Inventory of Closed BWCAW Campsites in Area Impacted by Pagami Creek Fire for Start of 2012

The US Forest Service provided the following information on campsite changes for the start of the 2012 paddling season:

Some BWCAW lakes and rivers will have fewer campsites open for use as a result of the Pagami Creek Fire. Forest Service crews will be opening most impacted campsites early in the 2012 season. However, some campsites will remain closed until wilderness crews can address erosion and safety concerns.  And, some campsites may remain closed for several seasons. Please be aware if you plan to camp on the following waterways that some campsites will be closed and you may have to travel further to find an available site. Maps showing the campsites that are currently closed can be found on the Superior National Forest website, and will be updated regularly as campsites are opened.

Ely Outfitting Company and Boundary Waters Guide Service will also identify impacted campsites on the massive write-on map wall in our outfitting shop so guests can easily determine campsite availability if they choose to travel in the small percentage of the BWCA impacted by the burn.

 

Lake	Campsites Before Pagami	Campsites that will be available for the beginning of the 2012 season
One	12	12
Two	12	12
Three	17	12
Four	16	8
Hudson	12	3
Insula	46	33
Horseshoe	4	1
Brewis	1	0
North Wilder	2	0
South Wilder	2	0
Harbor	2	0
Clearwater	4	4
Gull	5	3
Pietro	4	3
Hudson Pond	1	0
Baskatong	2	0
Bog	4	1
Isabella Lake	11	7
Isabella River	8	2
Island River	3	0
Kawasachong	4	2
Quadga	4	0
Rice	2	0

Changes to BWCAW Entry Permit Quotas for the 2012 Season

The US Forest Service has notified us of the following changes due to the Pagami Creek Fire: 

Forest Service staff evaluated BWCAW campsites within the Pagami Creek Fire burn area and determined that some need to be closed until they can be rehabilitated. Some campsites have safety hazards such as hazard trees and some have resource concerns such as a high potential for erosion. Of the more than 2,100 camp sites in the BWCAW, only 114 were affected by the fire. Of these, roughly 63 received light to moderate fire effects and will be reopened spring 2012 after minor restoration is done. Campsites and trails with more severe fire effects will need additional site work before reopening, and a limited few may need to rest for a few years to allow vegetation to return. Forest Service crews and volunteers will be working diligently to reopen portages and campsites as soon as possible this spring. Because this work will take time, several entry points will have reduced quota for the beginning of the 2012 season. The table below shows the changes to the entry point quotas.

As campsites, portages, and trails are cleared of windfall and are rehabilitated and re-established, the quotas will be adjusted. Updated information will be available on the Superior National Forest website.

Entry Point	Normal Quota	2012 Quota	Rationale
30 - Lake One	18	14	Quota will be 16 after several minimally impacted campsites are rehabilitated.
30F - Lake One Restricted	0	2	This is a new entry point for Lake One. Entry point 30F will include restrictions for no camping on Lakes One, Two, Three, Four, or Hudson at any time. This entry point will be eliminated when the quota for Entry Point 30 can be restored to 18.
34 - Island River	3	0	Island River is closed to overnight and day use going west towards Isabella River. The river is open to day use going south and east to Comfort Lake.
35 - Isabella Lake	3	1	Many campsites were impacted by the fire. The quota will increase after campsites have been rehabilitated in early 2012. Travel is prohibited west of Isabella Lake until we are sure the water route is navigable and portages have been stabilized to address erosion concerns.
67 - Bog Lake	2	0	Route is open to day use only.
75 - Little Isabella River	1	0	Little Isabella River is currently closed to all use because of trees across the portage and river. When trees have been cleared and resource concerns have been mitigated, the route will be open for day use.
86 - Pow wow Trail	Unlimited	0	Trail will remain closed until further notice.
84 - Snake River	1	1	Snake River is open but no travel is allowed east of Bald Eagle Lake on Isabella River until the route has been cleared. When route is cleared, travel and camping will be allowed.

Boundary Waters Photo Workshop with Layne Kennedy set for June 19 - 24, 2012

This unique Photo Workshop trip is a great opportunity to develop your photography skills under the direction of renowned magazine and nature photographer Layne Kennedy.  A Minneapolis-based professional photographer, Layne's newest book on the Boundary Waters, titled "Paddle North," was released in November 2010.  Layne's work is also featured frequently in Smithsonian, Life, Newsweek, Forbes, Outside, Audubon, Backpacker, Sports Illustrated, and National Geographic publications. His students range from photography professionals to point-and-shoot neophytes.

More info:  www.BoundaryWatersGuideService.com/PhotoWorkshop.

USFS Ends Lottery System for Most BWCAW Permits

Summer BWCAW canoe camping trips still require quota entry permits, but the Forest Service has changed the way early planners apply for those permits.

For years, early planners applied for permits during a Dec. 1 to Jan. 15 "lottery" period. In the lottery, you selected a desired entry point and date. At the end of the lottery period, you received your desired permit, unless there were more applications for that day/entry point than available permits, and a random drawing selected the other applicants over you. In the event you didn't obtain your first permit choice, then you would have the same chance to receive the second or third date/entry point preferences you made in your lottery application.

In reality, something over 95% of overnight paddle permit applicants in the lottery received their first permit choice.

What this change means for you: If you are planning a summer 2012 BWCA canoe trip, you want the best selection of summer camping entry permits, and you are an early planner, then you should apply for your entry permit when quota permits become available at 9 AM on January 25, 2012.

No worries, though, for folks who can't plan that far ahead. Plenty of permits are still available through spring. However, for the best selection of permits for the entry point and date that best fits your interests, we suggest you reserve your permit as soon as you decide to take a Boundary Waters trip. At Ely Outfitting Company and Boundary Waters Guide Service, we're happy to talk you through options and make some routing suggestions that are perfectly suited for your particular interests and expectations. We can also make your permit reservation for you. Feel free to call us at 218-343-7951.

