Looking to do my first PMA. I got EP19 for mid Aug and got a PMA permit for Sundial PMA zone 4. Planning a lollipop loop Stuart - Sterling - Iron - Stuart - Out. I'd be shooting for a goal of getting to Sterling from EP19 on the first day. Does this seem doable? My biggest concern is the next leg of the trip, getting from Sterling Lake to the Beartrap river via Sterling Creek, then heading up to Iron. Being mid Aug guessing water would be low, knowing we are going to be in for a lot of work. But wondering if anyone has done this loop? From what I can gather going west to east on this route should be the better direction. Any info on specifically sterling creek and portage, and thoughts navigating it to Beartrap river? Am I safe to assume Beartrap river should be navigable with some beaver damn pull overs, once we make it to beartrap river?

Two guys, planning to single portage to Stuart. Should we double portage these PMA unmaintained portages, to get a feel for the portage first then go back for the canoe? Or just start out single portaging and send the person without the canoe in front to try to lead the way?

I've done my research on this site but looking for any recent trips or any additional info people might want to share with me on the area.
Or anyone that might be traveling through the area before me this year that could possible give me an update.

I don’t have personal knowledge. If you search YouTube for “Sterling Lake BWCA”, you will get a number of hits including this series of videos that covers the area that interests you:

Video link

I am also looking at this route for next year. I was drafting a very similar post but I'll just keep an eye on yours!

The advice i have is regarding the PMA. Don't try to single through the PMA. We learned from our trip through weeny lake PMA last year, it is a whole other ballgame going through the bush like that. The ground is uneven and unpredictable, you could be in the thickest woods one second and the middle of a swamp in tall grass the next. You definitely do not want to rush it.
Packs on the first trip over to do recon. Have compass, maps, sat pics at the ready for points of reference. Stick together, accidents happen and things change quickly if there's an injury. Make sure you have a spot or some type of emergency device.

Can't wait to read your trip report! Good luck!

TomP: "I don’t have personal knowledge. If you search YouTube for “Sterling Lake BWCA”, you will get a number of hits including this series of videos that covers the area that interests you:


Video link "

That was a great video and did help get a lay of the area. Thank you.

My trip partner and I have traveled a portion of your intended route. We traveled the Beartrap river between Beartrap and Iron lake from south to north in August 2023 and from north to south in July 2021.

The water levels were low and we single portaged on both trips. We had no significant issues with travel on the portages or on the water in the portion of your intended route of the Beartrap river. I encountered a few step-over and step-around down falls and some areas of thick brush on the portages but once on the portages I found the trails easy to follow and I never had to set the canoe down between take-out or put-in. We encountered areas of thick grass and several beaver dam pull overs but nothing of concern while on the water.

Deeznuts: "I am also looking at this route for next year. I was drafting a very similar post but I'll just keep an eye on yours!


The advice i have is regarding the PMA. Don't try to single through the PMA. We learned from our trip through weeny lake PMA last year, it is a whole other ballgame going through the bush like that. The ground is uneven and unpredictable, you could be in the thickest woods one second and the middle of a swamp in tall grass the next. You definitely do not want to rush it.
Packs on the first trip over to do recon. Have compass, maps, sat pics at the ready for points of reference. Stick together, accidents happen and things change quickly if there's an injury. Make sure you have a spot or some type of emergency device.


Can't wait to read your trip report! Good luck!"

Deez, I saw your post in the PMA forum. For some reason I can't reply to your post in that forum (maybe that's why there are no replys...). But wanted to ask you when you planned on doing your possible day trip into the Sundial PMA / Sterling Lake. I am still planning to go into Sterling Aug 18th. If i go before you will def give you feedback on how our trip went. But if you do try to go to Sterling before 8/18 I'd appreciate any feedback on current trail conditions, water levels (specifically if you check out sterling creek), etc.

August 2025 is the intended entry so you will definitely make it in before me. I look forward to reading your trip report to add more to all my notes!

If you are single-port capable, I suspect you'll be fine with your schedule, and you'll figure out the best way to tackle the off-piste legs of the trip. The beartrap will have some portages and likely some walking of the boat, but it's not a terrible slog.

My wife and I did most of that route spring of '22, entering at Stuart, going through the PMA (stayed on Sterling), down the Beartrap to Iron. But then we then headed west and north on LaCroix and eventually looping back via Agnes and the Dahlgren.
My son and I did another most-of that same spring. Once again entering at Stuart, going through the PMA. But then we turned south and went up the Beartrap. Then headed north into Crooked and west to Iron and rejoined your route, north back to Stuart.
It was a great route both times.

I'd keep an eye on water levels. We had no problem but both trips were before fishing opener, so water was high.
Sterling looked like it could get shallow and swampy. If anything's the problem, I'd suspect it would be Sterling rather than the Beartrap. Of course everything is CRAZY high right now. So maybe this August will be okay?

This was our first PMA. Navigating wasn't as challenging as I expected it to be. There's a cairn marking where to haul out on Stuart, and if you look sharp you'll find a use trail that you can sorta follow to Nibin. There was also fairly much a use trail out of Bibin to Sterling but it was harder to find and navigate.

The most challenging portage is definitely the last one "along" Sterling Creek. Let's just say that, while the navigating isn't that hard because the creek's a guardrail for you, you're gonna know you're in a PMA. :)

We single portaged and were okay. We travel light, with my partner carrying the Duluth pack, while I've got the canoe and a food pack. Canoe weighs in the 40s, food pack with about 1 lb of food per person per day plus CCS canvas pack and 2 Ursacks is probably 25 lbs.

If I recall right, there are a couple of spot with rock faces where you'll either want to be agile with the boat or work in tandem.

As for getting to Stuart in one day...you probably can? We didn't try. But give yourself time for the PMA portages to be slow. Like I said, we single portaged. But still, things are just gonna take time.
Even if there's a use trail, it may not be a gimmee to find. And once you do, you're probably going to want to walk a bunch of it without a load to make sure it's not a moose trail going someplace you'd rather not be.
And then you'll be slogging along and maybe there'll be some place where there's blowdown and the fir saplings will be tight on each other and you won't be able to push your canoe through and...welll hell, how AM I gonna handle this? You just never know what you'll find.
If it was me, I would not be counting on making good time one I leave Stuart. If you're going to make Sterling on day 1, I'd give yourself as much of the afternoon as you can to do that section. Might go quick....but might not.

We had an AWESOME time both times. Stuart's a lovely lake, Sterling and the Beartrap are cooool. We sat and watched animals a few times on the route - I don't think they were looking for us.
If you have a little extra time and like trees, head down the Dahlgren portage. Magnificent red pines.
Jeez, think I gotta go back :)
Post some notes here for us!

We did the Beartrap lake to Iron route in August22. Spent the night at Sunday Lake after a long slog on the upper beartrap. Took most of the day with the 2.5 portage load we had. The next morning we then did the lower part from Sunday to Iron. Made it in about 4 hours. the water level was fine that year and just a very few , very small, beaver dams. The main thing we learned is that the lily pads were quite thick in some places. That's where we started calling them Brake Pads. Especially in a solo! If you see a path through, take it. Even if it's longer because they will slow you down that much. But plenty of water for floating the whole way. (besides the two portages marked on the map) And pretty wide open