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.
Solitude Lake is only 40 rods to the northwest of Ima Lake. The forest in this area is a low, scrub forest. The 1999 Independence Day windstorm did some damage around here. Many large trees are down in the area. The effects of the windstorm make Solitude Lake much more difficult to reach from Ima Lake. Another possible route is from Three Eagle Lake. Approaching from that direction is a bit longer, but there didn't seem to be as many trees down. This route is much longer too. Either direction will be challenging.
Drainage of Solitude Lake is via a small creek flowing out the western most tip of the lake. This creek winds its way to the northwest and pours into Ensign Lake. This creek is maybe a mile long and most of it is not navigable.
Solitude Lake will guarantee you solitude if you have the energy to make it there.
There may have been a maintained campsite on the north shore of Solitude Lake. There is no evidence on old maps of a portage into the lake though.
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From the northeast end of Three Eagle Lake, land your canoe along the sandy, albeit grassy shoreline. The lake has a sandy bottom in this area and it is easy to get in and out of your watercraft. The forest is a spruce bog and relatively open. Layers of thick moss cover the ground in many places.
Bushwhack to Solitude Lake from Three Eagle Lake
From the northeastern end of Three Eagle Lake, bushwhack northeast to the southwestern shore of Solitude Lake. At least at the start of this bushwhack, the forest is relatively open. It appeared to become more dense deeper into the forest. Maps show little elevation change along the route. Some of the route is likely a bit boggy.
Have attempted bushwhacking into Solitude Lake from Three Eagle Lake's northeast end. I have also tried to reach Solitude Lake from Ima Lake. Having now tried both routes, plan is to next try again from the Ima Lake side, but in the spring before there is any vegetation to improve visibility. Have a suspicion there is a trail from that side that was just hard to see.
Failed Bushwhack Attempt from Three Eagle Lake
Doing a bit of recon, you explore the area to the northeast of Three Eagle Lake. Purpose of this recon is to determine how difficult it may be to reach Solitude Lake. (Compare this to the failed bushwhack begun from the Ima Lake direction [below]. Notice the forest here is much more passable.)
Failed Bushwhack Attempt from Ima Lake
While looking for a possible canoe landing that may reveal a bushwhacking trail, you spot this parting in the grass just left of center. Turns out that somebody has landed a canoe here enough to keep this spot from being reclaimed by the forest. Your hopes rise a bit when you notice a faint trail leading into the forest. Hopes are soon dashed as the trail fades into the woods after about five rods (see video below). (Note: May be worth exploring this again in the spring before the leaves and other vegetation make the trail harder to follow.)
Solitude Lake looks so close to Ima Lake on the map...Very difficult bushwhack if coming from this direction.
Exploring Solitude Lake
There is no information on Solitude Lake. However, old maps from the 1980's show a campsite may have existed on the north shore of the lake. This is one reason that there may be a trail coming into this lake from Ima Lake. Just have to find it. Solitude Lake has a little island on its west end, near the opening to a shallow bay where the creek flows out. There are several shallow arms and some points to explore along the lakes relatively complex shoreline. It is unknown if there is anything worth fishing for in Solitude Lake.
