Sawbill Lake (EP38) Gear Checklist
Sawbill Lake is a busy entry with an unloading area at the water's edge, an easy short carry to Alton Lake and long muddy carries toward Cherokee and Smoke. The trip reports we read were a family base camp, a no-portage fishing camp at the north end, a six-day push toward Cherokee and Kelly, and a first trip that packed too much. What they carried was layers for kids, tarps, bug defenses and fishing tackle, and what they regret is weight, mud and a hammock anchor that failed.
What shapes your gear on Sawbill Lake
- The landing
- The Forest Service lists Entry 38 as overnight and paddle only, with a boat landing at Sawbill Lake. A BWCA lake directory puts the public lot a couple of hundred yards back from the lake, with a drop-off area and a dock right at the shore. The Sawbill Lake Campground is at the entry and the directory calls the entry almost always busy at the height of the season.
From Superior National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Points and BWCAwild.com
- The Alton Lake carry: three numbers
- A family that based on Alton Lake called the portage 20 rods. A Friends of the Boundary Waters route page gives 29 rods and says Alton has 16 campsites. The BWCA lake directory says 30 rods. All three call it short, and the route page says it is well maintained.
From Enlightened Equipment blog, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and BWCAwild.com
- The longer routes
- The directory lists four routes out of Sawbill. A 100-rod portage into Smoke Lake lies a bit under two miles up the east shore, and the Ada Creek route at the north end leads to Cherokee. A group that went toward Cherokee in September 2018 hit an 80-rod portage, a muddy 80-rod portage with mud to the knees, and a 180-rod portage before camp.
From BWCAwild.com and BWCA.com
- Sawbill itself
- A group of four who stayed on the lake for three August nights, with no portages, knew of 13 campsites on it and a length a little over four miles. They split into two canoes along opposite shores and used walkie-talkies to find a site at the north end.
- Weather in the trip reports
- Conditions swing. A July family trip had rain in the forecast the first day and a bad mosquito night on the second. A September 2018 trip had steady sheets of rain on a long portage day, wind that blew clothes off a line and chilly mornings. A late-August trip had little or no bugs.
From Enlightened Equipment blog, BWCA.com and Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Back on Sawbill
What the agency requires on Sawbill Lake
No cans or glass bottles
Any can or glass bottle is illegal in the wilderness, with exceptions for fuel, insect repellent and medicine. Food and drinks go in containers made for repeat use.
A bear-resistant container or a hang rope
From April 1 to November 30 all food, containers, scented items and refuse must hang 12 feet or higher and at least 6 feet from a tree trunk, or sit in a certified bear-resistant container. Never leave food unattended on a portage or in camp.
A small camp stove
Fires are allowed only in the steel grates at designated campsites, and a fire restriction can require a stove. The Forest Service calls a small stove a good idea for speed and for rainy weather.
Group size limit
The most allowed together are nine people and four watercraft, on water, portages and campsites alike.
What hikers carry on Sawbill Lake
Real insulation for kids
A family with children aged 6 and 8 gave them their own light quilts, and said not to skimp, because kids need good insulation just as adults do. The children were underdressed in the canoe on arrival day and got chilly, so the quilts doubled as wraps.
Tarps ready to pitch fast
The July family hustled to get tent and tarps up before forecast rain on arrival. A September 2018 group used a tarp as a wind block at a north-facing Kelly Lake camp and found it helped.
From Enlightened Equipment blog and BWCA.com
A layered bug defense and a plan B
Despite three repeller devices, treated clothing, spray and a smoky fire, the July family retreated to the tent early on night two. A late-August group of four brought a bug tent and saw little or no bugs.
From Enlightened Equipment blog and Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Back on Sawbill
A satellite messenger or GPS for the turn back to Sawbill
The July family's father missed the turn toward Sawbill while leaving Alton, his first navigation error in the wilderness, and his son steered back with the GPS messenger and landmarks.
Light camp chairs for a base camp
A writer with a bad back brought bag chairs for a no-portage trip, and said sitting down to a fish dinner above the lake showed them a new way to enjoy these waters.
Fishing tackle for walleye and northern
A late-August group caught walleyes and bass from shore and from the canoes with rigs and spinners. The September 2018 group caught several northern pike and filleted them on an island.
From Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Back on Sawbill and BWCA.com
Footwear for muddy landings
The September 2018 group stepped into mud up to the knees at a landing on the second portage, and later found the landing on the Smoke-to-Sawbill carry mucky and swampy.
From BWCA.com
A canoe that portages well
On a first trip, one friend's new fishing canoe with rod holders and seatbacks proved painful at the first carry, while another paddler soloed a lighter model without trouble. Another group found a leak in an aluminum canoe and rented one from the outfitter.
From Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Fall Sawbill, Smoke, Burnt trip and BWCA.com
9 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Sawbill Lake
Too much gear for the first carry
The first-trip group double-portaged everything from Sawbill toward Smoke because they brought too much, and arrived at Burnt tired. The July family overpacked snacks.
From Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Fall Sawbill, Smoke, Burnt trip and Enlightened Equipment blog
A hammock anchor you have not tested
On the first night the anchor for a hammock failed and its user sprained an ankle, which left it hard to put weight on.
From BWCA.com
A leak found after launching
The group found a leak in an aluminum canoe once on the water, paddled back to the outfitter and rented a replacement.
From BWCA.com
Counting on pines for the bear hang
The September 2018 group struggled to hang the bear bag in the area's pines, got a mildly acceptable height one night and did better by throwing to a higher branch. One camp had a perfect tree.
From BWCA.com
A fire plan for a wet night
A rainy night at Kelly Lake was too wet for a fire at all, and the next day a tarp wind block helped some at a north-facing camp.
From BWCA.com
Gear questions for Sawbill Lake
How long is the portage from Sawbill Lake to Alton Lake?
Sources give three numbers, 20 rods from a family trip, 29 from a Friends of the Boundary Waters route page and 30 from a lake directory. All describe a short, well-kept carry.
From Enlightened Equipment blog, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and BWCAwild.com
Do you need a bear canister at Sawbill Lake?
A canister is one choice. From April 1 to November 30 the Forest Service allows a hang at least 12 feet up and 6 feet from the trunk, or a certified container. One group found the local pines hard to throw a line over.
From Superior National Forest (USDA Forest Service): Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Rules and Regulations and BWCA.com
Can you bring canned drinks from Sawbill Lake into the wilderness?
No. Cans and glass bottles are illegal in the wilderness, except for fuel, repellent and medicine.
Are mosquitoes bad at Sawbill Lake?
It varies. A July family had a night so bad they retreated to the tent, while a late-August trip saw little or no bugs.
From Enlightened Equipment blog and Paddle Planner: Trip Report - Back on Sawbill
Sources
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Rules and Regulations · Superior National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Points · Superior National Forest (USDA Forest Service) · Agency
- Taking Our Kids on Their First BWCA Trip · Enlightened Equipment blog, Jim Trouten · Blog
- Sawbill Lake (EP 38) trip notes, September 2018 · BWCA.com, altaylor4 · Trip report
- Trip Report - Back on Sawbill · Paddle Planner · Trip report
- Trip Report - Fall Sawbill, Smoke, Burnt trip · Paddle Planner · Trip report
- Entry Point 38 - Sawbill Lake in the BWCA · BWCAwild.com · Blog
- Exploration of Alton Lake · Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness · Blog