Well, I had a few people back out on our Clearwater/Mountain/Moose trip for entry on May 24th. Looks like I'm going solo. I'm excited to do a solo trip (this will be my first in the BWCA) but concerned about mountain and Moose being such large, long, west/east oriented lakes. These can be wind tunnels sometimes.

My plan is to check the weather, see if there's a relatively stable system forecasted and give the big lakes a shot, staying near shore and not taking chances with the weather. I really want to tie into some lakers and do some hiking on the border trail. If the weather calls for wind I may just duck south to the smaller Caribou, Moon, and Alder lakes which will be good as well. Johnson Falls sounds like a must see.

I'm experienced with tandem paddling and have been learning all I can about solo paddling. I know there's no substitute for practice so I may try a rental before the trip. I've done about 15 trips into the BWCA.

What's your expedience with bigger lakes and wind? Anyone solo tripped up on Mountain/Moose? Thanks!

About ten years ago I spent a leisurely fourteen days exploring much of the paddle-only parts of Basswood (entered through Moose and Prairie Portage). Because of the potential for big wind I used a 17 foot touring kayak. It paid off. I got many days on the water when a canoe would have been grounded.

I doubt you will get more than two or three days of mild winds, at best. It's important to plan for big wind in the Boundary Waters.

quote OBX2Kayak: "Because of the potential for big wind I used a 17 foot touring kayak. It paid off."

Interesting strategy for dealing with potential windy conditions going solo.

My question: how did you pack gear and portage the thing? I have seen people traveling with kayaks and portaging looked really hard to downright nasty.

I'm curious as well how you stowed your gear in a kayak. I'll likely have a 56 liter hiking pack and a food/cookware bag. I've got more experience with canoes so was going to go that route.

You'll do just fine paddling a solo vs. paddling a tandem with that many trips behind you.

Sounds like you also have a good backup plan for windy days. Dependent on what canoe you rent, and VERY dependent on water temp, you should be able to paddle water that is just starting to get the occasional whitecap.

Hugging the south shore you should be fine. If you found you were going to be in to much wind you could shoot down and do the pine loop instead. Long but skinnier lakes. Mountain and Moose have always been good to me. My biggest concern was sunburn, so I don't know what they get to be in big winds. I can only imagine. Sounds like you'd do just fine solo... But it would be good to play around in a solo boat before you head out, or at least make your first day playing around with your load to see what works best for you and getting the feel of a solo boat if that's what you decide on.

I agree with Exo. It sounds like you have the right experience and frame of mind that you will do fine. You are right about the fact that paddling a solo in wind is different from paddling a tandem, and nothing compares to actual experience for learning how to deal with the wind in a solo. But you should be fine getting that experience on your trip if you are reasonably cautious. If you get a chance to go out a bit in a solo before the trip, that is all the better.

The one other thing I would add is that having a well-trimmed canoe is really important with a solo in the wind, and generally speaking, a fully loaded canoe will be less pushed around by wind than one that is not fully loaded - something to think about if you go out on day trips. A few rocks or water jugs can help if a lot of your gear is already set up in camp.

Enjoy!

quote OgimaaBines: "I'm curious as well how you stowed your gear in a kayak. I'll likely have a 56 liter hiking pack and a food/cookware bag. I've got more experience with canoes so was going to go that route."

Over the years I've whittled my gear down to 36 pounds, including food (but excluding water). It fits into four dry-bags plus a day pack. For portages, I hook two dry bags on each end of the paddle and carry the paddle on my shoulder.

Portages are a pain with a kayak and all my gear. That's why I chose Basswood (can be reached by only one short portage). Up in the Q I base camped, then took day trips to other lakes.

i've done several solo trips on mountain lake. it's a beautiful lake. the wind can be an issue soloing, i find that by paddling within feet of the shoreline you gain some advantage when paddling into a strong headwind.

Very good! I appreciate everyone's input. Staying put when the whitecaps just beginning to crest is helpful.

whitecaps mean putting your pfd on. if you stopped everytime the lakes became whitecaps you would never get anywhere.

Since you have been to the BW many times, you probably know this already, but I just want to reiterate:

Leaving camp early, by 7 am, will alleviate many problems associated with wind. Mornings are usually calm. I have crossed many big lakes (Brule, Lac la Croix) early in the morning and never had any problem with wind. However, by 1 pm on those days, the wind would be throwing 3' whitecaps.

Distributing the weight correctly on a solo canoe is very important. For going into the wind, I make sure to have a heavier bow. For tacking with the wind, I make sure to have a heavier stern. The reason is to take advantage of "windvaning." The lighter end of the canoe will swing around to flow with the wind. By distributing the weight correctly, you can use the wind to help you steer the canoe. I usually have two packs, one that is heavier sitting right behind me, and one that is a bit lighter that I can use a paddle to push closer to the bow or closer to me.

