Brigand Lake
Making Connections
Maps
- Fisher
F-16, Loon,
Lac La Croix, Nina Moose Lakes
- McKenzie
13, Lac La
Croix
Links
- DNR Lake No. 690387
- Lake Map No. N/A
- Lake Table No. 2A
- MDH Fish Consumption
Advisory - N/A
- MPCA Water Quality
|
Scale 1:21420
Full image approximately 2
miles square
|
Description
Brigand is a small, remote lake in
the upper Pocket Creek watershed of the Lac La
Croix basin, 13½ miles east of Crane Lake and 31 miles NNW of
Ely. Brigand is only 3' above Contentment
in elevation, and the creek may be navigable. The forests which ring
Brigand date back to the big burn year of 1864, though the later 1894 fires
came quite close to its western shore. This region of the BWCA escaped
damage in the 4th of July windstorms of 1999, which caused extensive tree
loss to the south and east.
Campsites
Brigand Lake supports one established
campsite, on the eastern shore.
Planning Considerations
Brigand Lake is a 48 rod bushwhack out
of Contentment which is itself another 40
rods off trail from Thumb Lake, on the Snow Bay/Pocket Creek route, (which
drops south and east out of Snow Bay on Lac La
Croix through a string of lakes (North/South,
Steep, Eugene, Little
Beartrack, Beartrack, and Thumb)
before turning northeast at Finger to Pocket,
returning to Lac La Croix at the mouth of Pocket Creek). All connections
to nearby lakes are without benefit of established portage but the distances
are not unreasonable. It's 130 rods northeast to Nahimana,
235 rods southeast to Lucky Finn, and 100 rods
southwest to Pageant.
(Actual distance on the ground dependent upon route chosen, of course).
Brigand also provides reasonably good access to other parts of the Weeny
Lake Primitive Management Area, to the south up Rangeline Creek to Rangeline
and Achundo, and down Pageant Creek to Heritage
and East Loon Bay.
Wildlife
Brigand Lake is in a largely wooded area,
excepting the boggy bounds of Brigand Creek. Good habitat, but also
good cover.
Notes and Comments
Brigand Lake is part of a cluster of small
lakes in the northern reaches of the Weeny
Lake PMA, which appear to be relatively accessible from established
canoe routes (well, by PMA standards, anyway) and from one another.
An area definitely worth exploring if you're looking for a wilderness experience.
Let us know if you've done so. We'd like to hear about it.
Last updated on
11 April, 2004
|
