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Kawnipi Lake and escaping the wind
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New to this site but anxious to have input from experienced paddlers. I am a 68 year old man planning a solo into Kawnipi in early Septermber (8th or so). If I come in from Canada can anyone recoommend a route that would minimize big lakes and wind. as a solo paddler that is the one thing that concerns me most, i.e. swamping in the middle of a large lake and having to swim for shore. I am devating the pros and cons of entry from Canada vs US and also choosing an outfitter for the canoe and taxi in if necessary. I would welcome advice and suggestions on any of this. David B
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Pretty hard to avoid the big lakes coming from the north. Pickerel is where you would start, and that is a big lake. However, you could start at Stanton Bay and avoid most of the lake. You'll have to get an outfitter to shuttle you there, but that would probably be worth it. It cuts out most of Pickerel. Also get an early start, around sunrise, if you want to avoid the wind. It doesn't always work, but you'll be more likely to have calmer water early in the morning. You could avoid Sturgeon by taking the Bonhomme and Sauvage portages into Alice, but those can be pretty miserable (at least what I've heard). Kawnipi itself is big, though I guess it would be possible to avoid the large, open water depending on where you stay. Route using Stanton Bay and the Bonhomme/Sauvage portages Coming from the south, you can get a tow to American Point on Saganaga. The rest of Saganaga and Cache Bay can get windy and wavy. From there, though, it is mostly small lakes until you get to Kawnipi. The rapids and falls are nothing to laugh at, though, in terms of danger. In short, you have to be careful no matter which way you go.
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I will be in Kawnipi that same week with a group of 6. We are coming in through Prairie Portage from the south and going Basswood, Burke, Meadows, and Agnes. We always use an outfitter on Moose Lake to start from. We get an early tow the next morning after getting in. Agnes can be tricky depending on the wind, but can be done by skirting the shore line. It saves a load of time being a long north / south lake. Our goal is always to eat lunch the first day on Agnes. The tow is worth the money in my opinion, because it saves a half a day of paddling. There is only 4 portages into Agnes and 2 to 4 more to Kawnipi. Loads of good fishing all over Kawnipi as well as multiple pictograghs. Check out this website for some newly "discovered" pictos: http://northwoodsmemoriesmmp.com/ I have only been up the falls chain. Be extremely cautious coming down them as a route coming into Kawnipi. Canyon Falls was a monster to go up the outflow, but that was in a rainy June a few years ago. That year the ranger station gave us a detailed "map" of the falls chain and how to navigate it safely. Enjoy! Kawnipi is a great lake and one of my top 3 favorites.
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