Tuesday, June 04, 2013 Spent Monday night in Ely and got an early start......well not too early. Put in Mudro at about 8am on beautiful glassy water. The plan was to paddle to the Basswood area and spend the night but the paddling conditions were perfect and we made good time going north on the Horse River with high water levels. While your map only shows 3 portages on the Horse there are many more 'optional' portages. There are a few rapids that are quite simple here but without being able to scout them I'd rather not chance it. I was once told that if you see a portage you should take it........it was put there for a reason. I respect the waters and follow this rule. Chicken or not, I'm still alive. :-) We enjoy the raging falls at Lower Basswood. Water was higher than I've seen with a strong current. We enjoyed the pictographs where again I am amazed that I still find new ones. This year's surprise were the one I decided that looks like a man fell over a cliff (lol) and then the scary man with the big mask. (a very technical description) After enjoying the pictographs on a calm day we make a quick stop at a very special Moose Bay campsite. After paying my respects to this site we paddle on to Table Rock and spend our first night there after a long day of paddling.  The paddling was long and the portages there but nothing notable. Headed to Horse the shortest portage is the most difficult with the longest being the easiest. None of them very hard.