Hey there!

I'm currently in the planning stages of my first solo BWCA trip for late May/Early June of 2024 for 5-7 days. I'm looking to enter at Kawishiwi Lake #37 and head north into Malberg and set a "base camp" in the area.

The goal of the trip is to travel for the first 1.5-2 days, then setup "base camp" and explore the surrounding area. I'm looking for the base camp to be more on the "secluded" side. I'm also an avid photographer and hoping to see wildlife as well as "fingers crossed" see an Aurora display. Also take time to just relax in nature and recharge the soul. I plan to fish a bit for Walleye, Smallmouth, and pike.

Days 3-4: Day trips to the surrounding lakes (Amber, Bow, Fishdance, and maybe into Beaver Lake .

Looking at maps does anyone have any photos or "insider information" on the single site on Fisher Lake, campsite #1035? Does this site tend to be busy? The thought of being "secluded" on a small lake alone is something I've always dreamed of in the boundary waters. How is the fishing in this lake?

Rough Trip Itinerary:

Day 1:
Kawishiwi Lake - Travel through Square Lake - Kawasachong - Townline - End at Poly. For a solo traveler, planning to pack as light as possible and renting a solo canoe, is it reasonable to plan for the first day? Or is this reasonably too far to go on the first day? I know everyone is different. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on this.

Day 2: Lake Polly - Koma, fish for walleyes for a bit, hopefully score lunch and paddle to Malberg Lake for camp for the night.

Day 3: Camp on Fisher? Day Trip - TBD.

Day 4: Camp on Fisher? Day Trip - TBD.

Day 5: Leave the Malberg Area and head to Polly.

Day 6: Polly to back to Entry Point.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, what to do's and what not to do's.

Cheers!

Max
I did that area back in 2015, two older guys on a hot 85 degree humid day. We got to Polly in 4 hours and decided to push on to Malberg. That took us another 3 hours. We weren't pushing it, just moving steady. Polly is very doable but Malberg is doable too depending on how long you want to travel your first day. In between Polly and Malberg there is Koma Lake which has a few decent campsites to so if you keep on after Polly and decide it's too much you have an option to stop there as well.

This is a great area and Polly is a beautiful lake. There are some great campsites on Malberg including sand beach sites if you like that. We headed over to River Lake and stayed on a great site there for a few nights too. Also very pretty there and good fishing. A short paddle to Amber Lake and the sand beach campsite there is pretty nice.

Here is a trip report from our trip if you are interested:

Kawishiwi entry

So I see that you are a new member. Welcome.

Check out the Maps & Entry Points tab at the top of the web pages. On the digital maps each campsite is marked with a red circle. Clicking on a circle will open a pop-up with a link to campsite reviews. Here are the reviews for the campsite on Fisher Lake:

Fisher Lake campsite reviews

My second solo was Kawishiwi to a Malberg basecamp. I really liked the area. On a daytrip to the north of Malberg I didn't see anyone else or occupied sites. My plan was to camp on Polly the first night, but when I got there it was early enough in the day that I didn't feel like stopping so I kept going to Malberg. It was doable in a day... it would have been better if I had gotten an earlier start (I didn't get to push off at the EP until almost 9:00am because I drove up in the middle of the night and couldn't get the permit until they outfitter opened in the morning and still had to drive up to the EP). I made it to Malberg around 3:00 and secured a site around 4:00 because only a couple of sites were available. It was late July. I was tired and hungry when I got there even though I stopped for lunch on Polly.
Have fun!
Just an FYI... Kawishiwi EP is #37

Also consider joining the Solo Tripping group forum to ask questions and find both general and specific advice.

Solo Tripping forum

I have so much to say about soloing but I will keep my comments brief.

Like Ducks, my second solo was on Kawishiwi. It was early in the season and the lake wasn't as crowded as it gets now. I base camped on Kawishiwi, I could've gone farther, but I was into setting up a tent and not doing much. It was a "shake down" trip where I tried to make improvements based on what I learned on my first solo.

I think paddling to Polly is a healthy first day. It's not that far, but everything takes longer, because you're the only one doing the work. Obviously you can't paddle as fast as a tandem and if you are bucking the wind it's slower going yet. I think it's a good idea to give yourself enough time to set up camp the way you want, relax, and take it all in. You may find Polly so nice you decide to base camp there. You're the only one that gets to make that decision!

In terms of soloing, especially the first couple trips, I always recommend going small. Get things the way you want them, and develop a routine that's comfortable for you. Make a list of everything you do right, improvements that need to be made, things to bring, and things to leave behind. I've gotten carried away on my last few solos and brought more crap than I should have. I also bring more food that I need. I get these fancy campsite cooking ideas.

Though you likely won't be alone on Polly, take in the woods sounds at night, and judge your comfort level with solitude during the trip. Though I doubt it will be an issue, some people find out they're just not comfortable with the aloneness, or the eeriness of the woods at night.

And at the risk of you or anyone else saying "no shit," drink water. Water. Water, drink it. The last two solos I have become irresponsibly dehydrated on the portages in and out. I underestimated the amount of water I lose panting over the portages!

This thread reminds me that I have to pick a route for my July solo.

