Hi Folks -
I'm a New Englander with a lot of experience winter backpacking in the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. I suddenly have a good chunk of time off between jobs in January, and I'm trying to quickly organize a mini-expedition pulling a pulk across the BWCA. I was only ever at the BWCA once, in the summer, like 20 years ago. So - Can anyone tell me how plausible the below plan sounds?

I'd like start out Entry Point 24, then go up Four Mile Portage to Hoist Bay, up to Back Bay, then jog southwest over Pipestone to Jackfish Bay, then go back north over Basswood Lake around United States Point and follow the border east to Sucker Lake, then continue east to Ensign Lake then down into Boot Lake to Snowbank to Moose Lake and then across Wind Lake and Wind Bay and back over to Hoist Bay, and then back on Four Mile Portage, for a big loop that ends back at EP 24. That should be about 75 or 80 miles. I'd like to do this over about a week. If I get behind schedule I could cut out the Ensign / Snowbank part.

My biggest worry is going for an involuntary swim (falling through ice into lakes is not a big issue in the mountains). I have watched like 8 million YouTube videos about ice safety, but can anyone comment on likely ice conditions for this route, starting around Jan 13ish? Are there any spots known to be perennially unsafe that I should avoid?
Also - I've gotten some ice picks, but are people wearing life jackets out on the ice? Should I?

Also - how busy will this area be in mid January? I imagine I'll see a few people here and there, but not a ton - right?)

I should note I'll probably be solo for this. (And for my resume, I've thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, done a lot of solo hiking and camping in the winter in NH and Maine. There, though, all gear must be in a backpack so pulking is actually pretty luxurious to me... I have also done a similar-length pulking trip thru arctic Sweden..._)

MindlessMariachi: "Hi Folks -
I'm a New Englander with a lot of experience winter backpacking in the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. I suddenly have a good chunk of time off between jobs in January, and I'm trying to quickly organize a mini-expedition pulling a pulk across the BWCA. I was only ever at the BWCA once, in the summer, like 20 years ago. So - Can anyone tell me how plausible the below plan sounds?

I'd like start out Entry Point 24, then go up Four Mile Portage to Hoist Bay, up to Back Bay, then jog southwest over Pipestone to Jackfish Bay, then go back north over Basswood Lake around United States Point and follow the border east to Sucker Lake, then continue east to Ensign Lake then down into Boot Lake to Snowbank to Moose Lake and then across Wind Lake and Wind Bay and back over to Hoist Bay, and then back on Four Mile Portage, for a big loop that ends back at EP 24. That should be about 75 or 80 miles. I'd like to do this over about a week. If I get behind schedule I could cut out the Ensign / Snowbank part.

My biggest worry is going for an involuntary swim (falling through ice into lakes is not a big issue in the mountains). I have watched like 8 million YouTube videos about ice safety, but can anyone comment on likely ice conditions for this route, starting around Jan 13ish? Are there any spots known to be perennially unsafe that I should avoid?
Also - I've gotten some ice picks, but are people wearing life jackets out on the ice? Should I?

Also - how busy will this area be in mid January? I imagine I'll see a few people here and there, but not a ton - right?)

I should note I'll probably be solo for this. (And for my resume, I've thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, done a lot of solo hiking and camping in the winter in NH and Maine. There, though, all gear must be in a backpack so pulking is actually pretty luxurious to me... I have also done a similar-length pulking trip thru arctic Sweden..._)



"

Conditions are ultimately going to dictate whether or not this is plausible, and they can change quickly, and can change from lake to lake. Even lakes a short portage apart can have wildly different ice and snow. The good news is, we have had a trash start to Winter in terms of snowfall, so lake travel at the current moment is a breeze for someone on foot. The bad news is, the portages also have no snow, which makes pulling a pulk pretty miserable on land. We had rain the last couple days which knocked down most of the little snow we did have, but we have a deep cold snap coming up starting tomorrow so I expect there to be some good ice happening, and we MIGHT get some snow between now and the 13th.

With that said, 80 miles is ambitions for even the most seasoned veterans of Winter travel up here so be cognizant of that and ready to bail out if you have to. I'm not saying it's more extreme than the Arctic, but in the dead of Winter it can be downright brutal with similar temperatures, and there's just more variables at play. If you avoid slush and deep snow (shouldn't be an issue this year), 10 miles per day is doable assuming your body can handle it.

Winter in the BWCA is never "busy", even less so when we have freeze/thaw cycles like we have had again this year. Since most of the lakes are bare ice, the mushers haven't really been out making trail and most Winter campers pulling toboggans and hot-tenting haven't ventured out yet either, myself included. I suspect you'll bump into a few people going after lake trout and a camper or two either way. I would plan on bringing at least one pair of good yaktrax or similar in the event we don't get the forecasted snow, because trying to boot across snowless lakes sucks bigtime. Not a bad idea to have a backup pair in case of failure. And of course, pack your snowshoes too (or skis), you may not need them on the way in but that can change quickly.

