[paragraph break]Our goal for the first full travel day was to make it to Moose Lake. That meant a long paddle across Clearwater, several miles on Mountain Lake, and a handful of portages before finally reaching Moose. The forecast had been calling for rain most of the morning with it clearing out around 8:00. Our plan was to take it easy around the lodge, let the weather pass, and then really put some miles behind us. That plan changed in a hurry. [paragraph break]John woke up around 4:30 and peeked outside. Instead of rain, he saw clear skies and the first light of the morning creeping over the trees. A few seconds later we were all scrambling around the bunkhouse like kids on Christmas morning. Nobody wanted to waste a minute of good weather. After loading the canoes and packing everything up, we were just about ready to shove off when I realized I couldn't find my rain jacket. With the forecast calling for rain over the next few days, that wasn't something I wanted to leave behind. After a couple minutes of searching, Kev spotted it laying on one of the top bunks where I had tossed it during the morning chaos. Crisis avoided. [paragraph break]We officially pushed off around 5:20. Clearwater Lake looked like a sheet of glass. There wasn't even enough wind to wrinkle the surface. It felt like the whole wilderness was still asleep. I started trolling a big spoon right away, hoping to pick up a lake trout and keep my hopes alive for a grand slam on the trip. Before long Kev and I noticed the canoe kept pulling to the right. Neither of us had any coffee yet, but somehow we were both convinced the other guy was paddling wrong. We each defended our side until I reeled in my line. Instantly the canoe tracked perfectly straight. Turns out the lure had been steering us the whole time. We looked at each other, laughed, apologized, and went right back to talking about anything and everything. As we paddled past the Palisades, we couldn't stop looking up. Those cliffs rise out of the lake like giant stone walls guarding the wilderness. We found ourselves talking about everything from how tall they really are to what the view must look like standing on top. We even drifted into conversations about creation and just how incredible a place like this is. It's pretty amazing that something this beautiful is right here in our own state. As we neared our first portage, the clouds started building and a light sprinkle began to fall. We figured it would probably blow over. The plan was to single portage and keep making good time. John and Ryan took off ahead like the pack mules they are and made it across without breaking a sweat. Kev and I weren't quite as graceful. It didn't take long for both of us to realize we had packed way too heavy. I started with the canoe on my shoulders, but about twenty rods in I was completely gassed. I leaned the canoe against a tree and kept going with my pack instead. John passed me on his way back and, without saying much, grabbed my pack and carried it the rest of the way. I was grateful because I was already feeling the weight of the day, and we had barely gotten started. [paragraph break]By the time we pushed out onto Mountain Lake, that light sprinkle had turned into a steady downpour. One lake into the trip and we were soaked. Not exactly the start we pictured for a four- or five-mile paddle. Thankfully, about a mile later the rain let up and patches of blue sky started breaking through. The sun felt like someone had turned the heater back on. Our clothes slowly started drying, our spirits picked back up, and we settled into a rhythm. Before long we had crossed Mountain Lake and were making quick work of the portages toward Moose. Near the end of Mountain I figured it was my last real chance to catch a lake trout, so I spent some time dragging a line. I had several bites and even hooked one for a few seconds, but it came off before I could get it to the canoe. That was probably my best shot at a laker for the trip. Oh well. There will always be next time. [paragraph break]Then we reached Moose Lake. What a gorgeous lake. The sun was shining, the wind had disappeared again, and the water stretched out in front of us like polished blue glass. This had been our goal for the day, so we started looking for a campsite where we could at least stop for lunch and decide what to do next. Kev paddled while I picked up my rod and started casting, hoping to put our first fish dinner together. On about my second or third cast my rod doubled over. [paragraph break]"IT'S A MONSTER! IT'S A MONSTER!" [paragraph break]Somehow I managed to land it, and before long we had a healthy bass on the stringer. It wasn't the lake trout I had been hoping for, but after a morning like that I wasn't about to complain.

