BWCA Route suggestions for Scout Trip (Gunflint) Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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Lionelhutz
member (13)member
  
01/16/2021 09:18AM  
Good day all. Last August, with my wife and two kids, I returned to the BWCA for the first time in 20 years. We did a five night trip from EP50 (Cross Bay) into Long Island Lake to Omega Lake to Pillsbury and out at EP47. This forum and the site were a big help in planning, so thank you.

In late July, I will be leading my son's Boy Scout Troop on a trip. We will have 4-5 Scouts and three adults. The Scouts will be engaged in the route planning for a 5 night trip, but I'd like to offer them some options from which they can decide. I'd welcome any suggestions to add to my own research. Our council's high adventure team contracts with Tuscarora outfitters so we could be looking at a Gunflint Lake EP.

Thank you for any suggestions and best wishes on your own trips this summer!
 
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01/16/2021 09:51AM  
If you have older Scouts and a strong crew, I have a great trip for you. Water levels need to be average or higher.

Day 1: Enter by Tuscarora outfitters at 51 or 50. Head south to first night on Frost Lake.

Day 2: Frost River and end day with 300 Rod uphill portage to Hub for 2nd night.

Day 3 Exit Hub to the south and go through Mesaba, Chaser, Dent (good chance of moose siting in this stretch) Bug and Louse river all the way down to Malberg. Trail lake is a good spot for lunch.

Day 4: Exit Malberg to the north east and follow Kawishiwi to Little Sag for night 4.

Day 5: Little Sag to Tuscarora

Day 6. Back to entry.

Mapping it out it is about 53 miles with 10 miles of portaging (more if you consider all the beaver dams on the Frost.

This is a glorious remote trip. We did most of this as part of a 10 day trip a couple of years ago. The back to back Frost and Louse days are tough but stand out as about the best I have experienced in the BWCA



Michwall2
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01/16/2021 10:05AM  
Lots of routes off the Gunflint. Here are a couple of ideas:

Option 1: Seagull Lake Entry 54.
Day 1 Seagull to Ogishkemuncie.
Day 2 - Day trip to Mueller Falls.
Day 3 Ogishkemuncie to SAK (Thunderpoint area). Enjoy Eddy Falls along the way.
Day 4 SAK to Ester Lake.
Day 5 Ester to Saganaga Lake.
Day 6 Saganaga Lake out.

Option 2: Lizz Lake Entry 47 - Starts on Poplar Lake
Day 1 Poplar to Gaskin Lake. Horseshoe is moose viewing central in the BW.
Day 2 Day trip to Winchell Lake. Climb the cliffs and find the waterfall on the south shore.
Day 3 Gaskin to Long Island Lake. The east end of LIL has a couple nice campsites.
Day 4 - Day trip to Frost Lake - Golden sand beaches and better than average moose sighting chances.
Day 5 LIL to Banadad Lake - Very remote route. Lots of challenge today. Very nice Campsite on the west end island of Banadad.
Day 5. Back to Poplar through Skipper Lake.

Option 3 - Would you consider a start off the Sawbill Trail?

Entry 38 - Sawbill Lake.
Day 1 Sawbill to Cherokee Lake.
Day 2 - Day trip to Frost Lake (see above).
Day 3 - Cherokee Lake to South Temperance Lake.
Day 4 - Day trip to Brule if the wind allows. The northwest corner has an impressive rock scramble.
Day 5 - South Temperance to Kelly Lake. Stop and see the abandoned gold mine between Jack and Kelly Lake.
Day 6 - Kelly to Sawbill Lake.

Hope this helps.

straighthairedcurly
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01/16/2021 05:16PM  
You didn't mention how old the Boy Scouts are, or whether they have any experience canoeing. This would make a big difference in my recommendations.

13 and 14 years will do best if you pick a loop such as EP 51 Missing Link and then do a short loop that ends up back at Cross Bay Lake (EP 50). The lakes are small as you know from being in that area, so they can learn to paddle the canoes without getting too off track. The portages offer some challenges without being too onerous. Snipe is usually a pretty quiet lake (and beautiful) because most people drop down into Tuscarora. You have options to add distance if needed, but can also basecamp and take day trips.

