ROUTES/PORTAGES FROM GIBSON LAKE:
To Cattyman Lake: Walk the 25 rod portage (map shows 25 rods, but more like 40 rods)
To Swing Lake: Walk the 40 rod portage
To Ashigan Lake: Walk the 105 rod portage
Gibson Lake
Kawishiwi Ranger District
The portage between Gibson Lake and Cattyman Lake is the location of Cattyman Falls. Cattyman Falls is definitely worth a look, especially on a hot day.
Although this area isn't heavily traveled, Gibson Lake is sort of a crossroads. It provides an east/west connection to Swing Lake and Cattyman Lake respectively. There is also a portage on the north end of the lake that allows you to travel up to Ashigan Lake and popular Ensign Lake beyond that. There are no campsites in the immediate area. You must make the 105 rod portage to Ashigan Lake or else take two more portages going either east or west to find a place to camp.
A sluiceway dam (for moving logs) was located in the channel between Cattyman Lake and Gibson Lake. This dam was constructed by the Swallow and Hopkins Company. That company had logging operations in this area in the early 1900's (Heinselman, 1999).
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 1 – Western Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 173.
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 183.
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 102.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 172.
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PADDLING FROM THE CATTYMAN LAKE PORTAGE TO THE SWING LAKE PORTAGE
Looking to your left (to the south) along the rocky shoreline of Gibson Lake from the Cattyman Lake portage landing.
Gibson Lake isn't all that big, so it only takes you a few paddle strokes and about five minutes to make it across the lake between any of the three portage landings.
Your looking at most of Gibson Lake while getting stoked up for the Swing Lake portage.
A tranquil view of the small bay where the Swing Lake portage landing is located on Gibson Lake.
