Stuart - Iron - Crooked - Moosecamp - Fourtown
by 30Smoke
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
06/07/2022
Entry Point:
Stuart River (EP 19)
Exit Point:
Mudro Lake (EP 23)
Number of Days:
9
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
My cousin had spoken of going to Crooked, and I wanted to return to Stuart and see Iron. We agreed on a big loop starting at EP19 and checked all the boxes, spending 8 days and 7 nights in the BWCA, not counting the first night of getting there and trying dispersed camping in the SNF!
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (7 messages)
Part 1 of 9
I worked during the morning and left about noon to meet Peter at Piragis. My mission was to find plant-based Lemon Eucalyptus insect repellant. Found some at Walmart in Wadena, MN and then worked my way to Ely to fill with gas, meet Peter and plan our trip.
Peter and I found spots to park at Piragis about the same time and went to check out light weight tent stakes and also fill my map hole of the northwest corner of Crooked Lake (North end of Sunday Bay). There was a nice lady working in the equipment / maps section of the Piragis Store that helped us and had some advice on fishing curtain falls in the current – either below or above the falls. She warned fishing above the falls could be dangerous, as the current could push you over the falls. We then mentioned we were also considering dispersed camping in the SNF that night to avoid a campground fee and get an earlier start. She advised against that idea, as the black flies and mosquitoes were creating great demand for head nets and heavier clothing to keep the biting insects at bay.
We left Piragis with supplies and information, driving to Fenske Lake campground to see if there were any available sites. After checking out the options, we decided to drop Peter’s truck off at the Mudro Entry point and then discussed our options. We settled on dispersed camping and were on our way to find a good site in the forest. After finding a good site, we set up our tents, and were amazed how nice it was outside that night, not a bug or bite in sight. No reason to stay up late in a dispersed campsite, so we retreated to our tents and got a good night’s sleep. Another amazing thing: I took no pictures!
Peter and I found spots to park at Piragis about the same time and went to check out light weight tent stakes and also fill my map hole of the northwest corner of Crooked Lake (North end of Sunday Bay). There was a nice lady working in the equipment / maps section of the Piragis Store that helped us and had some advice on fishing curtain falls in the current – either below or above the falls. She warned fishing above the falls could be dangerous, as the current could push you over the falls. We then mentioned we were also considering dispersed camping in the SNF that night to avoid a campground fee and get an earlier start. She advised against that idea, as the black flies and mosquitoes were creating great demand for head nets and heavier clothing to keep the biting insects at bay.
We left Piragis with supplies and information, driving to Fenske Lake campground to see if there were any available sites. After checking out the options, we decided to drop Peter’s truck off at the Mudro Entry point and then discussed our options. We settled on dispersed camping and were on our way to find a good site in the forest. After finding a good site, we set up our tents, and were amazed how nice it was outside that night, not a bug or bite in sight. No reason to stay up late in a dispersed campsite, so we retreated to our tents and got a good night’s sleep. Another amazing thing: I took no pictures!
Donate - BWCA.com