We received the following official notice of the lottery changes by email from the USFS:

Jim Sanders, Forest Supervisor for the Superior National Forest has decided to implement changes to the lottery and reservation system for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).   

For 2012, the lottery will be retained for Fall Lake entry points D (Fall Lake & Beyond) and 24 (Fall Lake) and Moose Lake entry points F (Moose-Newfound-Sucker), G (Moose-Prairie-Basswood) and 25 (Moose Lake). People wanting day use motor, overnight motor, and overnight paddle permits for these entry points can continue to use the lottery to make their reservations as they have in the past. All other entry point reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis shortly after the lottery is run.  

Lottery applications can be made starting from 12:01 am CT on December 19, 2011 to 11:59 pm CT on January 19, 2012.  The lottery will run on January 20th.  Reservations for all entry points can be made on a first-come, first-served basis starting January 25th at 9:00 am central time.  Reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. 

BWCAW Closure Map as of Sept. 26

Some previously closed areas of the Boundary Waters have been reopened by the USFS.  This map shows current closures.

Pagami Creek Fire USFS Update - Sept. 17

TODAY’S MESSAGE: The incident commander announced Friday evening that the fire is 8% contained. Also, fire managers were able to more accurately map the fire’s perimeter on Friday and decreased the acreage from an estimated 100,000 acres to a more precise 93,472 acres. Minnesota’s Governor Dayton, Senators Klobuchar and Franken, and Representative Cravaak toured the fire area on Friday morning. The fire remains under unified command with Cook and Lake Counties. Lake County Commissioners, the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team (IMT), and Aultman’s Type 2 IMT (based in Cook County) began a coordinated effort to develop an integrated evacuation and structure-protection plan for the southeastern portion of the fire area. An Ontario liaison arrived and will remain on the incident. Despite warmer temperatures, drier air, and slightly stronger winds on Friday, the fire primarily crept and smoldered along the ground. The fire will be more active today than it was yesterday, especially on the northern edge, because of increased southerly winds, stronger gusts, and very dry fuels. Most crews and air resources will be working on the northern and southern sides of the fire. As always, firefighter and public safety is the top priority.

ACTIVITIES TODAY:

·         Continue to monitor the 8% containment line.

·         Continue to construct and extend direct fire lines with saws, brush cutters, and dozers and lay fire hose on the fire’s perimeter.

·         Be on the alert for spot fires, and use fire crews to direct air resources to drop water where needed.

·         Host a community meeting at the Isabella Community Center at 11:00 a.m.

BWCAW CLOSURES: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) closures remain the same. The following entry points are open: entry points along the Echo Trail (including Mudro); #25 Moose Lake (travel allowed only up the chain and to the west); #26 Wood Lake; #24 Fall Lake; the whole Trout Lake section (separate section south of the Echo Trail); #42 Brule ONLY; #54A Seagull ONLY; #55A Saganaga ONLY; and the small separate section northeast of the Gunflint Trail from #58 South Lake on the west to #70 North Fowl on the east.

ROAD CLOSURES: Highway 1 is still open.

Closed roads include

·         All roads north of Highway 1 from Forest Road (FR) 1468 east to Isabella

·         Wanless Road (FR 172) east to Cramer Road/Lake County Road 7

·         Cramer Road/Lake County Road 7 north to FR 354

·         FR 354 north to BWCAW boundary at Kawishiwi Lake

·         Wanless Road (FR172)

ROAD CLOSURES CONTINUED:

In Lake County, staffed road blocks will be at the intersections of

·         the Wanless and Cramer Road/Lake County Road 7

·         Highway 1 and the Wanless Road

·         Highway 1 and the Tomahawk Trail

In Cook County, a staffed road block is at the intersection of the Sawbill Trail and Four-Mile Grade so Cook County Road 3 north of that intersection is closed.

Additional closures may occur.

SAFETY: Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority. Forest-wide fire restrictions remain: building, maintaining, or using a fire or campfire, including charcoal fires, wood-burning camp stoves, and charcoal grills, is prohibited on all lands (federal, state, local government, and private) within the administrative boundaries of the Superior National Forest. Charcoal grills are allowed at private residences. Use of pressurized liquid gas stoves is allowed. With increased traffic due to the fire and grouse-season starting today, all drivers—the public and fire personnel—should be alert and drive safely.

DATE OF DETECTION: August 18, 2011

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: 93,472 acres

LOCATION: The fire started at Township 63 N, Range 9 W, approximately 14 miles east of Ely (within the BWCAW) in the Pagami Creek area between the South Kawishiwi River, Clearwater Lake, and Lake One. The fire perimeter from the north is Lake One, Lake Two, Lake Four, and Lake Insula. The perimeter on the east is the southern edge of Lake Polly and east of Kawasachong Lake, the northwest and southern shores of Square Lake, the western shore of Perent Lake, and the northwestern shore of Silver Island Lake, where the fire exited the BWCAW. The southern perimeter crosses the intersection of Island River Road and Lake Twenty-Nine Road, Twenty-Nine Lake, and the Isabella River to just inside the BWCAW at Bog Lake.

AGENCIES: Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Superior National Forest

SMOKE CONDITIONS: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and incident personnel are monitoring smoke conditions. Visit the following website for more information: pca.state.mn.us

RESOURCES: There are 510 people assigned to the fire. Five Type 1 crews and eight Type 2 crews are on the incident. Seven helicopters, including four National Guard Black Hawks, are assigned to the incident. Eight fixed-wing aircraft are assigned, including three float planes, two air tankers, and three air-attack planes.