I've watched various discussions of PMA exploration with interest for a few years, but to this point have not crossed into one. This fall, I'm planning to check out Raven Lake in Mugwump Zone 1 and I have secured an overnight permit to camp there. So with a BWCA permit in hand and confirmation from the USFS, I am on my way! That said, I received the PMA Leave-No-Trace/Tread Lightly Checklist, and some of it leaves me wondering to what extent people adhere to all of it. It is clear that the overarching goal is to minimize our impact and allow the forest to remain in as close to its natural state as possible. So I think I understand the spirit of the checklist, but I want to throw a couple questions at you all to get an idea of what you do and what I should expect.

- "Portages are not maintained and "bushwhacking" may be required. To prevent further impacts, do not follow visitor-created paths..." I'm expecting bushwhacking. But if you come across a somewhat cleared path, do you really not follow it if it appears to go where you are headed? My understanding is that Raven Lake once had a campsite, so I would guess that we may see remains of the old portage trail. Should I really seek to avoid using this if we find it? I would think I would leave an even greater trace if I leave an old portage trail and strike off into the woods.

- "Choose a campsite that is away from the lake shore, out of site and on a durable surface (ledge rock, grass)..." Do you all really camp far enough away from the lake shore to be out of sight? I'm not expecting a large number of choices on where to setup when considering the dense brush throughout much of the forest. If I spot a location within eyesight of the shoreline that will work for me, should I skip it and go searching in the woods? Again, this seems like I would leave a larger trace?

Thanks in advance for any replies. Over the years, the online BWCA community has helped me improve my LNT ethics. I welcome insight ahead of this trip so I can be as responsible as possible while I am exploring.

I think there are a number of PMAs lakes with old portages that get enough use to look like something from Quetico, Wabikimi or WCPP. But many are true bushwhack.

The camping site thing is odd. Some PMA lakes have campsites that are just like lesser -used campsites anywhere else in the BW, other than the privy and the fire grate. They are on the shoreline, have tent pads and a fire ring (just rocks, no grate).

To think that even the most conscientious, LNT, and experienced trippers would then beat back a few hundred feet into the bush to camp, ignoring the established site is...unrealistic at a minimum.

And I would argue that it's not LNT. LNT would, I think, guide us to use the existing site as opposed to creating a new one.

I could be wrong, but I think the campsite directive is new, and if so it is probably reactionary in response to the wild, free-for-all kegger that was the 2020 season.

You ask great questions. Thank you for bringing them up.

The portage question is a tough one where you have to balance safety and LNT. As you first enter a PMA, it is not uncommon to see some remnants of old portages. Mostly because they are still used by people entering or exploring for just the day and they don't venture past the first or second lake. I have no problem following these initial paths, but after that we found it was easier to scout our own way. I had read notes from previous travelers, but we found we often disagreed about their assessment of the best route, so going our own way was an easy decision. We never cut anything, but did sometimes push small fallen trees out of our way.

After that in my experience, the "established" trails quickly disappear or become so faint that you will have a hard time knowing if they are animal trails or human trails. Plus there are so many deadfalls in these areas that it is unpredictable as to what will or won't work for you when you get there. At this point, you will naturally start to diverge from any remnant portages as you work to find a path that your canoe can actually pass through. We used biodegradable surveyors tape when we scouted a route, and then the last person through would remove it.

In terms of campsites, it is a mixed bag. We spent 3 nights in a PMA. The first site had been used at some point, but was far from being much of a site. We set up our tents and hammocks well back, but we felt safer using our stove on the only exposed rock which was close to the water. Disappointingly, someone had left remnants of an old campfire on said rock, including tinfoil and melted plastic. We carried all the burnt wood chunks and ash well back from shore and buried it. We carried out the previous visitor's garbage, of course. I feel by choosing to stay there we actually made it better. We also made sure we went FAR from the water to make our latrine hole at every site we used.

The 2nd site we stayed at was the only obvious spot for a campsite on the lake. Someone had made a fire ring. We destroyed it and removed as much evidence as possible. Tried to leave the site better than we found it.

The 3rd site we used was pristine and we tried very hard to not even leave footprints. I felt guilty for every step we took in the lush moss. If people used that site more than 1-2 times a year, it would be damaged pretty quickly.

Please don't have campfires in the PMA, unless you can do it without leaving any trace. We used a stove throughout our time there as recommended in the rules. The only way to have a campfire that is safe and leaves no trace is to contain it in a fire pan and then bury any ashes.

Enjoy your time in the Mugwump. I hope to try that one sometime.