You can get an idea of ice thickness from various outfitters but it's always good to check yourself if you can. I'd highly recommend bringing an ice chisel if the weight is bearable. Seagull lake as of yesterday had over 12" so I would expect larger lakes on the Ely side to be similar or just a tad less. Areas of concern will be near moving water (inlets/outlets) as lakes transition from one to another, some will be obvious, others not so obvious. Take extra caution in narrow sections and avoid waterfalls, beaver dams, and downed trees. If you hear moving water but can't see it, backtrack and go another way. It's possible on some lakes that there is going to be a layer of slush trapped between a thick layer of ice on bottom and a thin layer on top, in which case you could experience a false breakthrough. Be prepared like you would if you actually broke through, but you usually know pretty quick if it's the real deal or not.

I would bring the ice picks for sure, keep them around your neck and not in your pocket. A lifejacket is generally overkill outside of early ice and late ice when you might expect 4-6" but if you have one lightweight enough and comfortable, there's certainly nobody that is going to shame you for it.

Since you're pulling a pulk, make sure to use a belt that has a good quick release and keep that easily accessible and uncovered in case your pulk goes through. If you're using a rigid pole system then portages should be no trouble, but if you're not, then remember to always let the sled go first. Tie a 6-8' rope on the back of the sled.

Oh, and bring an inReach or some sort of beacon! God forbid something happens, at least S&R will know where to look. Winter is abundantly more dangerous than Summer.

Welcome back to the BWCA! I think Alexandersupertramp’s response was excellent and I agree with it 100%. I have just a couple other thoughts to toss out there for you.

I second having a satellite comms devices with you. Cell coverage has been expanding in the BWCA, but to my knowledge most of the BWCA still has no coverage. Where I went this summer I found others could access a signal but I (with Verizon) had none.

I assume you are hiking, but you did not mention if you would have skis or snowshoes with you. Skis or snowshoes could certainly help spread you weight if you have to cross some sketchier ice, though going around is likely better. I’m guessing snow depth may not be so much of an issue this year, it if you do find yourself traveling on a packed trail it would be good to have skis/snowshoes so as not to post hole and damage the trail for others. This is especially important if you are travelling on a trail used by dog teams. Leaving a post hole (mushers call moose hole) in a trail they use risks injury to the dogs legs or shoulders. Only the lead dogs get to see what’s coming.

If you look at the maps on this site, you will see that they often show winter routes that are different from the summer portages marked in yellow. These routes are usually set and used by dog teams, and have the advantage of avoiding some narrow areas of moving water. Have a look at the section between Sucker and Ensign to see what I mean. That narrow section between Splash and Ensign is moving fast enough that I can usual just paddle up it with some extra effort. I would not want to cross that on ice myself. If you do use these routes, definitely use skis air snowshoes and yield the trail if a team comes - they are not always good at stopping.

You probably know this, but none of the portages are marked in any way. In summer 90% of the time they are easy to spot from 100-200 yards away, but with even moderate snow this may be harder, especially if the portage has not been used. I was thinking of the two portages from Snowbank to Moose. I did them once years ago and recall them being pretty overgrown. With even moderate snow, they could be tougher to follow and I sort of doubt they get used much in the winter.

I usually bring about a 75 foot piece of rope in winter. It’s sometimes handy to either pull my sled up or let it down a hill. It could also be used if you have to cross sketchy ice. Cross with caution, then pull your pull across - that way if you do go through it wouldn’t follow you in.

As an AT through-hiker use to fancy feast stoves and cut down tooth brushes, you might be amused to know my winter tent and stove weights 47 lbs. but I can get it up to over 90° without too much effort. If you should get into trouble out there, you could look for someone with a hot tent who may be able to help you get warm and dry.

Lastly, to get current info on snow conditions, I suggest scouting out the Ely area web cams and checking the DNR snowmobile trail reports. Bearhead Island is probably one of the closer trails.

Good luck up there and be careful.

Will you be hot tenting or cold camping along the way?

Hi please do not go out on the lakes like this. Even people who have years of experience are not always experts at predicting safe ice. Perhaps the trail along the North Shore would be an acceptable alternative. North Shore Trail

MinnesotaJenny: "Hi please do not go out on the lakes like this. Even people who have years of experience are not always experts at predicting safe ice. Perhaps the trail along the North Shore would be an acceptable alternative. North Shore Trail "

Without snow as an insulator and the frigid temps the next week, I wouldn't be concerned about the ice, but I don't know how enjoyable crossing the lakes is going to be without some snowpack, and snow around camp half the fun of Winter camping too. It's just an ugly brown scene out there right now.

MinnesotaJenny: "Hi please do not go out on the lakes like this. Even people who have years of experience are not always experts at predicting safe ice. Perhaps the trail along the North Shore would be an acceptable alternative. North Shore Trail "

What do you mean by, "on the lakes like this." Do you think the ice is not safe or you're just not a fan of crossing lakes in winter in general?

Hey - for those keeping track, this trip went pretty well. Didn't do a ton of miles but saw some good spots and can now say I camped in 40 below! Here's my trip report ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/895634248615127/posts/1155941392584410