We're coming up for some backpacking on Wednesday night through the weekend - though we're still choosing between Sioux-Hustler and Angleworm, I think we're leaning toward the shorter, easier Angleworm. But what's it like up there right now? Is water high? Can we expect mud? Last year it was quite dry on this weekend, but I'm betting it's wet this year.

Water levels are up and portages are muddy. Angleworm might be the better choice.

Awesome, we've decided to do Angleworm and we're heading up today, hitting the trail in the morning. Weather looks crazy-perfect for October and we're hoping to snag the Whisky Jack Lake site, so hopefully going in on Thursday means we'll beat the crowds that are sure to come on the weekend.

The weekend starts Thursday this week for a lot of Minnesotans. It is MEA time tomorrow and Friday.

We got back to Minneapolis today. Weather was amazing, so it was really surprising that we only saw two other parties on Thursday on the way in, one of those again Friday and nobody else, and two parties on Saturday on our way out.

We hiked clockwise to the Whisky Jack site the first day, which is a hard 8 miles. We chilled all day Friday, then hiked the 5 1/2 miles out Saturday.

Conditions were great, drier than I expected, and the beaver dam was in good shape. Leaves made wayfinding a little harder than usual, but the trail has obviously gotten great maintenance this year, and there were cairns at most vague points.

Seriously, I think it was warmer and drier than our June/July trip.