My son and one of his friends are planning a trip following the border lakes all the way across from Crane Lake, probably entry point 12 on Little Vermillion, to the east end, maybe North Fowl Lake. They are looking at the first half of September. They're both experienced outdoorsmen and paddlers. They’ve done numerous trips to the BWCA, Isle Royale and Sylvania, as well as backpacking trips in the Great Lakes region and the Rockies, so I’m not concerned with they're ability. I’m just looking for tips from anybody who has done any or all of this route. How much motor boat traffic is likely on Lac La Croix or Gunflint Lake? Does anyone have suggestions for vehicle shuttle, or do they need to drive two vehicles? Any particular “Must Sees” or ‘Must Avoid”?

I don't know this area but most outfitter's provide a shuttle service for a fee. it will still be cheaper than brining 2 car's.
oldgentleman where are you located. I live in lower michigan and I to have done isle royale and sylvania.
thecanoeman.

I know it's off topic, but any tips for Sylvania from either of you? I have hiked it, and was mightily impressed. What maps are good...and do I need a permit to canoe overnight?

More on topic, towards the eastern end some of these are good sized lakes with the potential for considerable wind. I'd plan for a few extra days in case they get wind-bound. This area has also had a lot of impact from the blow-down, so don't count on being able to hang food packs- bring a bear barrel or other means of protecting food.
Depending on their route, they might need Quetico permits as well...you are not even allowed to fish on the Canadian side of that invisible line without a permit. I'm not familiar with the western end of the border lakes.

dogwoodgirl: you can get map's for sylvania, from the forest supervisor's headquarter's in ironwood, michigan 49938.you will need the black oak lake quadrangle map.
a permit is nessasary,a reservation is advisable, but they do hold 25% of the permits for walk-in camper's.another source of info. is ottawa national forest.
from my own point of view,this area is very different than the bwca.it's only 21,000 acre's but they only have about 50 interior campsite's, and the lake's are gin clear, you can see 25 ft down.excelent smallie fishing!
thecanoeman

I e-mailed Bert Heep at Piragis regarding a shuttle. He said it would be pretty pricey, 3 to 4 hundred. I haven't checked with any other outfitters.

WOW!

Yea, that would be quite a haul for a shuttle! Figure a minimum of 250 miles and 6 hours one-way and the charge would be for two-way (remember the driver will have to go there and back). You're paying someone to drive 500 miles and 12 hours at least, probably more.

Hello Canoeman.
I live just outside of Lansing, Michigan, near the little town of Dimondale.

Anywhere near you?

no I live 10 mile's outside of detroit, in westland.

Canoeman, I live in Mt.Clemens, nice to know I'm not the only one the metro Detroit area that likes the BWCA.

If you get to Canoecopia this year, there is a presentation about it. "The Dream Trip: Paddling The Voyageur Highway"

http://www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia/speaker.asp?spid=185&year=2006

Canoeman and Marc bates,
OK, I live near Lansing but I work in Dearborn.
Drop me an e-mail - olmsted1@cablespeed.com

The Voyageur Highway is really the border route they're taking, isn't it? I'd love to hear it.

Who is presenting Voyageur Highway at Canoecopia?
In Lansing we have the Quiet Water Symposium at Mich State this weekend. If the presenter isn't going to be there maybe we can get them next year.

being presented by:

Bob Marchino & Charlie Helbling

Here is a link to their bio at the canoecopia website

http://www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia/speaker.asp?spid=185

oldgentleman, I've been considering the same route so I can't really give any input. But, thought I'd let you, thecanoeman and marc bates et al know that I live in Lansing, and will be at the symposium Saturday...guess I could wear a pink carnation so you can pick me out of the crowd ;)

Lynda and I have done the entire border route except for the LONG portage between Rose and Mountain Lakes. This has been done in segments over the last 34 years. We also live in mid-Michigan in Parma, near Jackson.

Hello Ghostship and Spartan1.
I probably won't look for anybody with a pink carnation, but it's nice to know there are others in the area. I'm the guy with a graying beard, but as my son says, that doesn't narrow it down much.

Send me an email sometime. Maybe we can do some canoeing in the area.

Spartan1, when did you do the border trip? How long did it take you? My son hasn't decided if they're going to cross the Gunflint into the eastern part of the BW, but they're considering paddling down Gunflint lake into the eastern part.
I'd like to hear all the details.

It is very interesting to see so many from Mi., I am from Garden City. The one thing I dislike about the BWCA is the drive up there. If I was lucky enough to live within a couple of hours i am sure that I would do 2-3 trips a year. As it is the 15 hour drive kind of limits that.

Echolcomb, if you are going to the Gunflint area from lower Michigan, it is a pleasant trip on the north shore of Lake Superior. I figure about 17 miles farther than across the UP.
Oldgentleman, the east end is a nice area. Have them visit Rose Falls and stairway portage. It is the last lake before the LONG portage. Some day we are going to walk the portage so we can say we have traveled the entire border route.

Hey Spartan1, Tell me about the long portage from Rose to Mountain. I looked on the Quietjourney portage site and it wasn't listed.

Oldgentleman: The LONG portage is between Rose and Rove Lakes and is listed as 660 rods long(about 2 mi.). Then the portage from Watap to Mountain is 100 rods. Mountain has the first campsite since Rose. We double portage and my wife doesn't think her knees are up to the challenge.

I found a page from a trip planning book from the early eighties that has the International Boundary Route from Grand Portage to Crane Lake as 195 miles, 40 portages and 15-18 days.

Wow, that's quite a trip. Thanks a lot for that information.
Does it say how far it is from Crane to the Gunflint?
Is that book still in print? It sounds like it might be a really good resource.

The book I have is "A Paddler's Guide to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area" by Michael E. Duncanson, published by W. A . Fisher Company, copyright 1976, 6th edition and revision, January, 1990. It breaks the trip into 11 days from Gunflint to Crane Lakes. This guide doesn't list mileage.