Juniper Lake
Juniper Lake is divided into two halves of approximately equal size. Without having visited the lake, currently do not know if the narrow channel connecting the two halves is passable. The east section of the lake appears to be shallower than the western part from satellite images. Juniper Lake provides connections to Little Copper Lake, Yogi Lake and Plug Lake.
A number of smaller burns affected the eastern part of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in 1936, including some areas in the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area.
1894 saw a large number of fires throughout the entire BWCA. The fire in this area is called the Snipe Lake/Round Lake area to Gunflint Lake/Pine Lake area complex. This fire probably got its start near Round Lake, a popular BWCA entry point.
This fire started within what is now the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area. The ignition point was probably somewhere between Mass Lake and Auk Lake. This fire, which took place in 1846, is called the Auk Lake/Long Island Lake/Cross Bay Lake Complex.
Way back in 1727, the Gordon Lake/Brule Lake/Winchell Lake Complex burned this area. It probably began somewhere near Sawbill Lake.
Approach to Juniper Lake
Find the small creek that enters the southwest corner of Yogi Lake and follow it to the southwest into the forest.
Bushwhack to Juniper Lake
From the southwest corner of Yogi Lake, bushwhack along an impassable stream for about 15 rods to the southwest until you reach the east arm of a large pond. Paddle directly west across this pond to the peat bog that extends to the west from its western shore. There may well be a channel through this peat bog that can help you keep your boots out of the muck. Follow the channel for about 20 rods to the west side of the peat bog where it comes up against the forest. Head into the forest to the west and in just over 5 rods, you will reach the eastern end of Juniper Lake.
Exploring Juniper Lake
Juniper Lake feels like two lakes for the price of one. The eastern part of the lake is shallower with peat bog along some of the shoreline and vegetation covering some of the lakes surface. From the middle of the south shore, on the east side of Juniper Lake, can be found a creek that leads south to Plug Lake.
The west end of Juniper Lake is deeper and probably has better shoreline possibilities for finding a campsite location. From the north tip of the west half of Juniper Lake, paddlers can bushwhack about 15 rods into Little Copper Lake, the five star destination of this part of the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area.
|
