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BlackFly
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Hello,
I’ve been going to BWCA for 20 years, but never through Snowbank Lake. The crossing is about 4 miles, and Im a little anxious about the long paddle, especially since hand and shoulder problems have cropped up in recent years.
Any veteran snowbank paddlers have some advice? My thought is to leave ep27 at dawn and head along the south shore of the island, then assess from the east end of that island, hopefully heading SE towards the south shore. Of course, the wind will determine what route I do and whether I camp to wait for wind to die. Im just open to more insight that cant be acquired from the map.
Thanks,
BF
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OldGuide2
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I would add my vote to the Parent alternative. Snowbank is one of those big, roundish lakes where the wind can be a problem and where it can kick up quickly. I would rather paddle Bailey Bay on a rough day than Snowbank. Because conditions can vary so much by day and time you need to plan alternatives. Also remember the old Minnesota saying, “The one thing about the weather is it will change fast.”
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BlackFly
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Thanks, I’ll check out that alternative, concoct a different route just in case. Hope Disappointment isn’t ??.
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pastorjsackett
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Personally I'm done with Snowbank. It's too huge. Parent and Disappointment are great options. Although I've been dumped on Dis, too. Hmmm...maybe the lakes are the problem??
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Pinetree
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OldGuide2: "I would add my vote to the Parent alternative. Snowbank is one of those big, roundish lakes where the wind can be a problem and where it can kick up quickly. I would rather paddle Bailey Bay on a rough day than Snowbank. Because conditions can vary so much by day and time you need to plan alternatives. Also remember the old Minnesota saying, “The one thing about the weather is it will change fast.”"
It did for us the Day of the Our Perfect storm on Snowbank
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Pinetree
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Coming out of Boot lake into Snowbank in the northeast- corner about 35 years ago, the wind wasn't bad at first than it picked up and kept picking up.
To you that have seen the Movie Perfect storm and the commercial fishing boat going up hill in a huge wave. Well that was the three of us in a 17 foot alumna craft boat. It was so windy and waves got so big you couldn't turn around, you would tip. You go down in the dip and the waves would be way over your head. So lucky being in go shape we struggled up and down in the huge waves, after eternity and slow progress we got some relief behind the Islands, took a break and slowly made it to the access.
That was the biggest waves I have been in, been stranded though on the sand beach coming out of Bailey Bay and also north end of Washington bay on Basswood. You just take a break no matter how long it takes. Yes once on Bald Eagle lake coming out of Gull.. I just pitched my 1 person tent off to the side of the portage at dark and got up at daybreak in case someone would come thru, and made it out.
Looking back I think 9 times out of 10 we would tip on the Snowshoe now, maybe 10 out of 10 times we would of tipped now if nightmare was repeated. The water was ice cold too, the ice just went out 5 days before.
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Pinetree
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That northeast corner of the lake can be as bad as any water in the BWCA with winds.
You have a alternate route thru Parent lake if windy.
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SoDak
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I have done many trips starting and ending at Snowbank. Like any big water you need to make the call as to how to handle it at that time. I have also crossed the entire lake when it was glass! and other times had to make some tough calls on how to skirt around the islands to make it back. Parent or Disappointment are always a great option but if the wind is blowing out of the north even that can be tricky. Have your options in mind and make the call when you can put eyes on the water.
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alpinebrule
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Have been wind bound and left at first light the next day several times on big water.
Of course, no guarantee but have had glassy water as a reward for patience. What could have been a dangerous slog was an easy treat.
Discretion is the better part of valor, or as Clint said, "a man has got to know his limitations."
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BlackFly
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What’s funny (or not) is that a few years ago, I wouldn’t even think about a big crossing beforehand. I’ve padded Knife, Basswood, crossed Saganaga, beelined on Gabamichigami, and put in on southern Alpine several times. Nowadays, after a couple medical incidents and conditions, Im more apprehensive. Things are changing, and my trips are numbered, Im sure. Gonna do my best to limit surfing or pounding whitecaps from here on out.
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OneMatch
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Definitely take the side route to Parent and Disappointment (beautiful lake btw). I've never been on Snowbank when it wasn't windy and a hassle to paddle. But after it, it is a wonderful route.
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Speckled
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We enter through Brule, I've done the length of basswood, knife, crooked, LLC...plenty of big water. Snowbank - twice I've refused to cross it. It was fishing opener one year and October another (Cold Water). White caps visable from the landing and on opener a couple other parties sitting at the landing hoping for calmer waters. One had ventured out and quickly turned back.
Both times after sitting for a few hours, we made the decision to bail and head to a smaller remote lake in the SNF.
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Saberboys
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We went through Snowbank to Disappointment last year. On the way in early in the morning is was glass and an easy, quick paddle. A week of extremely high winds made our way out across snowbank nerve rattling. We attempted the main portage to cross, but we're turned back by 3 foot rollers. We portaged back to Parent and on to the more southern portage on Snowbank. Even that was pretty scary as we couldn't even load our canoe bashing on the rocks. We waited probably 2 hours staring at 3 foot caps come across the lake and contemplated camping on the portage overnight. We were finally able to make a break for it when we timed a "lull" in the white caps. You could watch them coming down the lake, and we had just enough of a break to get halfway to the big island between us and the EP before the caps hit again. We made our way south around the island and eventually out. I will not be going back through Snowbank again!
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