Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Quetico Forum :: Entering at Lac La Croix
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Jackfish |
It's about 45 miles on gravel to drive in and it's very pricey to take the long tow from Crane Lake. Is the Canada Customs Station still open? If so, that probably eliminates the need for an RABC permit, right? |
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TrailZen |
TZ |
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walllee |
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arnesr |
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RunningFox |
You go thru Canadian customs so no remote boarder crossing permit is necessary. I look forward to using Zups in 2022. Hopefully anyway. Have a party of four or be prepared for an up charge. |
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Castaway |
We used Andersons for the tow in 2019. As mentioned, you first visit Canadian Customs on Sand Point Lake after leaving Crane Lake. Once you get on Lac La Croix, the tow makes a stop at the ranger station for you to get your permits. You can get a tow to any of the Lac La Croix entries. We entered at Bottle and exited at Brewer. Avoiding a tow saves $300 pp in expense but it takes more time AND there are more unknowns for your travel schedule. We had no issue paddling from the ranger station to Twin Falls on the way to Poohbah since it is west to east travel with the typical prevailing winds. On our day out though, we faced paddling into a heavy headwind heading west, forcing us to stop at a peninsula and wait out the winds for over 3 hours and then paddle into a significant headwind even when we were able to get back on the lake. Based on that exhausting experience, I would recommend using a tow. Personally, I might try paddling from the ranger station again for the Maligne River entry for Poohbah but would use a tow for everywhere else. I'm not sure I could convince my son to make that paddle back again though! Lac La Croix is a big lake and it gets rocking and rolling. |
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Jackfish |
Boy, that's a lot of money per person for the tow service, but I suppose it can be rationalized when considering the value in it. |
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deerfoot |
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billconner |
And returning to US at Crane Lake, video check in? |
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plander |
Sometimes we got dropped at Bottle Portage and stayed on the US side for our entire trip (BWCA permit only), while other times we entered Q (via various EPs managed by the LLC Q ranger station). No RABC needed for the tow from Anderson’s for Q entry since they stop at Sand Point Canadian Customs on the way. My recollection is when staying on the US side (no Q permit) we didn’t go through Canadian Customs (Sand Point) nor go through US customs upon return (before the shut down of the US Customs at Crane Lake). Would not have carried a US passport on these BWCA only trips…nor secured a RABC CANPASS. We have always stayed the night before in the Pine Ridge Motel across the road from Anderson’s. Road (23/24) from Orr, MN to Crane Lake, MN is paved the entire way. I’ve entered Q via Prairie Portage (with a RABC CANPASS). In my opinion, the fastest and easiest way to get into Q from the US is via a tow from Crane Lake. The round trip tow and night in the Motel is about $600 pp (if renting canoes from them as well, $300-400 pp total if no canoe rental). Well worth it in my view. |