BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
August 19 2025
Entry Point 23 - Mudro Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 5
Elevation: 1166 feet
Latitude: 48.0356
Longitude: -91.8301
On the Water- Monday July 20th-
On the water late considering how far we need to go today. Up the Horse river to the falls by 6pm. Started raining and NO campsites available. Mudrow-Alruss-Tin can Mike-Horse Lake-Horse River-Basswood. 13 miles by water. (not counting portages)
Tuesday July 21st-
Rain all night, all morning and all day. Went north by petroglyphs, table rock and the the Crocked Lake Narrows across Thursday bay to campsite. Basswood-Crooked Lake-Wednesday Bay-Thursday Bay. 11 miles in the rain.
Wednesday July 22nd-
Up early and calm winds to take advantage of, considering the big water we have to cross. Found beaver dam to lift over and did a portage from hell between Pandos lake and Chippewa Lake. VERY steep and slippery after rain. Many mud holes. Then the mile portage after Wagosh Lake to Gun Lake. Never saw another soul in a canoe or campsite the entire day! Thursday bay-Friday Bay-Pandos Lake-Chippewa Lake-Wagosh lake-Gun Lake. 11 miles by water.
Thursday July 23rd-
Finally had a dry night. got everything dry!!! A few portages today to Fourtown Lake campsite. Easy day by comparison. Gun Lake-Fairy Lake-Boot Lake-Fourtown Lake. 6 miles. Put the long miles at the first of the week for a buffer for contingencies!
Friday July 24th-
Last day. Stormed last night bad. A few portages today with one bad one between Fourtown Lake and Mudrow lake. To entry point by 1pm. Ready for a hot shower! 4 miles
Total-
45 miles by water
13 miles by portage (3 trips each)
58 miles total.
A bear, a wolf and Carl from Ely
Entry Date:
September 29, 2024
Entry Point:
Mudro Lake
Number of Days:
4
Group Size:
1
I departed the twin Cities by eight in the morning to make it to my EP (Mudro) by around noon. I noticed in Ely it was still quite warm. After unloading the truck, I discovered I forgot my Keens and ther Crazy Creek back rest. The river leading to Mudro was predictably low and I had to get out and walk for a bit.
About two hours later I made it to Fourtown and settled on the north facing western site adjacent to Boot. I set up camp and prepared dinner of ribeye and mashed potato paired with some Driftless Glen bourbon. I stayed up until midnight or so and enjoyed a Northern Lights display.~ 
I had planned on fishing today and got everything ready. After about 30 minutes of fishing and catching nothing, I noticed the wind start to pick up. It was becoming difficult throw a line and decided to return to camp. The wind continued to grow more so than I was aware of. It was from the South, and I was in the Western Bay. The center Island blocked my view of the large rollers caused by the 30 MPH winds. I decided to cross over to the eastern side of the lake. I packed up my hammock system and began the paddle.
As soon as I left my bay, I experienced the full force of the waves and wind. Admittedly it was a risk to cross, but the water was still warm and so was the air temps. By the grace of God I made it to one of the sites on the eastern side. I began to set up by hammock and realized I had forgotten a tree strap with the Marlin spike in it! Half of my suspension to hang my hammock.
I successfully retrieved the strap and made it back to my second site. I wouldn't describe myself as a distinguished canoeist, but I made three trips without capsizing! 
The wind was still blowing hard, and I decided to check out one of the Southern three sites in preparation to my exit on the following day. It was almost impossible to make progress, but I settled on the Southernmost site on Fourtown.
I tried fishing from shore, but it was still too windy. So, I settled on reading for a bit. Around 5pm I noticed a group of men pass by and I could hear them setting up camp on the same peninsula as me but through the woods to the East.
I turned in around 8pm, everything packed up for an early exit in the morning, including my pistol. I was hoping to get to a spot where I had cell service to call my wife and children before they went to school. Soon after I went to bed the wind died, and I heard what I thought was fish jumping in the water. Perfect I thought, a little salt in the wound of not being able to catch anything.
Moments later, a large animal runs in full stride from the shore directly to my hammock and tarp. I know that I am supposed to stand my ground and make myself as large as possible however, there is no quick and graceful way of getting out of a hammock system and doing that. Thankfully, just a grunt and the obligatory "go away bear!" was all that was needed. He took of silently down the path to the East to harass the campers who settled in earlier. I chuckled a little as I heard them scourge him off as well.
I woke around 5am and packed up my hammock in the dark, made a quick cup of coffee and began paddling around civil dawn. I made it to the parking lot around 730 and packed the truck. while driving down Grassy Lake Rd. I noticed a large animal walking towards me. I stopped the truck in disbelief of what I was seeing, realizing my first wolf sighting in the wild. I tried to get a picture, but that joker jumped into the wood line to quickly. I walked to where he went in but could not see him any longer, I'm confident he was still there watching me though.
I made it back to Ely, stopping only at the Circle K to gas up when an elderly man in a Toyota Corolla loaded with fishing gear pulled up behind me. He acknowledged the large USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor decal on my back window. He was friendly and conversational talking about how he writes stories about military veteran's experiences. He asked me about my family, talked about the Vice Presidential debatebthat occurred while I was out and we had a few chuckles about it.
Part of me just wanted to get on the road to get home and I feared I was about to be invited over to his home for coffee. 20 minutes later (and I still had not pumped a drop of gas) he says to me, you got to take some fish home to those kids of yours. (He did not know I told my children I would try to bring some home. Nor did he know that I was unable to catch anything due to the wind.) I thought he was going to give me some of his extra pan fish (which I would have still been thankful for). He opens his trunk and gives me three cleaned Rainbow Trout!
We exchange a few departing words before I fill my tank and leave for home. Never before had I ever thought about Hebrews 13:2, Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. If Carl is not an angel, Ely has a sweet man as an ambassador to those of us who are just visitors to Ely. If your out there, thank you again Carl! 