Going in via EP 52 and am interested in exploring the Hairy Lake PMA. Anyone been there? Any advice? Do you just make your own portages or are there any in there? Not planning on camping there, so don't believe I'll need a special permit, but if anyone knows otherwise...

Thanks -- these forums are great!

I'd be really interested to know about this area too. I'll be staying on Frost Lake for a few days next month and would potentially like to explore some of this area to the north. I'm kind of curious which of the interior lakes there are reasonable to reach on a day trip.

Moose

I know there is at least "old trail" out of Octopus lake to the north that was a cross between old portage and moose path, but it wasn't bad. We'll be crossing through some of it for a couple days this year.
Hex

there's some information to be found here:

http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/pma/hairy.html

we're considering that area for our trip near the end of July. if we do it, we're going to try to go from Cross Bay down to Frost to Octopus, then north through Iris, Mass, Sora, etc. up to Copper and out through Snipe and Cross Bay. please report back on any part of the PMA you encounter!

you do not need a separate permit to day trip in a PMA, only if you camp there.

cheers,
eglath

I just got out and made it back alive.

We came from Copper down through Sora, Din, Mass, Iris, Fetters, and other un-named ponds. We found "paths" here and there along the way but most were not followable (read: trees down and overgrown). There is a "portage" from Octopus to Fetters and one from Copper to the first un-named pond that were a blessing once we found them. Most of the other area is brushcrashing/bushwacking.

One guy on the trip made this quote "Here, "portage" is more of a verb than it is a noun." which makes so much sense once your in the middle of it.

We did not fish while in the PMA the rods were packed away. We camped between Din and Mass only because it was late and there was all ready a fire ring. The site is not very desirable otherwise. It looked like more rings were on Iris, which was a nicer lake.

We never made it over toward little copper or swollen ankle lake. We intended too but did an earlier bushwack which put us back a day.

Bugs are BAD right now. Probably the worste I've seen them.

Hex

hex--

how long did it take to travel all the way through? we were looking at that area and thinking a detour NW to Ragged Lake might be nice (looked like a nice island). did you stay several nights in the PMA or just travel through?

sounds like you had a great trip!

We started from Copper lake some time around 4pm and made it to Mass around 8:30pm. From Mass to Octopus probably took another 4 hours.

Total of somewhere between 8 and 9 hours to get through... but only if fatigue was not a factor. After about 4 hours of bushwack travel progress really starts to slow.

There is a pretty good cliff north of Iris (I think) you may have some difficulty getting around.

We only stayed in this area one night.

Hex

LOL....This site definitely doesn't work 17 yrs later. Anybody on here still alive yet? Would be interested in more info on the Hairy Lake PMA!

eglath: "there's some information to be found here:



http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/pma/hairy.html




we're considering that area for our trip near the end of July. if we do it, we're going to try to go from Cross Bay down to Frost to Octopus, then north through Iris, Mass, Sora, etc. up to Copper and out through Snipe and Cross Bay. please report back on any part of the PMA you encounter!



you do not need a separate permit to day trip in a PMA, only if you camp there.



cheers,

eglath"

This website will work for you: BWCA Wild – Hairy Lake PMA

And I invite you to join the PMA Paradise forum on BWCA.com.

Definitely join the PMA forum. But here is my trip report that includes Hairy PMA

As the PMA Turns