I do not agree with Exo. I know too many lifelong tandem paddlers who ran from their first solo paddling experiences. Solo paddling isn't about different techniques but how to apply what you do know. There is a learning curve some paddlers never figure out. Learn what you can do in a solo, in a safe environment, or be picky about the situation you will paddle in.

Enough of the negative, I find big lakes interesting. Treated with the respect they deserve a joy to paddle. Also potential navigation exercises, both to pick a route in good conditions and searching for a route with handy windbreaks along the way. From riding rollers on Crooked, whitecaps on Seagull, to 13 miles on Agnes in the rain with no wind. Even paddled the length of Pine without a wave, middle of a sunny Sept. afternoon. Be safe out there, and don't wait for the whitecaps to don a pfd, keep it on all the time.

butthead

Makes sense! Thank you much. The trim info and travel time info was exceedingly helpful.

Like Ben said, hug the shore. The lakers should be shallow and you might be tempted to troll while traveling, but if it's windy, I might focus on paddling. Landing a trout in the wind in a loaded boat could be problematic.

Got grounded (my only choice) by a tailwind on Mountain Lake years ago. Spent most of one afternoon and all the next day windbound at a campsite that had been almost demolished by the 1999 storm. Not fun, but interesting. --Goose

quote butthead: "I do not agree with Exo. I know too many lifelong tandem paddlers who ran from their first solo paddling experiences. Solo paddling isn't about different techniques but how to apply what you do know. There is a learning curve some paddlers never figure out. Learn what you can do in a solo, in a safe environment, or be picky about the situation you will paddle in.

Enough of the negative, I find big lakes interesting. Treated with the respect they deserve a joy to paddle. Also potential navigation exercises, both to pick a route in good conditions and searching for a route with handy windbreaks along the way. From riding rollers on Crooked, whitecaps on Seagull, to 13 miles on Agnes in the rain with no wind. Even paddled the length of Pine without a wave, middle of a sunny Sept. afternoon. Be safe out there, and don't wait for the whitecaps to don a pfd, keep it on all the time.

butthead"

I tend to agree with butthead on all counts, that is, solo paddling and big lakes.

I've had a very experienced paddler "swim" my Sawyer DY Special first time at bat. Likewise for a BWCAW Outfitter friend of mine who was a very experienced kayaker and canoe paddler. He rolled my Wenonah Jensen C1W soon after he paddled away from his dock.

This isn't to say you'll have problems, because for some there's a small learning curve, but it bears mentioning. There are also some variables we don't know, for one thing, what solo canoe do you intend to use? What tandem(s) have you paddled? Do you plan to use a straight, bent shaft paddle, or a double-bladed kayak paddle?

As far as big lakes, I echo the sentiments of butthead for all the reasons he mentioned. I've paddled Mountain, Moose and most all of the large lakes of the BWCAW and Quetico, tandem AND solo.

Additionally, I've paddled the coastlines of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, as well as the Lake Superior coastline of Isle Royale in touring kayaks and solo canoes. I love the challenge of the big lakes, but as butthead mentioned, they require the utmost respect.

Be safe and enjoy!

Hans Solo

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Hans Solo


Well, I'm hoping like hell I don't roll the canoe this year.It's going to be cold water but I'll have a backup plan in case I do. It looks like I'll be using a winona prism kevlar with a straight paddle. I'm renting from voyageur canoe outfitters. I'm going to it real easy the first day or two and cover only 6-7 miles a day then stop to mess around and fish. Probably going to move each day and come back around on the pine/pike loop since I've got 7 full days.

Mountain Lake, the NW bay that is in Canada can be the source of some mighty big waves if the wind is out of the NW

...and I wouldn't stay too close to shore, the lay of the bottom can make for some big breaking waves near shore

Good to know! I was hoping the wind will stay out of the north to make my south shore paddling a little easier. I'm thinking I'm going to paddle south to start going down through caribou, moon, and alder and then up to Johnson falls finally up to mountain and moose. I didn't have a chance to get out and practice in a solo canoe but do know that I'll be using a Wenonah Prism Kevlar. The trip is slotted for 7 days so I'll just take my time in the south lakes then plan on giving myself an extra day or two up on Mountain and moose. I should have all the kinks worked out by then will be feeling more confident about managing what the bigger water can throw at me.

My brother officially backed out today so the solo is confirmed. I'll be journaling and exploring aplenty so I'll post a trip report after I get settled back into the rat race.