The reason I'm even interested in PMA's started with Rangeline Lake.

It's easiest reached by using EP14, and heading up to Lynx, then by bushwhacking/paddling to Yodeler, and finally up to Range Line. Map (center the map on Lynx Lake)

This could be done in one day.

The campsite available on this lake is actually there because of the Sioux Hustler Trail. The trail runs along the border of the Weeny Lake PMA .

This would be a great lake for jumping into the PMA, as a hiking destination, or just somewhere to get some 'alone' time.

Information on the bushwhacks to this destination would be appreciated.

I've been to Range Line twice.

The first time I was on a solo trip. I had attempted to bushwhack from Hustler to Finger on the Hustler River. Chickened out. But I did do a day trip hiking on the Sioux Hustler trail from my campsite on Hustler to Range Line. It rained the whole day. I was soaked by the time I got back to camp. It was in the fall and almost all leaves were off the trees and underbrush. I kept asking myself "How in the world would someone find this trail in the summer?" I had my first moose sighting when I got to Range Line.

The second time I was traveling with my son-in-law and Beavers. We bushwhacked from Lynx to Yodeler (which is not in a PMA but should be). We were bogwalking the creek to Yodeler as a nasty looking storm was coming up from the south. Here we were in the middle of this bog, wide open terrain with a thunderstorm coming. We learned real quick to carry a pack, use a paddle as a hiking stick testing the bog for best place to step to avoid a upper-thigh deep, boot-sucking muck, and DRAGGING the canoe behind. We made it north side of Yodeler just in time to set up a tarp, brew some coffee and wait out the storm:

View of the incoming storm

Thanks to information from Stumpy we found a "trail" from Yodeler to Achundo. This was our first real experience at bushwhacking through the woods. We double-tripped it. We could follow the trail because there were, aaah, how should I say this...."signs" on the trees marking the way. They were very old and if you didn't know to look for them you probably wouldn't notice. We used bright pink flagging tape to mark the way so we could easily find our way back for the second load. We removed the tape on the second trip. We did, honest. I think.



Achundo

We then followed the creek to Range Line. We were a muddy, wet mess when we got there. We found one of the campsites and spent the night there. What happened the next day is a story for another time. I'll just say we didn't head back south.

Range Line


Amok...there is no way I could make from the entry point on LIS to Range Line in one day. Also note that neither Yodeler or Range Line are in Weeney Lake PMA. There are no official campsites on Yodeler.

One of the things that I love about the BW is looking at the maps. If it were me and my destination is Range line lake I think I would consider coming at it from the north. Instead of going up through Yoedeler I think I would continue north from Shell lake up to heritage and up padgent creek and try to find the trail in to Range Line. Just guessing that is about 10 miles. It looks like mostly paddling so I would think that way you could do it in a day. Though I have never been there it does look like a nice trip. Maybe next year.

This brings up a good question for PJ. What kind of distance can you travel in an hour while bushwhacking? I am sure this varies greatly, but what is a good average?

Actually Hustler to finger looks like a cool trip also. This is why I could spend months in and out of the BW exploring.

Great pic of Range LIne, PJ!

This trip report is why I won't attempt coming at Range Line from the north.

And great, that's at least a 2 day trip in!

I learned about the same trail Stumpy told you about from a different board, from a guy with the nickname 'Rangeline'. Needless to say, it's his favorite lake! He claims to have made that trail over 20 years ago.

quote Amok: "I learned about the same trail Stumpy told you about from a different board, from a guy with the nickname 'Rangeline'. Needless to say, it's his favorite lake! He claims to have made that trail over 20 years ago."

Rangeline and Stumpy were bushwhacking partners.

quote Amok: "Great pic of Range LIne, PJ!


This trip report is why I won't attempt coming at Range Line from the north.


And great, that's at least a 2 day trip in!"

Neither of those photos of Range Line are mine. I have one from my first trip there that I will have to find. It's a panoramic by stitching three photos together.

I did not read that trip report yet. But we made to Finger from Range Line. It took us two days to get there.

quote heavycanoe: "Actually Hustler to finger looks like a cool trip also. This is why I could spend months in and out of the BW exploring. "

I agree. Try and tell me how it goes.

quote heavycanoe: "This brings up a good question for PJ. What kind of distance can you travel in an hour while bushwhacking? I am sure this varies greatly, but what is a good average?"

