Heading out for my 4th trip this week with one of my annual pedaling partners. It's a shorter trip because my baby girl is expecting her second child during the middle of my trip.

I have always avoided like the plague going through the numbered lakes during the shoulder seasons, but this was the the permit we drew. Anyway, the goal is to go from Lake One to Fishdance and back in four nights..

We probably will hit the water at Lake One around 10:00 a.m. or a little later on entry day, simply because of our scheduling. I want to do our best to avoid the typical KOA atmosphere of the numbered lakes, so I'm thinking on day one of traveling up through Bridge Lake, and if it's open grabbing a site there and if not moving to Fire Lake, then heading to Fishdance or one of the nearby lakes for night two.

Then, on night three, we will paddle back and camp on Insula or somewhere around there, and then, on night four, the plan would be to go back through Bridge Lake or Fire Lake and then out the next morning. The only caveat would be if my daughter has her baby and I get a message on my satellite, we may leave a day early.

First, for those who have been there, what's the best way to get into Alice Lake from Insula? Is it to go through Carol or to take the channel south of there without the portages? Also, does this plan sound reasonable or do you have another suggestion? I know that Insula and Alice can be very busy, too, so I'm a little concerned about getting campsites there. Also, just making sure that my timing is not out of whack on how far to go each day. We're pretty decent paddlers, double portage, but certainly not pokey.

I've read a ton of trip reports and posts on the board. None of them have really answered at least that I can find the best way between insula and Alice. Would love to hear your input.

Here's to hoping for smaller crowds.

I have paddled the channel you reference at least twice although it has been several years ago. A nice paddle but watch for submerged rocks and in low water I am not sure what it is like.
On one of the trips I stayed at the campsite across the narrow lower tip of Alice then day tripped down to Fishdance. I recall it was a nice site.

My Brother and I way back would do long weekend trips to Alice. Put in on Lake One, paddle to Alice, fish 2 days, then out.

The fastest way was always the channel/river, especially if going to Fishdance. You’ll pop out on Alice right where you need to turn to go down the River to Fishdance.

If you take Carol it’s not way slower. Probably depends on how fast you portage?

Amber and Fisher are nice lakes to stay at too.

Have a great trip!

T

Our group of 8 scouts did a loop starting at Lake One to Alice, eventually going up to Ima before exiting on Snowbank through Disappointment.

The first day we hit the Lake One EP around 9:30 and made it to a campsite in the middle of Insula around 5:30. Was a big day and gave everyone confidence that carried through the rest of the trip, but in hindsight Fire Lake may have been a better goal for day one, especially considering that half the group were on their maiden BWCA trip and we were double portaging everything.

Probably most important to you - we took the north route through Carol and Hum from Insula to Alice at the advice of our outfitter. He said because of the low water people were having to walk their canoes for over a mile in the channel. The portages weren't terrible but there was some downed trees we had to deal with. We never had a chance to check out the channel ourselves.

We stayed on Alice 2 days and did a day trip to fishdance. The pictographs were cool but the highlight was the fishing sucess we had over there, including a 29" Northern and a 24" Walleye.

The campsite on fishdance closest to the pictographs seems like a pretty good one. We explored down to the end of the lake to the SW and I wouldn't plan on camping down there. We never did find the island site and we had lunch on the other...it was small and bushy.

Overall I think you have a good reasonable plan. Not sure if you hammock camp but good to keep in mind the southern part of this area burnt back in 2012, including the lower half or so of Insula.

Choosing where to stop the first night is always tough. Competition for the good sites from folks coming in and going out and those that come that far and stay awhile. I could see the site on the east end of Fire being a nice one day in base.
Fire was my chosen site on trips and I have been lucky the only habitable site was open. The maps show four campsites, but I believe the only one you would want to stay at is the far east site. I believe at least two are closed. Look at the comments in the map section here and check with your outfitter.
I haven't heard aluminum highway for a while. Navigation was not so hard. Who needed maps and compass when there was the aluminum highway to follow? With water levels low I imagine lots of folks have found the rocks of the number chain.

Even going in at 10am you can get to Insula on your first day if you move relatively quickly. Don't fish along the way and so long as you don't triple portage (or have bad winds) it should be doable.

As for Insula to Alice, I'd personally recommend the river channel. I've seen a few rocks on the half dozen trips I've made through, but nothing worth mentioning. Can't think of any areas where you'd have to portage/drag for any length. Maybe the lowest water ever?

Regardless, it puts you into Alice exactly where you want to go anyway so no worrying about big water/waves for any length of time. Also, the pools below the rapids into Fishdance from Alice are good walleye spots.

Barca: "Even going in at 10am you can get to Insula on your first day if you move relatively quickly. Don't fish along the way and so long as you don't triple portage (or have bad winds) it should be doable.


As for Insula to Alice, I'd personally recommend the river channel. I've seen a few rocks on the half dozen trips I've made through, but nothing worth mentioning. Can't think of any areas where you'd have to portage/drag for any length. Maybe the lowest water ever?


Regardless, it puts you into Alice exactly where you want to go anyway so no worrying about big water/waves for any length of time. Also, the pools below the rapids into Fishdance from Alice are good walleye spots. "

Good call, the wind looks good on Wednesday when we go in, and not bad when we go out. Looks like it should be from the south southeast all week

Get real, the wind will be in your face where ever you travel, you know better than that haha. Amber Lake is a fav, nice site and good fishing. Have fun.