Mike

Welcome! I also recommend the solo forum. I learned a ton in that forum by reading old posts before my first solo. Sounds like you are doing some solid planning and your route looks very doable. This area also lends a lot of route flexibility which is very useful on your first solo.

On my 2nd solo, I paddled from Polly to Malberg in about 1.5 hours and then did a daytrip that afternoon to the Fishdance pictographs and back.

This summer I went from Malberg down to Kawishiwi Lake in about 4-5 hours, but I was in really good shape and had my systems nailed down (single portage, ultralight load).

This summer, I also led a group of newbies from Kawishiwi Lake to Koma Lake in one day where we base camped for a few nights. We were able to single portage, but had heavier loads. They were exhausted by the time we reached Koma. This is all to say, make a plan, but adjust if you are tired or the weather slows you down.

I don't think you will have much trouble finding solitude up in the Fisher, Boulder area. I never see very many people north of Malberg (and even Malberg is pretty low density). I've never checked out the Fisher campsite, but from the pictures in the reviews, it appears to be lightly used.

If you enjoy photography, this area will give you lots of great shots. It is beautiful! Be sure to plan a daytrip to the Fishdance pictographs. And take your time exploring the different sections of the Kawishiwi River (exit Malberg to the west, but reenter from the north to get the best variety of scenery). For some important portage notes exiting Malberg see part 3 of my trip report: Malberg to Kawishiwi R to Fishdance day trip
There is also info on the Louse R. on the next day.

Have fun!

I have entered at Kawishiwi Lake #37 several times, most recently in 2021. I have always gone at the other end of the season (Sept), but have encountered varied water levels on the NW portage out of Malberg from dry to "wade it". The other end is usually muddy and I have taken the extra bushwhack out to the right to put in as mentioned by straighthairedcurly.

Getting to Polly is a reasonable goal and a nice place to stop. Get an early start. For reference I double portage and it usually takes me 4-5 hours to get there depending on how much I wander and sightsee. Double portaging it's 8 miles to get there, another mile to the north end.

I did not have to take the 2 short portages just after Square Lake due to a very large (~6') beaver dam just short of Kawasachong that requires going around one side or the other. There was a small beaver dam after the 2 short ones that required a pullover.

I'm also on the Solo Forum where you'll find lots of useful information just by browsing/searching, and get answers to any questions. I've done 15 solos and some there have done more. We've all dialed in our equipment and techniques, but there are differences, so you get some different perspectives.

After the first few solos I was focused on not being overambitious in planning my travel, reducing weight, and simplifying my gear and techniques - I discovered like Mike that I'm the only one doing things. I try to prioritize the things I want to do and eliminate things that take a lot of time. One thing I did after discovering "dehydration" like Mike was to get a Sawyer Water Filter Bottle for drinking while traveling. Happy to discuss it in detail if you want - just email.

Another useful thing is to read trip reports through that EP. Just click on the maps & entry points tab at the top, then on entry points on the drop down, then EP #37. Scroll down and there's a list of trip reports. I should have 2 or 3 in there somewhere.

I camped two nights on Fisher last year as part of my first solo. Gorgeous, secluded lake. The portage from Beaver was further west than marked on both of my maps (McKenzie and Nat Geo), but there’s a textbook false portage landing right at the “expected” spot, so be aware for that. The whole Beaver/Fisher/Adams/Boulder area intrigued me as well and I hope to return soon. I pushed pretty hard on my first solo and was happy doing so, but was prepared to slow down and take on less travel if need be. Hopefully I can provide more details soon in a trip report…polishing it up.

Welcome, MaxSpeed! The responses to your question make me smile...I soloed into the same area and many of the same people provided input and advice that was helpful to me too. Lots of really good ideas and suggestions. I'll add that the little campground right on Kawishiwi Lake works great for a stay the night before. Sleep in your truck or bring a second tent to make an early start. If you do venture past Malberg, Amber Lake is also a great spot to visit with a beautiful sandy beach.

Fisher lake...lots of large mouth bass but they are mostly smaller fish. Any of the single campsite lakes are "busy" if someone is already there and it is impossible to tell until you check. If you get the single site, you might have a few people check in but later in the afternoon and evening you'll be totally alone. As previously noted, that area of Beaver, Adams, and up to Boulder is more remote and private than Polly and Malberg. Boulder is my favorite lake and I just love the area for many reasons.

EP 37 to Malberg is a traffic highway, north of Malberg it is very quiet as the route goes in all four directions and people spread out.

I’ve made it to Malberg in 4.5hrs single portaging, it’s an easy, level route.

The portage into both River lake and then Fishdance lake are tougher, with beaver dams flooding the portage in multiple spots leaving Malberg.

River lake and north toward Beaver lake is one of my favorite parts of the bwca. Good fishing and fewer people.

Enjoy your first solo.

Thank you all for the kind replies and information! As we approach the long MN winter the anticipation of going is growing every day, just over 6 months to go!.

I'll gladly look at the solo forum as well.

Believe we got from the NW-most site on Malberg back to EP 37 in 4 hours single-portaging. On the way in, EP 37 > Makwa was about 7 or 8 hours (again, singling).