Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Ever paddle ACROSS the BWCA?
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oldguide2 |
In this sense also you would experience the area more like trips much further north where there are not set routes and sometimes the maps are not accurate. I also would not downplay the border trip. With books like Bolz and Nute and others you can literally travel with the voyageurs. With some older maps like the Gov ones from the 1930s you can even see what was there almost a century ago. Learn about the historical, living BWCA. You could be camped at a spot the voyageurs used. Finally, I would also look into a cross Quetico trip such as the suggestion from Ely to Grand Marais. |
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marsonite |
I've thought about that before. Like you said, you would have paddle on Basswood, though it looks to me like you could go through Wind, Wind Bay, to Back Bay and never really get that close to the border. Seems like the other problem area would be Sunday to Stuart via Sterling Lake. Thats in a PMA now. There would be people on this site who would know the condition of those portages. I did it 25 years ago so I wouldn't be much help. Hardest part would be the logistics of moving cars. |
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paddlinjoe |
pos1: "The only part of the trip where I see we have few, if any, options is getting out of Basswood Lake. Will probably need to stay along the Canadian border for quite a while before heading south, maybe down through Lake Agnes." What a neat trip. I've done the border route, but there is a good bit of motor traffic that I would just as soon avoid. Your trip plan sounds fun. The only way to bypass a chunk of Basswood that I can see, is taking Moose to Wind Lake, but you are still doing the southern third of Basswood. There is an exit to Sandpit lake on the SW corner of Basswood that you've probably already pondered. You end up travelling through Fourtown to Crooked lake. that is a nice area to see. Have you thought about heading into Canada at Prairie Portage and going across the lakes to the north of Basswood? Have a great trip! |
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nofish |
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billconner |
Banksiana: "pos1: "I definitely like the idea of crossing into the Quetico, especially since we've never been there. I'll try to factor that into our route where it makes sense." But unlike BWCAW, you can exit and re-enter on same permit, even go to a store, spend a night in BWCAW, etc., as long as you pay for all those nights. You would be overlooking reporting to US customs upon each re-entry but probably not be hasseled. And get around that using the I 68 program and a sat phone. |
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bobbernumber3 |
Make your plans and have fun! |
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Jackfish |
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Jackfish |
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nctry |
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nofish |
pos1: 4. Why? Because my daughter suggested it and she will have just graduated high school...so I'm counting the days when these opportunities won't be as easy. " No better reason than that. When an 18 year old kid requests to go on an adventure with dad instead of doing all the typical things 18 year olds tend to do, you jump at the chance and don't look back. If either of my kids ever suggests a trip like that, I'd go to hell and back to make it happen. My only suggestion on actual routes is maybe sit down with your daughter and plan the route together. Make this a true father/daughter adventure that you do together from planning all the way though execution of your plan. I think you'll both find it more rewarding that your daughter joining you on a trip that you plan by yourself. Beyond that, all I can offer is that west to east is the way to go, and if she likes to portage, why not throw in the grand daddy of all portages (Grand Portage) at the end of the trip? It would be a great achievement that sets the stage for her leap into the next stage of life after high school graduation. Enjoy the adventure and time with your daughter. |
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minnmike |
I did my resupply at Voyageur Outfitters on Sag and it worked great. Just sent them a box with everything I'd need a couple weeks before my trip started so I made sure they had it before I left. But doing so required a re-permit since I paddled out of the BW. In my research, I called VNO in Ely and they will take a resupply to PP for a fee. This is great because you don't need to re-permit, but I wanted a resupply after 14-16 days so I opted to do mine at Sag. I would look at going from EP14 or 16 with a resupply at PP for week one. Week two, leave the border and hit some interior lakes, either to Lake One, Sag, Seagull, Brandt or Kawishiwi Lake. Your idea sounds amazing I hope you do it. |
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pos1 |
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Banksiana |
pos1: "I definitely like the idea of crossing into the Quetico, especially since we've never been there. I'll try to factor that into our route where it makes sense." Unfortunately you can't enter the Quetico on a whim or routing convenience. Must pick up permit for entry at a ranger station the afternoon or the day of the permit. Ranger stations at Lac La Croix, Prairie Portage and Saganaga. |
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jwartman59 |
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MNGreene |
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Jackfish |
MNGreene: "I have done a cross-Quetico trip too. I wonder if we covered the same area. ;) " Ha! I'm thinking you may have covered the exact route, coincidentally on the same days. :) |
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pos1 |
1. Doesn't matter to me which direction, so west to east does sound like a better plan (although it seems like I always hit headwinds no matter which direction). 2. I am definitely trying to stay off big water. We can handle them technically, but would rather not have to worry about wind and I find few of them as interesting as a smattering of small lakes. And my daughter likes portaging more than paddling. 3. We are both big into fishing, but this isn't a fishing trip. We'll definitely fish when the opportunity arises and when we take days off, so I will plan some days around lakes I know hold good fishing opportunities. 4. Why? Because my daughter suggested it and she will have just graduated high school...so I'm counting the days when these opportunities won't be as easy. 5. Timing and food. I agree if this can be done in 2 weeks then a resupply isn't needed. I do all the food prep for 3-4 trips per year, so 2 people for 2 weeks is very manageable. Although I insist on single portaging, and my daughter will be carrying the food pack on front. We're up for that challenge. 6. Sounds like there's some good feedback about spending time up along the border, so the area around Basswood that my require that would be fine. I've never been up in that area so that's all the more excuse to plan some of trip thru there. |
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pos1 |
The only part of the trip where I see we have few, if any, options is getting out of Basswood Lake. Will probably need to stay along the Canadian border for quite a while before heading south, maybe down through Lake Agnes. Would probably meet my wife around half-way to restock food so we're not carrying so much. I haven't done any investigation on miles or how long it would take. We want to enjoy the trip with some days off paddling, but I'm hoping 2 weeks is plenty. Just looking for general thoughts and feedback. |
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cyclones30 |
There are a fair amount of people that do the entire border route from Crane Lake or so to the far east end, following the border the whole way and then include the Grand Portage for good measure. (and some do that route as a race....crazy what those guys did this spring for a time) So yes, people do it. 2 weeks should be enough time to cross and not feel rushed. |
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MNGreene |
Jackfish: "I have a cross-Quetico trip on my paddling resume. Did it with my (then) 20-year old son and two other friends and it will probably always be the crowning trip of 30+ years of canoe tripping. I hope you can do your cross-BW trip with your daughter. Have fun planning." I have done a cross-Quetico trip too. I wonder if we covered the same area. ;) |
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cyclones30 |
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oldguide2 |
The first time I did the Border the Chosa family was still running a store at Prairie Portage. How much have you travelled on big lakes? Parts of La Croix, Basswood and Sag can get pretty rough very fast. The Basswood River can be a bit of a bottle neck due to lack of campsites. I would think of this in terms of three shorter trips. Crane Lake to Ely is one, Ely to Sag or some place on the Gunflint is two. Gunflint to Superior is three. The nine mile Grand Portage is not hard, just long. You might want to find copies of Bolz, Portage into the Past, and Grace Lee Nute’s still classic history of the voyageurs. |
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sedges |
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