Planning a winter camping trip for three or four people. I've done some winter camping but we're all pretty new to it. Looking at renting canvas and stove from White Woods Outfitters.

From what I've read South Hegman Lake is a popular place. I think finding a good entry point would be an appropriate first step. Any other suggestions other than S. Hegman?

- Evan

Hegman is pretty with cool stuff to explore nearby (pictos, outlet to Nels, bushwhack to Hardtack etc). Main problem is lots of people hike/snowshoe/ski to the pictographs as a day trip spoiling your solitude.

Slim lake gets traffic too though much less to the north of the put-in bay.

I'd suggest Crab or Cummings via Burntside Lake, Lake One land or the South Kawishiwi.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to check those out.

Last time I went we skied in but I think we're gonna try snowshoes this time. Should we carry internal frame packs or can we still do the sled thing with snowshoes?

I would snow shoe pulling a sled to get to camp. I'd carry skis on the sled for day trips from camp and to return on the packed trail you set coming in. Skis don't work so good pulling a load on loose, deep snow, but they often work well on the lakes and packed trails.

Better double check white woods outfitters. I had read or heard they are no longer around. The link from Empire canvas and Snowtrekker is gone.
CB

We were trying to figure out if that's what we really wanted to do anyways.

I have a backpacking tent that doesn't say it's rated for all season camping, but I'm wondering if it would work?

What are the major differences between a winter camping tent and a regular backpacking tent?

Structure(more poles fro strength), and 3 season tents vent better than 4 season tents(nylon 4 season tents). Nylon 4 season tents tend to heavier. You can rent Snowtrekker tents from Piragis in Ely and a new place in Two Harbors, sorry cant remember the name. Without question you want to rent a canvas winter tent. Therr is good discussion about cold camping vs warm camping on wintertrekking.com. This is a GREAT www site for winter camping IMO. Everything you need to know is on that site. CB

Cedarboy, Thanks for that link. It looks like a very helpful message board. I just registered on it. Are you registered there?

No just a lurker over there.

Evan,
South Hegman is a good place if you are not the most experienced winter camper. Its not far from the car, just in case, and not many people except around the middle of the day on weekends.
You might get lucky and see a wolf pack. We saw tracks of a pack on S. Hegman and later saw a pack of nine on Angleworm.

Nice, we have moved the trip to early jan and plan on trying to get up to angleworm lake, however we have alternative camp sites chosen in case of foul weather, fatigue, etcetera...

The first time we headed from s. hegman to angleworm a dog team had already broken trail through the woods and it was great. Another time nobody had been on the trail and we weren't sure we could stay on it so we turned back. Good luck with your trip. I'm thinking of going again around the 2nd week of December if I can round up a crew.

I heard December was too early, but the weather is never the same year to year.

Early December ice is going to be bad this year.

watch it.

Thanks for the warning. Maybe I'll stick to the land.

Anybody have any suggestions for where to snowshoe/camp in the BW if the ice is bad?

That would be good to know, as a back up plan.

Curious if the ice on Hegman will be okay for snowshoeing on new years eve? How do you do the permit thing in the winter (I haven't been in the BWCA yet)?

Ice on Hegman is good. A few inches of snow on top- good for skiing or skate skiing.

Thanks for the reply.