Going in WCPP for first time with a group (1/2 experienced, 1/2 new). Going in Gammon river system from west to east coming out Johnson for 10-day adventure. Should be some good fishing too :). Looking forward to it. Anyone have a recommendation for a must-see lake or must-miss portage/section? Midway point on trip (Carol to Telescope/Johnson) will probably be Rostoul. Any advice greatly appreciated!

What dates??
I expect to be westbound from Johnson 7/31 or 8/1...

I assume you'd be going the Hansen/Glenn route to Telescope.

There are a couple of picto sites on Hansen ... once is as you enter the lake, the other is on the long arm that extends in the direction toward Wrist.

The lodge on Hansen was originally built by members of the Chicago "Mob" back in the '30's.

Exiting Hansen you will hit a chute about mid-point in the channel that runs up toward a set of falls and a portage. How you negotiate this will be a function of water level and flow. If you are running a pretty good flow toward you the secret seems to be paddle up right then ferry left at the drop. There is a smallish rock you can stand on to pull up above the drop but you need to be careful there. (There might also be a portage that starts there, but wasn't when I made a couple of passes through in 2010.)

If you are exiting Telescope to Hjlarmar Lakes, there is a picto on the second lake.

Hope you have a wonderful trip.

dd

There is now a easily seen portage for the Hansen Chute. In lower water levels you can paddle through the chute.

This may sound strange but your solitude is going to increase every portage as you head east from Carroll. You are starting on Carroll where you will have boat traffic and then crossing Donald where you will see some cabins. When you get to Glenn there is a great campsite on a point as you look towards the passage to Mexican Hat.

If you wanted a little more solitude you could go up the Haggart River and then choose one of the routes to get back on your original path further east.

quote Marten: " When you get to Glenn there is a great campsite on a point as you look towards the passage to Mexican Hat."

that campsite is worn and quite a mess, could be the poster child for what happens when a site is overused.

I did enjoy it though, mostly because I was alone and slept in my hammock from the couple of trees that have survived overuse

If I ever camp on Glenn again, I will seek out another campsite, and likely not on the main lake which in all likelyhood is going to have some other campers

quote ZaraSp00k: "

quote Marten: " When you get to Glenn there is a great campsite on a point as you look towards the passage to Mexican Hat."

that campsite is worn and quite a mess, could be the poster child for what happens when a site is overused.


I did enjoy it though, mostly because I was alone and slept in my hammock from the couple of trees that have survived overuse


If I ever camp on Glenn again, I will seek out another campsite, and likely not on the main lake which in all likelyhood is going to have some other campers"

I am talking about a campsite on the west side of Glenn as you come from Hansen that is fine. The first campsite west of Optic on Glenn is overused and I would avoid it.

In my last 4 trips through the area I do not remember seeing anyone that I was not meeting there. I usually have Johnson to Hammerhead to myself.

quote Marten:I am talking about a campsite on the west side of Glenn as you come from Hansen that is fine. The first campsite west of Optic on Glenn is overused and I would avoid it.
quote>




Geez... I camped there twice and now it's overused? :) First time there was a boat parked there. The fishing is good there and had a moose in camp the first time also. Didn't seem that overused to me. We ended up there the first time because we got wind bound.

OP are you putting in on Johnson and doing a loop? The falls (if you want to call it that) on the Hansen to Roustal portage is a good place to fish as is just below the Hansen chute. Marten would know best... (I've always avoided) but the streams east of Gammon lake can be pretty low and tough to get thru is what I was told.






Picto's on Hansen

Other picto site on Hansen (on SW arm about mid-way on the western shore line).

quote jcavenagh: "What dates??
I expect to be westbound from Johnson 7/31 or 8/1..."

We're going in the 12th if all goes well and coming out on the 22nd.

quote dentondoc: "I assume you'd be going the Hansen/Glenn route to Telescope.

There are a couple of picto sites on Hansen ... once is as you enter the lake, the other is on the long arm that extends in the direction toward Wrist.

The lodge on Hansen was originally built by members of the Chicago "Mob" back in the '30's.

Exiting Hansen you will hit a chute about mid-point in the channel that runs up toward a set of falls and a portage. How you negotiate this will be a function of water level and flow. If you are running a pretty good flow toward you the secret seems to be paddle up right then ferry left at the drop. There is a smallish rock you can stand on to pull up above the drop but you need to be careful there. (There might also be a portage that starts there, but wasn't when I made a couple of passes through in 2010.)

If you are exiting Telescope to Hjlarmar Lakes, there is a picto on the second lake.

Hope you have a wonderful trip.

dd"

Thanks dd! Nice meeting at Copia this year too! (nandagikendan) Have a nice trip further north of this when you go! Terry

So, the overused site on Glenn, is that located at about 50.92,-94.57,
About 2 miles from the east end on the south shore?

I think it is about 22 miles from the Johnson put in...correct?

quote jcavenagh: "So, the overused site on Glenn, is that located at about 50.92,-94.57,
About 2 miles from the east end on the south shore?

I think it is about 22 miles from the Johnson put in...correct?"

