Thinking of a winter trip to Disappointment Lake. Any thoughts? I have never been there. Are there any issues to be concerned with? Parking, flowage, etc...

I assume you are going through snowbank? I did that trip about 4 years ago. Nothing to worry about this time of the year (except the normal precautions). Very short portages and very beautiful. Have fun! Oh, parking will not be a problem. Big lot and you may have 3 or 4 cars to contend with. There may be a skier or two that ventures out to Disappointment, though I doubt it. When we went, we came across one other group. It was actually a blessing. We had decided to navigate back to our car after the sun set (to show off our navigation skills, oops). Well, wouldn't you know it, a blizzard started right after the sun set. You could not see 10 feet in front of you. Made navigating across Snowbank very tough (because it is such a large lake). We had to have one guy walk about 10 feet the guy in back use his compass to direct him. Compass guy walk to front guy again. repeat. It worked but took awhile. My buddies batteries died on his head lam, but the camp we came across lent us some new batteries. It took us over two hours just to get our car from snowbank to Ely. A pick up truck had to drive back and forth to make tracks for my little Jetta. A few people saved our rear ends that day.

George, thanks for the info. Thinking of doing a loop. Spending the first night on Boot and then on through Gibson, Adventure, Ahsub, and two nights on Disappointment. Did you do any ice fishing? Not a priority, but will wet a line. How about distance? I haven't picked up a map yet to make that estimate. We will definitely have fun. Thanks

I would like to try ice fishing some time, but have never gotten around to it.

Distance: Depends on how many days you plan on traveling and conditions. Like I said before, I have traveled as many as 10 miles one day and the following year (same lake different conditions) only made it 2 miles (It rained the week before and there was about 5 inches of slush on most of the lake...making it impossible to go anywhere).

I always recommend have three routes planned: Long, medium, short. This way you do not end up killing yourself if conditions are to sour for making the distance you require.

good luck, I am sure you'll have a blast!

George, I agree with traveling and conditions. I meant to ask more specifically about the distance from Snowbank to Disappointment.

I'll dig out my snowbank lake map tomorrow and try to post more. Here is what I do recall:

Snowbank to Boot: The portage to boot lake is on the far end of snowbank. It is a fairly quick portage (from what I recall on my summer trip about 5 or 6 years ago). Boot lake is a fairly small lake and getting there will depend on conditions. Because snowbank is so big, if you have any rain or wind it will be a hard first day. If ice and weather are good it should be only a couple hours.

Disappointment back to snowbank will be very doable and a nice short trip for getting out.

It is just the other lakes that I do not recall the portages or distance, sorry.

No need to go out of way. I haven't picked a map yet and was curious if you knew off hand.

Sorry, unable to find the map. Good luck!