BWCA Kawishiwi Lake route type suggestion? Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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Matmandu
  
05/16/2020 12:24PM  
Hello! I have a permit for Kawishiwi Lake entry on 7/8, and would greatly appreciate any thoughts, tips or suggestions regarding route planning, campsites, lakes to fish etc.

Specifically, my group and I are trying to decide if we A) park at Sawbill Outfitters and shuttle from Sawbill to Kawishiwi ($80). In this case we’d travel east to west (Lady Chain route?) and end our trip at the outfitter or B) start and end at Kawishiwi Lake, with a sort of loop style route.

Here’s some information on the travelers: we’ll have four mid 30s guys, with a decent amount of wilderness experience but limited BWCA experience (I’ve visited once 17 years ago). We’ll be packing relatively light, so hopefully we can move pretty good when we need/want to, but in general we like the idea of setting up a base camp for a couple of nights and day tripping.

Logistics: entry date on Wednesday 7/8 and exit date on Sunday 7/12 (four nights, 5 days). We land in Duluth on Wednesday at 10am and will travel to the outfitter immediately.

I appreciate your help and wealth of knowledge!
 
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05/16/2020 12:50PM  
I'd shuttle from Sawbill to Kawishiwi and then end at Sawbill.

Kawishiwi to Polly to Phoebe, etc. You would have plenty of time to do that route.

Or if you want to push yourself you could go up to Malberg and then over and down. 4 guys in their 30s with wilderness experience that would almost be the route I would go. More isolation.

If you started and ended at Kawishiwi you would have to be on time so I like ending at Sawbill for that reason.
jillpine
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05/16/2020 05:14PM  
Second vote for Malberg, up and back.
cyclones30
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05/16/2020 05:27PM  
I'd also vote Malberg but....your first day isn't even going to be a half day. Land at 10 am....2 hours travel time plus airport/rental/lunch. If you're paddling by....2 that would be an accomplishment I think. And that's without a shuttle or anything. Canoe rental paperwork, shuttle, etc and you're on the water at 3 or 4.

Either way, I wouldn't be gunning for Polly for that first night as it may be full by then. Stay on Kawishiwi or Square or Kawashachong. (both the last 2 have burn damage, check the site ratings) Then on morning of Day 2 head for Polly and points beyond. The lady chain sounds really cool, but our trip we did out of that EP was to Malberg and back over a week. You guys could do it and the day trip possibilities are awesome. Day 2 if you're up early and traveling well you could be to Malberg by early afternoon. (or stop at Polly or Koma) If you do stop at Polly on Day 2...that means you're not going very far/fast and time to rethink. Maybe you base there and day trip on the ladies or Koma and back out the way you came?

Or your day 2 could get you into Polly mid-morning and turn east and head into the rest of the lady chain, finishing at Sawbill outfitters.
Matmandu
  
05/16/2020 10:18PM  
cyclones30: "I'd also vote Malberg but....your first day isn't even going to be a half day. Land at 10 am....2 hours travel time plus airport/rental/lunch. If you're paddling by....2 that would be an accomplishment I think. And that's without a shuttle or anything. Canoe rental paperwork, shuttle, etc and you're on the water at 3 or 4.

Either way, I wouldn't be gunning for Polly for that first night as it may be full by then. Stay on Kawishiwi or Square or Kawashachong. (both the last 2 have burn damage, check the site ratings) Then on morning of Day 2 head for Polly and points beyond. The lady chain sounds really cool, but our trip we did out of that EP was to Malberg and back over a week. You guys could do it and the day trip possibilities are awesome. Day 2 if you're up early and traveling well you could be to Malberg by early afternoon. (or stop at Polly or Koma) If you do stop at Polly on Day 2...that means you're not going very far/fast and time to rethink. Maybe you base there and day trip on the ladies or Koma and back out the way you came?

Or your day 2 could get you into Polly mid-morning and turn east and head into the rest of the lady chain, finishing at Sawbill outfitters. "

This is awesome- thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom!
cyclones30
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05/17/2020 07:44AM  
You could park at the entry and have Koma/Malberg in mind as a in and back out the same way trip. But if you happen to have a Day 2 change of heart and do the Lady Chain you'll end up at Sawbill outfitter. You might have to wait an hour till someone is free but they'll give you a ride back to your vehicle esp if you rented from them.

Just make sure you take maps that cover all options
Matmandu
  
05/18/2020 10:40AM  
This is a great point- thank you! We decided on this approach- I will report back with a trip report.

Any suggestions on best maps to ensure we have our bases covered? Ie maybe the Lady Chain route or Louse River loop if were so inclined?
KarlBAndersen1
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05/18/2020 04:16PM  
Matmandu: "This is a great point- thank you! We decided on this approach- I will report back with a trip report.

Any suggestions on best maps to ensure we have our bases covered? Ie maybe the Lady Chain route or Louse River loop if were so inclined?"

Suggestions? Yes - go to McKenzie Maps and buy the maps that cover those lakes.
05/18/2020 04:46PM  
The outfitters will have maps and know what you need.
cyclones30
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05/18/2020 06:53PM  
Buy one of these, it's a great overview. I'd still get a set of Fisher or McKenzie for a more zoomed in view. And by "set" I don't mean the full set that covers the whole park. Just the 2 or 3 you probably need to cover the area. The map in the link below shows that whole area on one which is great, you can zoom in online to read it ahead of time, and the back of the printed ones have fishing reports for the area lakes, geologic history, etc.

http://www.voyageurmaps.com/map8zoom.html
05/18/2020 08:55PM  
Matmandu: "This is a great point- thank you! We decided on this approach- I will report back with a trip report.