Its closer to a 1 1/4 miles past the portage.

If you press on west beyond the pinch point, there is a decent campsite on an island before you enter the part of the lake with the "north/south" route between Mex Hat and Hansen. Its large enough for several tents, but has limited space for parking canoes next to shore. The south part of the island is mostly open to allow breezes to pass with a more wooded area to the north. The point just west of the campsite is a good place to snag your walleye dinner for the night. Being a bit more out of the traffic lanes, its a good place to take a layover day if you need one.

dd

quote jcavenagh: "So, the overused site on Glenn, is that located at about 50.92,-94.57,
About 2 miles from the east end on the south shore?


I think it is about 22 miles from the Johnson put in...correct?"

That is the site that I am calling overused but not abused. It is a great site with two good tent pads. The overused rating is because if you need another tent pad it will be up in the TP area.

Thanks. Andy and I expect to paddle out of Johnson early a.m. I have been looking at the maps to plan for campsites and daily distances. My original idea was that first(easternmost) site on Glenn for Night 1. Now I'll look a bit more.
What are the coordinates of the island site? 50.916734, -94.634741?

quote jcavenagh: "Thanks. Andy and I expect to paddle out of Johnson early a.m. I have been looking at the maps to plan for campsites and daily distances. My original idea was that first(easternmost) site on Glenn for Night 1. Now I'll look a bit more.
What are the coordinates of the island site? 50.916734, -94.634741?"

Yes. That's it. The island is just at 5 miles west of the last (2nd) portage out of Optic.

dd

Hey all,

Great info on sites, pictos, etc! Someone asked our route in one of the above threads. Quick glance at a map, I think it'll be more or less this: Carol-donald-hammerhead-rostoul-hansen-glen-optic-telescope

quote jcavenagh: "Thanks. Andy and I expect to paddle out of Johnson early a.m. I have been looking at the maps to plan for campsites and daily distances. My original idea was that first(easternmost) site on Glenn for Night 1. Now I'll look a bit more.
What are the coordinates of the island site? 50.916734, -94.634741?"

You are looking at a long day. Check out the site at 50.9185 94.5728 if you have had enough by then.

Anybody ever come across ?

Found while searching for online maps of the park. Looks like a fun route (for the future).

quote Marten: "

quote jcavenagh: "Thanks. Andy and I expect to paddle out of Johnson early a.m. I have been looking at the maps to plan for campsites and daily distances. My original idea was that first(easternmost) site on Glenn for Night 1. Now I'll look a bit more.
What are the coordinates of the island site? 50.916734, -94.634741?"

You are looking at a long day. Check out the site at 50.9185 94.5728 if you have had enough by then."

Yes...on the point on Optic, right? That is a prime candidate. Just about 20mi. Then about 11 mi into the top of Mex Hat on Day2 and layover/fish for 2 days. Then back out they way we came...

quote HighnDry: "Anybody ever come across ?


Found while searching for online maps of the park. Looks like a fun route (for the future)."

If you mean Mike Kinziger, yeah we chat ever so often. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to get a month at one stretch to do that trip.

dd

quote HighnDry: "Anybody ever come across ?


Found while searching for online maps of the park. Looks like a fun route (for the future)."

Mike had a tough go in some of those lakes and land crossings. Fires and wind in the last years have made some of those bushwhacks impossible. Read his journal about the trip at canoestories.com to see what he went through to do that long trip.

quote Marten: "

quote HighnDry: "Anybody ever come across ?



Found while searching for online maps of the park. Looks like a fun route (for the future)."

Mike had a tough go in some of those lakes and land crossings. Fires and wind in the last years have made some of those bushwhacks impossible. Read his journal about the trip at canoestories.com to see what he went through to do that long trip."

Thanks Marten! I will check that out.

quote Marten: "

quote HighnDry: "Anybody ever come across ?

Found while searching for online maps of the park. Looks like a fun route (for the future)."

Mike had a tough go in some of those lakes and land crossings. Fires and wind in the last years have made some of those bushwhacks impossible. Read his journal about the trip at canoestories.com to see what he went through to do that long trip."

Slightly different format, but the same content is also provided through NRS.com But, I'd still recommend canoestories.com because Marten (and others) have excellent trip stories posted there.

dd

If you have a layover day planned around Glenn Lake I would recommend a side trip to Mexican Hat to view the falls on the southeast corner of the lake. We did this last year and it was well worth while.
Enjoy your trip!

Thanks for that last bit about Mex Hat. We are planning at least one easy day or two to fish and just go where we please....and fish :) That sounds like a nice option as well as the pictos already mentioned. Heard the pike are monsters up there but think we'll be focused on walleyes. Should be fun as long as weather/conditions hold for us.

We stayed on the island site at 50.916734 / 94.634741 last year. Had really good luck with the walleyes on the point directly north of the island. Also caught some along the point that dd refered to. As a walleye fisherman you're aware that walleyes "are where you find them" on any given day. Additionally, there is a very nice beach in the bay directly south of the island site.
Enjoy! .........Mike