We counted 1702 permit alerts sent out in August. This implies 1702 permits were canceled during August for entry points that had otherwise been sold out for August and Sept entries.

I am sure there is switching going on as some people see better entry points.

What's weird is we went in at Lake One on 8/13. This permit was filled and every permit spot filled for a week around it at the end of January. On Sunday 8/13...there were 10 cars in the Lake One lot. It was the most empty I've ever seen. There are twelve permits per day allowed on Lake one.

I watched the permits out of curiosity until 8/12 and did not see any get cancelled.

The numbers don't add up?? If Twelve groups went in on 8/11, 12 on 8/12, and another 12 on 8/13...assuming each group ONLY had 1 car (ours had 2) how are there only 10 cars in the lot? Even if just half the people showed up---there should be more than 10 cars.

T

There are actually 13 Lake One permits per day. There are only 4 (on 3 days) available the next 20 days . . . The Lake One permits and some others seem to get picked up pretty quickly and I think Adam is right about many cancelling and getting another.

timatkn: "What's weird is we went in at Lake One on 8/13. This permit was filled and every permit spot filled for a week around it at the end of January. On Sunday 8/13...there were 10 cars in the Lake One lot. It was the most empty I've ever seen. There are twelve permits per day allowed on Lake one.


I watched the permits out of curiosity until 8/12 and did not see any get cancelled.


The numbers don't add up?? If Twelve groups went in on 8/11, 12 on 8/12, and another 12 on 8/13...assuming each group ONLY had 1 car (ours had 2) how are there only 10 cars in the lot? Even if just half the people showed up---there should be more than 10 cars.


T "

We with in/out lake one this year. We were there by 6:30 and saw no one but the lot was 2/3rds full. There were 4 outfitter canoes setting on the bank. When we came in 3 groups were picked up by outfitters. I say all this to point out that Lake one is a easy entry point and outfitters seem to point first timers here. Maybe there were a lot groups that used shuttles?

timatkn and dustytrail.

How was campsite availability?
I’m leaning towards a Lake One entry for Bruins first bwca trip at age 5 next summer. I want to go somewhere easy with small water that I haven’t been to before, but I’ve used up many of those on my daddy/daughter trips with each of his sisters and my solo trips.

I won’t mind busy since it’s just me and a 5 year old, but I don’t want to be scrambling for a site either. When a 5 year old is ready to grab a site they want it now LOL.

This year I camped at Baker Lake campground with him and last year at Kawishiwi Lake campground. He is ready for his first BWCA trip.

I caught a moose river north permit in late February after it was released by someone else thinking I’d be able to pull off another trip. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, so I had to catch and release it.

ducks: "timatkn and dustytrail.


How was campsite availability?
I’m leaning towards a Lake One entry for Bruins first bwca trip at age 5 next summer. I want to go somewhere easy with small water that I haven’t been to before, but I’ve used up many of those on my daddy/daughter trips with each of his sisters and my solo trips.


I won’t mind busy since it’s just me and a 5 year old, but I don’t want to be scrambling for a site either. When a 5 year old is ready to grab a site they want it now LOL.


This year I camped at Baker Lake campground with him and last year at Kawishiwi Lake campground. He is ready for his first BWCA trip.


"

I can only speak for my time. Every permit was taken for every day I was in the BWCAW at Lake One and there were plenty of sites open. Probably 1/4 to 1/2 were available each day…depending on the day.

T

I’ve done a lot of day trips out of the Ely side this season and I’ve been very surprised with how empty many of the EP parking lots have been compared to previous years. There could be many reasons, but it’s been very noticeable.

Tony

I had crazy luck with work and learned a week ago that I could turn my 3 day weekend into a 10 day trip. I wanted to change entry point so I started watching and was blown away by how many permits were being cancelled within a few days of the date. I had my choice of MANY different places to go because of this.

I ended up deciding on Brandt. Met a local outfitter employee with a couple days off at the EP, we made friends and ended up travelling together to Bingshick. He said that he had lucked into his permit just a day or two before as well when it was cancelled.

Flash forward to Brandt Lake itself and we'd had a large group coming up behind us. One canoe shoots ahead of the rest as they get across the portage into Brandt. As they come racing up behind us I tell them to rest easy, we weren't planning on camping on Brandt. They immediately slowed down. To try my luck I then said "thanks for the permits" ... they made no reply.

It seems to me that the current meta strategy is to have everyone in the group reserve permits for the day/area and just cancel all but one a couple days ahead of time. AFAIK there are no consequences for this besides the non-refundable part of the permit fee.

The last week of July, I snagged my permit for LIS N 3 days before I entered. When I picked it up from the outfitter the evening before, there was still one available for that day and another one for the next.

In 11 days(excluding my exit day), I saw 5 occupied campsites and 6 other groups, with no more than 2 canoes! I did the loop up through Gun Lake counterclockwise. For 3 days, starting on Oyster, I saw no one. Caveat: I’m not an early riser and spend most of my time in camp if I’m not traveling.

Fritty

We canceled and went to Wabakimi instead. Been waiting years to get back into Canada.

I noticed the past week or so I’ve been getting MANY permit availability alerts for Moose Lake OP and OM permits. Strangely, on the 9th I received one for entry on 9/7 and today I received one for 9/9. Not sure how that works.

ducks: "timatkn and dustytrail.


How was campsite availability?
I’m leaning towards a Lake One entry for Bruins first bwca trip at age 5 next summer. I want to go somewhere easy with small water that I haven’t been to before, but I’ve used up many of those on my daddy/daughter trips with each of his sisters and my solo trips.


I won’t mind busy since it’s just me and a 5 year old, but I don’t want to be scrambling for a site either. When a 5 year old is ready to grab a site they want it now LOL.


This year I camped at Baker Lake campground with him and last year at Kawishiwi Lake campground. He is ready for his first BWCA trip.

Lake 3 looked full and 4 was about half. Other than that not many where taken as far out as Alice.
"