While reviewing our new Voyager Map 6 for this year's trip I noticed that Gabimichigami has a 209' hole. (We've gotta paddle over that just to say we were in over 200' of water).

It got me wondering...what is the deepest lake in the BWCA? I scanned all 10 Voyager maps but the closest I found was Gunflint Lake at 200'.

Does Quetico have anything deeper?

I think Agnes (Quetico) hits 400'.

I remember reading about this at one time. But, don't go to the bank on my memory :)

I believe Gabi is the deepest natural lake located entirely within the state of Minnesota. I think Saganaga is about 280 feet deep making it the deepest in the BWCA.

TB

Does Lac La Croix make your deeper lake list? I didn't look at the whole map as I had a Depth Map which I was navagating by and was in 170+ ft up above Snow Bay I think. And that wasn't to far from shore. I didn't plan on going that route but had to and borrowed a map and since have mailed it to it's owner. So I have nothing to look at.

Freaked me out to paddle Snowbank, knowing it was over 100' of water. Cannot imagine paddling in a 200' lake. I don't know why that's freakier than paddling in the ocean in Alaska, but it is.

You may find these links interesting

BWCA Lakes Index

Deepest Lakes

quote bojibob: " You may find these links interesting


BWCA Lakes Index

Deepest Lakes

"

Great Links BB. Thanks. Always looking for something fun to research while waiting for vacation to arrive!!

Very good links!

Now - don't drop your leatherman on that "paddle-over"!!

Thanks for those links boji bob. I have been stuck for the last 45 minutes just exploring the info on there. Book marked for sure.

In Quetico, Agnes is the deepest known lake in the park at 284 feet. Out of curiosity, I confirmed that depth last summer when I found that same depth on the depth finder. There was a LOT of water over 250 feet deep.

quote arctic: "In Quetico, Agnes is the deepest known lake in the park at 284 feet."

Do you think there would still be unknown lakes that were deeper? Honestly curious.

If you include mine pits then Mahnomen takes the cake at 525 feet deep .

quote BWPaddler: "

quote arctic: "In Quetico, Agnes is the deepest known lake in the park at 284 feet."

Do you think there would still be unknown lakes that were deeper? Honestly curious."

LOL I think every lake in Quetico is "known", but many (most?) have not been depth mapped.

ahhh, thanks for that - makes sense

Years ago I was told by a Quetico Park Naturalist that he had sounded greater than 300' on Louisa. He also said that he thought it possible that Kahshahpiwi might hold even deeper water.

I have saw over 180 feet in Pickerel, Sturgeon, and Russell in the Quetico on my limited use over possible deep water areas, probably they are much deeper. Yes it is creepy to paddle across water soo deep, but if you think about it it only has to be about 6 foot to be fatal. Anthony

I've scoped 180 feet on Kahshapiwi, but haven't checked out the whole lake. I read a post from someone who claimed to have scoped 312 feet on Cirrus. Who knows?

Just go east- Superior hits 1332 feet deep.

quote arctic: "In Quetico, Agnes is the deepest known lake in the park at 284 feet. Out of curiosity, I confirmed that depth last summer when I found that same depth on the depth finder. There was a LOT of water over 250 feet deep."

I've sounded several spots on Agnes 325-330'. A buddy of mine in the same year found a spot 350'. I wouldn't be surprised if there areas that were 400' or close like Stumpy said.

T

quote timatkn: "

quote arctic: "In Quetico, Agnes is the deepest known lake in the park at 284 feet. Out of curiosity, I confirmed that depth last summer when I found that same depth on the depth finder. There was a LOT of water over 250 feet deep."

I've sounded several spots on Agnes 325-330'. A buddy of mine in the same year found a spot 350'. I wouldn't be surprised if there areas that were 400' or close like Stumpy said.


T"

That's way cool. Where did you find these depths? I'd like to check them out. The deep water I found started about a mile north of Louisa Falls and extended up to island with the pictographs southeast of the narrows.

I've not seen it myself.
An old Quetico ranger told me Agnes Lake was 400 feet deep. He said an old Atikokan school teacher/guide took him to the spot and showed him on the depth finder.
I can't prove it, but I believe him. Next time I talk to him, I'll ask him the spot.

i would like to know whats down in those deep places,outside of man made junk,someplace i read that in deep fresh water it's possible for ice age critter bits and bones to be laying around.

I wonder too.

I think its crazy that some of the lakes are so deep its kinda creppy to think about it sometimes.

A few years back my brother sounded 204 feet by the wall on Gillis. And he's a sober man.

quote mr.barley: "A few years back my brother sounded 204 feet by the wall on Gillis. And he's a sober man."

That doesn't surprise me at all. Gillis is listed as being 180 feet deep. Many BWCA lakes were mapped by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s and early 1940s. In that pre-electronics age, they chopped holes through the ice and measured the depth using a weight on a string. Many of the resulting maps are pretty crude.

I was on Winchell a few summers ago and found depths to 187 feet in water that was mapped at being around 60 feet (SW of Omega Lake portage). The maximum depth listed for the lake is 160! I've only sampled a small area, so it may be even deeper.

quote wetcanoedog: "i would like to know whats down in those deep places,outside of man made junk,someplace i read that in deep fresh water it's possible for ice age critter bits and bones to be laying around."

A friend of mine lives on Lake Hubert near Nisswa, MN and a couple of summers ago a diver found a full moose skeleton on the bottom in about 60 feet of water. Hasn't been moose in this area for many decades.

If it would not be so hard to haul in all the equipment i would be alot of fun to SCUBA dive to the bottom of some of these lakes. think of the treasures that fur traders and others may have lost! and the fish!!

Yes Stumpy Agnes is super deep. A friend showed me a satellite picture of Canada Agnes still with open water late into December this year when everything else was froze.

quote 1BigPaddle: "If it would not be so hard to haul in all the equipment i would be alot of fun to SCUBA dive to the bottom of some of these lakes. think of the treasures that fur traders and others may have lost! and the fish!!"

With wet suit only! but yes, cool!

quote arctic: "That doesn't surprise me at all. Gillis is listed as being 180 feet deep. Many BWCA lakes were mapped by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s and early 1940s. In that pre-electronics age, they chopped holes through the ice and measured the depth using a weight on a string. Many of the resulting maps are pretty crude."

That is so interesting. I was wondering if any satellite images could interpret depth accurately.