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DescriptionSlim is a moderate sized, elongated lake in the Burntside Lake basin of the Vermilion drainage, 29¼ miles ESE of Crane Lake and 9¼ miles northwest of Ely. Some 3 miles in length but rarely more than ¼ mile wide, the lake's nearly 300 acres of surface area are pinched between high hills rising as much as 180' above the lakeshore. The steep slope of the hills continues in the shape of the lake bottom, which falls off quickly to a depth of nearly 50'. At the end of a narrow arm towards the south end of the eastern shore, a 140 rod portage follows the creek down towards the North Arm of Burntside, the portage trail ending short of the big lake, at the end of a spur road and BWCAW Entry Point 6. North along the western shore, a 75 rod portage follows the north bank of small stream, climbing 22' to the creek's origin on the eastern shore of Rice Lake.The Independence Day windstorms of 1999 caused no significant damage in the Slim Lake area. CampsitesSlim supports three established campsites, two along the eastern shore and a third at the far south end.Planning ConsiderationsSlim is a link in the Big Lake/Burntside route, which crosses this region of the BWCAW border-to-border, from Big in the north, by way of Lapond, Big Rice, Hook, Rice, and Slim, to the North Arm of Burntside.In years past, a 2 mile spur road ran from the northeastern end of Slim eastward, passing just north of Hunch Lake, to intersect with the Echo Trail just an eighth of a mile north of the South Hegman trailhead. While no longer an acceptable entry to the BWCAW, it might make for an interesting hike if one could find the Slim Lake end. Slim is included in Beymer, The Boundary Waters Canoe Area, vol. 1, The Western Region, routes 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 21. WildlifeSlim supports populations of Northern Pike (Esox lucius), Tulibee (Cisco) (Coregonus artedi), Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni), and Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens). Walleye fry were stocked in 1994, 1996, and 1998. Larger Walleye from Slim (over 20") have been found to contain levels of mercury such that they should not be eaten by children or by women of child-bearing age. Others should limit themselves to one meal a month. See the Minnesota Fish Consumption Advisory for more details.Notes and CommentsSlim is so named, one would think, because of its elongated form. |
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