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Post by WoodsWalker on May 27, 2005 13:54:25 GMT -5
I will be staying in Ely at the Fall Lake Campground with the wife & kids a few days before I leave on my Quetico trip to the BWJ. I want to do a day trip with them & was wondering what your favorite areas have been.
Last year I took them to the North Hegman pictographs & they loved it. Looking for other options. [/color]
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Post by Kawishiway on May 27, 2005 18:25:15 GMT -5
WW,
You won't be far from Wood Lake, from the Fall Lake campground. It is a nice portage down to the lake with a few twists and turns at the bottom. Wood Lake is swampy in the beginning but turns into open water after not to far. Upon arriving at the portage to Hula you have another easy portage. I enjoyed Hula as it a reeded rice lake? I found it relatively easy to paddle through and different than most lakes I've paddled previously. The portage into Good lake gets a bit more less traveled. I think you will like it. After Good Lake you'll find your self on Basswood. Paddle Northeast to the Indiana Lake portage, less traveled yet, and loop back. It is a good day trip with plenty to see. I can send you or post some photos of the area if you'd like, WW.
k
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Post by bogwlkr on May 31, 2005 10:48:54 GMT -5
I like Little Indian Sioux River to Lower Pauness and Devil's cascade. Can be done in about 5 hours with a nice spot for lunch either at a campsite or along the portage to the cascade itself.
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Post by WoodsWalker on Jun 1, 2005 5:14:07 GMT -5
Bog's,
That is the day trip that I picked, but was trying to find out what other ones that people might suggest. I have never been up the LIS, so any specifics would be great. A good lunch spot with room for 4 kids ages 10-12 could explore would be great.
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Post by bogwlkr on Jun 1, 2005 8:24:27 GMT -5
WW, Get an early start (7-8 am on the water) and head for the portage into Loon from Lower Pauness. About 1/3 of the way across on the left side of the portage is a nice spot for lunch big enough for your entire group. The spot overlooks the gorge and is far enough off the portage to not be a problem. Leave your canoes tucked back in the woods at the portage landing and spend sometime looking at Devil's Cascade. Make your way across the entire portage for nice shots along the way. Be careful if it is damp or raining. The rocks get slippery and its a fair distance down the cliff to the gorge. Don't let the kids get too close to the edge and slip and fall.
If it looks like their are already canoes at the portage and you suspect they might be thinking the same thing you are, then either stop on the western shore campsite just before the portage or on the peninsula campsite further south on the lake. Both are large enough for lunch and can be a nice way to watch the portage activity.
Either on the way in or out be sure to take the short portage at the south end of Lower and Upper Pauness. There is a nice waterfall there that is worth seeing.
Talk to the team about paddling quiet and paying attention. LIS is a good place to see Moose if you are on alert and quiet. 3 trips up LIS and I have seen Moose every time.
Remember-it is about an hour from Ely along Echo trail to the Little Indian Sioux EP. If you want to be on the water by 8, you better leave Ely by 7 am.
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Post by troutbreath on Jun 1, 2005 10:46:07 GMT -5
This is off of the Gunflint, but if you are over that way, it is worth your while. Paddling to Stairway portage off of Bearskin and Duncan is a good day trip. If you like carrying your canoe, you can come back out via Moss Lake. It is a pretty waterfall. Don't forget to hike up Caribou Rock Trail before or after this paddle.
TB
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Post by WoodsWalker on Jun 2, 2005 5:06:26 GMT -5
This is off of the Gunflint, but if you are over that way, it is worth your while. Paddling to Stairway portage off of Bearskin and Duncan is a good day trip. If you like carrying your canoe, you can come back out via Moss Lake. It is a pretty waterfall. Don't forget to hike up Caribou Rock Trail before or after this paddle. TB TB, Thanks but my cousin has a bad back problem so I will be doing all the canoe carrying. We are taking two MN4's. So even for this day trip I will have to double portage to bring both canoes across. Sounds like a good option for later this summer when it is just my own family.
Thanks[/color]
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Post by bdavid1157 on Jun 3, 2005 14:52:38 GMT -5
WW I would suggest the Hegman Pictographs. It wouldn't take the whole day but the pictographs always seem to amaze me.
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