BWCA Messageboard |
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
 | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
Canoe Country Outfitters
|
||||||
 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Trip Reports Trip Report - bushwacker practice Reply
|
View BWCA Photo and Trip Report Contest Page
Poll: What is your favorite month in the BWCA/Q?
| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| TomT |
07/17/2007 04:40PM Hexnymph, you guys are awesome. Makes me wih I was 20 years younger though. That stuff is right up my alley however I only bushwacked once and it was a short jaunt to an unamed lake where the largemouth bass fishing was incredible. Great read. Thanks for sharing it. |
| UncleMoose |
07/09/2007 12:43AM Looking forward to the report also. These are some of the most interesting trips. |
| Beavers |
07/08/2007 08:38PM Congrats Eglath!!! Looking forward to your trip report. |
| eglath |
07/08/2007 08:03PM We made it through! We went from Cross Bay EP to Sora Lake the first day, then from Sora Lake to Ragged Lake (we opted for the 1/2 mile over-land from Din to Ragged, rather than going around through the little ponds) on the third day then out of the PMA to Frost Lake for the last few days... Thanks again for the tips! Report will follow sometime soon... |
| eglath |
06/21/2007 11:38PM Hex, Thanks for the tips! We're tentatively planning for Sora to be our first camp (starting from Cross Bay EP) and then Ragged to be our second camp. We also plan to spend the last night or two on Frost searching for some lakers. As for the DEET. We don't normally use it, but I have some Jungle Juice left over from a previous trip (a friend from Oregon insisted on bringing it) and it will be coming with us "just in case" we need it... :o) |
| hexnymph |
06/18/2007 04:32PM Hey eglath, You should be able to see an old trail to the east of the stream from Copper Lake that isn't too bad.(Just opposite this stream on Copper Lake is a rock cliff where you can see some copper deposits that appear blue/green) The trip into Sora from the third noname lake is a tough one. We stuck to the east of the stream on the hillside and up out of the muck but the hills are a bit confusing there.. perhaps the west side of the stream might be worth a look. Start early! We didn't spend much time on Sora, but it might be worth some exploring and perhaps a nights stay. The site between Din and Mass wasn't any great shakes. We looked on Mass for a while but didn't look on Din for better spots. Iris has good potential for camping and it was a nice looking (Scenic) lake. Memory doesn't serve me too well on which lake we had to climb down a cliff to get to, but if you find yourself looking down a cliff to a lake similar to the picture I posted on 1/9/07, just walk along the cliff till you can find something you can climb down then hand the canoes down one at a time. Some of the old portages are not always the best path to follow, as blowdowns have occured since they were last maintained. Closer to Octopus Lake they get a bit better. Good luck and have fun! Hex PS.If you don't use deet... bring it anyway! |
| eglath |
06/15/2007 11:59PM Hex, Partially inspired by your trip and encouraged by the fact that you made it through, we will be heading through the Hairy Lake PMA starting two weeks from tomorrow! We will be going through the PMA from north to south, similar to your route but we will be finding two camps within the area (one possibly on Ragged Lake). Any last minute advice for us on this adventure? I really appreciate all the info you have provided... |
| Beavers |
02/22/2007 04:53PM Thanks guys! Guess I'll have to see what it looks like when we get there. Trying to crash thru a tag alder swamp sounds like something to be avoided. ;) Beavers |
| Benutzer |
02/22/2007 01:01PM Beavers, we found that most often there was a game trail worth following "near" most streams. We'd navigate the water when we could, then head at a 90 degree angle until we crossed a moose path and use that when possible. |
| hexnymph |
02/22/2007 10:21AM Thanks Steve-O Beavers... Case by case basis. It's nice to have reference point such as a stream but the travel is usually more difficult. (think tag alder and ceder swamp with a canoe on your head) Hex |
| stinger2x |