Older or more experienced boys can handle some added challenges.
Seagull entry, head over to Ogish.
Or EP 62 Clearwater, make your way over to Pine Lake, visit Johnson Falls. You could extend this route by going in at EP 60 Duncan Lake, go to Rose Lake (Rose Falls) do the long portage into Rove, Watap, and drop south into Clearwater then go to Caribou, Little Caribou, Pine, Johnson Falls, and back out through either Clearwater or East Bearskin. Since you will have multiple vehicles, you can just shuttle one to leave wherever you will come out.
Lionelhutz
member (13)member
  
01/17/2021 09:29AM  
Thank you for the suggestions! The Scouts (6) are mix of 8th and 9th graders (13-14). My son would be the only one with prior BWCA experience, but the others have taken river canoe trips before. I am inclined to aim for smaller lakes in general. I will keep you posted on the route they select!
Yours in Scouting!
01/17/2021 11:14AM  
For that age group in general, the Frost and Louse River route may be a bit ambitious... IMO
01/17/2021 11:24AM  
For that age group in general, the Frost and Louse River route may be a bit ambitious... IMO Agreed. That is a big boy trip.
straighthairedcurly
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01/17/2021 12:02PM  
Definitely keep it to a limited number of portages and miles per day for that age group. You want them to have some challenge without feeling defeated. Learning to portage as a team is a challenge in itself. Keep it fun with short travel days ending with lots of swimming and exploring. Fishing if they enjoy that.

burrow1
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01/17/2021 02:20PM  
Agreed I have taken Boy Scouts when boys were younger. Found that we needed to move every day for change in scenery to prevent boredom. Also helps with team building and keeping mischief under control.
Jackfish
Moderator
  
01/18/2021 12:06PM  
Lionelhutz: "Our council's high adventure team contracts with Tuscarora outfitters so we could be looking at a Gunflint Lake EP. "

This is interesting. Your council contracts with a private outfitter instead of the BSA's own Northern Tier High Adventure base? I know there are Troops who, for varying reasons, decide to outfit through a private outfitter. I just find it odd that the council would choose to officially contract with a private outfitter when there is a National High Adventure base right there.

Good luck in your trip planning. I hope your Scouts develop a lifelong love of paddling canoe country.
01/18/2021 12:13PM  
As both a Scout leader who has brought multiple crews and a Northern Tier Ambassador, the simple reason is that the Scout program is expensive compared with outfitting privately. I think the Boy Scout experience is worth the extra costs but when traveling from around the country, most troops have to fund raise and plan for over a year to make it happen. I think all Scouts making their first trip should go with the Scout program but I do understand financial benefits not.
Jackfish
Moderator
  
01/18/2021 12:57PM  
I should clarify... I don't begrudge Scout Troops from outfitting through private outfitters, even though I don't necessarily agree with them doing it. Cost is a factor. Some Troops have their own gear, etc. I get that. If Scout Troops want to go backpacking, they can do that lots of places. However, if they want the Scouting experience, Philmont is one of the ultimate places to go. Northern Tier is similar, but without the Scouting activities along the trail.

My entire point is the COUNCIL contracting with a private outfitter. IMO, a BSA council should only outfit their high adventure activities with official BSA facilities.

Former council high adventure chairman here in eastern Wisconsin. We only outfitted through Northern Tier. If Troops wanted to outfit privately, we would help any way that we could - training, etc. - but they were on their own to make their arrangements.
Lionelhutz
member (13)member
  
01/18/2021 03:50PM  
I appreciate the comments.

