My daughter & I are permitted to enter on June 7th at EP#77 with the hopes to basecamp on Little Bass. A nice and easy first time BWCA adventure for her to perhaps give her the thought to come back with me another time. Maybe?
What are the chances we drive 10 hours not find an open campsite available? If it's all full what should we do?

Get an early start, when the sun is almost up. If you are really that worried about it, take the first one you see.

I wouldn't sweat it too bad. The permit numbers are there for a reason and you're not going on a holiday.

I have been skunked on Hegman and Little Bass; and the Slim to Keneu chain. I was not willing to do Angleworm or Big Rice portages, respectively, so I went home.

I hear ya. I"m going in Friday to Little Gabbro, which I know is a very popular area. I can only go for 2 nights, so I need to basecamp on Little Gabbro, Gabbro or Bald Eagle. Worried about finding a campsite as well. It's my first solo, which is adding to the anxiety a little. Is it Friday, yet!?

I was at the popular EP 16 last week. The parking lot was pretty full. I had no problem finding a site on Agnes my first night. As a matter of fact on My second day on LLC I saw no one. I guessing you'll be ok

If you aren't tied down to camping on Little Bass Lake for any reason, just look on South Hegman first.

It is an easy day trip to Little Bass Lake if a site is available on South Hegman and you like it.

Another nice daytrip is to hike around angleworm lake using the Trease portage.

Thank you everyone for your replies. Seems we'll be rolling the dice on this trip. We have six campsite chances for success, a long mile portage or bust. This entry point in particular paints you into all or nothing corner. I hadn't thought of that when I started the planning process nor had I considered people camping without permits as a potential problem. Not to mention the areas general popularity increase over the years. Could be interesting with no real plan B option.

Martian, I feel your pain. We are planning a 3 family father son trip with our 9 year olds to Crocodile in August. If the 4 sites are occupied, it is backtracking into a very popular area. As much as I like the unknown aspects of most trips, sometimes I wish we could reserve campsites like in Voyageurs.

I'd be surprised of all the sites on Little Bass were full-but it could happen. If you see every site is full, I'd talk to all the campers just to be sure they were staying the night. Since it's an easy entry point, some groups may not take off early in the morning. If all sites are full, you really have no choice but to exit and camp elsewhere. Although not BWCA, Nels, Grassy, Sletten, Bass, Low, Dry, Agassa and High all have campsites that offer good back country camping experiences. and would be fairly easy to get to if the circumstances arise.

Talk about overcrowding nerves. I have a Lake one permit for July.

We have a Seagull permit for mid July. Sometimes I think it would be nice if everyone put out a nice big red flag at the campsite if it is taken, so you wouldn't have to paddle into every bay to check the sites, especially on those big lakes. Or maybe install those sensors at each portage, to Keep count ofthe canoes on a lake, like they use for semis at the waysides.

In reality I would hate to see flags or sensors. But it can be stressful, especially after a long day of paddling, trying to get in to a certain lake, only to find all the sites taken, and running out of energy (and the kids are getting cranky!)
Just need to stay flexible.

I understand the feeling. When my girls were young (3, 4) and for a few years after I would be very nervous. But as stated, start early (like 5am) and get what you can and you should be fine. I have left the metro at 12:30am and been on the water at 5.

The permits (and # of) are for a reason. Keep paddling. Turning back would never be an option.

John

I agree that the nervous hunting for a site and the crushing disappointment of finding a destination occupied is something we all wish we could avoid. But without the risk there would be no elation in finding that site open and all yours. It has to be right up there with winning the lottery.