Riddle Lake
Have not yet visited this Primitive Management Area lake. The information displayed on this page are notes used for planning a future trip to this area. Use the information on this page at your own risk.
Riddle Lake is eastern most of two small lakes in this area located just north of Sagus Lake. Riddle Lake may drain through a peat bog into Sagus Lake. Riddle Lake has a few marshy bays and is probably the more interesting of these two lakes. The origin of the name for both Balmy Lake and Riddle Lake is unknown.
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 Riddle Lake
Start from the north end of Sagus Lake about a quarter of a mile northwest of the portage between Roe Lake and Sagus Lake. There may be a small creek flowing into Sagus Lake here, but if not, head to GPS point: 48.022611, -91.155467.
Bushwhack to Riddle Lake
From Sagus Lake, bushwhack just over 10 rods to the northwest until you reach a small pond. Continue northwest across the pond, then staying on the northwest heading, bushwhack 10 rods until you reach the southeast corner of a marsh with open water. Paddle about 50 rods north across the peat bog marsh (high water levels will help here) until you reach the forest line that borders the north edge of the bog. Walk along the edge of the forest toward the east for perhaps 20 rods until you reach the northeast corner of the peat bog. From here, bushwhack 10 rods due east through a strip of forest until you come out into a peat bog (again). From this point, you should be able to see Riddle Lake about 10 rods to the east.
Exploring Riddle Lake
Riddle Lake, like its neighbor Balmy Lake, is in the last stages of a lakes life. It is slowly being eaten up by peat bogs. The north and east shores of this lake are forested and have rock outcroppings coming down to the lake. The rest of the shoreline is peat bog. The little lake has a couple of swampy arms extending out from its east end.
|
