Looking for ideas, suggestions and possible routes for a 30-40 day loop in the Voyaguers NP, BWCA and Quetico Canoe areas for Sept of 08.
Looking to avoid as much of the motor-boats and other padders if at all possible. Thinking of starting Near Internation Falls then headeing east along the fur-trade /border route through BW and Que then loop north and back.
Hope some of you can offer suggestions, books to read, or other internet info sites
thanks for the help
n
Northwoods odyssey
– Last Updated: Nov-30-07 11:07 PM EST –
Wow! You've got some planning ahead of you. Permits, fees, customs, etc; but it will be an absolutely wonderful experience. I guess if I were planning an adventure like this I would break it into a US part and a separate Quetico part.
For the US part - the border trail:
I would arrange for a shuttle to I Falls with one of the outfitters in Ely and have them post your car where you will take out near Ely (probably Lake One landing). Do the border trail with the wind hopefully mostly at your back and get to South Fowl Lake; then head West thru Pine, Caribou; then pick a route south and west to get to the Kawishiwi River system; then out at Lake One. There is no way to avoid motor boat traffic on parts of the border trail route.
For the Quetico part:
Get in you car, cross into Canada at I Falls and drive to Beaverhouse entry. No remote border crossing permit hassel that way. You will need an entry permit for either Quetico Lake or Cirrus Lake and you have to pay daily camping fees at the ranger station. It is very likely that by the time you complete your border trail trip the ranger stations will be closed and it will be self service on the permit and for paying fees. A nice long loop thru Quetico (avoiding border waters since you have just been on them) would be Quetico, Jean, Burntside, Sturgeon, Maligne River (to the west), Minn, MacAree, Argo, Brent, McIntyre, Sarah, North Bay (Basswood), Bailey Bay (Basswood), Birch, the Man Chain, Saganogons, Falls Chain, Kawnipi, Poet chain (Keats, Chatterton, Russel), Sturgeon, then back to Beaverhouse.
The Robert Beymer Guides for the Quetico and East / West regions of the BWCA will be useful.
thanks
yeah i’m beginning to wonder if anyone paddlers there due to permits, fees, regs, lotteries, imigration etc etc. I just spent the day on the net and nothing is related to paddling a canoe…only permit stuff.
Part of the challenge is my partner is from Belgium and you cannot do the RABC permit system and must show up at an office so this could pose a problem and a delay.
Im trying to understand the new lottery system for the BWCA.
I assume I ONLY need to know my ENTRY point and DATE for the BWCA and that they dont need to know where i will be camped the rest of the trip and same goes for Quetico. The cost of 15-20 a night to sleep on the ground gets me to wonder if anyone camps in Quetico. I wonder what would happen if you didnt do any permit and just went for it. Do they patrol and would they haul me out of there? I dont want to be a prick but why pay $900 to sleep for a month.
I may try and see if i can go in the areas the border the two parks so i dont need a permit and go from there. Do you know any info on those area?
I will look at your route suggestions on my topos when i get a chance.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
N
A few answers
To work in a loop with a customs office you could paddle down the Pigeon River. Stop in at customs, and then head back up via Fort Williams.
"Im trying to understand the new lottery system for the BWCA.
I assume I ONLY need to know my ENTRY point and DATE for the BWCA and that they dont need to know where i will be camped the rest of the trip and same goes for Quetico. "
Correct. You only need to know the entry date and location.
“I may try and see if i can go in the areas the border the two parks so i dont need a permit and go from there. Do you know any info on those area?”
If it’s crown land, you’ll need a permit. $10 per person per night. On the Forest Service land it’s free and there are some campsites, but for a one time fee of $16.50 you can camp all you want in the BWCA. You can make a month long trip right in the BWCA. If you want to talk about options person to person, drop me an email and I’ll send you my phone number. I might be able to answer your questions faster than you can look them up via Internet.
A few more answers
While I cannot support someone breaking Ontario park regulations, I will answer a couple more questions for you.
Do they patrol?
Quetico rangers make their presence known in the back country. They routinely travel and maintain all canoe routes in the park. I believe I have been checked on 7 of my last 10 Quetico trips, sometimes the ranger / portage crew canoe would be the only people I had seen on my trip for days.
In Minnesota waters I have only been checked for my BWCA entry permit at or near entry points. However DNR CO’s will be patrolling in Sept - Oct for the moose hunt. If your canoe is not registered (in your home state or in MN) or if you are fishing without a license, expect that you are at risk for being cited for violations.
The lottery system:
If you are serious about doing the entire border trail from Voyager’s Nat Park to the Pigeon River, the lottery probably is not a factor for you. Crane Lake entry permits are almost always available. It is one of the least preferred entries in the BWCA because of the motor route to Loon Lake and the major float plane traffic from Crane Lake. You will travel almost a day before leaving those annoyances behind.
Pictures
Here are some pictures from the border route: http://www.bryanhansel.com/gallery/index.php?dir=./Boundary_Waters/Border_Route
Also on nessmuking, I did a VR tour of the border route.