Hello,

I've never been to BWCA so I'm open to suggestions on time of year and location. I'm thinking June, July or maybe August, 5 or 6 days. The group is all retired so dates are very flexible.
Below are a few of my thoughts:
1. In talking with people that have been to BWCA, they've suggested entry area 33 - Little Gabbro Lake.
2. Fishing is not a high priority.
3. Looking at a group of 5 or 6, ages 67-70. All are very fit and have done Isle Royale a number of times, avid mountain bikers, skiers, etc.
4. Not looking for any long portages, maybe a few short ones from a base camp(s).

Good entry for an easy trip. Base camp.on Bald Eagle or Gabbro or Little Gabbro. Nice opportunities for day trips. Head east on Isabella River till lunch and the back. Little more strenuous but doable in a long day with just day gear and single portaging, the loop through Gull, Puerto Camdre, Clearwater, and Turtle. You could even head over to Kawishiwi River for a day. I'm 72 and could do these. Just find a breezy campsite with good sun exposure for drying.

I hear the the triangle path north out of Little Gabbro up the South Kawishiwi River, west on the Kawishiwi, south to Clear lake, and then back to Little Gabbro is also a good day trip.

TAC57: "I hear the the triangle path north out of Little Gabbro up the South Kawishiwi River, west on the Kawishiwi, south to Clear lake, and then back to Little Gabbro is also a good day trip."

I think that triangle is about 20 miles out Gabbro. Longish day trip. The loop out of Bald Eagle through Gull, etc., is 15 miles. Both of those are about 2/3 paddle and 1/3 portage. There's lots of people here who can do 20 miles in a day comfortably. I'm not one of them. AI average about 2 to 2 1/2 miles per hour all in, portage and paddle, and try to stick around 6 hours a day. The Clearwater loop was around 8 or 9 hours iirc.

TAC57: "I hear the the triangle path north out of Little Gabbro up the South Kawishiwi River, west on the Kawishiwi, south to Clear lake, and then back to Little Gabbro is also a good day trip."

Note: this could be a good day trip for 20 somethings but if you look at the original post, this group is not in the 20's, they are retired and in their 60's to 70's.

If they want to explore, there are 2 portages going downstream that they could take and do part of that loop and return on the same day. Otherwise, exploring Gabro and Bald Eagle might be all they wish to do.

Thanks for the input. Although, this older group is pretty fit (ski in excess of 1,000,000 vertical feet a year) I am mentally way past the backpack/hike forced march days. These days I'm into chilling in a hammock, enjoying the views, taking pictures, etc. :-)

The loop through Clearwater will be a push, but nice lakes and not steep portages. Lunch on Clearwater. I think you'd be happy to do it but will know you worked hard.

Gabro Lake via Little Gabro would be perfect for a R&R trip as you are describing. You might even catch a fish there. Though it's been many years since I've been there, I camped w/ a group on the island site and as I recall it was very nice.

Great area for the type of trip you are describing. Little Gabbro and Gabbro both have decent fishing and great campsites. Be sure to check out the big sandy beach on south shore of Gabbro if you end up staying there (check the interactive map for specific location). The portage in isn't overly difficult, but it is long enough to get you breathing. Having a flexible entry date is ideal if you are set on this entry point as it is rather competitive to procure given it's limited daily entries. Have a great trip.

TAC57: "I hear the the triangle path north out of Little Gabbro up the South Kawishiwi River, west on the Kawishiwi, south to Clear lake, and then back to Little Gabbro is also a good day trip."

We've done the Kawishiwi triangle as a day trip when we were camped in the triangle. Might be on the long side for a day trip if you are camped on Gabbro, but if you are willing to get a really early start.

What do you consider a long portage? The entry portage at Little Gabbro is ~200 rods and if double portaged you can plan on 45 min+. Most portages out of the Little Gabbro, Gabbro, Bald Eagle chain are right around that 200 rods distance as well.

As others have noted it is a popular ep and summer permits can be a challenge. Since your all retired, early September might have greater permit availability.

It is a nice area, and is one of the trips on the books for us in 25.

Two other suggestions for that area
Lake one (ep30), it's just as popular, if not more. The entry point is on the lake so you can canoe for awhile before you need to portage. You can head east to the triangle area or you can head west to/towards insula with the longest portage being ~100 rods, and there are several loop/day trip options heading east.

Isabella (ep35) ~70 rods portage at entry point, base camp on Isabella and then day trips down the Isabella river, or up perent river. its been ~10 years since we went in at 35, and the area was heavily impacted by the pagami fire. So don't count on finding trees for hammocks if that's a requirement.

Seconding all of the above (other than the Isabella part as I haven't been there). If fishing isn't a priority, go later in the year. Better weather, less people, less bugs. All a win from my perspective. As to the fishing, as a occasional fisherman (mostly I troll a rapala along behind as I paddle) I haven't found the fishing to be that different throughout the year. I suspect real fishermen would disagree, but for my time spent... not much change. Side note, there are good sized crappie in Gabbro if you can find em (we did by accident as I had no idea they lived that far north).

If you have a chance, grab the campsite on the island (left) after the narrows between little gabbro and gabbro lakes. Big rock wall immediately on the front with a great view/sitting area.

Took my 80 year old dad and 72 year old Uncle on this EP a couple years ago. Nice trip--can get very busy so be prepared to head to big Gabbro or cross into Kawishiwi if it gets full. The trip from LG to Clear Lake and back to LG as a day trip is doable, but it will be a chore. The small Triangle loop just staying on South Kawishiwi rather than taking the northern route and heading back to LG is also doable, but I am not a fan of the portage between Bruin and Little Gabbro....it too would be hard but doable. If it were me looking for a longer daytrip from LG, I would head across Gabbro, then turn south on Bald Eagle, take the western shore and go check out the rapids at the Isabella River, then come back up the eastern shore of Bald Eagle...that is a pretty paddle. Other possible daytrips into Gull or Turtle also. Sounds like a great group! At 60 years old myself, would love to find a group that size and my age of buddies to paddle with. Enjoy it!

Perfect easy entry EP. Nice area, I would suggest base camp on Bald Eagle or Gabbro, BE has better fishing Gabbro nicer campsites. From BE a day trip to Gull Lake is worth it, had my best walleye fishing there ever 2-3 times. Turtle Lake has big northern pike. Not a pretty lake, but nice fish and big turtles haha. I would suggest the loop, it’s a good one, but the day tripping thing from BE might be more up your alley so to speak.