In Search of Lost Hope - A PMA Crossing
by TreeBear
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
05/26/2023
Entry Point:
Hog Creek (EP 36)
Exit Point:
Kawishiwi Lake (EP 37)
Number of Days:
4
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
The primitive management areas have always fascinated me as the truest sense of wilderness to be found in the BWCA. They are remote, challenging to navigate, and seldom visited. The scenery is neat in its own way, but they will never stack up to the big favorites like Kekekabic, Crooked, or Rose. The fishing usually isn't all that great either. Add in a potentially high risk of getting turned around or getting injured on a tough bushwhack (and the increased challenge of getting help if needed) and I would not recommend such a trip to the majority of folks. In fact, I would actively discourage people from it in most cases. But as we were looking for a trip over this Memorial day weekend, our eyes turned towards the primitive, the chance for solitude and personal challenge on another level, and an opportunity to see parts of the BWCA we had never visited and that likely haven't see other people for a very long while
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Day 1 of 4
Friday, May 26, 2023 
The trip started out with an odd start as so many of ours do when looking to make the most of a weekend. The two of us have grown accustomed to late paddling and scheduled to meet up at Kawishiwi Lake at 7:30 after work and a remote drive. After some brief packing and commenting on the newly hatched swarms of bugs, we headed for our entry point at Hog Creek, leaving our shuttle vehicle at Kawish for the finish. We made the water by 8:00 pm after picking up a good amount of garbage at the landing and started making good time down the creek. We lined the rapid set and then it was a portage-free track to Perent. It felt great to be out in a canoe again and this narrow winding creek stretch is where the Royalex Bell Prospector really shines. We pulled into Perent Lake at about 9:30 and started looking for our campsites while groups were still awake, fires were still burning, and headlamps could clue us in to what sites were open. It took a fair bit of back and fourth paddling past six full campsites before finding one without lights. A cautious check found it empty and inviting so we pulled in, had a good snack before bed, and called it a night. The next day would be the true start of our adventure. ~Perent Lake
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