BWCA One day paddle distance from Bottle portage Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
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WoodenPaddle
  
05/08/2015 10:02PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I am hoping for some input.
I have made several trips from Bottle portage to upper Gardner Bay via Crooked Lake. In each previous trip we easily made it to the campsite by dinner time, but these trips were two canoes with experienced, grown men.

After not visiting the region for almost ten years, I am taking my 16 year old daughter for a father-daughter trip in late May. I am wondering if it is reasonable (assuming good weather) for us to make it to upper Gardner Bay in one day after an a.m. boat tow to Bottle Portage. My daughter is small, but pretty strong and very athletic (plays club soccer and made it to state for Cross Country).

My alternative is to camp en route on Crooked Lake and make it into a 1.5 day trip to the same base camp.

Or I could forget Gardner Bay and simply head-up into the Roland chain after portaging around Curtain Falls. I have never been into the Roland chain of lakes. We aim to base camp and then day trip from there, fishing a lot and exploring a little.

Thanks for your opinions.
 
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Eyedocron
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05/08/2015 10:30PM  
Hard to advise you fully, as not certain about your need to base camp, but have been through your area planned several times. you could see Curtain Falls, visit Rebecca Falls, go through the Roland Lakes and see the beautiful glyphs on the eastern rock walls of Darky Lake with only a couple of campsite moves. Just a suggestion..Eyedocron
WoodenPaddle
  
05/08/2015 10:51PM  
Is the fishing bass / walleye / pike / trout pretty decent for the Roland chain of lakes?
old_salt
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05/09/2015 11:05PM  
Middle Roland would be a good target for day 1. It has waldos. Roland has Lakers and bass. Argo has bass in the bay from Roland. Lakers elsewhere. Darky has all species, but is primarily lakers. Take some time to smell the roses. Your daughter will appreciate it.
Guest Paddler
  
05/10/2015 02:59PM  
This seems like good advice. My daughter has never before been on a canoe trip so it it hard to guess how she would do (let alone enjoy) a log paddle day. Especially on the first day.
GraniteCliffs
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05/10/2015 04:14PM  
Having spent a number of trips with similar age girls I like the plan of taking it easy. My goal was always to get them to want to come back the next year. After 6-7 years the girls were absolute troopers and would paddle and portage all day long without complaint, regardless of the weather or work involved. They never wanted a layover day. It was great to see them grow over the years. We were able to traverse a good chunk of the BW and especially the Q.
The boys were a little less ambitious when I took them, even though the plan was the same. They always thought a 3-4 hour day followed by base camping was a good plan. I could never get them to go the way the girls would.
bojibob
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05/10/2015 06:52PM  
The Rolands are beautiful and lead to Argo which is Gem and since you havent been there...why not?

Middle Roland would be a full day one for your daughter.


WoodenPaddle
  
05/11/2015 09:35AM  
Thanks for sharing your opinions guys.
Now I am looking closely at the weather... hopefully this cold, rainy front will pass through before our trip (May 23 entry).
 
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