From my perspective, it was not the cost of Northern Tier, but the lack of availability. Northern Tier is booked for the majority of 2021, and all of june/july/august. We lost our 2020 summer HA trip to Summit due to Covid. I have a group of soon to be 9th graders that are on the cusp of Eagle, have not been able to take a HA trip, and EW likely to be pulled in numerous directions in high school, my son included. I wanted to be able to offer them a trip in the summer of 2021. Northern Tier was not available. Our Council high adventure team provides a "guide/interpret" to join us and contracts with an outfitter on the gunflint trail for canoes, paddles, vests, any a la carte rental, shuttle service to the EPs and a shower. I believe the Scouting experience we will be able to offer under this model to be quite comparable to that which Northern Tier offers.

At this point in time, I would also prefer to see our Troop's $$$ going to our council, rather than the national organization, and in turn, plaintiff's attorneys. Sad to say it, but I believe the days are numbered for national's crown jewels - Philmont, Summit (terrible idea to begin with), and all the Norman Rockwell paintings.
01/18/2021 04:07PM  
That is really a good point about the Council contracting. I wonder if National is aware. Scouting really needs the funds at this time as well. Two seasons of Philmont lost due to first fire and second Covid.
01/18/2021 06:34PM  
I just checked the summer availability chart at Northern Tier. They are not totally full as previously stated. There is limited availability (call Northern Tier) for multiple departure dates in June and the first nine days of July. Full until Aug 4 then wide open for the last 12 days of the season there.

If you want to go to Northern Tier and you have some flexibility in your start dates, you can do it. The long time registrar Kevin recently left and I do not know the name of the new one, but I am sure his replacement will able to help.

I am a strong believer in taking Scouts to the National High Adventure Bases (except summit, I agree with the earlier post). Feel free to contact me offline.

YiS
Michael

floatstanley
distinguished member (135)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/18/2021 07:11PM  
Float doesn't care how you outfit your trip but wants to make sure that everyone has a proper life jacket and wears it at all times when on the water. :)
thegildedgopher
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01/19/2021 08:47AM  
Lionelhutz: "At this point in time, I would also prefer to see our Troop's $$$ going to our council, rather than the national organization, and in turn, plaintiff's attorneys. "

Ding ding ding ding.

Let him outfit his troop as he sees fit.
fishonfishoff
distinguished member(682)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/19/2021 11:17AM  
I helped take a Scout Troop to BWCA (newbies for everyone in the group, young and old). Everyone had paddling and camping experience. We decided to go with an outfitter of our choice, but did all the planning ourselves. Only canoes and the bunkhouse were needed. The trip was very affordable and enjoyable for all. This trip has caused me to travel up to the BWCA many times since.

I would advise to allow one layover day, small lakes, and let the Scouts make many of the decisions on the trip agenda. Let all the Scouts portage the canoe at least one time, if possible. Let the Scouts do the map reading, cook the food, etc.

Rent aluminum canoes instead of kevlar ones. When you go with adults, then rent the kevlars.

Just my two cents,
FISHONFISHOFF
01/21/2021 02:27PM  
floatstanley: "Float doesn't care how you outfit your trip but wants to make sure that everyone has a proper life jacket and wears it at all times when on the water. :)"


Glad you were able to make a trip with me & my Scouts, Float! =)

Up the Gunflint there are lots of options. I agree that you want to have a rest day in there just in case you have to burn it for bad weather, etc.

Sea Gull -> Alpine -> Red Rock -> Saganaga -> Sea Gull is an option that still gets you away but remains close enough to civilization.

Granite River is another one that you could do. You didn't say when you're planning, but parts of the river are blanketed with blueberries if you hit the season right.

I just experienced the Vento unit last fall, and a short loop through any of those lakes would be some good adventure for your Scouts.

Interesting that your council has a program like that. I know our summer camp has a high adventure program that partners with local outfitters for things if needed.

I went thru NTier for a winter trek & highly recommend that as an option for someone who is looking for a trip that can also count towards the Triple Crown and Grand Slam awards. Also, the fact that they will nearly completely outfit you for winter camping is a good value for your program dollars IMO. I hope to do a soft water trek thru NTier in 2023 for the 100th anniversary.

YIS
 
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