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[anchor man]

A group of us are heading to Hillmans this weekend. It's our first time and I was curious what the typical route taken is. I'm mainly curious about the stretch from Walker on up.

Also, what's the prognosis on this cold snap and fish activity?

Thanks

[Eric Wettschreck]

You could go from Walker to Cass Lake to Bemidji to Waskish.

Cold doesn't affect fish as much as pressure. 14' down the water temp will change very little, if any from a cold snap. However, pressure changes affect their activity.

[cpinkert]

Whichever way you go, don't miss the last turn and drive around the south end and up the west side of Lower Red...been there, done that. Never again. In all fairness, one of the nicest people I've ever met answered the door of the trailer I coasted up to as I was running out of gas. One of the scarier moments in my life...

-Chris

[late night]

In Cass Lake I turn East on HWY 2 then turn North on the Penigton short cut about five miles East of Cass Lake, watch for it, easy to miss. Twenty eight miles later you are in Blackduck. Not the best route if the weather sucks. Penighton is a narrow, windy road that gets no sun so its iced up most of the time. CPINKERT is right, when you see the sign that says REDBYE, go the other way, east. Dont miss the turn North right at Shooks.

[LABS4ME]

The road is co rd 39... or the scenic as the locals call it. That is my right also when I am up in Cass Lake.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Katoman]

I would suggest not taking that route. I whacked a deer at 10:30 in the morning on that route. There are no ditches and it shot out of the woods so fast I couldn't do a thing. It was like a glided missile. The deputy told me at least five or six and sometimes more are hit on that road a month.

[Roughneck17SC]

We like to call 39 the Winnie road. Granted it does not have much for a ditch, more like road, 6" shoulder, and then pine trees..... but it is quicker than the Bemidji route. The key is the weather dierctly prior to heading up. If there roads are good until that point, usually the Winnie road is too.

If you are pulling a wheelhouse, watch out for a couple of the curves as they can go on for what seems forever when you are trying to pull the house and hopefully slow down.

Come March with a wheelhouse, go around! I had my wife sea sick 2 years ago from the up and down and winding back and forth. Good times!!!! (No wonder she says to go with my friends and leave her at home.)

[rcook72]

Cpinkert, Been there done that. We were to Busy [PoorWordUsage]'n when we got to Baudette!!!! half way back the gas light goes on and had to make the decision to go back North or try and get back. Ran out of gas and coasted into somekind of store. Very nice people to run back to there house with no car door.... since I offered them $20 for a couple gal. of gas

[mike morris]

Where are you coming from anchor man? If you're coming from southern/central Minnesota, I'd reccomend going up 10 to Motley. It seems to be quicker than the Walker route.

[sparkydm]

take hwy 10 all the way to Akeley. then go east to walker. that way, you avoid all the stop lights in brainerd and the bottleneck at nisswa. county 34 goes from Akeley to walker. when you get to cass lake i suggest going east on hwy 2 then north on 39 like someone else said. if you look at a map you can see that it is shorter than going around bemidji. you do need to be aware of the ice problem on the scenic but that is a common problem on many roads up there. if you do take 39(the scenic) take a right when you get to hwy 71 you are now in blackduck. continue north on 72(not 71) until you come to a stop sign this should be county 1 take a right and go 5 miles and take a left at shooks you will still be on 72. from here it is 5 miles to kelliher and 21 miles to waskish. Enjoy!

[anchor man]

 Originally Posted By: Mike412

Where are you coming from anchor man? If you're coming from southern/central Minnesota, I'd reccomend going up 10 to Motley. It seems to be quicker than the Walker route.

We'll be leaving from Bloomington, so I might consider the Motley route to Akeley to avoid Brainerd

[mike morris]

I'm not sure miles wise, but that route definitely seems to be quicker. It's more of a direct shot, and the roads seem to be better. And you're right about Brainerd... You get to avoid all those stoplights then. Do you need further directions for that route?

[huntingislife]

Has anybody ever taked MN-65 up from Blaine? We normally cut over to 35 and go up to moose lake and over. I noticed that 65 is a straight shot north all the way to 2. I dont know how the road is as far as speed limits and slowing down for towns and such.

[anchor man]

Mike412,

I think we're good to go. Once we hit Walker we'll probably go with the route Sparkyrm mentions.

Thanks for the help

[mike morris]

I think you're going a few extra miles if you go through Akeley, and then hit Walker. I also think 39 is in pretty bad shape, real rough if you're dragging up a house.

When you hit Akeley, I'd keep following 64 until you hit 200. Take a left at 200, and I believe after a couple miles it merges into 71.

Here... Take a look at this route through mapquest. It's explained a little better.

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main....h&2s=mn&2z=&r=f

[crappiekid]

From Southern minnesota i have studied several differnet ways bothe for time and mileage.

By far the best way is up 169 to deer river then 46 to northome. These are GOOD roads and you can fly with wheel house. (Plus you get to Mille Lacs !

it is a tad longer mile wise but easier on your brakes and gas milage with less stopping and starting,curves,hills, towns etc. .

[sparkydm]

crappiekid is probably right about using 169. I've never gone that way because i'd rather go around the cities on 494. also i have a little place just off the scenic(39) that i use as a layover on the way up. but it is well worth a try and you could also stop at mille lacs and fish also.

[LABS4ME]

65 is my summer route to get to Cass Lake. I take 35 to Moose Lake and 65 up to basically Warba (hwy 2). The only town to slow down for is McGregor. It is lightly traveled and not a bad road at all.

Good Luck!

Ken

[huntingislife]

Ken,

Have you taken 65 south of moose lake at all?

[aanderud]

People seem to give the 169 route no respect...one fellow FMer has told me that it's "at least 45 minutes" longer than the way he takes. I find this hard to believe, given that it's within 10 miles of the shortest route I've ever seen, and the road up is screaming fast and straight (169 is 65 mph all the way to mille lacs, then hwy 2 is 65 mph between deer river and grand rapids).

Here is the way many people will go: (290 miles from bloomington, many turny, curvy roads)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&ge...e=UTF8&z=6&om=0

Here is the way I go: (280 miles up through aitkin, grand rapids, deer river, northome)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&ge...e=UTF8&z=7&om=0

If anyone can find me a faster route that will have as good of roads as that second one, I'd like to see it.

[chaffmj]

aanderud,

Maybe it is just me but the routes you show are the same!

[aanderud]

Sorry about that, linked to the wrong thing. Fixed it now. 10 miles less to go through Grand Rapids and it's faster.

[MuleShack]

First timer heading up.

Is the 169 Route to Grand Rapids then 46 West to Northome the best route with wheel house in tow?

That is what i was thinking looking at map, then ran across this older post. Has anyone gone this route? We will be traveling at night on the way up.

Thanks

[Jim Almquist]

Instead of 46 you could turn in Deer River and take hwy 6 to hwy 1 go left and take a right on county road 36 and go thru Mizpah and it will take you right to Kelliher. The problem with your route is that you end up going out of your way to get back on to hwy 72. Hope this helps and for the most part the roads are fairly straight .