Lake Four with friends, 6-1-14

The four of us paddled to Lake Four without any problems.   Except when we arrived at camp I realized that I left 2 important but small daypacks on the last portage.  Dave was gracious enough to paddle back with me to get them, and luckily they were still there.  It took 3 1/2 hours round trip and made our total mileage for the day  16. The rain prevented us from fire grilling the steaks so I pan fried them and boiled the sweet corn and potatoes.  It rained several times the second day and we spent most of the morning  under the tarp eating pancakes, bacon and eggs.  The third day was very windy and Dave caught a Northern from shore.   We had spaghetti for supper that night.  The next day we day tripped to northern Lake Four.  It was a beautiful boundary waters day with blue skies and gentle breezes.   It was a glorious sense of freedom after being wind bound for a couple days.   The next to last day was fun, we watched beavers swim, loons, humming birds, mallards and generally enjoyed a little fishing and great weather.  On our way home it was another perfect day.  We paddled to the lake one landing in 4 hours   It was a good trip.

Kenyon Wanamingo goes to Kawishiwi Lake, October 1, 2013

All of our eager participants helped pitch tents, tarps and tee pee.  Our next task was to gather firewood.  We walked down the road with my pick up following and the kids went into the woods and drug out many branches and logs.  We loaded them up in the truck box and drove back to camp.  We were now set for the week as far as campfires were concerned.  Next we hiked the shoreline and through the woods to a campsite on the Eastern edge of the lake.  It was good to be out in the woods again.  The kids enjoyed it greatly.  Back in camp, we started to prepare Hobo dinners.  All the vegetables were cut and meat prepared and all of this was wrapped in tin foil.  While we were doing this some of the kids used their free time to fish or hike.  Alex caught several Northerns and because they were small he threw them back in the lake.   The fire baked Hobo dinners were devoured by everyone.  Following clean up, with the help of several students, Rich told many stories around the campfire.  He told us about Timothy Treadwell, Glacier National Park, Alaska and the bears of Knife Lake.  We all listened with great interest.  The students went to bed early and the chaperones were left to visit and wonder at the most fantastic Aurora Borealis (northern lights) I've seen in fifteen years.  It was a fitting end to a great day with a group  of great people.  The next morning was pancakes and bacon for breakfast.  Then we all prepared for a paddling day trip.  We started with canoeing lessons.  We worked our way across Kawishiwi Lake learning our paddling strokes. We stopped at several campsites and had lunch at a nice one on Square Lake.  The fall colors were in full bloom and we enjoyed taking many photos as we traveled.  On the return trip most everyone was displaying competent paddling.  It was a beautiful, comfortable day to be in the woods.  We had spaghetti for supper and Priscilla and Alex did the clean up.  Our third day was the Brandenberg photography lesson.  We covered what Brandenberg was motivated by when he put together his book called "Chased by the Light"   We also reviewed basic camera use and composition.  We then headed out in the canoes to see if we could capture some beauty.  We did.  It was a great day of wandering around and seeking the unusual and missed compositions. It was a satisfying experience for all the students.  We had hot dogs and macaroni for supper.  Then everyone went down to the lake to observe its cool, calm and reflective surface.      

