This one looks interesting. Similar to Mugwump, getting there will take some paddling but this one has several places to enter via very short bushwhacks.

From the Forest Service PMA Brochure it would appear that this PMA has plenty of no-name lakes to explore.



BUT...take a close look at the Google Earth picture and it appears that many of the no-name "lakes" on the brochure are actually marshes.



Several choices for EPs.
From the West...27 or 30
From the East...51 or 52
From the South..37 or 38

Closest Ranger Station will depend on which direction you head in from.

bump

I am considering a short jaunt to Humpback Lake this upcoming May. We will be basecamping on Adams for a few days and it might be interesting to check it out. Looking at the maps, it looks like you could get to the pond below "Cowan" lake, and then cut south-east to Humpback. I don't know if we will actually camp (or even bring the canoe from that pond), as it would depend on the terrain.
I was wondering if anyone knew of any old portage paths or a better way.

Don't have direct knowledge, but you may want to check out a topo map, as the Google map looks as if there may be lowland access directly from
Adams. Likely a marsh walk.

It looks like the straight east "beaver trail" creek is marshy. I am hoping to head up towards what was Cowan (the bing satellite shows that Cowan now has little to no water, must have been a beaver dam break?). There is a unnamed little lake due south of cowan that may be connected by a creek to adams. The hope is to get little lake and then cut southeast to humpback. Looks to be ~50 rods (give or take 50!) from that little lake to adams. There looks to be a good tree line we could walk along (even if we don't take the canoe and just hike in for a day).

I have a similar take; guess I was thinking the lower ground would be easier with a canoe, but higher ground might be more pleasant, if just carrying daypacks. Either way, always an adventure.

When are you headed in? I'll be in the area in mid-august and am having similar thoughts of heading East out of Adams in to that area. I'd love you hear how it goes for you...

Our trip has changed to early August with the ice out issues in May. We hope to still try it (just to see if doable.) I will post here if it all becomes a reality!

We'll be entering at EP 37 on the 18th. We have a PMA permit for Humpback Lake, Zone 2 for the 21st and 22nd. I think we're going to give it a go, all things going according to plan.

Made the trip into humpback. Headed directly east following the drainage with Adams. Very tough going, thigh deep muck, thick brush, etc. took about an hour to bushwhack out there with canoe. Lake was too shallow for fish. It was an experience, and I'm glad we did it, but I wouldn't add it to your to do list. We were just tired of slaying the smallies on Adams,

Very cool. My partners turned into more Type A movers than I expected, so they were not up for a bushwhack. Well, we did walk over the hill from Fisher to "Blissful" Lake. A very pretty pond! I'm glad your adventure worked out!

quote jbowden44: "Very cool. My partners turned into more Type A movers than I expected, so they were not up for a bushwhack. Well, we did walk over the hill from Fisher to "Blissful" Lake. A very pretty pond! I'm glad your adventure worked out!"

Fisher to Blissful looks pretty bushwhacky from the map... We also tried to go from the Kawishwi into Bow, but decided against it.