Thanks to both of you for your replies! This gives me a bit more peace of mind that I'm approaching these areas with a similar mindset to those that have traveled them before me. I want to do my best to make it appear that we were never there. Since Raven is still very close to established routes, and was once established itself, it goes to reason that my experience will likely be different than if we chose to bushwhack to an otherwise "unconnected" lake that has never had a maintained campsite.

I'm excited to try this adventure within my BWCA adventure. It is exciting and it also feels like a bit of an honor/responsibility to be allowed to spend a night in there.

@straighthairedcurly - good tip on the biodegradable surveyors tape!

I think those advisories have been in the PMA permit info for awhile, not new this year. It seems to represent the goal of having trails and old campsites fade into the bush, I understand that. Still, if there is a faint tread, one is likely to follow that rather than step off into the spruces and alders. Going to Raven, you will see some signs of path. You will have some lily pad and bog slogging before you get to that, though. As for old campsites, there is sign on some lakes and none on other lakes. If an old campsite had durable (i.e., fairly bare rock) surface, I have used it. Other times it was bivouac and LNT in the bush. I agree with SHC on minimal use of fire, especially since I am usually solo and in summertime. I carried no axe or saw, though once wished I had one, where a tree had fallen across the one tentpad.... I don't use flagging tape, but will scout and may snap a small branch down, here and there, to spot the route on return.
On Raven, there is a rock ledge area where you come onto the lake. There also used to be a campsite on the northwest shore, though I think that was burned over some years back. Or, per the PMA recommendations, you may find a spot to move up away from shore and LNT bivouac. IMO, it is all about LNT in different situations. Enjoy the PMA's, I think they are a great idea for the BWCA.

sns: "I think there are a number of PMAs lakes with old portages that get enough use to look like something from Quetico, Wabikimi or WCPP. But many are true bushwhack.


The camping site thing is odd. Some PMA lakes have campsites that are just like lesser -used campsites anywhere else in the BW, other than the privy and the fire grate. They are on the shoreline, have tent pads and a fire ring (just rocks, no grate).


To think that even the most conscientious, LNT, and experienced trippers would then beat back a few hundred feet into the bush to camp, ignoring the established site is...unrealistic at a minimum.


And I would argue that it's not LNT. LNT would, I think, guide us to use the existing site as opposed to creating a new one.


I could be wrong, but I think the campsite directive is new, and if so it is probably reactionary in response to the wild, free-for-all kegger that was the 2020 season."

The last part of your post sns made me laugh! 2020 WAS an all-out kegger in a few places of the BWCA. I'm interested in the responses to this LNT question because I think it raises some interesting points. I'm curious what the other PMA aficionados think on this.

This is an interesting question. I went to a PMA for the first time last year. I went to Sunday Lake and Sterling Lake in the Sundial PMA. It was clear that both of these lakes are used for PMA camping often as they both have established 'firepits' and easily followable portage trails. At the time I never considered not following the trails or not using the firepits.

But I can see how that does take away from the pristine nature of the PMA. I don't know that I could have destroyed the firepit on Sterling with all of the work that has clearly gone into it...

It will make me think differently the next time I venture into a PMA.

I fully appreciate and try to follow LNT principles. Let us not in our zeal, end up doing the opposite. On heavily used campsites, of which there is usually only one real choice, it would do more damage to move firepits and make more trails. I agree with straighthairedcurly that if there is no previous sign of someone camping or making a fire, to leave it that way, or in her case to clean it up. When there is a long established portage, campsite, or rock cairns, lets let them be, and acknowledge that we know we are not the only people to have been there. If we do our part, and leave it like it was or clean any trash up, it will remain a wonderful, private (if you reserved it) wild place for wilderness explorers to enjoy for many years to come.

I agree with previous posts. Yes, the portage to Raven is very easy to follow ONCE you get past the mud. I always camp at the spot at the end of the portage and ALWAYS just a stove in PMAs. Raven is 1 lake that is an exception to Ray's partners observation that PMA stands for " fish pretty much absent".

Not much more to add here with all these great tips. I will give you one bit of advice. Whatever you do bring a working GPS and have it running during the bushwhacks between lakes. It will save you from getting lost and turned around. It will leave you a breadcrumb trail so you also can go back if needed. Just leave it on and clipped to a pack. Also have a map and compass on the ready to use as a backup. Take bearings and write on map any information.

LNT is not a sacred book and should be followed within a reason. In particular it can be argued both ways - when and if using a fire or removing a fire ring is warranted. But removing a properly set fire ring could be straight dangerous. The most probable outcome of such action will be a new firepit being installed by someone else and there's no guarantee that it will be done properly. We know how it ends.