I have no idea. It took us one day to get from Lynx to Range Line and two days from Range Line to Finger. We double-tripped. We probably could have gone further after we arrived at Range Line but not far enough to get to another lake. That's a big difference about bushwhacking travel: there isn't just one more lake a short distance away.

I'm almost always traveling in a solo canoe, either alone or with other solo paddlers. I can't/won't single portage while traveling in a solo canoe.

Wen also didn't have a map display GPS. We did stumble around at times. That really slows you down. I now have a map display GPS and would not bushwhack without it.

quote PJ: "

quote heavycanoe: "Actually Hustler to finger looks like a cool trip also. This is why I could spend months in and out of the BW exploring. "

I agree. Try and tell me how it goes."

Does this mean it was really dificult?

quote PJ: "

quote Amok: "I learned about the same trail Stumpy told you about from a different board, from a guy with the nickname 'Rangeline'. Needless to say, it's his favorite lake! He claims to have made that trail over 20 years ago."

Rangeline and Stumpy were bushwhacking partners.
"

And that explains it. Small world, isn't it?

quote PJ: "

quote heavycanoe: "This brings up a good question for PJ. What kind of distance can you travel in an hour while bushwhacking? I am sure this varies greatly, but what is a good average?"

I have no idea. It took us one day to get from Lynx to Range Line and two days from Range Line to Finger. We double-tripped. We probably could have gone further after we arrived at Range Line but not far enough to get to another lake. That's a big difference about bushwhacking travel: there isn't just one more lake a short distance away."

edited

I have been told that it is faster to take the Sioux Hustler Trail over to Rangeline via Hustler Lake. But idk about that. From my extremely small experience with bushwhacking, I'd guess that a trail is better than no trail. But... if I did that, I'd miss out on Yodeler. Another lake that I'd like to see.

quote>"
I have been told that it is faster to take the Sioux Hustler Trail over to Rangeline via Hustler Lake. But idk about that. From my extremely small experience with bushwhacking, I'd guess that a trail is better than no trail. But... if I did that, I'd miss out on Yodeler. Another lake that I'd like to see. "

I guess your route should depend on how you want to design your trip. I am more of a basecamp and explore person VS a break camp and move on the next day. I hate the work of setting up and tearing down.

So If I am your trip partner and our base camp selection is Rangeline, then I want to argue for the quickest way in on day one. Then subsequent days would be spent with a day trip to yoedeler. Maybe a day Spent to lakes north. Maybe check out the Hustler river as described between Finger and Hustler. For me maybe check out padgent creek. (I have not yet read the trip report but I do intend to when I get time.) There are lots of options in this area.

Not sure how I screwed up the quote box

LOL! It's easy to do, heavycanoe. Just edit it if it bugs ya.

I'm thinking the first time I head in there, I'll be going up thru Yodeler. both will be scenic routes, tho :) and i'm thinking a trip into the Weeny Lake PMA will also be on the menu. There are lots of lakes I'd like to see in there. I'm surprised they didn't put Pageant, Yodeler and Range Line into it.

I have been to Rangeline a half dozen times. Twice when backpacking the SH trail, once on a canoe/hike/raft trip and the rest while doing trail clearing in the area. IMO, the easiest, and maybe the fastest way in would be to paddle/portage to Hustler and then portage the SH trail to Rangeline. I did this in one day, except I did not bring my canoe from Hustler. I could have, but it wasn't in my trip plans to bring it beyond Hustler. Getting to Hustler is easy, and the hike from there is a nice change.
My favorite pic of Rangeline Lake, as the fog was rolling off one morning:

quote PortageKeeper: "I have been to Rangeline a half dozen times. Twice when backpacking the SH trail, once on a canoe/hike/raft trip and the rest while doing trail clearing in the area. IMO, the easiest, and maybe the fastest way in would be to paddle/portage to Hustler and then portage the SH trail to Rangeline. I did this in one day, except I did not bring my canoe from Hustler. I could have, but it wasn't in my trip plans to bring it beyond Hustler. Getting to Hustler is easy, and the hike from there is a nice change.
My favorite pic of Rangeline Lake, as the fog was rolling off one morning:
"

GREAT photo!

and THAT would be why I want to go there :)