BWCA towboat service 2017

Will you be entering the Boundary Waters at Moose Lake chain, Snowbank Lake or Burntside Lake (Crab Lake portage)?  Consider using towboat service to get you and your group into the BWCA quicker and avoid possible windy conditions that each of these lakes experience.  Service can be reserved for 1-way or round trip. Cost: $32.00/person 1-way, minimum 2 people, if renting canoes or outfitted by us. Or $37.00/person 1 way, minimum 2 people if no rental or outfitting.

Spirit of the Wilderness is specifically permitted by the USFS to provide towboat service on each of these lakes. We own and operates our own towboats, which means we are on-time for departure and return pick up to meet your schedule. Our towboats are 18 ft long, with 25 hp E-tec engines. Our trained operators/staff are courteous and knowledgeable of the routes and drop-off locations.

We load canoes and gear at our Ely store and trailer to the appropriate entry point where we launch our towboats. Ground travel time to entry points from our Ely store is usually 30 minutes or less.

Water travel time

• Moose lake chain: Time on the water to Prairie Portage, Birch Lake, or Splash lake is another 30 minutes or so. Tow service will save you 3-4 hours of paddling 1-way.
• Snowbank lake: Water travel time to Boot Lake portage is about 25 minutes. Saves you 3 hours of paddling
• Burntside Lake to Crab Portage: Water travel time is 25 minutes, saving you up to 2 hours paddling 1-way

Guest reaction:
Two seasons ago, we provided towboat service for 8 gentlemen, 4 canoes, and all their gear for a 5-day/4-night adventure. We loaded gear into the towboats with 2 canoes strapped onto racks of each towboat at our Ely store. Everyone got into our vans and we trailered out to and launched at the Moose Lake boat access. Water travel was tough as we were bucking 15-20 mph headwinds the entire trip through Moose, Newfound to the Splash Lake portage.

Other groups we passed paddling the Moose Lake chain that day were really struggling to make any distance with the headwinds and 2 foot roller waves. All groups we passed looked tired and frustrated. I wondered if they would make their chosen destination that first day or have to make early camp and wait until the winds died down in the evening.

As we were coming into the drop-off location at the Splash Lake portage, one of the fellas commented to his buddy saying; "I'll never complain about towboats again! We would never have made it to Splash lake and onto Ensign lake today." Their adventure was off to a good start and they had ample time to make their first campsite with daylight to spare for fishing and exploring the area.

Call today and make your reservation for towboat service by Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters, Ely MN. 218-365-3149 or email us at info@elycanoetrips.com

Towboat Service in the BWCA

Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters, Ely MN is specially permitted by the USFS to provide towboat service on the following lakes:

• Moose Lake to Splash Portage, Prairie Portage and on Basswood out to Washington Island or Back Bay
• Snowbank Lake to Disappointment Portage or Boot Lake Portage
• Across Burntside to Crab Lake Portage

We load at our Ely base facility and trailer boats to our drop-in landings. Our operators know the lakes and key in on being safe and punctual.  Set an appointment for your one-way or round trip tow today. Call Spirit of the Wilderness at 800-950-2709 or 218-365-3149.

Lake Ice Conditions - May 15, 2015

During May 14, 2014 USFS flight the pilot was unable to see lakes north of Alice Lake so
conditions for some border lakes are not known. Another flight is scheduled for Thursday morning

West Side:

• Except for Snowbank, most lakes in the west zone are open.
• Moose Chain to Prairie all open. All of Basswood, Knife and Ensign are open.
• Kekekabic and Knife are open.
• Burntside is open.
• White Iron, Bear Island, and Shagawa are open.
• Snowbank has ice in the center and on the east side.
• Rivers are open.
• Lakes One through Four, Insula, and Alice are open.
• Up the Echo Trail: Jeanette L. and Big L. are open.

East Side: Lakes on the east side of the forest on the southern half are mostly open.

• Outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Crescent, Fourmile, Toohey, and Lichen are open.
• Mid- Trail and West Bearskin not open--slim chance of it opening by the weekend.
• Gunflint Lake open up to Magnetic Lake but there is still ice on the shores.
• Round Lake Open
• Missing Link Lake open
• Saganaga and Greenwood are NOT open.
• Seagull open
• Ham Lake open- Cross River and Cross Lake- open
• Probably nothing open yet in the Vento area (Daniels, Duncan)
• Bog, Quadga, Kawishiwi, Isabella, Koma, Malberg, Polly, and Perent Lakes are OPEN.

Lake Ice Conditions: May 13, 2014

Current Ice Conditions:  Pilots were unable to fly today. As you venture out into newly opened water, remember the gasp reflex. No matter how well you can swim, please WEAR yourlifejacket!

West Side:

• Basswood: Jackfish, Hoist, Wind, and Back Bays all appear open. Bailey Bay is not open but likely to change in the next few days. Moose Chain to Prairie all open.
• Burntside: east and west arms open, ice in channel and some in North Arm.
• White Iron, Bear Island, and Shagawa are open.
• Snowbank and east of Alice Lake are mostly still full of ice. Shallower bays in Snowbank are opening.
• Rivers are mostly open and lakes (except for a few large ones) are mostly open from Snowbank going west.
• Up the Echo Trail: Jeanette L. and Big L. are open.

East Side:

• Outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Crescent, Fourmile, Toohey, and Lichen are open.
• Mid- Trail is still socked with ice, like West Bearskin still pretty iced over --pretty slim chance of it opening by the weekend.
• Gunflint Lake the on the west side of the Gunflint trail its open up to Magnetic Lake but there is still ice on the shores.
• Round Lake Open
• Missing Link Lake open
• Gillis open
• The channel into Sag open – but can see ice beyond
• Seagull is open
• Ham Lake open- Cross River and Cross Lake- open
• Probably nothing open yet in the Vento area (Daniels, Duncan)
• Kawishiwi and Isabella Lakes are open. Parent Lake is probably open.

This report will be linked to the ice conditions alert on the Superior National Forest website:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/superior

Ice Condition Report - May 14, 2013

Superior National Forest Ice Update

Tuesday PM, May 14, 2013

A strong crosswind grounded the fire patrol this afternoon. New information from observers:

Generally the smaller lakes in the south east are open or mostly open. Larger lakes are still frozen.

• Disappointment is open.
• Parent Lake (near Snowbank) is iced. Snowbank is still iced in.
• Rice and August Lake are open.
• Vermilion Lake was iced in yesterday.
• Big Lake was reported open yesterday, but southerly winds pushed the ice pack to the northern half today.
• The North Arm of Burntside is still frozen. The East Arm is full of dark ice.
This information is from Monday’s flight:
• Moose Lake: southwestern third is open; northeastern two thirds frozen but dark ice.
• S. Kawishiwi R. and Gabbro Lake are mostly open.
• Turtle is open.
• There is ice in the middle of Bald Eagle.
• Clearwater and Pietro are frozen (thin ice) but Gull is open.
• Quadga and Bog are open.
• Isabella and Perent still have a lot of ice in the middle.
• Polly and Phoebe are open.
• Alton and Sawbill are still frozen.
• Alice is frozen.
• Insula south of The Rock is open, the northern portion is frozen.
• Lake 3 is mostly open.
• Knife Lake including the South Arm is mostly ice.
• Saganaga is still frozen.
FS Pilot report—this information is from a flight late Sunday afternoon.
• Jackfish- 40% open
• Open: Pipestone, Stuart, Agnes, Nina Moose, Ramshead, Upper and Lower Pauness
• Frozen: Oyster
• Bald Eagle- 60% open
• Gabbro- 75% open
• Open: Gull, Turtle, Lakes 1 and 2
• Clearwater- frozen, but open around the edges.

Today’s safety message: 
Bears are awake and hungry. Keep a clean camp.
Winds are drying fine fuels quickly. Be careful with fire.
Give yourself a fighting chance. Wear your PFD.