Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: My trip plan, open to suggestions
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trailcherry |
June 23 will be buggy! Bring headnets! |
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twistertail |
inspector13: "How far up Hwy 61 are you going to go before heading to Ely? " Probably up to Rt 1, Tettegouche State Park looks like a neat stop. |
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cyclones30 |
bobbernumber3: "Whoa Big Guy!! I'd tend to agree with taking a more open approach to your plans. See how it goes and have a good time. Lots of cool things to see and do along the north shore, waterfalls, light house, etc. |
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twistertail |
We plan on being on the water by 6:00am. We'll be staying in the wilderness for five or six nights and don't really have a set plan after the first day. Would like to see Thomas and Fraser and maybe even Alice and would be fun to get to Insula since that is where I took my first trip. Might travel everyday or stay several nights in the same location if we like it. Any suggestions and good campsites, good fishing, pictographs in the area? We plan on stopping to check out Cattyman Falls on the way in or the way out. On the way up, we are staying in Rice Lake, WI Friday night and plan on taking our time getting to Ely on Saturday. Planning on going along the lake shore on 61 and stopping a few places so any recommendations on that would be helpful also. Picking up canoe and any last minute gear from Voyageur North Saturday evening and staying at Motel Ely for the night. Recommendations for dinner and early breakfast appreciated, or any other things we should see in Ely. |
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scotttimm |
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inspector13 |
Yes, it is a good stop. If seeing a lighthouse is something you also wanted to do, I would recommend stopping at Two Harbor’s waterfront over Split Rock State Park. You might catch a laker being loaded with taconite there too. If you plan on being somewhere on the shore by lunch time, I recommend the Rustic Inn Café in Castle Danger. Seeing the various waterfalls at Gooseberry State Park is also fun if it is your first time. If you park in the lot by the visitor’s center there is no need to pay any entrance fee. Same for Tettegouche, but if you want to see those falls, it is quite the hike in from that parking area. A couple of places that are less well known include the falls of the Beaver River at Beaver Bay. There is a wayside rest right before crossing the river. Not many know about Black Beach in Silver Bay either. The road to get there is just south of the AmericInn motel. |
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trailcherry |
How concerned should i be about the wind and motor boats on Snowbank?" You might see a motor boat, I wouldn't be concerned. Sounds like you are getting an early start so wind should not be an issue. I've been on Snowbank many times and have never had to delay because of wind, every day, week, and year is different, when in doubt play it safe. |
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overthehill |
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bobbernumber3 |
Taking your daughter on her first trip is all about her. Re-living your first trip is a mistake ( it would be fun to get to Insula). I've never been on your route, but checked the map... how many portages are you planning on Day 1? It would be better to plan a less aggressive trip and be happy to beat the plan. Your goal is to make great memories. Good for you. ps. IMHO, rethink the "on the water at 6am"? |
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twistertail |
bobbernumber3: "twistertail: "... Why not plan on getting on the water at 6:00? ... " she's usually an early riser but after a few long days on the road who knows. How concerned should i be about the wind and motor boats on Snowbank? |
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twistertail |
Why not plan on getting on the water at 6:00? I’ve read about the wind and waves on Snowbank and wanted to get a good head start to get to Disappointment. Should be light enough by then right? |
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boonie |
I go up through MI and UP from northern WV - definitely the way to go. I haven't been back around Chicago since 2006. Really not any longer or slower for me, much less traffic, much more scenic, much more relaxed. I take picnic lunch, snacks, lots of nice roadside parks to stop at, some on Lake, or near falls. Go right by Seney NWR - nice stop for lunch, snack, rest stop. Lots of other places, things to see with a little detour if there's time - Copper Falls, Apostle Islands, Porcupine Mountains, Pictured Rocks, and more. Have a good trip! Don't let her wear you out ;). |
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nlong |
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anthonyp007 |
Tony |
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inspector13 |
anthonyp007: "... I’ve been known to fill a growler... This probably won't be happening later this summer, since Castle Danger is planning to produce more barrels than would allow for growler sales. :( |
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luft |
My boys have been fine with multiple portages maybe a little grousing about it but nothing major. We have traveled with other families with young girls and multiple portages hasn't been an issue. But then these are families that have had previous trips so maybe that makes a difference? I've been researching part of your route for an upcoming trip. The trip to Ima via Disappointment has 8 portages and will take approximately 5-6 hours. That is pretty much where I had planned to stop on my first day. Fraser and Thomas are very pretty. That 200+ rod portage out of the east side of Thomas was LOOOOOOONG. I was in 2 days after ice out and had a lot of gear so I tripled it and it seemed like it took forever! I stayed at the beach site just east of Williamson Island on Insula that Scotttimm mentions. It was my next stop after staying on Thomas that trip. Very pretty beach campsite but also very buggy in the May when I was there. The back side of the site was flooded so that may have contributed to the healthy population of mosquitoes I encountered there :-) |
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minnmike |
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bobbernumber3 |
twistertail: "... Why not plan on getting on the water at 6:00? ... " My teenagers were never much of morning people while on vacation. You are right about daylight, wind and wave. |
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Jackfish |
bobbernumber3: "Whoa Big Guy!! Taking your daughter on her first trip is all about her. " What Bobber said. Step back, take a deep breath, and plan a fun trip for your daughter. You know her best... she's 14 so (in theory) she should be capable of handling portages and stiff paddling, but you have to be flexible and be happy about it. Fourteen is an age when she could just as easily remember the enjoyable times in camp, swimming, eating good food, etc. more than she'll wear a badge of honor for endless paddling and portaging... or not. Plan accordingly. |
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inspector13 |
How far up Hwy 61 are you going to go before heading to Ely? |
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minnmike |
This would give me time to get checked in, do final gear check making sure I didn't forget anything, and get everything ready to load in canoe. Then last minute shopping for forgotten items and fresh food for first day in and a stroll around Ely. A meal at Ely Steakhouse and a nice relaxing evening. If you want to be on the water at Snowbank by 6am nothing will be open in Ely for breakfast except gas station as you will need to be heading out of town by 5am as its a 40 minute drive and then load up. Or you can pick up breakfast stuff at Zups while walking around town and eat in your room or car on the way to EP. As far as traveling goes in BW just let the trip make itself. As others have said it is about your daughters first experience, so you are her guide. Fishing should be good throughout your route. The only pictograph that I know of in the area is on Fishdance east of Alice. As far as recommending specific camp site that is really hard to do as each person likes different things. Again keep an open mind hear and let the trip make itself. You don't want to push your daughter to get to a recommended site. Besides you may push to get there and not like it for one reason or another and planning too much of your days can ruin a nice relaxing trip Finally, you are an awesome dad for taking her up there. Enjoy your trip and time with your daughter and she will never forget it. |
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cburton103 |
A few things that stick out from the trip: Jordan is a pretty lake with three really good campsites, but has poor fishing - or at least it did for us. Hatchett isn’t that pretty, but has one solid campsite and good walleye fishing. Tanin stained water. Ina is somewhat attractive, but is pretty big and open, so it’s easy to see other occupied campsites. Thomas and Fraser are really pretty lakes with a lot of islands and quite a few good campsites. We had our best luck for pike and didn’t catch a single smallmouth back then. We caught a few walleye as well. Kiana is a really pretty lake to spend some time in as well. I wouldn’t recommend going as far as insula unless you guys are both enjoying traveling and have a couple layover days on Thomas and want to daytrip down through Kiana and back. We did a loop through Alice and Insula and Kiana and that wore us out more than most of the guys thought it would. Most importantly, take it easy and have a great trip! |