the BWCA every year at least once but also backpack and car camp a fair amount. We have done a lot of winter camping as well. In the last few years our trips have evolved to basecamp trips for the most part which we enjoy. Usually they are 5 days/4nights, or occasionally 6 days/5 nights. We are both contemplating retirement in the next year or so but suspect next summer will be business as usual. But I think the time is right for an epic trip for us, who knows how much longer we have to enjoy these trips. Obviously with the amount of trips we have been on we have seen a lot of the BWCA but there are still parts we have not seen.

What I am looking for is suggestions for an approximate 10 day/9 night trip that would allow us to get into some more remote areas without extremely frequent or long difficult portages. Since we are used to basecamping we would want some layover days, perhaps a mix of 6/4 or 7/3 travel to layover days, but still be able to cover some territory and see some less travelled areas of the BWCA.

One idea I have is the area to the north and east of Malberg. I have never been to Little Sag and it looks intriguing. Is it worth the effort? Are there any other trips or areas that come to mind?

If we are going to do a longer, more difficult epic trip it seems to me that the sooner we do it the better. We are getting up there and although we don't have any issues yet, one never knows what the future holds. Appreciate any thoughts, comments or suggestions.

With that many trips completed, you are way overdue to move up to a Quetico trip. You would find great fishing and solitude. You would test your gear, nerve, and navigation skills. If you want epic, at this point you want Q. IMO.

The Q is for you. Start at prairie portage and then through Meadows and Agnes on north. Stop after 2 hard days or 3 days regular travel and base camp. Day trips for 6 hours out in 3 different directions and then return to base each day. Out the same way you entered or devise a loop going south. 9 to 10 days for this epic experience.

double post

Steve (inspector13) and I did a loop in 2014 from Kawishiwi through Malberg to Little Sag and down through Mesaba to Sawbill for a finish. That's about 50 miles double portaging, We camped Polly, Pan, Little Sag (2 nights), Mesaba, Zenith, Sawbill - planned for Kelso, but full. Read our trip reports. You have some options there. I enjoyed that trip - we saw some really nice, lesser traveled country. We saw almost no one between Polly and Kelso River. We saw no one on Little Sag.

I like Little Sag. You can get there through Tuscarora too. You can go from Missing Link to Snipe and then down through Copper, across the "Howl Swamp" to Tuscarora or just straight to Tusc from Missing Link. Can loop north to get back to Round. Could go to Snipe from Cross Bay too.

You might be interested in my 2016 trip route or some similar variation. Let me know if you have any questions.

boonie, thanks that sounds like a good possibility. I will dig up your trip reports and read them.

I know the Q would be great - I was there several times way back in the 70s and 80s and my buddy has been as well. Made it to Kawnipi, camped on Agnes, sat in Louisa falls, got hit by momma bear and two cubs on Isabella and lost for a night somewhere near Bit/Bell lakes. Would love to go back to the Man Chain or Saganagons but there is an issue that would make getting there either complicated, expensive or impossible so unfortunately we are going to have to stick to the BWCA.

boonie: "Steve (inspector13) and I did a loop in 2014 from Kawishiwi through Malberg to Little Sag and down through Mesaba to Sawbill for a finish."

That’s what I was thinking too. Plus, that route could be expanded with the addition of the Lady Chain, a side trip through Amber and Bow, or a swing up to Gillis and Crooked from Little Sag and back down to Mora.

Little Sag is absolutely worth it! Beautiful lake.

Photo is from peninsula campsite on the south shore of the lake looking north-northwest.

I have done Boonie's trip several times as well. I could send you some notes if you want. With the time you have, you might think of starting and ending at Sawbill and adding the Lady Lakes chain to your trip. Or instead of going back south through Hub and Mesaba Lake, travel further east out of Little Sag to Mora . . . Tuscarora. . . Snipe to Cross Bay. Then head south to Long Island, Cherokee, and Sawbill.

Here is another trip we did that adds a western loop to Boonie's trip. Day 1 Kawishiwi to Malberg, Day 2 Malberg to Alice (Via Fishdance for Pictos), Day 3 Alice to Kekakabic, Day 4 Kekakabic to Ogishkemuncie (via Thunder Point on SAK and Eddy Falls), Day 4 Ogishkemuncie to Little Sag (via Mueller Falls), Day 5 Little Sag to Mesaba, Day 6 Mesaba to Sawbill. We had 8 days so your 10 days would allow for a more relaxed pace and a couple days for day tripping.

inspector13: "

boonie: "Steve (inspector13) and I did a loop in 2014 from Kawishiwi through Malberg to Little Sag and down through Mesaba to Sawbill for a finish."

That’s what I was thinking too. Plus, that route could be expanded with the addition of the Lady Chain, a side trip through Amber and Bow, or a swing up to Gillis and Crooked from Little Sag and back down to Mora.

"

Lots of similar options for little loops you can add if you like or skip if you don't.

I also did part of Michwall's loop in 2016 (trip report) but went from Alice to Fraser and across Sagus, Roe, and Cap, down through Boulder and Adams, back out to Kawishiwi. I really enjoyed that trip.