Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Getting back to the woods - 2013
by treehorn

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 10/16/2013
Entry Point: North Kawishiwi River (EP 29)
Exit Point: Little Gabbro Lake (EP 33)  
Number of Days: 4
Group Size: 5
Day 2 of 4
Thursday, October 17, 2013

Woke up and had a good breakfast and packed up camp, as we wanted to switch sites and get to some different areas. We didn't have a specific plan, but were going to keep heading down the river toward Little Gabbro/Gabbro and just see what we found.

We took the portage into Little Gabbro and turned east toward Gabbro. The narrows between these two lakes is a really cool area, with a bunch of little islands and rock outcroppings. We landed at one or two sites along the way and ultimately were deciding between the last site by the bay right before you enter into Gabbro (1711), and the first site on Gabbro proper, elevated up on an island (2135). We were torn, and took a vote, and I think I was the only one who choose the island site, but was not disappointed at all. I was game for either.

So we made camp, and quite honestly don't remember exactly how we spent the day. There was definitely some swimming (still HOT for this time of year) and some fishing. We had luck in the narrows between the two lakes, getting pike & bass at a fairly steady rate.

I think we had a fish fry and just otherwise enjoyed nice weather and a really nice campsite. It's elevated and pretty open to the lake, so the view from here was phenomenal, and there was plenty of space around camp. Nice firegrate and nice level tent pads. Probably the only drawback is the amount of groups that paddle by fairly close to your site, and the fact that another campsite is visible to the south across the opening to Gabbro. Something about having to see someone else's tent makes me sad when I'm in the BW.