Hello. We are planning our 8th or 9th trip to the BWCA and are planning to head out from Ely this year in mid to late September. In the past we have used Voyageur North Outfitters and they were excellent. We have only explored the Nina Moose/Agnes area. Looking to try a new outfitter (just for the experience) and a new route. Would love any ideas. Thanks in advance.

How far do you want to go? Fishing? How far did you go on your earlier trips?

Lots of good options out of Mudro.....some dates are already booked even after day 1 though so depends when you can go. Crab entry and head toward Cummings....with or without a tow across Burntside. Moose Lake entry would head you towards Knife which is a nice area. Good fishing, historic, etc. Lots of options but kind of shooting in the dark.

As for outfitters...lots of other supporters here...pick one? Lots of folks have their favorites

Probably just a four or five day trip, travelling a bit each day. Pretty casual when it comes to fishing., not our forte. Thanks for the thoughts.

Try Kawishiwi triangle - east out of Farm Lake, south towards Little Gabbro, then north through Clear and back to Farm EP. If you have extra time/moving further/ faster, dip into Little Gabbro an Gabbro for a night.

A few good options are...

Stuart River (EP 19): Solitude as only 1 permit a day, can get into LLC, Iron Lake and western end of Crooked.

Mudro (EP 22/23): Classic loop via Horse River to Lower Basswood Falls, north to Crooked,and head back out of Friday Bay thru Papoose and a couple small lakes down to Gun/Fairy /Boot/Fourtown.

Moose Lake (EP 25): Get a tow up to Sucker-Birch portage and head into Knife and have them pick you up there or head out thru Ensign (crowded) and get a tow back.

I sound like a broken record but..... Little Indian Sioux North.... Lots of options

I use Dan at Canadian Waters every trip. But I don't know of a bad outfitter

Our 8 favorite short basecamping trips out of Ely:

Little Indian Sioux River North - Shell Lake
Moose River North - Agnes Lake, Lac LaCroix
Mudro Lake - Fourtown Lake, Horse Lake
Little Gabbro Lake - Gabbro Lake, Bald Eagle Lake
Ojibway Lake - North Kawishiwi River
Snowbank Lake - Disappointment Lake
Lake One - Lake Three, Lake Four
Farm Lake - Clear Lake

And, I'd stick with VNO for any of these trips. You've found the best in Ely.

schweady: "Our 8 favorite short basecamping trips out of Ely:


Little Indian Sioux River North - Shell Lake
Moose River North - Agnes Lake, Lac LaCroix
Mudro Lake - Fourtown Lake, Horse Lake
Little Gabbro Lake - Gabbro Lake, Bald Eagle Lake
Ojibway Lake - North Kawishiwi River
Snowbank Lake - Disappointment Lake
Lake One - Lake Three, Lake Four
Farm Lake - Clear Lake


And, I'd stick with VNO for any of these trips. You've found the best in Ely.
"

Concur

I'll add in the idea of Wood, Good, Hula and Indiana with maybe a swing into Basswood. Some cool things to see: Lower end of Hoist Bay in Basswood has a half-submerged old steam engine that's fun to find, Indiana has about the most clear water I've ever seen in the BWCA (and a lot of the lakes are pretty clear!) with easy-to-catch smallies if you want to fish casually. Between Indiana and Wind Bay on Basswood there is a gigantic beaver dam that many people photograph and on Hula you'll get a real sense of what it's like to go wild-ricing, though I don't believe it's legal to actually do so without proper documents. You could even opt for some exploration of Wind or Washte--also known for bass.

As far as outfitters, I've used most in the Ely area, including, as you have done, Voyaguer North, which I've used multiple times. They are all fine. The one I've used the most is Canoe Country Outfitters and in fact just booked my 2021 trip with them yesterday. I like the variety of overnight accommodations they have and I made a point to let them know that I'm back yet again because their service is always good. They just feel "comfortable".

bombinbrian: "I sound like a broken record but..... Little Indian Sioux North.... Lots of options


I use Dan at Canadian Waters every trip. But I don't know of a bad outfitter "

I think we'll do that. some nice river paddling, and maybe day hike the hustler trail. like you said, lots of options. Thanks for the info.

Thanks to all for the ideas. What a great resource this community is.

bottomtothetap: "I'll add in the idea of Wood, Good, Hula and Indiana with maybe a swing into Basswood. Some cool things to see: Lower end of Hoist Bay in Basswood has a half-submerged old steam engine that's fun to find, Indiana has about the most clear water I've ever seen in the BWCA (and a lot of the lakes are pretty clear!) with easy-to-catch smallies if you want to fish casually. Between Indiana and Wind Bay on Basswood there is a gigantic beaver dam that many people photograph and on Hula you'll get a real sense of what it's like to go wild-ricing, though I don't believe it's legal to actually do so without proper documents. You could even opt for some exploration of Wind or Washte--also known for bass.


As far as outfitters, I've used most in the Ely area, including, as you have done, Voyaguer North, which I've used multiple times. They are all fine. The one I've used the most is Canoe Country Outfitters and in fact just booked my 2021 trip with them yesterday. I like the variety of overnight accommodations they have and I made a point to let them know that I'm back yet again because their service is always good. They just feel "comfortable". "

+ 1

I was literally going to suggest this!
Wood up to Indiana, and then you can tool around up on Basswood to check out bigger water, plus there are really cool historical sites, come back out of Back Bay to Hoist Bay to Good and back.

Steve Nelson over at Spirit of the Wilderness is very charismatic and has an excellent list and map (might be on a PowerPoint slide) of former lodges etc. one of the campsites on Basswood is the former Basswood Lodge which is an AMAZING campsite now.

MN_Lindsey: "

bottomtothetap: "I'll add in the idea of Wood, Good, Hula and Indiana with maybe a swing into Basswood. Some cool things to see: Lower end of Hoist Bay in Basswood has a half-submerged old steam engine that's fun to find, Indiana has about the most clear water I've ever seen in the BWCA (and a lot of the lakes are pretty clear!) with easy-to-catch smallies if you want to fish casually. Between Indiana and Wind Bay on Basswood there is a gigantic beaver dam that many people photograph and on Hula you'll get a real sense of what it's like to go wild-ricing, though I don't believe it's legal to actually do so without proper documents. You could even opt for some exploration of Wind or Washte--also known for bass.



As far as outfitters, I've used most in the Ely area, including, as you have done, Voyaguer North, which I've used multiple times. They are all fine. The one I've used the most is Canoe Country Outfitters and in fact just booked my 2021 trip with them yesterday. I like the variety of overnight accommodations they have and I made a point to let them know that I'm back yet again because their service is always good. They just feel "comfortable". "

+ 1


I was literally going to suggest this!
Wood up to Indiana, and then you can tool around up on Basswood to check out bigger water, plus there are really cool historical sites, come back out of Back Bay to Hoist Bay to Good and back.


Steve Nelson over at Spirit of the Wilderness is very charismatic and has an excellent list and map (might be on a PowerPoint slide) of former lodges etc. one of the campsites on Basswood is the former Basswood Lodge which is an AMAZING campsite now."

Do you mean the site at the north end of Wind Bay? When I was through the area, we stayed at that site. It had this "tiered" look that I thought might be flat spots from small cabins that had maybe once been there sitting in a row extending up from the water. The big open area of the main camp certainly could have held a building or two also!