02/21/2007 08:04PM Hex- Awesome trip report! I am in the Tuscarora/Gillis area usually at least once every year. Just reading your report makes me want to plan a more ambitious adventure for next year! |
| Beavers |
02/21/2007 05:12PM Question for you experienced bushwhackers... Is it generally better to follow a stream or stick to the high ground? Or is it just a case by case basis? Thanks, Beavers |
| hexnymph |
02/21/2007 09:29AM eglath, It's been a while so my memmory is a little hazy. One thing to keep in mind is we rarely "turn" during a portage unless we have "GOOD" topography to use as a reference (Swamp, pond, cliff). Subtle rise and fall isn't enough to go with, so we will typically take a bearing with the ol compass and "bee-line" it through whatever the woods has to offer. From mass to Ell, close to the orange line. perhaps a bit to the west and it wasn't that bad of a walk. From Ell to Iris, if memory serves me, the purple line... but I don't think we walked down the stream, I think we skirted to the east of the line. I'm pretty sure that's where we ran into the cliff. I don't have my maps in hand so this is just a rough guess... perhaps is one of the other memebers of my group see's this they may remember this a little better and chime in. Hex |
| eglath |
02/20/2007 11:17AM hex, Sorry to keep bugging you with more questions, but I'm wondering what route you took between Mass Lake - Ell Lake and Ell Lake - Iris Lake. These seem like the two stretches without obvious ways to go. So, to make descriptions easier, did you take the purple way or the orange way?  Feel free to respond privately if you'd prefer (or not to respond at all, if you prefer). |
| eglath |
01/27/2007 04:13PM hex, thanks for the info and opinions. this is one of two trips we're currently weighing for this year (the other would be going in at Mudro and heading for Jackfish Lake in the Tick Lake PMA via the Horse River and the Basswood River to Wednesday Bay on Crooked Lake -- then looping out either through Thursday Bay or Manigan Lake, Pakewene Lake & Gypo Lake to Niki Lake and out through Fourtown to Mudro). I think we'll attempt the Fungus Lake PMA trip if we can psych ourselves up for it. Your info certainly helps... cheers, eglath |
| hexnymph |
01/27/2007 02:01PM eglath, After looking at the maps, I'm going to stick with my second suggestion and skirt those puddles. I am assuming your going to head your way up to Insula. That looks like a very secluded route. We had planned on passing through that chain in the past and heading up through "Screamer Lake" to Fishdance... but, by the time we reached Insula after having our butts kicked for that last two days through Powwow Lake and the Arrow chain bushwack, we decided to stick to the beaten path. On the maps I noticed several old trails between Baskatong and Andek Lake. You might stumble onto some old "two track" that may make the travel a bit easier. We ran into the same by Powwow Lake and followed it almost to the first Arrow Lake. It definitly helped with our journey. We had a good idea there was a trail there after spotting it on a satalite image(a useful tool). I hope some of my rambling helps. Thanks for bringing back fond memories and helping me panic my wife by pouring my maps all over the floor :) Hex |
| hexnymph |
01/26/2007 01:39PM It was difficult. Advice: Higher ground is easier if it is open forest... but that is not usually the case. (Old blowdown and burn areas full of small trees are not easy... but easier than tag-alder swamp) Without having my maps in front of me its hard to say... but with the maps provided here... On the Topo there is a trial located north of Baskatong that heads east-west. If it is in fact a trail I'd use the path of least resistance and use it till it "Y'ed" and head on a general south-west from there. On the satalite image there did not look to be a trail, but I didn't really zoom in on it. What I saw with the sat image was some puddles off the northwest point heading due west. I guess my other attack would be to find and skirt or puddle jump these till the end then take a bearing slightly south of due west and stick to that till Andek. Coming from Andek would probably be slightly easier as the target (Baskatong) is larger. Please bear in mind I haven't looked at my maps where I have a little more "comfort". But the above thoughts are how my brain would work on that prob.... ah, bushwack. :) Hex |
| eglath |
