Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Route ideals on East side
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A1t2o |
Our plan was a night on Gillis, 2 nights on Little Sag, and the last night on Tuscarora. Weather caused us to stop early on the last night, but it was a great trip. The fishing was great even though it was our first time targeting trout. All three lakes were destination lakes in my opinion, including Crooked that we ended up staying on when the storm blew in. A shorter loop, or at least a more relaxing one would be taking the shortcut between Gillis and Crooked and either skipping the northern route to Little Sag, which is not easy, or skipping Little Sag altogether and spending the time on Gillis, Crooked, and Tuscarora. |
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dustytrail |
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TuscaroraBorealis |
Daddy daughter Duncan day trips |
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dogwoodgirl |
What parameters do you have? Time? Distance? Base camp? |
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dustytrail |
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Z4K |
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straighthairedcurly |
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mmarksnp |
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dustytrail |
TuscaroraBorealis: "At this point, you will certainly be limited by what permits are still available. (I didn't look to verify for the following recommendation. ) Retired so can be flexible |
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dustytrail |
dogwoodgirl: "Not sure what kind of trip you're looking for, but there's some nice loops in the Poplar to Winchell and back area. Bower Trout is cool too. I don't love Brule, although many people do. Will not be a base camp other than that I am flexible but 10 - 14 days is a normal trip fr me. |
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Michwall2 |
Entry 49 - Skipper Lake - There are usually permits available here. Most people don't want to deal with the 320 rd. portage to start. But it is not hard, just long. Others think it is dead end at Banadad Lake, but I love the route from Banadad to Long Island. Take 2 days to go out to Long Island Lake. From here you have a couple options. 1. Go end to end out at either Cross Bay Lake Entry (#50) or Missing Link (#51). You can go even further over to Tuscarora through Copper, Hubbub, and Howl and then out through Missing Link Lake. 2. Loop back to Poplar Lake through Muskeg, Kiskakinna, Ogema, Henson, Gaskin, Horseshoe, Caribou and Lizz Lake (Entry #47). You can easily add Winchell Lake to this route and climb the cliffs and find the waterfall on the south shore of the lake. Entry #55 Saganaga Lake. I recommend a tow here. Have them take you to American Point. Continue west on the border through lovely Ottertrack to Knife Lake. Visit Thunder Point (you may have already done this?). Otherwise, visit the string of lovely small lakes Esther, Hanson, Amoeber, etc. between Ottertrack and South Arm of Knife. Once here you can work your way back to your starting point at the Seagull Lake entry just across the parking lot from where you started. Visit Eddy Falls (between SAK and Eddy Lake). Visit Mueller Falls (just a little off your route south of Ogishkemuncie Lake. You can also make this route end to end by turning south at Ogishkemuncie and heading to Gabimichigami Lake (Little Saganaga?) and then east to Gillis Lake and out Brandt Lake (Entry #52). Up for more work? This one is on my bucket list. Entry #54 - Seagull Lake - Head south out of Seagull Lake to Paulson (JAP) Lake. Not all sources agree on the length of this portage (410 or 515?). But you will certainly leave the crowds behind. Continue south here toward the Brandt Lake entry through a little used portion of the BW. I would check with an outfitter on the route finding as I think I have read some routes are not possible in low water. Hope you find the route you are looking for! |
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WinoDave |
If you go in at #68 and go west on Pine Lake there are a lot of options for various size loops you could do. This is as far east in the BWCA you can get, located northeast of the Gunflint Trail. This area of the BWCA has a very different feel than the western, Ely District portions. There are much higher elevations than you see on the western portions (see photo of Pine Lake below), with tall white pines. Johnson Falls, located on the far western end of Pine Lake makes a great day trip. On an warm day you can swim in the pool below the falls. Further west a couple portages, on Caribou Lake, campsite #691 is one of my all time favorite BWCA campsites. The downside to the big lakes and higher elevation is wind and some tough portages, so plan accordingly. The lakes north of Pine give you loop options. You could easily go in at #68 and out at #69 or #70, if you don't want to back track. Or in and out at any of these three EPs as they share a parking lot. |