Never paddled this side of the Boundary Waters but I'm guessing I could be to Lake Four on day two from EP 32. This will be my first solo trip and my first off season entry. Starting October 12, Looks like the portages to Bald Eagle Lake are long but hopefully not rocky mudslides.

Anyone care to caution on hazards? I appreciate any input.

What is your intended route? At first, I thought you may have planned to take the South Kawishiwi River north to Lake One and then commence to Lake Four, but you ask about portages to Bald Eagle Lake. Were you planning to cut through the Weasel Lake PMA to get to Lake Two? If so, you may want to find out if it is now passable. Those portages haven’t been maintained for 25+ years, and may have been erased by the Pagami Creek Fire.

I was assuming BE through Turtle/Clearwater, or Gull/Pietro.....to Lake 2. But I was guessing.

cowdoc: "I was assuming BE through Turtle/Clearwater, or Gull/Pietro.....to Lake 2. But I was guessing."

Yeah, those are the two ways from Bald Eagle to Clearwater. It is the portages from Clearwater to Lake Two that may no longer exist. When I went through there 20 years ago those trails were very difficult to discern. With the fire and re-growth since, I can imagine it would be a difficult bushwhack. Just look at what happened to the Powwow Trail before volunteers put in all that work to restore it.

Ah yes....I see the portage comments for Clearwater to Rock Island are not pretty. Could be an adventure

So the alternate route to Bald Eagle from Lake Two Three is to backtrack the South Kawishiwi to Little Gabbro?

That would be a lot of portage especially in overgrowth and blowdowns.

I haven't done Clearwater to Two, but I've looked at it. Based on comments over the years and a discussion with my outfitter, I figured to allow a day for that section. Nice site on Clearwater at that end.

Peter999: "So the alternate route to Bald Eagle from Lake Two Three is to backtrack the South Kawishiwi to Little Gabbro?"

Yes. If you want to go to Bald Eagle Lake first, I would backtrack. I have a feeling it would take less time to get to Lake Two that way.

Thanks for the caution on the Clearwater-Lake Two portages. So my new idea is to go from EP32 to Little Gabbro, Gabbro, Bald Eagle and spend a couple of days fishing and then go to Clearwater via Turtle and just view that portage from the south before circling back to the South Kawishiwi River and making a run for the numbered lakes. Then I can view those portages from the other end. Why? Hmmm ... I don't know.