Last summer Magic Paddler and I spent some time up on Crooked and Iron from July 27-Aug. 7.  If you look at the number of campsites along Crooked and Iron, there are surprisingly few compared to a lot of the BW lakes and they are fairly well spread out.  That plus the distance from the entry points told me there should be fewer people in that area - fewer camps = fewer campers.  That turned out to be case and we did see less people than you'd think. Iron was perhaps a bit busier.  Of course the area around Basswood falls was a zoo.  We got a tow to Lincoln Is. off a Moose Lake permit going in and camped night one in the middle of the falls chain in a very nice/secluded bay.  Most people will either stop short, camp at either end or go all the way through. 

TomT - you might want to recheck your permit pickup plans.  I just reserved a Moose Lake permit again and was told I needed to pick it up at an issuing station as they are not doing the 'on line' pick ups this year.  I think with the goat screw mess from uneducated camper influx last year, they want to be able to MAKE people watch the LNT/camping rules videos this season.  I'm picking mine up at the outfitter's. I believe you can pick it up the day before from one of the Ranger stations - or select an outfitter in the vicinity of your EP.

I'm doing a Knife, Ottertrack, Ogish, Gabi, Alice, Lake One loop with Magic Paddler in late July.  He and I are also planning a NW loop for around Sept. 6-18, possibly via Little India Sioux to LLC and back around clockwise.

pd