BWCA Where to go in 2015? Boundary Waters Group Forum: Solo Tripping
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jeepgirl
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02/14/2015 04:50PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Help. I need suggestions on a 9 day solo. I want to travel every other day. 5- 6 hours max traveling per day, triple portaging. Maybe double portaging. I will be going towards the end of of July or sometime in August. Looking for easy landings on portages and not big water if I can help it.
I have done 2 solo's already and will do another solo the week before Memorial Day. I am meeting up with Grandma L Memorial Day weekend. The entry is Lake 1.
I like Lizz Lake but I am going back there in September with my brother.
I would probably prefer something off the Gunflint or Sawbill. Less people. Or an entry point out of Ely that will provide some solitude.

I like being on the water more than on land so the more water travel the better.

Any suggestions? Thinking about going up to Polly and over to Malberg but now sure if I want to triple portage that big portage into Polly.

 
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02/14/2015 05:32PM  
I have traveled a nice loop out of Ely starting on Moose and going north then east through Birch and Knife then back south through Kekekabic and Fraser to Thomas and then west through Ima and out Ensign. Either direction gives you plenty of options for side trips and opportunity for some solitude. I would likely start through Ensign hoping to get the site at the south end of Jordan for my first night. If not Ima has plenty to offer and is do-able with an early start, especially with a tow.
 
02/14/2015 06:37PM  
jeepgirl-

I have gone in at Kawishiwi Lake, EP #37, on my last two trips (check out my 2013 trip report). Pictures from the last two years here . It's some nice, interesting country to travel through since you are along the edge of the Pagami Creek wildfire burn up to Polly.

The portages from Kawasachong to Polly aren't terribly difficult. The landings aren't too bad and the tread is generally good with some modest elevation changes. The short paddle across Townline though is more of an annoyance than a break.

You could consider spending a night on Kawasachong and portaging to Polly first thing the next morning when you are fresh. That would make to pretty easy days, then a day off. Easy to get to Malberg from Polly.

Malberg is a cool lake and then you are on the Kawishiwi River with access to a lot of nice paddling without much portaging. You can paddle right into Amber or go down to Fishdance. You could daytrip out one arm of Malberg to the river and come back in the other.

You could also access the Beaver-Adams area fairly easily.

Although I haven't done it, another option would be to go across the Lady Chain and out Sawbill if you're willing to get shuttled to Kawishiwi.
 
02/15/2015 12:31AM  
if I were you I wouldn't ask for suggestions. I'd do my research and plan my own route. that's half the fun, and don't research the hell out of it...too much information can easily ruin a trip, surprises are a good thing.
 
jeepgirl
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02/15/2015 12:41AM  
Kanoes, I like asking for suggestions. There is no harm in asking people where to go. I will research the suggestions and go from there,
 
02/15/2015 12:54AM  
to each our own. I trip with a guy, who I love, that researches the hell out of a trip all off season, to the point where there aren't many surprises anymore. I think that detracts from a trip in many ways.
 
02/15/2015 06:42AM  
I'm taking five days to do the Lady Chain over Memorial Day. I do plan on staying on Kawasachong to fish it and leave the portage to Polly for when I am fresh as has been suggested. I am not as strong as most and I find the portage a bit difficult after a half day of work already. I've been through there a couple times. Last year I saw a cow moose and calf in the river outlet area of Kawasachong. Most people just travel through this lake and since the Pagami creek fire I'm guessing it is even more true, under fished I hope. Polly is a beautiful lake but a bit campgroundish. Don't know anything about the rest of the chain as I haven't done that yet. The shuttle is $80 out of Sawbill, however, I have a cabin in the area and if I'm up that weekend I could shuttle you otherwise you could take the Mahlberg route-maybe let fate decide.
 
02/15/2015 09:02AM  
upon reflection I was wrong in my post. tmi by someone else does not detract from what I experience at all and if that's what they truly enjoy doing (planning out the miniscule details of a trip), more power to them. its their trip too.
 
02/15/2015 10:03AM  
What about Quetico? It IS a whole different experience. Much more solitude and you don't need to travel far to get it. A nice trip at that time of year might be to Louisa Falls out of Prairie Portage. Lots of loop options and you might only see a few canoes the entire time.

 
02/15/2015 10:21AM  
I am going into Clearwater with one of my daughters in mid June. We are planning on taking the border lakes east from Clearwater (Mountain, Moose, North Fowl) and then loop back either via the Pike Lakes or Pine or perhaps a combo. Bigger lakes, stunning scenery-my favorite in the entire BW. There are also some challenging portages and wind considerations, but that is half the fun! Good luck in your planning.
 
DanCooke
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02/15/2015 10:41AM  
Expanding on your experiences. Bower Trout to Brule to Winchell to Omega, to Gaskin Horseshoe south to Vista to Ram and a walk back to the car. Not Particularly easy or insanely hard, but something to pick away at and enjoy the variety in the journey..
 
jeepgirl
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02/15/2015 01:18PM  
love the suggestion Dan Cooke. I am leaning towards Cherokee.
 
luft
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02/16/2015 02:34AM  
quote jeepgirl: "love the suggestion Dan Cooke. I am leaning towards Cherokee."


Chat with Twins87 this weekend if you can make it over to her house. She and I went in to Cherokee from the north last summer and she and her hubby went in from the south the month before.
 
jeepgirl
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02/16/2015 06:54AM  
Thanks Luft. I would be going in from Sawbill. I have been to Cherokee before. I will talk to Twins. Thinking on doing the Frost River loop if the water is high enough in July. I am also still thinking about Polly. But then again Missing Link would be cool too.
 
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