Starting this Thursday I'm going from sawbill to hub and back. Prepared to carry everything on the portages. When I was through there couple of years ago in late April in a canoe there wasn't much current through that area. With the present conditions would you bring an ice chisel (extra 6 lbs.) or just a trekking pole, or will it be so obvious where the thin ice will be that you bring nothing to check for thin ice?

Dave,
There is a lot of ice up north. The lake are still pretty safe to walk on. There are 4-wheelers and side by sides on northern lakes.

I was on Gunflint lakes this weekend and yeah, the portages need snow, but we were able to pull our toboggans across-there were rocks that we had to be careful of.

Some lakes have snow, some do not so make sure you bring some ice gippers.

A couple of ski poles to stab the ice would give you a piece of mind around narrows and flowage areas.

Thank you....I will bring a ski pole instead of a chisel....save 5 lbs.

be wary of narrows and currents

You should be able to have a quick release of your harness pulling your sled.

One area to be careful is the swamp/creek between Zenith and Frederick. In January of 2015 we broke through in a that area and it was a much colder year than this year. We had no issues anywhere else but only went as far as Wine.

Thank you for the helpful responses. I believe I read a report a while ago on your group going through the ice between zenith and Frederick. I will be going through duck and hug to get to hub.