Contentment Lake

Making Connections

Bushwhack Northeast, 40 rods, to Thumb
Bushwhack South, 48 rods, to Brigand

Maps

Fisher F-16, Loon, Lac La Croix, Nina Moose Lakes
McKenzie 13, Lac La Croix

Description

Contentment is a small lake in the upper Pocket Creek drainage of the Lac La Croix basin, 13 miles ENE of Crane Lake and 31½ miles NNW of Ely. Shaped in a shallow, banana-like arc, Contentment is fed by seepages and intermittent streams to the west and by Brigand Creek, dropping in from Brigand Lake to the south. Brigand is only 3' above Contentment and the creek may be navigable. A portage is required to reach Thumb to the northeast due to the topography, with Thumb some 55' below Contentment at a distance of but 40 rods. Though not shown on maps (USGS hints at it) there is probably an unofficial and unmaintained portage here. Look on the north side of the stream..

The forests around and about Contentment Lake date back to the major, stand replacing blaze of 1894. This region of the BWCA escaped damage in the 4th of July windstorms of 1999, which caused such extensive tree loss to the south and east.

Campsites

Contentment supports one established campsite, on the southern shore near the mouth of Brigand Creek.

Planning Considerations

Contentment is just 40 rods from Thumb Lake, which is a link in the Snow Bay/Pocket Creek route, the arc of 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. It also provides reasonably good access to the Weeny Lake Primitive Management Area to the south.

Wildlife

Contentment supports low populations of Northern Pike (Esox lucius) and White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni).

Notes and Comments

Contentment 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 and from one another. An area definitely worth exploring. Let us know if you've done so. We'd like to hear about it.