Hello!

I have a few questions about this entry point - I'm looking into a trip within the next two weeks. This is one of the EP's I'm considering as I've whittled things down to LIS-North, Slim, and Mudro. I'm familiar with Mudro - and I know water levels there are ridiculously low. Slim - very simple options there. It's been 32 years since I've been to LIS-North. I will be soloing for the first time in my life - in a 17 foot Grumman (AKA - The TANK). Four days/three nights.

1. How long of a paddle time-wise would it be approximately to get to Loon Lake? I'm thinking about base-camping on Loon if I head up that way.

2. Would I expect a lot of motor boat traffic on Loon in mid-October? Or would this be a good time to visit this area for solitude? (I do not plan on going to Shell - but if you can convince me that it's a better option, I want to know why).

3. Devil's Cascade - is it frowned upon to camp at the site there if you are a canoeist? I know it's on the Sioux/Hustler Hiking Trail. It looks intriguing to camp there - but there are some setbacks (no typical lake/river view, getting water, etc).

4. Current Water levels on LIS North? Beaver dams?

Thanks for any information you can provide! Two weeks and counting!!

1. Paddle time to Loon - obviously depends on your speed but i'd say ~5 hours depending on single or double portaging, how far into loon you're going, etc.

2. Motor traffic - less in Oct than peak Summer but from my experience always some

3. Devils Cascade camping - can't speak to the unwritten rules on this, have not camped here

4. LIS N water levels - overall lower than past years, I paddled LIS N back in August so can't speak to it recently. We had a couple of shallow passes through the wild rice as you enter Upper Pauness even in Aug so could be even lower now. Didn't have any dams in the river, just the one portage midway through.

Got lucky and saw some otters on the LIS N too!

Planning a late Oct trip myself, not sure the destination yet, just excited to get back out again. Enjoy the trip! Stay warm & safe.

If you are double-portaging that grumman (I'd be dragging it!) you should be through to Loon in 4 hours or so, 5 at most, assuming moderate weather. But a big headwind could really ruin your day in that canoe, paddled solo...

Totally OK to camp at the Devil's Cascade.

Enjoy!

River levels on LIS usually don't seem to get as low as some others it seems. The others have answered your other questions. I'd rather shoot for Slim or at least Little Loon to get away from the potential boats a bit.

I paddled from LIS North through Loon lake on 9/26. The water level was totally good. No problems at all with water level. We did have to cross one Beaver Dam just before Loon Lake, but it was so easy, I didn't even get my feet wet.

skier: "I paddled from LIS North through Loon lake on 9/26. The water level was totally good. No problems at all with water level. We did have to cross one Beaver Dam just before Loon Lake, but it was so easy, I didn't even get my feet wet."

Thanks for the info! Where did you all go when you were up that way? Any highlights? Fishing? Heavy/light traffic of people?

sns: "If you are double-portaging that grumman (I'd be dragging it!) you should be through to Loon in 4 hours or so, 5 at most, assuming moderate weather. But a big headwind could really ruin your day in that canoe, paddled solo...


Totally OK to camp at the Devil's Cascade.


Enjoy!"

Thanks for the tips! I'd really like to check out Devil's Cascade for sure!

Karl: "1. Paddle time to Loon - obviously depends on your speed but i'd say ~5 hours depending on single or double portaging, how far into loon you're going, etc.


2. Motor traffic - less in Oct than peak Summer but from my experience always some


3. Devils Cascade camping - can't speak to the unwritten rules on this, have not camped here


4. LIS N water levels - overall lower than past years, I paddled LIS N back in August so can't speak to it recently. We had a couple of shallow passes through the wild rice as you enter Upper Pauness even in Aug so could be even lower now. Didn't have any dams in the river, just the one portage midway through.


Got lucky and saw some otters on the LIS N too!


Planning a late Oct trip myself, not sure the destination yet, just excited to get back out again. Enjoy the trip! Stay warm & safe."

Good luck with your late October Trip!

Any highlights/lowlights for you when you were in this area in August?

Only lowlight was the crowds. Campsites were hard to come by, Shell Lake had people hootin and hollerin a little at night when we stayed for 1 night.

Highlights lynx lake was beautiful, very dark skies during a meteor shower, most portages are very well traveled and no trees felled across. But overall a really scenic area and without the crowds it should be great!

Camped on Loon Friday night (Oct 2), came out the yesterday morning through LIS. Water level was good, pulled over one beaver dam north of the Devils Cascade portage. It was an easy up and over. We left Loon at daylight, was back at the entry point by 11:00 and we took our time enjoying the sites. The marshy area on the south end of Loon was covered with waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans). Probably seen close to 1,000 birds as we paddled through early morning. We arrived at our loon campsite around 2:00 Friday afternoon and seen zero boat traffic of any kind on Loon. On Pauness lakes it looked like every camp site was full. The campsite on the Cascade portage was occupied. Didn't see any campers on Loon. From Saturday evening through yesterday morning we seen two canoes on the entire Hustler, Pocket, Finger, Bear Tracks loop. However all of the lakes on the first day between LIS and Hustler seemed busy. Hope this helps, the fall colors are rocking it, enjoy.

hawleycanoeguy: "

skier: "I paddled from LIS North through Loon lake on 9/26. The water level was totally good. No problems at all with water level. We did have to cross one Beaver Dam just before Loon Lake, but it was so easy, I didn't even get my feet wet."

Thanks for the info! Where did you all go when you were up that way? Any highlights? Fishing? Heavy/light traffic of people?"

We just passed through the area on a one way trip to Lac La Croix, then across the border route to Basswood Lake. We saw many people in the LIS River, but not many at all on LLC, Iron, Crooked or Basswood River. Came out on 10/1. Trolled up some fish for dinner 3 nights.

DougD: "Camped on Loon Friday night (Oct 2), came out the yesterday morning through LIS. Water level was good, pulled over one beaver dam north of the Devils Cascade portage. It was an easy up and over. We left Loon at daylight, was back at the entry point by 11:00 and we took our time enjoying the sites. The marshy area on the south end of Loon was covered with waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans). Probably seen close to 1,000 birds as we paddled through early morning. We arrived at our loon campsite around 2:00 Friday afternoon and seen zero boat traffic of any kind on Loon. On Pauness lakes it looked like every camp site was full. The campsite on the Cascade portage was occupied. Didn't see any campers on Loon. From Saturday evening through yesterday morning we seen two canoes on the entire Hustler, Pocket, Finger, Bear Tracks loop. However all of the lakes on the first day between LIS and Hustler seemed busy. Hope this helps, the fall colors are rocking it, enjoy."

Thanks for the info! You must have had an awesome trip! That sounds like an incredible sight to see - those birds! I'm leaning more and more for a LIS North entry - and either camping on one of the Pauness Lakes or heading up to Loon. This is my first solo....and I'm paddling/hauling a Grumman - at least I have plenty of options. I'll be entering on October 14 - My goal is to hit the LIS at around 9-10 AM and see how far north I can go - I have a five hour drive that morning first, so it depends on when I get my carcass going. Thanks again!

If you like being away from possible boaters, then paddle on over to Little Loon. Only two campsites and no boats. Fishing is good there in the spring, not sure about fall. I stayed at both sites there, and we like the one on the north end, although there was good fishing from the bank at the camp on the west side.

Bruce