[paragraph break]When we pulled into the campsite, though, the excitement faded pretty quickly. The whole site was covered with small jagged rocks, there wasn't much room to spread out, and the mosquitoes were absolutely relentless. They swarmed around us like tiny helicopters and seemed completely immune to bug spray. They even bit right through our shirts. It didn't take long before we all looked at each other and came to the same conclusion. The weather was finally cooperating, we were feeling strong, and none of us wanted to spend the night there. [paragraph break]So we packed everything back into the canoes, pushed away from shore, and kept heading east. We finished crossing Moose in what felt like no time and rolled into North Fowl Lake feeling pretty good. Every lake we paddled seemed more beautiful than the last. I think all four of us probably said, "This might be the prettiest one yet," at least once on every lake we crossed. North Fowl welcomed us with a light headwind that didn't seem like much at first, but once we rounded the first peninsula it was like somebody flipped a switch. That gentle breeze turned into a full-on wall of wind, and from that point on it was time to put our heads down and paddle. For the next couple of hours, we earned every inch across that lake. Kevin and I still managed to laugh and talk through most of it, but by the final stretch we'd both run out of things to say. The only sounds were our paddles digging into the water and the wind pushing back like it had something to prove. Somewhere along the way we also realized we'd forgotten to bring a second map. Rookie mistake. The funny part is we'd spent so much time helping first-timers get organized on our last few trips that we forgot to organize ourselves. Since everyone on this trip already had the gear and experience, we got a little lazy with our own planning. Kev and I became convinced John and Ryan had to be going the wrong way. We even talked about stopping to wait for them to realize it and come back, which, looking back, would've been a pretty embarrassing decision because John was exactly where he was supposed to be. At this point I've learned it's usually better to trust John's navigation than my own confidence.

[paragraph break]Eventually we reached the next portage and were relieved to know it was supposed to be our second-to-last of the day. We still had the Royal River to paddle and one final portage into John Lake before camp, but at least the finish line finally felt like it was getting closer. By then I was running on fumes. The inside of both my elbows were screaming, and I found myself changing my paddle stroke every few minutes just to give different muscles a break. Even so, everyone's spirits stayed high because we knew the hardest part had to be almost over. [paragraph break]The Royal River was absolutely gorgeous. [paragraph break]As the sun started dropping lower, the water reflected the evening light like liquid gold. After fighting the wind all afternoon, it felt like the wilderness was finally cutting us a break. Near the end of the river we spotted some rapids spilling into a pool that just looked fishy. It was exactly the kind of spot where you'd want to throw a line, especially after a day like we'd had. A fresh fish dinner sounded about perfect. So we reached for our rods...and they weren't there. We looked around the canoe a second time, hoping maybe we'd just overlooked them. Nope. Then all four of us realized the same thing at once. The rods were still sitting back at the start of the last portage into the Royal River. [paragraph break]That one hurt. [paragraph break]We came up with a plan. John and Ryan would keep heading to John Lake, find a campsite, and start getting settled while Kev and I hauled our gear across the portage, grabbed our water bottles, and jumped back in the canoe. Naturally, paddling back down the river meant heading straight into another headwind. By that point it honestly felt like the wind had been following us around all day, just waiting for another chance to slow us down. I was completely spent. When we reached the portage, Kev offered to go the rest of the way himself while I sat down for a few minutes and caught my breath. I wasn't about to argue. After I'd recovered a little, I walked down the trail to meet him halfway, and before long we had the rods back in the canoe. Somehow that little victory was enough to lift everyone's spirits. We even celebrated with a little whiskey before turning around and heading back toward John Lake. The funny thing was we'd been looking forward to finally having a tailwind on the paddle back. Instead, the sun slipped behind the hills, the air settled down, and the wind disappeared completely. Figures. All we could do was laugh and keep paddling. [paragraph break]Eventually we made it back to the last portage and crossed into John Lake. We were almost done...assuming John and Ryan had actually found us a campsite. Small lakes don't leave you with many options, and there was always the chance every site was already taken. Our backup plan was simple. If they couldn't find one, they'd meet us back at the landing. As we climbed the last hill on that final portage, I could feel my heart pounding. After everything that had happened that afternoon, I wasn't sure I had another setback left in me. When we reached the landing, nobody was there. Oddly enough, that gave us a little hope. Then I spotted a canoe out on the lake with someone wearing what looked exactly like John's bright orange hat. My heart sank. We climbed into the canoe and started paddling toward him, already convinced they hadn't found a campsite. As we got closer, we realized it wasn't John at all. Just another guy wearing an orange hat. We both laughed, looked toward where we remembered the campsites being, and way off in the distance I thought I saw Ryan. Sure enough, it was him. The relief hit us like a wave. Kev and I were so exhausted we started quietly singing Luke Combs as we paddled into camp. I think the lack of sleep and miles of paddling had finally started catching up to us. [paragraph break]After what was one of the longest travel days I've ever had in the Boundary Waters, we finally pulled into camp. The mosquitoes were every bit as bad as they'd been all day, but by then none of us even cared. I jumped in the lake for a quick rinse, changed into dry clothes, ate dinner, helped hang the food pack, crawled into my sleeping bag, and was asleep almost immediately. Even though I was completely worn out, sleep didn't come easy that night. Between what sounded like a thousand mosquitoes buzzing outside the tent and thinking about my family back home, I found myself missing the comfort of my own bed. [paragraph break]It had been a brutally long day, but looking back, it's also one of the days I remember most.

