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  Last Visit: 05/17/2024 06:32PM

Entry Point 47 - Lizz & Swamp Lakes

Lizz and Swamp Lakes entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 34 miles. Access from Poplar Lake by 51-rod portage to Lizz Lake and 100-rod portage into Swamp Lake only. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1864 feet
Latitude: 48.0420
Longitude: -90.4998
Author Message Text
nicole
membermember
 
08/22/2013 06:55PM
 
New Trip Report posted by nicole

Trip Name: first solo.

Entry Point: 47

Click Here to View Trip Report
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kanoes
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/22/2013 07:16PM
 
great report nicole, i like your writing style. hooked on solos is an ok thing, ya done good. :)

the prism is a bigger solo, yould do better in a magic or an advantage.
Gunflinter
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/22/2013 09:07PM
 
Heading up next week. You're report confirmed a lot of the reasons why. Thanks for writing.

God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure. Eric Liddell
Dbldppr1250
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08/22/2013 10:05PM
 
Nice report. I really liked the campfire picture with the streaks of fire rising.

Walking School Bus
jsa
membermember
 
08/23/2013 02:53AM
 
Great job. Heading to Lizz and beyond for 7 days also. Be there in two weeks. Can't wait.
dicecupmaker
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/23/2013 03:29AM
 
Congrats and great job! It irons out the wrinkles in your soal!

Joy is a great teacher, but so is dispair. Wonder is a great teacher, but so is confusion. Hope is a great teacher, but so is disillusionment. And life is a great teacher, but so is death. To deny yourself any of those in any aspect is not experiencing life totally.
boonie
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/23/2013 11:33AM
 
It sounds like you had a very nice first solo with no significant difficulties or surprises. It always seems to take a while to slip out of the day-to-day world and into the new (old) reality, but it gets easier each time. I suspect you'll be less worried about things next time - less anxious and more eager to return to that and the adjustment will be quicker. Will you travel a little more, a little deeper next time...?
RC
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/23/2013 12:24PM
 
Thanks for the great report Nicole. I also like your writing style. I like your philosophical perspective on things.
I wish there was a way to signup or subscribe for any further trip reports by a specific author so I could be sure to catch any of your future trip reports.
Gibby
Guest Paddler
 
08/23/2013 02:12PM
 
Nicole, if you'll permit me a little amateur psychology:
The feminine energy and maternal ferocity you felt on Horseshoe was your own.
The healing you felt on Caribou was also your own.
HansSolo
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/23/2013 11:14PM
 

quote kanoes: "great report nicole, i like your writing style. hooked on solos is an ok thing, ya done good. :)

the prism is a bigger solo, yould do better in a magic or an advantage."


I agree with kanoes on all counts.

Loved your trip report! Very philosophical, yet cerebral. You describe some of the simplest campsites occurrences in a most entertaining way.

I especially enjoyed the description of "Harriet" the chipmunk and the defensive mother Loon.

I hope this is just one of many more solo trips for you. I also hope to read many more trip reports by you as well.

Hans Solo

Water reflects not only clouds and trees and cliffs, but all the infinite variations of mind and spirit we bring to it. – Sigurd Olson
solohigh
membermember
 
08/24/2013 06:47AM
 
Thank you. I enjoyed reading your report. Been into that area many times. I think it is a really good place for a first solo adventure and many more after that.
TomT
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/24/2013 06:48AM
 
Sounds like you had a great first solo there. I can certainly relate to your mind thinking of all the "what ifs?" I think you will do just fine and are able to adapt to mishaps (the tent pole) very well. Now, about that morning water thing.... I take special pleasure in my morning coffee. I wonder why water?




"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
GSP
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/24/2013 09:02AM
 
Glad your trip was great, especially sittingin they rain watching sunriseover Superior. Congrats Nicole!

German Shorthair Pointers Rule Serenity is found in your mind, not somewhere you seek.
Twins87
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/24/2013 10:17AM
 
Great sounding trip Nicole...fun read.


I think we may have run in to you on the portage between Poplar and Lizz on the day you headed out... A family of three heading to Caribou or Horseshoe on a day paddle. We ran into a solo female exiting who told us she had seen a moose on horseshoe that morning so our daughter insisted Horseshoe was the lunch destination for the afternoon.


Was that you?


I think we lunched on your Horseshoe site... Did you forget a pair of sunglasses by the fire grate?
plainspaddler
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/26/2013 07:03AM
 
Nice report. I think my wife and I ran into you on the 14th. It was on the Poplar/Lizz portage on the Lizz side. My wife told me that you were a very brave woman to be doing a solo. Horseshoe is a great lake...it may be my favorite that I have been on so far.


Mike

The sound of a paddle in still waters will steal your soul.
Sara Williams
Guest Paddler
 
08/26/2013 09:23AM
 
We paddled right by you on Sunday afternoon, went on to Vista where we based for 5 great days. That site on Horseshoe is so beautiful, I've been there 3 times, always seen moose. Vista was beautiful and quiet with almost no traffic. Our trip had an 8 year old and an 80 year old so a base was best for us--the 8 to 80 trip. I went out solo in the Sylvania wilderness about 10 years ago, very fine place for a solo.


Sara
Exo
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/26/2013 10:44AM
 
A great trip report. I'll bet you motivate others to try a solo. Thanks for the great writing.
Rambler_Dog
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/28/2013 10:43PM
 
Very nice report. Thanks.
nctry
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
08/29/2013 08:54AM
 
Great report. And congratulations on your first of many solo's.

Nctry
DanCooke
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
09/01/2013 09:36AM
 
Nice report. Glad to hear you tripped at your pace, and had a good time.

Dan Cooke
wibowyer15
senior membersenior membersenior member
 
09/07/2013 12:12PM
 
Thanks for sharing, nice report! It was like I was there as I was reading your report !!
Breakfast Boy
membermember
 
09/14/2013 06:33PM
 
Awesome write up, thanks for sharing! My wife and I were supposed to make our first BWCA trip last year, but my Labrador retriever got really sick and we had to cancel. Our plans were to camp at that exact same campsite on Horseshoe. Really enjoyed reading your report. Think I'm going to plan my first trip to the BWCA and it'll be solo this coming summer. Might go into Horseshoe.
OneMatch
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
09/15/2013 07:34PM
 
Great report, Nicole, thanks. Love that pic of the rose hips.

We all have to believe in something. I believe I'll go paddle.
Portageanimal
membermember
 
09/18/2013 12:46AM
 
Great post I had to laugh when I read the "skinny dip" part :)
huntr4lfe
membermember
 
01/23/2014 01:57PM
 
I have been to Horseshoe lake three times and every time I have seen at least three moose. Theres a campsite just as you enter the South finger of the lake, stay there and you will see moose. Nice trip!
jcavenagh
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/31/2014 12:26PM
 
Thanks for this. I can see that I am heading into the solo realm. It has just become more and more difficult to get groups to stick together during the months leading up to a trip. I have more dropouts than attendees over the last 5 years.

LNT - The road to success is always under construction. http://hikingillinois.blogspot.com/
gkimball
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/06/2014 08:03PM
 
Great report. Enjoyed your focus on the place and how you engaged on a personal level. I too like to meditate and do tai chi in camp every day on both solo trips and with companions. It helps me "be here now," which is the whole reason for going to such a beautiful place. Good luck with your future trips. Keep reporting!

Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans...
Rob Johnson
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
02/11/2014 09:53PM
 
Nice report...great adventure. I am impressed that the "large animal"...bear...encounter didn't send you packing immediately. Planning a trip like this myself for this fall.

I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I realized I am somebody. Lily Tomlin
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