Any recommendations for a 3-night trip next weekend? Taking my wife and daughter so we will probably basecamp and do a couple day trips.

No motor boats. Ely area.

Thanks

Slim Lake EP #6, not far outside of Ely. There is a moderate length but very easy portage to get to a beautiful Slim Lake which offers 4 good campsites. For daytrips you can go and explore Hook and Keneu lakes or there is a fair amount of hiking available in that area too. Seems like a perfect destination for a short easy trip like what you have in mind.

It's a good time of year to try those entries that are crowded in the height of the season. Lake One or maybe Mudro would be a good October entry.

Great ideas, thank you very much.

+1 on Slim. I went there for a short solo over Halloween weekend last yea and thought it was a beautiful lake. I liked that it was an easy out if the weather would have turned. If you camp on either of the southern 2 sites you can hike the North Arm Trails right from camp.

The South Kawishiwi River would be a good one because it gives a lot of flexibility in how far you want to go and good day tripping options.

I also like the Lake One and Mudro suggestions because they are so busy in the summer. Beware that the creek to Mudro can be a bear in low water. I have no idea what water levels are like up there right now. Mudro would also have the toughest portages out of the 4 suggestions so far if that plays into the equation for you.

Really liking the idea of slim lake or Kawishiwi river after looking into it. Would we be ok finding a campsite? seems like is a very busy lake (slim) and not many campsites.
Thanks.

pauer75: "Really liking the idea of slim lake or Kawishiwi river after looking into it. Would we be ok finding a campsite? seems like is a very busy lake (slim) and not many campsites.
Thanks."

I think you’d be fine in Oct, but I understand where you’re coming from. I even had those thoughts last year at the very end of October. I entered on a Saturday and 3 of the 4 sites were open on Slim.

You would definitely have less worry about that at the South Kawishiwi River. When I went there it was the very beginning of October with forecasted temps in the upper 70s and there were many open sites. I did the Triangle over 3 nights and got a choice campsite each night.

Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.
Scrambling for a campsite is no fun, specially with the wife, lol. Its her first trip.
What is the Kawishiwi triangle? We have 4 days/3 nights.

I've put in at Lake One and headed downstream towards the triangle the first week or so of Oct quite a few times.
I've come to the conclusion that there really is no rhyme or reason for how many folks you will see.
A couple years I didn't see a soul until I got back to the entry point, where as other years folks seemed to be scrambling for a campsite. I heard one guy last year proclaim as they were paddling by....."What's the deal? It's not like it's mid August!"
Slim seems to be popular with the locals, and I'm guessing grouse hunters take advantage of the trails on the south side. Something to keep in mind hiking around this time of year.
I awoke in the the back of my truck at the Lake One access one year with a couple inches of snow on the ground, being solo I didn't want to take the risk of slipping on a portage, so talked myself out of heading downriver. I would have just spent my trip on Lake One, but there were warnings of bear activity on the kiosk, I didn't want to deal with that and ended up going to and staying on Mudro.

Very good info, thanks.
The forecast is not looking that great as of now, seems to change every day though. But they are saying rain showers and temps in the low 30s.

The 2 sides of the triangle are the North and South brooches of the Kawishiwi Rivers and the 3rd side is the connection between the two through Clear Lake. You can get to the Triangle from South Kawishiwi, Lake One, North Kawishiwi, and Farm Lake entry points You can also get to it from Little Gabbro.

It was my first ever solo and I entered at South Kawishiwi EP and paddled the South Kawishiwi River all the way to the northern tip of the Triangle where it turns to the North Kawishiwi River and camped at an Island there. On day 2 I took the North Kawishiwi west and then dropped down into Clear Lake for night 2. And then on the 3rd night I camped at the site closest to the EP on the west side of the river.
I’ve also day tripped the triangle area from both Lake One and South Kawishiwi River entry points. The area from the South Kawishiwi EP up to the split to go to Clear or stay on the river has seemed less busy than the northern part coming down from Lake One.

If I was going with my wife and/or one of my kids I base camp. And with that forecast I’d take the 1st open site that I like. I think the 1st 2 sites on the western shore would be the most sheltered of the 6 sites between the entry portage and the short portage.

I’m watching the weather for the following weekend and hoping to get up for a short 2 night solo.

Thanks again for all the good info and recommendations.
Mayb that triangle route would be good with them if the wx was better. Basecamp and little day trips depending on wx sounds like the way to go.

If the weather is rain and in the low 30's would re-think a "first" trip.
Discretion is the better part of marriage.
I have done trips in those conditions this time of year and takes a hearty soul and willingness to suffer a bit. Not a great introduction to the BWCA.
Think drug dealer marketing plan you have to get them hooked first :)

LOL. Absolutely agree Alpinebrule.
I have been keeping an eye on it and hoping the forecast was off, Luckly it was off.
Its looking a lot better, no rain and lowest in the 40s.