Mid-May 5-day trip from Ram Lake to Omega Lake. What should we try to see on the way? Fishing recommendations? And where would you recommend exiting: Cross Bay, Poplar, Morgan?

Thanks

Where are you going to exit? Back at Ram, Bower Trour and then walk back to the vehicle, shuttle and exit at Poplar through Lizz?

That’s what we’re trying to figure out. We can arrange a shuttle to any of those but once we make to Omega what would be the most practical or worthwhile journey out? Crossbay, Poplar, or circle back to Morgan or something else?

I think from Omega down through Brule and out at Bower Trout makes a wonderful, scenic loop and a short walk to your vehicles at Ram entry.

I did that Ram to Bower Trout route in the opposite direction on one of my first trips. It’s a doozy. Short walk back to the car between the 2 EPs.

Any must see lakes, cliffs, artifacts, or anything else?

CanoeViking: "Any must see lakes, cliffs, artifacts, or anything else?"

Cliffs on Winchell. Gets up high! Waterfall from Brule to Vernon is a fun one. Gorgeous. Swan Lake has a really nice river entry, and it's on my top ten list for BW lakes. Great fishing too, although I've never been there in mid-May. The middle site of the three is phenomenal. Little Trout closer to Ram - one of the best eater sized trout lakes in the BW. Twice in the heat of summer I've caught them from shore in shallow water. You probably won't get a trophy here, but you'll eat good! Omega is an incredibly beautiful lake. But when I was there, the fishing was horrible! Gaskin is much better fishing and also has trout. Expect solitude from Ram to Vista. Then after that it's people galore until you're back to the east side of Brule. Then it gets quiet again.

sedges: "I think from Omega down through Brule and out at Bower Trout makes a wonderful, scenic loop and a short walk to your vehicles at Ram entry."

Agreed.

There are choices on how to get to Brule. The more challenging choice is to drop into Davis. Not an easy portage, but pretty much guaranteed solitude on Davis. Winchell is a beautiful lake, especially when calm, the house sized underwater boulders are amazing to paddle over. I believe there is also an overlook to hike to on Winchell but I haven't done it. The crowds tend toward the west end of Winchell for camping.

If you end up on Vernon, swimming at the stream out flow at the campsite that is near the portage is fun. I even had a loon swimming with me as it was fishing for its supper. And there is a little waterfall a short walk back.

Easy walk between Bower Trout lot and Ram lot.

I did the Ram to Bower Trout loop this fall. We dropped down to Brule through the cone lakes, and that worked well for us. The long portage into Swan has a fair amount of artifacts visible from the portage, and it was fun to take a break and poke around. We also stayed on Brule one night at site 950- and there is a wide (like multiple feet wide) base of some kind of structure at the camp off the trail to the latrine as well as a few other artifacts back in the woods. It had almost a little dock for us to pull up at- very convenient!

I will echo the cliffs on Winchell being amazing. I had not been there before, and I was very impressed. Some of these portages also seemed like enchanted forests with the old cedars.

We stayed Horseshoe, Brule and then Swan- had a great trip! Some tough portages, but very worth it!

The portage from Little Trout to Misquah always lives up to its reputation. I would expect it to be at its worst in May as It has not had much time to dry after snow melt. The earliest I have been on it is June 3 or 4. It was very boggy with mud up to mid-thigh if you missed a step or slipped off a log (or wet boardwalk). I have heard there are some stretches of boardwalk now, but still expect the worse. I would do this portage on the first day only if you get a real early start from Ram entry. For a late start camp on Little Trout and start the portage fresh in the morning. Everything else will seem easy after that. We started from Little Trout double portaging pretty early the 2nd day and were just setting off on Misquah early afternoon.

Winchell to Brule is gorgeous with big cliffs on Wanigan and Cliff. The route through the Cones is easy. The Mulligan route is nasty with Grassy lake gone.

A real scenic trip.

You def will enjoy that portage. Was a bit ago but I remember it being up and down 3 hills, in some spots each step is on a slippery jagged rock, tricky footing, have to be super careful if not lucky to make it thru unscathed. Finally seeing a lake after that is pure joy. Then you get to go back for the pack and do it a 2nd time oh boy. I would recommend being in good physical shape, legs and ankles strong they will be tested. Enjoy!

If you like to check out places that very few people go, you can wander back to Finn Lake and Alpha north of Omega. Lots of wolf sign and gnawed moose bones the last time I was back there. The Omega to Phalanx portage is kinda rough, but it's not that long and Finn was gorgeous, as was the Phalanx to finn portage.

Thanks for the recommendations they are very helpful in our planning process.