Lake Insula, 9-15-2013

Ruth, Norm, and I traveled efficiently through Lake One, Two, Three and Four.  We met some friends from school that had been out for the weekend on the portages between Lake One and Two.  We arrived at a very nice camp on Lake Four at 2:30.  It was good to be in the wilderness and we celebrated with a cup of coffee.   Norm fixed mac, cheese and ham for supper, it was very good.  We went to bed early.  For breakfast the next morning Norm prepared scrambled eggs with bacon and I made some pancakes.  Very filling and delicious.  We were motivated and did the little portages and crossed Hudson quickly but with a couple rest stops.  The last portage of the day was 100 rods and did it in less than an hour.  We paddled across Insula's 4 1/2 miles in an hour.  We wanted to get to camp.  Our favorite island was available and we were delighted that it was ours.  Norm said it was the best campsite he's ever been to.  After camp was pitched and a brief rest period I started supper.  Our meal consisted of chicken noodle delight.  It was filling and tasty.  We pitched the lean too tarp and watched the fabulous clear sky sunset before we called it a day.  In the morning Norm and I drank coffee and watched a full sunrise.  It was inspiring.  Good coffee, friendship and a wilderness phenomenon, it doesn't get any better than that.  Ruth crawled out of our tent later and we started breakfast.  More delicious bacon, eggs and pancakes.   We fished the hot spot from late morning through the afternoon.  Ruth caught a couple bass, one huge. It just about pulled her out of the boat.  I caught an 18" Walleye.  Our return to the island was horrific because of the wind and waves.  My Wenona Seneca at 19 1/2 feet and a wide beam used every inch of it's seaworthy design and our muscle and skill to successfully navigate the mile crossing to the island.  Back in camp I went for a cool swim followed by a refreshing coffee break.  We had a huge fish fry for supper.  Which was a true reward for a week in the woods.  Later that evening we admired a double natural display of beauty.  We watched the sunset on the West side of the island and then on the East side we watched the Moon rise.  Totally fantastic day all the way around.  It was now time to head back to Lake Four.  We covered the portages and mileage on the water in good fashion. It was a cloudy and misty day but no rain.  A good day for paddling and portaging.  Arrived at our new site at 1:15 and went right to work making camp.  We pitched the Lean Too tarp because we were sure it was going to rain.   Coffee, tea and fishing rounded out the afternoon. Ruth tried but had no luck.  Mashed potatoes for supper and Bakepacker muffins for an evening snack finished off the day.  It didn't rain and only sprinkled just before bedtime. While crossing Lake Three in the morning we were forced off the lake by eminent rain and storms.  We spent 1 1/2 hours huddled in a campsite waiting for it to let up.  It stopped raining but the rumbling clouds continued to sweep by.  Against my better judgment we  set out again.  It was cool and comfortable to paddle but the constant thunder from above made me very nervous.  Between the first and second portage we experienced a 5 minute downpour.  Then it let up and the thunder stopped and we paddled the remainder of our route to the Lake One landing.  Ruth's rain suit failed totally and she got a new one after returning to civilization. It was a wonderful week and I can't wait for ice out next spring. 

Steve and his friends on Fourtown, 9-6-2013

We were on the water at Mudro shortly after 4 and arrived at Fourtown at 6 after a strenuous but successful crossing of three difficult portages.  The first nine campsites were taken but we found a great one next to the portage to an unnamed lake next to an outflow.  After supper we stayed up till midnight telling stories and watching the campfire.  It sprinkled but then stopped.  We had scrambled eggs and hash browns for breakfast and headed out to fish the outflow and pond to the east. We had a fish fry at two pm, cooked up our bass.  They were delicious.   Spent the early evening fishing Fourtown.  We caught several very small Walleye and threw them back.  At eight thirty we started a fire and roasted the steaks and sweet corn.  We also enjoyed salads.  The next morning we took a day trip to Horse Lake and enjoyed it's beautiful rocks and beaches for most of the day.  However, we couldn't find the fish.  Our last day was the journey out.  The portages seemed particularly rough on this day.  I stumbled and fell down an embankment with a canoe on.  No broken bones but pulled a muscle in my leg.  Everyone else traversed the difficult passages without a problem.

