The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-12

In preceding talks we have outlined
the policies of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture in the develop
ment and administration of the SUI
perior National Forest under the juris-
diction of the United States Forest Ser
vice.
Nearly 1000, 900 acres, or approx
mately one-third of the gross area of
this forest, is cut up with a network
of streams, rivers and lakes. The policy
of excluding roads from this portion of
the forest and utilizing this network of
water as the transportation medium of
providing ingreSS and egreSs to this
large area assures maintaining this area
in as primitive condition as is feasible
and still protect and administer the
area. Such network of water is found
nowhere else in the United States, and
the fact that it has been set aside for
this unique means of transportation has
resulted in the area becoming more and
more important from a national stand
point as a recreational playground of
the nation.
Today wSuld like to take you on
canoe trip from Crane Lake to Ely
along the international boundary separ-
ating Canada and the United States.
The trip may be taken either east to
west or west to east. Complete outfits
may be secured either at Crane Lake
from any of several resorts, or from Ely
and Winton, where a number of out
fitting concerns specialize in this par
ticular industry. Most of these con-
Germs can completely equip you for the
trip, and all that is necessary for you to
take is your own personal articles, in
Guiding your fishing tackle. Food sup
plies, canoes, packSackS, blankets, tent
age, mosquito canopieS, air mattresses,
ETC., are all available under a very
reasonable rental agreement with the
various QUILTING concerns. Having
made our advance arrangements, we ar
rive at Crane Lake to discover that our
complete outfit is ready to go and the
guide has checked every detail and is
waiting for our party at the dock. A
few laSt-minute personal arrangements
and we are off on one of the most at
tractive four days of recreation that
anyone could possibly experience.
We are to fonow one of the principal
canoe routes used for centuries by the
Indians and the one which provided the
principal means of accessibility by the
early fur traders. The entire watershed
that we will traverse drains both Can
adam and American territory, and all
flows northerly direction, evntually
seeking its ocean level in Hudson Bay.
As we leave the resort and paddle
northWard across Crane Lake, adjust
ing ourselves to the use of the paddle,
getting acquainted with the guide and
the movement of the canoe, before we
realize it we have covered the three
miles and rounded the island which i'm
mediately shuts off our view of the sew
eral resorts and we leave civilization
behind. As we progress slowly north
ward. we pass through what is known
as King Williams Narrows, which is a
narrow gorge through which the water
from Crane Lake passes into Sand Point
Lake on the Canadian boundary. Here
in the narrows We see our first patch
of white and Norway pine, which has
been left along the shore lines Of the
narrows as a result of the efforts of the
State Conservation Commission, who
within the last two years purchased this
tract of timber from the numbering in
terests in an effort to maintain for
future posterity this beautiful shore line
through the King Williams narrows.
Passing through the last narrow gap,
with the sheer rock cliffs rising abruptly
on each side, we break out into Sand
Point Lake, turning to the right in an
easterly direction, we have now reached
the international boundary, which will
be our guide for several days.
Another mile of padding brings us
to another narrows, which at the
nresent time can be padded but in low
water the canoes must either be pulled
nm through the rapids or portrayed. 1t
is at these narrows that industry sew
eral wears ago proposed to construct
large dam for either power development
or storage purposes. We pass through
the narrows into Little Vermlllon Lake
in our course eastward. Approaching
the east end of Little Vermilion Lake,
we would perhaps now nave some
trouble finding the channel OF Loon
River where it comes into Little YER
million Lake. The high water at tne
present time has flooded the narrow
channel. but by canoe we do not nave
RI WORRY. since the water is deep enough
that we can paddle in any d1rectlon
although we are apt to encounter many
sand bars and Sunken logs ana snags
We now travel the very crooked
course of Loon River for the next slS
or seven miles. the channel OF winch
twists and turns in very sinuous man
ner amongst the hills and rock leogeS
Along the river it is noted that the
American side has been entirely cu'
over and burned, although now coming
back to a young stand OF aspen ane
birch. The Canadian side was alst
burned as a result of the fires origina'
ting on the American side, and exten'
sive areas and volumes OF land ane
timber were destroyed as a result o.
conflagrations originating in the Unltee
states. Patches of virgin white ant
Norway pine, however, may be noted OF
the Canadian side which were missed o!
the fire.
Padding up Loon River five or 81
miles, we approach a rock narrows VIII
a small current through which we Cal
paddle, but through which motor boat