Frost Lake
From BWCAWiki
Frost Lake is a medium-sized (313 acres), round-shaped lake in the east-central Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The nearest large, popular lakes are Long Island Lake and Cherokee Lake. There are five campsites on Frost Lake, which is perhaps most notable for being the source of the Frost River. The lake contains lake trout, northern pike, and yellow perch.
A prominent boulder sticks out of the middle of the northern half of the lake, while sand beaches are found in its northeast and northwest corners.
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Connections
- Approximately 35 rod portage east into Unload Lake. Gordon Lake, on the Long Island-Cherokee canoe route, is one more portage beyond. This Frost-Unload portage can be bypassed by paddling through a narrow muskeg channel during times of high water.
- 130 rod portage west bypassing the first 30 feet of elevation drop on the Frost River. The portage leads to a flat, marshy stretch of water. Beyond is Octopus Lake, Pencil Lake, and Mora Lake with connections to many canoe routes.
Campsites
Frost Lake has five campsites, two on the northeast shore and three on the northwest shore.
Eastern Site
The eastern-most site (closest to Unload Lake) is bigger and more open than it appears from the lake. Landing a canoe is easy on the small rock ledge in front, and the site itself is full of cedars and large white pines that create a spacious canopy over the campsite area. There are numerous potential tent pad locations on ground carpeted with pine needles. The view from the site looks south, limiting summer exposure to sunrises and sunsets.
The fire grate area has a very nice set of log benches complete with back rests that look toward the grate but face away from the lake. Large boulders behind the grate provide some nice table space. Another flat boulder just west of the grate area and next to a large pine makes for a good sitting spot. Finding a good bear rope tree is tricky, however, because the cedars are small and the pines are generally too tall.
Trails fan out in all directions leading to ample amounts of firewood. If you visit the site at the right time in spring, you'll find dozens of stemless lady's slippers around the site.
 Eastern Campsite |
 Eastern Campsite |
 Eastern Campsite |
 Eastern Campsite |
Natural history
Forest ecology
The area immediately northeast of Frost Lake was the origin for the Frost Lake Fire of 1936, which burned 3,500 acres before it was put out.
Watershed
- Main article: Watershed
Frost Lake is the source of the Frost River, which flows west to Mora Lake. The remote, Frost River offers some of the best opportunities for solitude in the BWCAW. From Mora Lake the drainage flows into Little Saganaga Lake, Ogishkemuncie Lake, Alpine Lake, and eventually Saganaga Lake via the Seagull River. This is part of the Hudson Bay watershed.
