Any suggestions for a place to go in the BW with a wheelchair user? An auto accident in 2006 left my fiance paralyzed from the waste down. The last two years we have gone to Lake Isabella. The portage to the lake is do-able for him with assistance in some spots. We stayed on the Island out from the portage with 2 campsites so we were able to make an extra trip with the extra equipment we require. There will be 7 to 9 in our party. We would like to check out a new spot similiar in ease of portage and campsites if any one has any ideas......
Thanks much  TT

It's kind of a hassle to get there, but Ladyboot Bay on Lac La Croix requires NO portages.  You get there by driving to Crane Lake, then taking a powerboat "tow" (I've worked with Zups Outfitters out of Crane Lake) to Lac La Croix.  The outfitters stop and unload in Lac La Croix on a wee spit of rock, just off the mouth of Ladyboot Bay, which is just inside the BWCA.  You have a short paddle from the drop off point into the Bay..maybe a quarter mile.  You will find that others in Ladyboot Bay bring in lots of gear, on account there is no portaging...  I heard some outfitters even arrange to meet campers in Ladyboot Bay during mid-stay back out on this tiny island to re-supply them!   Ladyboot Bay is a beautiful bay and has pretty good fishing.

I don't know if this will meet your needs, but if you call Mark at Zups he'll be able to tell you.  

One potential problem....better check party size limit...not sure if it's 8 or 9, and I'd also check the canoe limit.  

Good luck!  

Another thought: contact Wilderness Inquiry in Minneapolis.  They are a non-profit dedicated to giving people with disabilities outdoor experiences.  They might have other ideas.  They are a very good outfit.  

prouboy

Basswood is completely available to you two ways.....

...motor to PP...american side is up and over

...Fall Lake paddle to Jackfish bay....the portages into and out of Newton are literal roads....any WC could easily pass.  Once you're in Basswood, the world is yours!

Depending on your crew's ability to portage, you may be able to make a few portages, especially the well-worn, flatter ones.  I've had guide friends take similar groups up to Knife Lake and Ottertrack along the border, if you can manage a few shorter portages.  There's lots of paddling that can be done with only 1 day of portaging.  A wheelchair may not be easy, but I know they can be done, especially if you have a couple people assisting him in the tough spots.

However, if that's not your cup of tea, I'd say Basswood will be your best bet.

While on a canoe trip in Maine, I saw a group of paddlers with 3 wheelchair users, 1 per canoe with 2 assistants for each disabled person.
They had the simple fold up type wheelchairs. The portages were along a river, longest maybe 200 yds top. But rocky in spots. I wondered how they were going to transport the wheelchair paddlers?
 They had an ingenious idea that worked real well on the open but rocky portages. They had brought along a Game Carrier, that you would normally use to transport deer sized animals in the field. The handicap person sat looking backward and one guy was on the handle and another walked behind too stabilize or assist if there was any problems.
They had added a seatbelt to cart, so the user was held safe and secure. The cart folds inward and easily fit in canoe. I don't know if a cart would be with-in the BWCA rules, but wouldn't hurt too ask, if your interested.
 Not only would it make the portage a lot easier, it would extend your range as long as the portages were not too difficult?
 They make many models, including lightweight aluminum and with flat proof tires.
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Sawbill might be a good place to go in.  TOf coarse you cna stay on Sawbill which is a beautiful lake or there is a portage into Alton that is short and I think would be accesible.  

"They had an ingenious idea that worked real well on the open but rocky portages. They had brought along a Game Carrier, that you would normally use to transport deer sized animals in the field. The handicap person sat looking backward and one guy was on the handle and another walked behind too stabilize or assist if there was any problems."

a game cart is illegal to use within a designated wilderness, as is a mountain bike, sailboat and similar "mechanical" conveyances.  I'm assuming there is some exemption for a wheel chair under ADA? - possibly a game cart could be considered a form of wheelchair in this case, but
anyone considering that should check with the forest service.

Per   (You need to Login or Register

"Portage wheels or mechanical assistance are only permitted over the following areas: International Boundary, Four-Mile Portage, Fall-Newton-Pipestone and Back Bay Portages into Basswood Lake, Prairie Portage, and Vermillion-Trout Lake Portage."

Agree with Mad_Matt that you should check with the Forest Service.  ADA has provisions, but doesn't necessarily superceed the FS regulations, as legally it appears to be a grey area.  Don't know the rangers out there this year, but past experience has shown them to be extremely reasonable.  IF you ran across them, I doubt they would even begin to take issue with you.  The above regulation more aptly pertains to use of a wheel for transportation of canoes & other gear, not persons with disabilities.  Obviously, no motorized scooters or wheelchairs are allowed.  I like the game carrier idea, or a fold-up wheelchair.  Just don't use the wheels for transportation of ANYTHING else, however tempting it may be, and be sure you stick to existing trails.  Practice leave no trace.

Saganaga Lake is accessible without portages.  Trout Lake (adjacent to Vermilion) has one portage, but it is a gravel road and probably do-able with a wheel chair.  It is a short boat ride or paddle to Trout Lake from Mocassin Point, Hwy 77, Tower, MN.  :)

 I figured the game cart would be illegal for it's intended purpose, but if the rangers are reasonable at all, and permission is granted before hand, it would at least be worth the effort, if you like the idea.
When they allow wheelchairs, they must know there is an opportunity for abuse IF the parties are so inclined.
Never hurts too ask.

thanks for the suggestions and info. I will discuss these options with my group... :) [smiley=dankk2.gif]

I can't help you with any ideas of my own, but I give credit to you and your group for looking for ways to take your fiancee' into the BW in spite of his wheelchair.  You're a special lady.

If he needs any assistance sitting in the canoe, there are adaptive seats being made by Kevin Carr at Chosen Valley Canoe Assessories.  Here's the website:  

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Give him a call to see if the seat might work in your fiancee's situation.

Good luck TT.  Remember, Wilderness Inquiry (WI) might be a great source of information and advice.

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My son is disabled, and has taken canoe trips with WI on the St. Croix river.  He had a blast.  

prouboy

For any who may have wondered where we went, we ended up at Kawishiwi Lake. Just got back yesterday. It worked out well for us. I did call Wilderness Inquiry, they said most of their trips are on the number lakes out of Ely.  A few of us are going up to Lake in a couple weeks to check it out for a possible trip next year.
Thanks again to all for input and suggestions.

Oops...Lake One that is.

Hello TT, looks like I just missed giving advice but I'm glad you had a great time. I actually posed the same question over on the bwca.com forums earlier this summer. Some friends and I successfully took a disabled friend of ours on his first BWCA trip at the end of June. We ended up going Fall Lake to Basswood as others here have suggested. The portages are virtual gravel roads. The only downside is, of course, that it's motorized. How was Kawishiwi for accessibility?

Other routes recommended to us included the Numbered Lakes (an obvious lack of portages) and the Sawbill-Alton route over the old railroad line portage. I've personally not been to the numbered lakes so TT I'd be interested to hear about your thoughts on that, too. We're all already looking forward to our next trip.

Also, I want to second Jackfish. The trip was entirely made possible by Kevin Carr who generously let us use one of his adaptive paddling canoe seats. If anyone's interested, he has a site specifically set up for adaptive paddling seats he makes (by hand):   (You need to Login or Register. Thanks Kevin!