Image Lake
This lake used to be on a formerly maintained route that extended from Vee Lake up to Gabimichigami Lake. Two long portages used to lead to this lake. These portages are no longer maintained however and their existence is indeterminant.
In 1894, a relatively small fire burned the area between Pace Lake and Sprig Lake in what is now the Mugwump Lake Primitive Management Area within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Image Lake may have had some of its shoreline burned in the 1894 fire.
In 1875, a large fire complex called the Alice Lake/Ogishkemuncie Lake/Tuscarora Lake/Cherokee Lake Complex burned the area around all those major lakes. It probably started near Lake Insula or the Hog Lake area.
There was another large fire in this area around 1863-1864. This fire is known as the North Kawishiwi River/Alice Lake/Cypress Lake/Saganaga Lake Complex. Like the fire that burned this area in 1875, it began south of the current BWCAW's southern boundary.
Approach to Image Lake
From Leg Lake: Look for the obvious creek flowing into the west end of Leg Lake. This area is very swampy so low water may make this area difficult. There used to be a 160 rod portage that ran along the north side of the creek that is shown on circa 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s maps of the BWCA. This portage is not shown on the 1993 Fisher F-12 map, so it is probably just easier to follow the creek.
From Horsefish Lake: Head up the long arm on the northeast corner of Horsefish Lake. Look for the portage that used to be here.
Bushwhack to Image Lake
From Leg Lake: The creek between Leg Lake and Image Lake used to be navigable and there are no portages marked on the older maps. There is a section near the middle where the forest encroaches on the creeks banks that may be less navigable. This section is only about 20 rods long though. An island with a lot of blown down trees will be right in front of you.
From Horsefish Lake: If you can find the old portage trail, follow it north for 40 rods until you get back to the creek. The creek will be flowing through peat bog here. Follow the creek north and it will soon turn east/northeast and open up a bit. There is an obvious rock outcrop on the north side of the creek at this point. It should be floatable from here for about 70 rods. (Note: Where the creek turns east is the point where paddlers could instead go north following the peat bog up toward Glitter Lake.) Eventually a large rocky formation will form the southeast bank of the creek. It is near here that the creek becomes impossible to paddle again. At this point, on the left side of the creek (west side), look for the old portage that used to provide passage the rest of the way to Image Lake. This portage is 55 rods long. The last 20 rods or so of this portage will be through forest.
Exploring Image Lake
A large island is just offshore of where the creek leading to Leg Lake exits. The north shore of the lake has a lot of rock outcroppings.
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