Little Indian Sioux Loop Through The Beartracks
by HighPlainsDrifter
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
05/31/2008
Entry & Exit Point:
Little Indian Sioux River (north) (EP 14)
Number of Days:
8
Group Size:
4
Part 4 of 11
Day 2, June 1, 2008
Travel this day was 4.75 miles over Little Loon Lake, Slim Lake, Section 3 Pond, and South Lake, 2 portages (225 r) and 1 pull-over. On the water at 8:30 AM and stopped for the day at 1PM. Camp was on South Lake just north of the 52r from Section 3 Pond.
What a beautiful day with only a slight north wind! We were on the water and heading north at 8:30 AM. The 173r portage from Little Loon to Slim Lake was a nice forest walk after a brief paddle from the south on Little Loon. The portage had not been used much this spring, and leaves that had been pressed under winter snows remained “wall papered” to the trail undisturbed by the human foot. Wolf scat littered the ground, and little rivulets that crossed here in there provided plenty of muddy spots for sighting fresh track. Generally, I had the feel that we were among the first to enter this year.
Slim Lake was a beautiful gem and the day made her glitter. The lake is long and narrow and flanked by steep ground on the East side, where we paddled. The forest looked good and I kept one eye on the land and one on the water. At the narrows we pulled ashore to just savor the moment. Blueberry bushes were bent over in bloom. I thought, wow, when these things are in berry, you could just sit in the canoe and pick your fill.
We arrived on the north end of Slim and faced a small mound of land resembling a beaver dam. Where the heck was that portage? Hell, if I know. But, there lies water. Let’s pull over, and forget it. And, that is what we did. Soon the meander opened to Section 3 Pond. I guess we missed the portage, huh? Section 3 Pond looked a bit like Slim, but lacked the steep terrain that made Slim such a remarkable lake.
The 52 r into South Lake seemed mostly downhill and ended in a flooded area. It was obvious water levels are up. We called it a day at the first campsite on the mainland north of the portage. This was a good camp site with easy access to water and excellent tent spots after we raked away several mounds of moose dung. Old wolf scat littered the ground. It looks like the “off season” sees another kind of traveler that calls this rocky outcrop home. The lake water had a very distinct fishy smell that was unpleasant both to smell and taste.
With camp chores complete we set off to catch dinner and to take a look at the camp site on the SE end of the lake. We had just barely got our lines set for a troll when the wind picked up. The squall had Nate and I highballing toward the lee on the north shore. Matt and Danielle were not so lucky and they got pounded. Fishing was not to be and we slowly inched our way back to camp. Unfortunately our nice little outcrop was also unprotected from the NW wind.
Today we only saw one canoe traveling south on Slim Lake, and no other campers.
Pictures: 1) Little Loon looking north; 2) Pull over between Slim Lake and Section 3 Pond; 3) Camp on South Lake
Travel this day was 4.75 miles over Little Loon Lake, Slim Lake, Section 3 Pond, and South Lake, 2 portages (225 r) and 1 pull-over. On the water at 8:30 AM and stopped for the day at 1PM. Camp was on South Lake just north of the 52r from Section 3 Pond.
What a beautiful day with only a slight north wind! We were on the water and heading north at 8:30 AM. The 173r portage from Little Loon to Slim Lake was a nice forest walk after a brief paddle from the south on Little Loon. The portage had not been used much this spring, and leaves that had been pressed under winter snows remained “wall papered” to the trail undisturbed by the human foot. Wolf scat littered the ground, and little rivulets that crossed here in there provided plenty of muddy spots for sighting fresh track. Generally, I had the feel that we were among the first to enter this year.
Slim Lake was a beautiful gem and the day made her glitter. The lake is long and narrow and flanked by steep ground on the East side, where we paddled. The forest looked good and I kept one eye on the land and one on the water. At the narrows we pulled ashore to just savor the moment. Blueberry bushes were bent over in bloom. I thought, wow, when these things are in berry, you could just sit in the canoe and pick your fill.
We arrived on the north end of Slim and faced a small mound of land resembling a beaver dam. Where the heck was that portage? Hell, if I know. But, there lies water. Let’s pull over, and forget it. And, that is what we did. Soon the meander opened to Section 3 Pond. I guess we missed the portage, huh? Section 3 Pond looked a bit like Slim, but lacked the steep terrain that made Slim such a remarkable lake.
The 52 r into South Lake seemed mostly downhill and ended in a flooded area. It was obvious water levels are up. We called it a day at the first campsite on the mainland north of the portage. This was a good camp site with easy access to water and excellent tent spots after we raked away several mounds of moose dung. Old wolf scat littered the ground. It looks like the “off season” sees another kind of traveler that calls this rocky outcrop home. The lake water had a very distinct fishy smell that was unpleasant both to smell and taste.
With camp chores complete we set off to catch dinner and to take a look at the camp site on the SE end of the lake. We had just barely got our lines set for a troll when the wind picked up. The squall had Nate and I highballing toward the lee on the north shore. Matt and Danielle were not so lucky and they got pounded. Fishing was not to be and we slowly inched our way back to camp. Unfortunately our nice little outcrop was also unprotected from the NW wind.
Today we only saw one canoe traveling south on Slim Lake, and no other campers.
Pictures: 1) Little Loon looking north; 2) Pull over between Slim Lake and Section 3 Pond; 3) Camp on South Lake
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