This is a continuation from a post I made earlier today on the Trip Planning forum.

I've had three back surgeries and looks like I might be heading for my fourth. As of today, there is no way that I would be able to enter the BWCA if any portaging is involved. We have a permit to put in on May 21 at Clearwater Lake.

So we're considering still putting in on Clearwater, and camping at one of the sites on Clearwater where the horsepower limit is 10. This would be a put-in with no portages. My question are these:

1. Is it your knowledge, understanding, or experience that those sites fill up with Overnight Motor campers? If so, that might make us change plans to a rustic USFS campground.

2. 10 horsepower motors are fairly quiet, right?

FWIW, the Clearwater Lake EP has a quota of two, either OP or OM. I know the other group putting in on May 21 is an OP, and they are heading directly east to Caribou Lake and beyond. (I know this because of a chance encouter at the BWCA.com member dinner...but that's another thread.)

Standard caveats apply: no site is guaranteed, depends on the weather, sometimes you get lucky, etc.

Mike

I have had permits at entry 62 three times, all three were in June, Each time I found a spot. #7, #6 and #5 on three separate occasions, very fortunate as these are each great spots. That was when there were 3 permits available. I haven't been able to get back since the quota dropped.

I've stayed on & been through Clearwater Lake EP #62 a number of times over the years and don't recall ever having a serious problem finding a site on the lake or being routinely disturbed by motor traffic. Actually, motor traffic has been pretty minimal during my visits. The elevated site just prior to the portage into Mountain Lake has traditionally been quite popular and the last site on the east end of the lake is also (IMHO) a highly prized destination but, I dont ever recall the western sites on the lake being completely occupied.

Have taken a bunch of day trips on Clearwater fishing lake trout. To my memory the majority of the occupied sites had canoes at them. In addition to the daily overnight quota, there is a weekly overnight motor quota applied as well. Once the weekly quota is hit, no more overnight permits can go to motors — so it’s never “full” of motorboats.

Since Clearwater is a lake trout and smb lake, you don’t get the boats buzzing out before dawn to take advantage of the low-light walleye bite. Not a lot of folks have motors less than 10hp so that keeps the traffic down as well— but I don’t think 10 horse motors are any quieter than 25 horse motors. In fact, since they have to work harder to achieve comparable speeds, i find them to almost noisier— but I have no real proof of that, just my perception.

I say go for it. I doubt you wouldn't be able to find a site, but if that's the case, there are all kinds of plan B's in the vicinity, including Poplar Lake, West Bearskin, Hungry Jack, and East Bearskin. Go in early, check the sites, chat with the folks occupying with the proper amount of apology, etc, and go from there. Maybe make a reservation at a motel/cabin as a just-in-case. You'll be fine. GO!

I don’t think there is much motor traffic on Clearwater and I think even with some motors it will be a lot more peaceful and quiet than a campground, especially at night and in the morning when hanging around in camp.

We did a day trip once when the ducklings were young, paddling down to the portage to Mountain and explored some of the overlooks on the Border Route Trail which was beautiful. Only one of the campsites was occupied and this was during the first week of August. We only saw one motor that day.

The other time that I was on Clearwater we didn’t see any motor boats but big duckling and I I just cut across to the first portage into Caribou and then back again on the way out a few days later so we weren’t on it for very long those times.

I've done OM on Clearwater a few times and never had an issue finding an open site. The boat traffic hasn't been too bad either. It's a pretty big lake and I've only ever seen a few motorized boats on it.

That's based off of experience from years past though. I paddled through Clearwater last year just from the Caribou portage to the EP and the lake seemed a lot busier than it has in the past so who knows if the experience is still the same.