Hi everyone,
My wife Carolyn and I have paddled BWCA 2x previously. We are both in our 60s and we canoe, fish, raft, hike, fish, and backpack... oh, and fish. Our first trip was out of Ely and was 7 days and an easy 44 miles. We liked our second trip much better, and we found it on this list. The trip was out of Sawbill and started at Kawishiwi Lake and nights were spent at Malberg, Alice, Kekekabic Lake, South Arm Knife, Little Saganaga, Mesaba Lake, and ending at Sawbill. That trip was 7 paddling days, 71 miles, 2880 rods portaged (9 miles). 1) We can recommend this trip although be prepared for some long portages! 2) the 2nd trip is really not that remote, our first trip touched Beartrack Lake and we enjoyed that remoteness and 3) Anyone have any great ideas you'd be willing to share??? We have the books and maps, but for us, we kinda believe that a published route could be too popular. Any suggestions would be great! If you prefer not to post your favorite route, my email is steve1096@sbcglobal.net. We are planning for mid September as we have done in the past.
Steve and Carolyn Shimek

So you're wanting a nice long loop like that last one? You could do something like EP 14 to 23 which would be cool along the border. Or 16 to 23 if you wanted to not go quite as far....but either is easy to do in a week. Loop out of Moose up towards Knife, down to Thomas/Frasier and go wherever you want and end up coming out at either Lake One or Snowbank.

Thank you! I'll start pouring into the book and maps.... something I like to do anyway. Yes, we have a week plus (but we always have at least one additional layover day). It doesn't need to be a perfect loop, we are always willing to pay someone to help set up the shuttle (but we are not ready to spend the $$ for a fly-in or tow). We'll be driving out from Colorado and will rent a Minn II once we get there. Thanks again for any advice anyone can share.

If you’re not scared of long portages, consider the area to the SW. It’ll take a long portage to Crab/Cummings, but then you can find some of that solitude by heading toward Buck or the lakes west of Crab.

Another option is the group of lakes in the NW corner of the park: Slim, Fat, Steep, North, South, Eugene, Gun, etc.

Couple of options:

Option 1 - Louse River Loop - Entry - Sawbill Lake (#38)
Day 1 - Sawbill, Kelso River, Kelso Lake, Kelso River, Lujenida, Zenith, Frederick, Wine. (Getting across the 480 rd Lujenida/Zenith portage will leave many people behind.)
Day 2 - Wine, Mug, Poe, Louse Lake, Louse River, Bug Lake, Louse River, Trail Lake. (This is about as remote a you can possibly get.)
Day 3 - Trail Lake, Louse River, Boze Lake, Frond Lake, Louse River, Malberg Lake.
Day 4 - Malberg Lake, River Lake, Kivaniva Lake, Anit Lake, Pan Lake, Panhandle Lake, Pond, Makwa Lake, Elton Lake, Little Saganaga Lake.
Day 5 - Little Saganaga Lake, Mora Lake, Whipped Lake, Fente Lake, Hub Lake, Mesaba Lake.
Day 6- Layovers - I love being on Little Sag. You can usually find a campsite that will have very few people nearby. I also like laying over on Mesaba Lake. You will usually find it empty.
Day 7 - Mesaba Lake, Hug Lake, Duck Lake, Zenith Lake, Lujenida Lake, Kelso River, Kelso Lake, Kelso River, Sawbill Lake.

Optional Extension -
Day 4 - Malberg Lake, River Lake, Beaver Lake, Adams Lake, Boulder Lake.
Day 5 - Boulder Lake, Ledge Lake, Vee Lake, Fee Lake, Hoe Lake***, Makwa Lake, (Make sure you research the Boulder to Ledge portage to avoid navigational errors here./ This day is through a very little used route. Stop short of Makwa for another night with fewer people.)
Join the above route at Day 4.

***Hoe Lake - If you want to try your hand at a PMA, Amimi Lake is just north of the north bay of Hoe Lake. There is a decommisioned campsite on this lake. (see the maps on this site.). I have this spot on a short list of places I would like to try get to.

Option 2 - Frost River Loop - We did it entering at Cross Bay (#50), but I think you will get more time with solitude from Sawbill (#38)
Day 1 - Sawbill Lake, Ada Creek, Ada Lake, Ada Creek, Skoop Lake, Cherokee Creek, Cherokee Lake.
Day 2 - Cherokee Lake, Gordon Lake, Unload Lake, Frost Lake.
Day 3 - Frost Lake, Frost River, Octopus Lake, Frost River, Chase Lake, Bologna Lake.
Day 4 - Layover - This is about as remote as you can get.
Day 5 - Bologna Lake, Chase Lake, Pencil Lake, Frost River (long and winding road), Afton Lake,
Day 6 - Afton Lake, Fente Lake, Hub Lake, Mesaba Lake (If you don't stop o Bologna Lake, take your layover here.)
Day 7 - Out to Sawbill (see above.)

The Frost river is much more dependent on water levels. Always check with a local outfitter (Sawbill Outfitters or Tuscarora Lodge) about the water levels on the Frost.

For a big challenge, you can link the two routes together. Start with the Frost River and, when you get to Mesaba Lake, head to the Louse River through Dent Lake to Bug. I would come back to Sawbill through the Lady Lakes Chain (once you get to Malberg, head south to Polly and turn east to close the loop.).

Everyone is being very kind and generous with your ideas. I'll be spending days pouring over the maps... which I LOVE to do being an old-school kind of guy. While I would guess that none of us enjoy long portages, sometimes they serve the purpose of getting to places others don't want to spend the effort to get to... my kind of places! Thank you for your generosity. It was many years ago, but Carolyn and I have also paddled the backside of Yellowstone Lake. If anyone wants info, please feel free to contact me at the email in the earlier post. I'm just trying to return the favor you are doing as best I can.
Steve

Steve - Have you registered a username here? I think even more info opens up to search, etc if you are logged in as a user.