Any suggestions on best maps to ensure we have our bases covered? Ie maybe the Lady Chain route or Louse River loop if were so inclined?"


Louse River is a rugged leg of that loop. Couple years ago we started at Sawbill, up to Wine, the Louse River leg to Malberg, down to Polly and took Lady Chain back to Sawbill. Went from Wine to Malberg in a day....a long , rugged day. I think it is 18 portages.....some tough to find. Just a warning if you decide to incorporate this into the trip. It's beautiful, wild, we saw not another paddler the entire length, but it was a tough day for us and we have over 20 trips behind us.
05/18/2020 09:06PM  
Another nice option out of Kawishiwi is up to Adam's and back....maybe with a side trip to Fishdance either on way in or out. Adam's is a nice quiet beautiful lake. Click on my trip reports...Kawishiwi 2015.
05/18/2020 10:22PM  
We are doing a 5-night trip from EP 37 Kawishiwi Lake starting June 22. We plan to base camp on Malberg for three or four nights and do a couple of half day excursions to Fishdance and Adams. I read a couple estimates of travel time from EP 37 to Malberg at 6.5 hours, and 4.0 to Polly. Does that sound about right? We single trip the portages.

05/19/2020 05:48AM  
Indy, I double portage, solo, to Polly in 4 hours. I'm not that fast either.
cyclones30
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05/19/2020 07:42AM  
I've got a trip report of getting to Malberg if you click that icon below my username. We single portage and we were on Malberg at lunch in June a few years back. Not in a hurry but also not stopping to fish or anything. We also got a very early start
05/19/2020 10:35AM  
We single portage and got to Polly in 2.5
cyclones30
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05/19/2020 10:47AM  
cowdoc: "We single portage and got to Polly in 2.5"


I went back and read my report...on our last day we "left camp on Polly by 7 and were at the truck by 10" so that sounds about right.
05/19/2020 10:53AM  
Yeah...we were hustling that day. Drove 10 hours and launched at 2:30....made Polly by 5:00....and got a campsite even.
There is a campsite not marked on some maps.....far SE corner of Polly.....north side of the bay. You can see it on satellite image. The NE tip of the big island points at it. Very decent site.
Michwall2
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05/19/2020 11:12AM  
You have gotten lots of advice on routes, but I think the defining measure for your trip is time. Landing in Duluth on 7/8 and entering the same day will be a push. If you land at 10. You will leave the airport by 11 (deplane, gather luggage, rent a car, etc.). The drive is about 2.5 hours. But that doesn't leave time to grab a meal, and gawk along the lakeshore. Someone said 2pm, but I think that is ambitious. Most likely closer to 3. You don't say how much gear you are renting, but getting your permit and an orientation can take 60-90 min. depending on how busy they are. The trip by shuttle to Kawishiwi is 45 min. I think you will have to hustle to be on the water by 5 or 5:30 your first day. Being on Polly by dark would be my goal, but you may have to pull up on Square or Kawashachong.

You didn't mention what time your flight leaves on 7/12? Will you need to be out at Sawbill early enough to be back in Duluth by afternoon (3-4ish)? Don't forget that you will need time to transition back to a civilized state (showers) and give the Sawbill Crew time to check in your gear.

Given all that, I would stick to the Lady Lakes:

Night one on Polly Lake. Night 2 at Phoebe or Grace. Night 3 on Phoebe or Grace, Night 4 on Beth or Alton, Out to Sawbill on day 5.

If you have to pull up short on Square or Kawashachong then I would spend Night 2 on Hazel Lake (Nice campsite there), Night 3 on GraceLake , Night 4 on Beth or Alton, out on Day 5.

These routes would give you time to explore and fish and not have to feel like all you can do is make the next portage and fly across the lakes.

Regarding the route to Malberg - If night one is on Square, Kawashachong, or Polly, Day 2 would be traveling to Malberg from there. Choose the end of the lake from which you want to day trip (west most likely) for your campsite. If you are there by noonish (possible from Polly, but not so much from Square or Kawashachong), then I would plan a short day trip excursion the same day. Day 3 would be a longer day trip (Fishdance?), Day 4 you would need to head back toward Kawishiwi (You would not have all day on day 5 to travel out). Stay on Polly on night 5 and head out early to Kawishiwi to make the 45 min. drive back to Sawbill and be ready to make your flight. If the pictographs are a major goal of the trip then this is the route. But, if it were me, I would choose the Lady Lakes over this because of all the backtracking.

While both the Louse River and northern route through Little Sag are wonderful routes, I would pass on these because of time constraints, difficulty of the routes, possibility of becoming wind bound, etc.

Lady Lakes is a wonderful route that is best done with a little more time and a chance to enjoy the little things. Water lily gardens, beaver dams, nice spots along portages, some beautiful water falls, a chance to see wildlife. Go slower and enjoy more!

Have a great trip.
cyclones30
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05/19/2020 11:26AM  
But that means double portaging and not in a hurry or as experienced...4 hours might be a better estimate.
 
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