Lucky Pay Lake is accessible from an unnamed lake to the north and via a long bushwhack along a creek (Swollen Ankle Creek) from Swollen Ankle Lake and Yogi Lake. Thus, a viable loop in this area is to enter at the Cross Bay River entry point, travel through the unnamed lake, Lucky Pay Lake, the creek connecting it to Swollen Ankle Lake, down the creek from there to Yogi Lake and out to Long Island Lake. From Long Island Lake, head back up to the Cross Bay River entry point thus completing the loop.
The water level, as is typical of many of these small PMA lakes, is raised a bit by the beaver dam at the north end of Lucky Pay Lake where the creek flows out. There is another beaver dam which raises the water level of the south half of Lucky Pay Lake. The lake is fairly shallow. However, some fish are in the lake, so it may be worth a cast or two.
Lucky Pay Lake looks on a map to consist of an upper and lower section. However, the pinch area or "The Notch" between the two lakes is heavily overgrown with trees and only a small creek connects the two. In the geological past, these two parts were almost surely connected, but now they may be considered two separate lakes with the southern section flowing into the northern one. Note that if the beaver dam were removed from the north end of the south half of Lucky Pay Lake, the equalization of water levels between them would facilitate these two lake halves being more like a single lake again. Likewise, if you removed the beaver dam that raises the water level of the north half of the lake (while leaving the other beaver dam intact), the water level difference between the two halves would increase somewhat. This would make them more like separate lakes. So the beaver dams control the function of this lake quite a bit.
There are several spots in the south half of the lake that would be serviceable as PMA campsites.
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.
In 1875, a large fire that likely ignited somewhere near Lake Insula, swept through area. The fire is known as the Alice Lake/Ogishkemuncie Lake/Tuscarora Lake/Cherokee Lake Complex.
A 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.
The 1824 Long Island Lake/Rush Lake/Loon Lake Complex probably burned the eastern part of the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area and moved eastward. It likely started somewhere around Snipe Lake, or perhaps the northwest part of Long Island Lake.
Way back in 1727, the Gordon Lake/Brule Lake/Winchell Lake Complex burned this area. It probably began somewhere near Sawbill Lake.
NOTE: There is probably a "reasonably passable" route between Cross Bay Lake and Long Island Lake that goes through the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area.
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Mouth of creek at the unnamed lake. Following this creek upstream takes you to both the Fool Lake bushwhack and Lucky Pay Lake bushwhack starting points.
After passing through the unnamed lake that you reached from Cross Bay Lake, you enter a creek and continue to paddle along for a short stretch. When you reach the high cliffs on the left, you see a small beaver run that leads to Fool Lake on your immediate right. Passing by the beaver run, you continue up the shrinking creek until it ends at a small cascade, which you can hear in the grass beyond a log that somewhat blocks your way. It looks like you can manage to get the canoe out of the creek here by the floating log, just to the left of the small rapids.
Rapids just to the right of the start of the bushwhack to Lucky Pay Lake.
Bushwhack to Lucky Pay Lake
It doesn't look like much, but this is probably the best location to start the bushwhack to Lucky Pay Lake. This bushwhack is relatively short, but it is not all that sweet!
Same view as above of the start of the bushwhack to Lucky Pay Lake, but this is the scene in August (mid-summer). Much more lush vegetation.
Beginning from the small cascading creek, you bushwhack up to Lucky Pay Lake. During the bushwhack, you walk in the creek a bit at the beginning, cross it, and then mostly stay to the left of the creek the remainder of the bushwhack. There is a dead pine that makes everything more difficult as you have to move gear and yourself underneath it while its branches tangle up in any loose straps and also scratch exposed skin. As is common in these places, this bushwhack ends at a beaver dam when you reach Lucky Pay Lake.
Looking south from the north end of the north half of Lucky Pay Lake. This gives a good view of the beaver dam holding back the lake. The bushwhack from the unnamed lake leads to this location.
PADDLING FROM THE UNNAMED LAKE BUSHWHACK SOUTHWARD TO "THE NOTCH"
You are paddling from the north end of the north half of the lake, until you reach "The Notch". The Notch separates the two halves of the lake.
Panoramic view as you look toward the eastern shoreline of Lucky Pay Lake (this view is in August).
This is what The Notch looks like as you approach it from the north side. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
BUSHWHACKING THROUGH "THE NOTCH" FROM THE NORTH HALF OF THE LAKE TO THE SOUTH HALF
A short and trickier bushwhack than maybe expected is required to get a look at the southern part of Lucky Pay Lake. You notice that a small creek, with obvious current (and thus elevation change) separates the upper and lower parts of Lucky Pay Lake. Are these two halves of the lakes still the same lake, or completely separate now? (This view is the "notch" on August 16, 2014. A view of this area a couple of years later in the spring of 2016 is show below.)
Close up view of The Notch. The creek is visible to your left. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM "THE NOTCH" SOUTHWARD TO THE MOUTH OF (SWOLLEN ANKLE) CREEK
Looking toward the south across the south half of Lucky Pay Lake. This vantage point is from The Notch.
Starting from The Notch, paddle south, around a fallen tree and out into the larger expanse of the lake. Investigate an interesting cliff face. Paddle onward until reaching the mouth of (Swollen Ankle) Creek.
Overhung and colorful cliff along east shore of the south half of Lucky Pay Lake.
Another view of this cliff.
The east point in the south half of Lucky Pay Lake. After you round this point heading south, you will be approaching the mouth of the creek. That creek, (Swollen Ankle) Creek, can be followed to Swollen Ankle Lake and Yogi Lake. These two lakes are also in the Hairy Lake Primitive Management Area.
The mouth of (Swollen Ankle) Creek -- not official name where it flows into the south end of Lucky Pay Lake. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE MOUTH OF (SWOLLEN ANKLE) CREEK NORTHWARD TO "THE NOTCH"
View toward the north from the mouth of (Swollen Ankle) Creek -- not official name.
Paddling from the mouth of (Swollen Ankle) Creek to "The Notch".
West shoreline of south half of Lucky Pay Lake. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
BUSHWHACKING THROUGH "THE NOTCH" FROM THE SOUTH HALF OF THE LAKE TO THE NORTH HALF
The Notch that divides the two halves of Lucky Pay Lake is visible just left of center to your north.
This rock outcrop is on the east shoreline just south of The Notch.
Bushwhacking over "The Notch" from the south half of the lake to the north half. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM "THE NOTCH" NORTHWARD TO THE UNNAMED LAKE BUSHWHACK
Looking toward the north from just north of The Notch.
Canoeing across the north half of the lake from "The Notch" to the start of the bushwhack to the unnamed lake. ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
Another view of this cliff.