Jay, Max and me to Knife Lake. 8-24-13

Birch, Carp and the associated sections of the Kawishiwi River were work but went great.  When we arrived at the last portage into Knife Lake we rested before and after the big trek.  Knife Lake was throwing 2 foot waves at us and it was a total all out effort to do the next  two miles.  We were overjoyed to find the first campsite on the west end of Robbins Island open.  We spent the afternoon relaxing because we had covered 12 miles and six portages to get here.  Supper was good.  We went to bed at 9:30.  The next day was 90 degrees and we spent most of the time trying to keep cool.  In the morning we had pancakes and bacon for breakfast and then headed for the quarry.  Jay searched the area for evidence of the work that had been done there long ago.  He showed us many very interesting things.   He knew a lot about paleolithic people.  We returned to camp and arrived at 6pm. A refreshing swim was wonderful.  We then had coffee and started supper. We rounded the evening off with bear stories.  Our next day was mostly fishing from shore and the canoe.  We met an Outward Bound group inspecting Dorothy's Islands as we fished nearby.  I  fried up the days catch and served it with rice.  We went to bed early because the next day was our return to Birch Lake.  The portages and paddling went well and we arrived at Birch lake mid-afternoon.  We made camp, had coffee, took a swim and enjoyed camp life.  That evening we were driven into our tents because of thunder and lightening.  In the morning we paddled in rain to get  to the end of Birch Lake.  It was a great week in the woods and I hope to paddle with Jay and Max again. 

Chicago boys go to Gun Lake, 8,13,13

The route to Fourtown took us over 3 really rough portages.  The two short portages were the worst with bad footing the whole length.   The long one was over a huge hill.   The afternoon was make camp, lunch, coffee and then supper.  The dad liked the steaks, salad and sweet corn.  He also helped with dishes.  We went fishing in the evening.  Didn't even have a nibble.   We were on the water by 9:30 the next morning.  We paddled and portaged through Boot, Fairy and into Gun by 12:30.  It was too hot and sunny so fishing was luckless.  The  evening was beautiful and we laid on the rock looking at the twinkling stars that were so bright because of the lack of light pollution.  After pancakes for breakfast we headed for Bullet and were rewarded with 3 nice bass from a weedy narrows in the middle of the lake.  The boy was almost pulled out of the boat when he was reeling in a giant Bass.   It made every one's day.   Upon returning to camp we swam and snacked.  Supper was fish tacos. Super!  We went to the tents early because tomorrow was a travel day.  Our return to Fourtown was smooth and easy.  We arrived at a real nice camp about 12:30.  After lunch we swam and had a real good time.  After supper we went fishing again. The boy reeled in his lure and a Northern attacked it just as he brought up to the boat.  I couldn't get the net fast enough and the fish got loose.  We stopped fishing at 9:15 because the mosquitoes became unbearable.  We had smores and snacks around the campfire and then laid on the rock looking at the inky night sky with it's pinhole stars.  I told a couple bear stories and we went to bed.  Our last day was uneventful as we toiled across the difficult portages.

    

Insula Lake with Joel and Becky, 7,19,2013

The first two days of travel included 6 portages, and about 16 miles of travel.  We traversed mostly easy portages but one tough one.  We also had to navigate some quick current but we were successful. Our first supper was steak, sweet corn, salad and baked potato.  Our first breakfast together was bacon, eggs and hash browns.  It was a tough two days but we were experienced paddlers and things went smoothly.  On the third day we were on our Island and very happy to be preparing for our fishing adventures.  We fished the hot spot and battled several walleye and bass.  We proudly paddled the wind and waves back to camp  with our fish.  We spent the evening playing scrabble, looking at a furious lake, eating fish tacos, talking and wondering at the constant display of fabulous clouds that scudded by.  Our fourth day started with pancakes and Walleye.  We returned to the hot spot and experienced continued success.  I caught and released a 22 inch walleye. Joel and Becky kept several bass and walleye and we returned to camp for a feast.  After supper it began to rain and we headed for the tents at seven thirty.   We left camp at 7:45 and were at the first portage shortly after 9.  It was a tough portage but we celebrated getting it done early on in the day.   The last two days went well.  We enjoyed calzones for supper and stayed up late enjoying our last night in the woods.  We've had many great conversations, caught a lot of fish, had a good work out and enjoyed the beauty of the wilderness for 6 days.