Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Newby looking for advise
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boonie |
Some good advice so far. I always have difficulty knowing how to answer. I assumed from your opening sentence backpacking experience, but not so sure after you said limit portaging. Don't know anything about your group or its canoeing experience. Solitude usually increases with portage difficulty and distance. It's hard to tell how fast you/your group will travel and how many miles/hours would be reasonable. In 5 days, 4 nights, you'll only get so far before you need to head back. Paddling is usually faster than portaging and you can limit portaging by traveling bigger lakes, but wind can be more problematic. It has already been noted that you'll need to pick an entry first since outfitters on the Gunflint Trail (out of Grand Marais) wouldn't service Ely entries and vice versa. You can click on the "Outfitters" tab above and there will be a link to their websites. If all you need is a canoe, they'll all do that. Accommodations range from nothing to campgrounds, bunkhouse, cabins, or lodges. Some will be more conveniently located to your entry. You may also want to read trip reports about different entries by clicking on the "Planning" tab above, then trip reports and BWCA. They can be sorted by entry point. You can also click on "Maps" for an entry point and then on the portage lines for additional information on them. Sawbill and Rockwood are both good options. Sawbill has a campground, Rockwood a bunkhouse. I have also used Sawtooth Outfitters (no accommodations) on the way to EP#37, Kawishiwi Lake, which is another entry you might consider. Another entry to consider might be EP #50, Cross Bay. Check out the information, come back with questions and more information, and you'll get some more specific advice. |
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Grandma L |
QueticoMike: "Call my buddy Drew at Piragis Northwoods, he can help you out with everything you need and can answer all of your questions for a short, isolated trip. Good luck, welcome to the BWCA.com!" Great suggestion, Q.M. Drew is very knowledgeable and gives good advice. |
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lundojam |
If you don't mind spending more money, the best way to get pretty secluded without portaging much--or at all-- is to get a tow (a term that means a motorboat ride for you and your canoes and gear) in to Lac La Croix. Call Anderson's Canoe Outfitters. |
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Maerbear |
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Northwoodsman |
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cyclones30 |
Usually a long or hard portage will find you solitude the fastest from an entry. |
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IndyElden |
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TomP |
I'm not familiar with this term or story. I assume a reference to Sen/VP Mondale. Any further details would be appreciated. |
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Tomcat |
My wife and I are planning a July trip out of Ely and will spend one night at the Canoe On Inn in Ely before and after the trip. |
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Northwoodsman |
I like the EP #38 idea however there are a couple of difficult portages to Cherokee. Also once you leave Sawbill Lake there are no campsites until you hit Cherokee. Sawbill Outfitters offer great advice, have anything that you need, and are generally just top-notch friendly people. They are right at the EP and the campground is beautiful. Cherokee is gorgeous. Another option is to use Rockwood Lodge & Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail. They have a bunkhouse to stay in the night before, have a huge selection of rental canoes and last minute equipment, and are also the nicest people you will ever meet. If you get a permit for EP #47 you can put it from Rockwood and have a 20 minute paddle across Poplar Lake. You will have an easy portage into Lizz, then a 20 minute paddle down Lizz to the next easy and short portage into Caribou. Caribou offer plenty of campsites or you can paddle 20 minutes across Caribou and take another short easy portage into Horseshoe (moose country). You can stay on Horseshoe or paddle 30 minutes and take a moderately easy portage into Gaskin Lake. With this route who can go as close or as far as you want. Once you leave Rockwood you could be on a campsite on Caribou in 1 hour, or on a campsite on Horseshoe in under 2 hours, or on Gaskin in a total of about 3.5 hours. There are lots of campsites along this route and many opportunities to visit other lakes for day trips on this route. |
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boonie |
EP is just an acronym for Entry Point; each entry point has a name and a number. The Lizz Lake entry is EP #47, EP #38 is Sawbill Lake entry, Cross Bay entry is EP #50, etc. You'll find some information such as this on permits when you click on the "Planning" tab at the top of the page. You can also get information on the USFS website. Permits are for entry, not campsites. A permit is specific to both the date and the entry point. In other words, a June 24th permit for Lizz Lake, EP #47, allows you to enter only at Lizz Lake, EP #47, and only on June 24th. Each entry has a daily permit quota, which varies from one entry point to another. The permit doesn't restrict you to camping on a particular site or lake, although you are required to camp at a designated site. Those are first-come, first-served. All members of the permit group must camp at the same site. Otherwise you can travel anywhere you want and camp at a designated site on any lake. There are other rules you'll want to be aware of such as the maximum group size of 9 people and 4 watercraft, limitations on glass and cans - basically prohibited except for things like bug spray - LNT (Leave No Trace) regulations. Hope that helps. |
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Maerbear |
Also, when obtaining a request for a permit; is that for an available campsite on a particular lake, or is that for a particular site on a lake. (again, use to NP reservation system). Thx again. Appreciate the help. |
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scramble4a5 |
Northwoodsman: "Welcome Maerbear, We did this route last year and were fortunate enough to get the Mondale site on Gaskin. Comparatively speaking these are easy portages. It's not remote but it is a nice place to basecamp and explore. The folks at Rockwood Outfitters are super nice as well. |
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Maerbear |
Thanks. Mary from Missouri |
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mjmkjun |
Sawbill Outfitters (full or partial outfitting) on Sawbill Lake #EP 38. They also manage the campground located there at end of Sawbill Trail. Put-in right there at the landing/dock of the campground and take-out same. There are several route options with only short portages involved from that entry point. My suggestion has 3 portages with one 180-rod portage involved but it's not tough. Some slight up and downs on a well travelled path. I did this portage easily when I was 67 yrs. of age. Route: Head straight north from Sawbill Lake to Cherokee Lake and back same route. Check it out on the map section on this site. Cherokee is a gorgeous lake with a good selection of sites to choose from. You reach Cherokee Lake in half a day of paddling/portaging. Six hours if you're a slow traveller, photo bug, drop a line or two to fish, etc. |
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bwcadan |
I would suggest you consider base camping to ease portaging after you set up your camp. Travel from a base and return each day reduces set up and take down time. Security has not been much of a problem over the years if you are not camped next to an exit spot and even there, not much either. See Base Camping Basics at the bottom of the message board page for many ideas for base camping. Enjoy your trip. I suspect you will return. Many, including myself, go every year at least once. |
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TomP |
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