I hate to ask this but what lakes typically have somewhat reliable phone service? Putting together a fall trip and a potential ‘newbie’ needs to be able to contact his family for various reasons.

I have taken 25 trips over the years but don’t ever bring a phone. We are looking towards Caribou trail and east. Sawbill area.

Thank you for your input.

Caribou Rock Trail? as in Duncan, Bearskin, Moss, etc?
Cell reception chances there are somewhere between zero and none.

Edit: Oop, sorry. Missed the "Sawbill area" part.

I would suggest that he gets a rental satellite phone or a rental Garmin InReach unit. A lot of outfitters are now renting these nowadays. Top of this page is the outfitters tab for contact information.

I found good cell service on Gabbro, Little Gabbro, and Bald Eagle, with some regret. I would guess along the Kawishiwi between Farm and Lake One as well, from where you get to glimpses of the Fernberg tower at night. No promises, and I wouldn't want life or death hinging on it, but ought to get several bars a lot of the time.

No service in the Sawbill area. This summer, AT&T put a cell tower next to the ARMER tower on Gunflint Lake. There is limited service in the area. Last weekend a 911 rescue was called in from Rib Lake.
East of Ely-Winton there is also limited service.

Check your carriers website for their coverage map, then zoom way in. They are surprisingly accurate.

Depending on the reasons for the need, a satellite device like the Garmin Inreach may work. I carry one and really like it.

The Kawishiwi triangle area (west of lake one entry to south kawishiwi river entry) has coverage, and is a great 1st trip destination as you're not that far from the edge of civilization.

I wonder what people did in the old days before cell service. I’m perplexed.
Tom

tumblehome: "I wonder what people did in the old days before cell service. I’m perplexed.
Tom"

They scrawled their name and expiration date on the day they finally starved to death after losing their gear and food, but even worse losing hope amidst soul-sucking feelings of helplessness.

I found someone's Kilroy Was Here this year and wondered how their family was managing to cope.

Did you know that new Iphone 14 can access satellite for SOS texting when you are out of cell or wifi?

No charge at this time for that service.

IPhone 14 SOS

tumblehome: "I wonder what people did in the old days before cell service. I’m perplexed.
Tom"

Three gun shots for help. Smoke signals before that.

tumblehome: "I wonder what people did in the old days before cell service. I’m perplexed.
Tom"

I know your question is really just sarcastic, but it does make one wonder. As for us, we prepared for any eventuality, we accepted the fact that we would not be able to summon help, we told our families and work that we would not be able to be reached, and once we finished our trip we located a pay phone to call our mothers and the family who were keeping our children for us. . .to let them know that we were off the water.

It actually was a system that worked very well for us for four decades.

We missed very little of significance back home. One year our sister-in-law and our niece had a terrible auto accident and were in critical condition for a few days in the hospital while we were gone, but they did survive and there was nothing we could have done to help anyway. Our children were cared for by people who were very trustworthy and responsible, and they had written and notarized permission to seek medical care if necessary (was never necessary.) No one died, and if they had, they would have had to just understand that we were "unreachable."

There was a freedom to that situation that I really do miss now that I am "reachable" almost all of the time, 24/7, even for trivial reasons.

Spartan2: "

tumblehome: "I wonder what people did in the old days before cell service. I’m perplexed.
Tom"

I know your question is really just sarcastic, but it does make one wonder. As for us, we prepared for any eventuality, we accepted the fact that we would not be able to summon help, we told our families and work that we would not be able to be reached, and once we finished our trip we located a pay phone to call our mothers and the family who were keeping our children for us. . .to let them know that we were off the water.


It actually was a system that worked very well for us for four decades.


We missed very little of significance back home. One year our sister-in-law and our niece had a terrible auto accident and were in critical condition for a few days in the hospital while we were gone, but they did survive and there was nothing we could have done to help anyway. Our children were cared for by people who were very trustworthy and responsible, and they had written and notarized permission to seek medical care if necessary (was never necessary.) No one died, and if they had, they would have had to just understand that we were "unreachable."


There was a freedom to that situation that I really do miss now that I am "reachable" almost all of the time, 24/7, even for trivial reasons."

+1

Fulloid: "I hate to ask this but what lakes typically have somewhat reliable phone service? Putting together a fall trip and a potential ‘newbie’ needs to be able to contact his family for various reasons.

I have taken 25 trips over the years but don’t ever bring a phone. We are looking towards Caribou trail and east. Sawbill area.

Thank you for your input. "

No cell service in the Sawbill area. We have Verizon. I lost service literally less than 1/2 mile up the Sawbill Trail.

If you’re willing to amend your trip, we had service on Indiana south of Basswood, entry point, Wood Lake. We took some newbies who also needed to have service (business owners). It was a great trip.