01/26/2007 02:21AM hexnymph-- It looks like your longest bushwack over land was from Barto lake to Pie Lake at nearly a mile. We're toying with the idea of going between Baskatong Lake and Andek Lake (or the reverse) which looks to be about a mile. How difficult was it? Would you recommend it? We've done a half mile bushwack before (from Sterling Creek to Sterling Lake), but there was remnants of a trail there. Any advice? cheers, eglath |
| reelhappy |
01/09/2007 09:53AM A dry line catches no fish! If your boat is in the water, so should a line. A few casts while the others are preparing to portage will catch a fair amount of fish in a weeks time. Thanks for the photo of the bottomless mud!! |
| Beemer01 |
01/09/2007 09:28AM Great story - enjoyed the adventure! |
| hexnymph |
01/09/2007 09:12AM Thanks again for the positive feedback guys! To answer a few question: We cover ground and get a lot of fishing in by putting in time where they are hitting and not wasting any time if they are not. Paddling across a lake a little slower and doing some zig-zagging while trolling a lure is an excellent way to do both. UncleMoose, That was the campsite we were at. It's one of the nices ones I've seen in the B-dub so far. I can only imagine that finding fire wood was chore though. Pennpaddler, That sounds like sour grapes.... did I say the fish was 24"? Now that I think of it, it was more like 29". Be sure to pack some nice lures next trip! Doug, This is a photo of us below the cliff dropping down the hillside into iris lake, I think. Hex 
|
| pennpaddler |
01/08/2007 11:07AM The results of the Laker Torney.....As you can see, the competition was not nearly as blown away as the author would lead you to believe. The many white dots are various little friends we all know and love. 
|
| Dennisal |
01/08/2007 10:02AM Boy do I have to get some new maps. Some of the lakes you mentioned in your report are not even marked on my 15-page Fisher book dated in 1963.. Great report..really enjoyed it.. |
| Boppa |
01/06/2007 11:18AM Hi hexnymph, What a great trip report - I am exhausted by your efforts, just reading about your trip. Your report completely engrossed me. I could not stop reading, went back and read it again, maps in hand. Wow. Thanks, Boppa |
| MGD |
01/06/2007 12:24AM How in the world did you have time to do all this fishing while covering all this water/ground? Sounds like an amazing trip. |
| PaddleAway |
01/05/2007 01:48PM Fantastic report. Made me weary just reading it! |
| UncleMoose |
01/05/2007 12:42PM Holy smokes! Now that's a trip report. Bushwhack *practice*? I'd love to see what you do for the real thing. You guys rock! On an interesting side note, we just missed crossing paths. We started a trip along the Frost river on that same Friday the 9th when you passed through Frost Lake. It appears that you warmed up the very same eastern-most campsite with the big white pines that we stopped to camp at later that evening. I had the best time reading this report. One of the best ever. Thanks!  |
| Doug |
01/05/2007 12:22PM That was a great report! You guys must have had a blast. I followed your route on the map. Very ambitious. You should post some of your photos. Really enjoyed reading your report. |
| Bannock |
01/05/2007 09:33AM Great report. You guys are animals! :-) At best I travel only half as far as you guys and still don't have time to fish. |
| hexnymph |
01/05/2007 09:19AM Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it. We have agreed to limited our bushwacks to 2 days per trip. 4 days realy takes away from the fishin :) Hex |
| Arkansas Man |
01/05/2007 07:11AM Hex, Great report my friend... Sounds like you had a great time! Bruce |
| eglath |
01/04/2007 11:23PM wow -- very impressive. I've been musing about going through the Hairy Lake PMA (and have gotten some of your info in the past) but I had no idea that was your second bushwacking adventure of the trip! very nice. eglath |
| Beavers |
01/04/2007 05:06PM Freakin' Awesome! You guys cover some ground. I'm surprised to hear that you found some old portages. I didn't think there was ever anything in that area. I'm going to bookmark this one, for hopeful future use. |
| hexnymph |
01/04/2007 04:26PM New Trip Report posted by hexnymph Trip Name: bushwacker practice. Entry Point: 38 Click Here to View Trip Report wc-20070101-0643 |
Copyright © 2002-2013 www.bwca.com- Legal Notice DMCA