Cup 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.
Cup Lake could take its name for its shape which kind of resembles a cup. Another possibility is it is the "golden" cup that is mentioned in the fairy tale of King Midas. King Midas wanted everything he touched to turn to gold. That didn't work out so well for him.
Cup Lake may be the most difficult lake to reach in the Pitfall Lake PMA. Taking the creek from Fish Lake south to the general vicinity of Cup Lake may have been more feasible before the Cavity Lake Fire.
The forest around this lake was impacted by the July, 2006 Cavity Lake Fire. This fire burned over 30,000 acres. Fire began on July 13.
A huge fire in 1863 or 1864 known as the Kawishiwi River/Alice Lake/Cypress Lake/Saganaga Lake complex burned the forests in this area.
Just after the turn of the 19th century, in 1801, another fire burned the area stretching from Gabimichigami Lake up through the Saganaga Lake area.
In 1727, area was burned by a fire that covered the region from Amoeber Lake to Sea Gull Lake.
1692 saw another large fire affect this area in what is now the BWCA.
Approach to Cup Lake
A possible approach would be from Pitfall Lake and follow the creek that connects it to Cup Lake.
Bushwhack to Cup Lake
From Pitfall Lake, Cup Lake is only about 40 rods through burned forest using the creek that connects the two lakes as a guide. Since you are out this far, assuming you would want to visit both Pitfall Lake and Cup Lake. Of course, this route assumes you have already made it to Pitfall Lake and that will be no easy feat.
Exploring Cup Lake
Cup Lake was probably once a very pretty lake with outcroppings of rocks peaking out from the heavily forested shoreline. It is now quite desolate with the entire shoreline (except the very southeast shore) burned down to the stone from the Cavity Lake Fire. From the hills surrounding the lake, especially to the north, you can probably obtain extensive vistas if you are willing to climb around a bit.
|
