BWCA Lake One to Snowbank Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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ColdLabatts
member (6)member
  
06/09/2020 12:39PM  
We booked with an outfitter for a 5 day, 4 night trip from Lake One to Snowbank because wanted to do a "1-2-1" trip so we didn't have to break camp each day, and could just relax for one day. Looking at the map it looks like we may have to work pretty hard to accomplish this.

I guess my question is if we did the 1-2-1 approximately where do we need to be camping at to accomplish this? Would it just be easier to break camp every day and go that route? Thanks.
 
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06/09/2020 01:02PM  
I'm not sure how many miles you typically like to do in a day, but below is my recommendation. I suggest pushing to NE insula the first night due to the burn area.

Night 1: NE Insula
Night 2: Thomas
Night 3: Thomas
Night 4: Ima or Jordan

This is a great area, enjoy!

gopher2307
distinguished member (192)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/09/2020 06:53PM  
Agree with Aldy. That is the obvious way to do it. Your hardest day will be entry day. 2nd hardest day will be exit day. The insula to Thomas and Thomas to Ima days will be relatively easy and only take a few hours of moving.
dustytrail
distinguished member (194)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/10/2020 01:45PM  
I have done this route several times only the other way around. I stay on Ima the first night, then Thomas, then Insula and lastly on a numbered lake just for an early out. You could just reverse this and leave out the numbered lake stop. There are for me at least 2 advantages to starting on Snowbank and ending at Lake One. First Snowbank can get very windy and I like to cross it early. Second I drive to the entry point and it is easy to get a ride back to Snowbank.
Canoeinggal
senior member (73)senior membersenior member
  
06/10/2020 04:42PM  
We did this trip last year except we started at Snowbank. First we took a tow for a very reasonable price from Spirit of the Wilderness to campsite 1261 on Snowbank. We spent the night there because it looked like it was going to rain. Our son caught fish within two minutes of landing at the campsite. Then we headed across to Jordan lake.

We had to go through six portages and it was an exhausting day. We stayed at site 1201 on Jordan lake for two nights. The fishing was not very good, but the site was lovely.

Next, we headed to Ima Lake where we stayed at site 1195. The next day we headed to Fraser Lake Site 1395. We fished off the islands in front of the campsite and hit walleye. Sadly our stringer broke away from our canoe. Luckily, within 15 minutes we had three new walleye. Look for the drop off around the islands and fish on a windy day.

Next, we headed to Alice lake. We found a spot with a beautiful beach front and I felt like I was in the Bahamas. Site 1167. West view. There was a horrible storm during the middle of the night. Very, very, very windy.

The next day, we headed to Insula. Alice Lake was very windy, but we quartered the waves. We spent the night on Insula site 1332. Beach site. The view was of the burn area. Caught fish.

Next, we headed to Lake Two where we got lost. We were warned that it was tricky to navigate. An adventure. We stayed on Lake 2 Site 1530. Caught fish.

The next day, we exited at Lake One. This was an eleven night trip.

Hope this helps! The site numbers are from the PP site.
TeamGB
member (8)member
  
06/14/2020 09:00PM  
dustytrail: "... Second I drive to the entry point and it is easy to get a ride back to Snowbank."
Could you please elaborate on this: I plan a loop from Snowbank to Lake One exit and feel confused with best options for car parking.
HappyHuskies
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06/15/2020 06:48AM  
Parking is good on both sides of this route. I would not worry about that. I have paddled this route in both directions and don't have a strong preference. It's the same route. Great paddling trip and a lot of variety. Intimate river paddling as well as good sized lakes.

If there is a downside, it's that the lakes on the route are all popular, so it's not a secluded trip unless you make it early or late in the year. On the other hand I've always been able to find a campsite, though sometimes it takes a little searching.

Great trip! Enjoy!
dustytrail
distinguished member (194)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/16/2020 09:02AM  
TeamGB: "
dustytrail: "... Second I drive to the entry point and it is easy to get a ride back to Snowbank."
Could you please elaborate on this: I plan a loop from Snowbank to Lake One exit and feel confused with best options for car parking."


I leave the truck at Snowbank with the ideal to walk back from Lake One. I have done this several times and have never walked it yet. There has always been a kind sole leaving Lake One that offered me ride.

FYI I run 5-7 miles four days a week so the walk back would be just another run for me.
Canoeinggal
senior member (73)senior membersenior member
  
06/16/2020 11:14AM  
We were headed to Lake One so we were traveling west. We got lost on The southern part of Irsula. Remember we were heading west. There were several islands and bays. We just got twisted around while talking.
 
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