Hello everyone...I am rather new to this site but I have traveled the BWCA on a dozen or so trips and will be heading up the second week in August for a 7 day solo trip starting at EP 16.

Fishing will be the main focus on this solo, along with returning home in one piece! A couple questions I have regarding the trip:

1. What are 3 things that you all try to do on solos in order for the trip to be a success that is different when in a group?

2. Going in at EP 16, I plan on taking the 115r portage out of Agnes and continuing up through FSN, then back down through Ge-be. Is Pocket Lake worth the visit or for a base camp for 1-2 days?

3. And lastly, if anyone has headed through this area recently, what are the "must see" and "must do" for the route?

I appreciate anyone taking the time to respond to my questions and look forward to gaining more knowledge through this forum. From what I have seen so far, this is a great resource will a ton of paddler knowledge...

I did that route as a solo last year in October.
Pocket is okay - worth the time if you have it but not critical. Geb is a great lake, as is Oyster, Rocky, Green. It was my first time through that route.

Make sure you check out the pictographs near Warrior Hill on LLC. There is also a climb up off the Moose river with a great view.

Do a search through the trip reports section. There are also a number of posts related to EP 16 in the Trip Planning board.

Thanks for the info IBFLY! Any particularly good spots to "focus" on when passing through Gebe?

That was my first BW trip years ago. You'll definitely want to see the pictos on LLC, Warrior Hill, and Top'o'the'World overlooking Nina Moose, as IBFLY noted. Be aware though that Warrior Hill is Canadian soil if you want to set foot there. There are also some "pictos" on Rocky that are a little different - a grouping of circles and rectangular bars - on the western rock face. There's not much in the way of campsites on Rocky or Green, although adequate for a solo in a pinch, but better choices on Pocket, Gebe, Oyster. If you stay on Pocket and like paddling small creeks, you may want to take a brief detour to Finger Lake via Finger Creek. With 7 days you may even want to stay a night there before heading back towards Gebe.

On solos I try to plan a couple of miles less travel each day since I have to do all the camp chores. Seven days is plenty of time to complete that loop and still enjoy yourself. Ivoid big water and wind. I make camp early. I also try to think things through, take my time, and be careful. In other words, I try to avoid putting myself in a stressful situation.That makes it easier to have a successful trip. Otherwise, it's pretty easy to have a successful trip since you only have to please yourself.

Be careful and enjoy your trip!

Welcome to the forum!

Along the lines of what Boonie said, just take it slower then you would with a group. Make sure of every step on the portage and avoid unnecessary risks. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery and solitude.

It's funny but I tend to move faster solo than I do with a group. I cover more ground by myself. Camp chores are less for me because I generally don't do a fire, dinner is in a cup and so it's just me and my hammock. Set up and take down is much faster. I don't fish on solos. It's all about paddling.

I did that loop in 3 days without pushing (if I include Pocket in the total it would be 4). 7 days will allow you a couple of layover days which would be nice.
Have fun!

3 solo tactics:

1. The woods are noisy at night and the first night gives me the heeby-jeebies, so I paddle a lot that first day to tire myself so that I can sleep.

2. Watch your step on portages.

3. Be careful entering and exiting the canoe. It's so easy to slip.

Thanks boonie, great advice and info!

i have nothing to add other than..have a great solo. after my first short, basecamp one i swore id never solo again....that was in 2006. now i seek bigger and bigger solos.

"What are 3 things that you all try to do on solos in order for the trip to be a success that is different when in a group?"

1. I travel every day. I get too bored in one place and I'd rather travel with all my gear rather than to take a long day trip and risk getting stranded away from camp. Leave early and set up early, then you'll have plenty of time to still fish.

2. Bring a book. I know you want to fish, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, or for a change of pace, you have something to do.

3. I have very simple meals. I don't want to carry a lot of bulky food nor a bunch of cooking equipment. I do take a lot of hot drink mixes.

quote Bannock: ""What are 3 things that you all try to do on solos in order for the trip to be a success that is different when in a group?"


1. I travel every day. I get too bored in one place and I'd rather travel with all my gear rather than to take a long day trip and risk getting stranded away from camp. Leave early and set up early, then you'll have plenty of time to still fish.


2. Bring a book. I know you want to fish, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, or for a change of pace, you have something to do.


3. I have very simple meals. I don't want to carry a lot of bulky food nor a bunch of cooking equipment. I do take a lot of hot drink mixes.
"

Thanks for the great advice!

Same EP as my first solo, in June of 2008. Eight days, rained seven. Bad winds too. You'll have better luck, I'll bet.

Did a solo out of there in May... Was overtaken by a tandem canoe and I picked up the pace only to find it was Sam Cook, Outdoor Writer. Don't overdo your first solo... but I like to have options if a trip is to easy or to hard to go farther or cut things out to make the trip interesting and yet fun. I'm finding my limitations are keeping me from group solo's more as I'm dealing with physical limitations that slow me down some. Enjoy and be safe... and always wear your life jacket!

I agree with the hot drinks advice. Those guys are the best!