~Clearwater Lake, Mountain Lake, Moose Lake, North Fowl Lake, Royal Lake, John Lake

[paragraph break]That's when we realized Pine Lake was the longest lake we'd paddle on the entire trip. Considering we'd already crossed Clearwater and Mountain, that was saying something. We shoved off into Pine under a light headwind that honestly didn't bother us much. The weather was just too nice to complain. Pine is a gorgeous lake, with hills rising on both sides the entire way. I couldn't help but imagine what it must look like in the fall when every hillside is covered in reds, oranges, and yellows.

[paragraph break]As we paddled, all of us kept talking about how lucky we were. We had perfect weather, incredible scenery, good friends, and a few days away from everything back home. Over the last couple of days we'd spent a lot of time talking about the beauty God created for us to enjoy. Everywhere we looked there was another reminder of just how incredible His creation really is, and none of us took that for granted. Eventually the lake bent slightly south, and we realized something we really didn't want to realize. We were only halfway. [paragraph break]For some reason we'd convinced ourselves we were almost done, but we still had miles left to paddle. To make things even better, that gentle headwind we'd been ignoring slowly turned into another steady wind right in our faces. Back to work. [paragraph break]Ryan and John started working their way toward the opposite shoreline while Kev and I stayed on our line. We weren't exactly sure what they were doing, but at that point we were focused on putting one paddle stroke in front of the next. About three-quarters of the way across the lake, Kev and I finally admitted we needed a break. We pulled over on the south shore near the mouth of a bay, climbed out, and absolutely demolished some beef sticks and candy. It's amazing how much better life looks after a snack. While we were resting, we noticed John and Ryan had stopped at a campsite farther down the lake. We weren't sure why, but before long they were back in the canoe and paddling again. Our little break was exactly what we needed. We finished the rest of Pine one bay at a time, and by the time we reached the portage, John and Ryan were right there with us. Now we could finally see the finish line. [paragraph break]One longer portage into Little Caribou, one short hop into Caribou, and we'd be on the lake we'd planned to call home for the rest of the trip. We made quick work of the first portage and paddled onto Little Caribou. While planning the trip, we'd read good things about the one campsite on the lake, so we decided to stop and check it out if it happened to be open. To our surprise, it was. [paragraph break]The landing wasn't anything special, but once we climbed up into camp we immediately knew we'd found something good. The site sat high on a rocky peninsula with a constant breeze blowing through camp. After battling mosquitoes almost nonstop since the trip started, that breeze felt like the greatest luxury in the world. It didn't take long for all four of us to agree. This was home. [paragraph break]The campsite had everything we wanted, and being just a short paddle from Caribou Lake meant we'd still have easy access to some great fishing. By the time camp was set up, firewood was gathered, and water was filtered, the sun was already starting to sink lower in the sky. As golden hour settled in, Kev and I couldn't resist sneaking out for a quick evening fishing trip around the lake. The fish didn't cooperate much. We caught one small northern and that was about it, but it didn't really matter. We were already exactly where we wanted to be. Back at camp, John did what John always does and built another great fire. We cooked our freeze-dried dinners, and somehow the conversation shifted toward building homemade candy bars out of tortillas, peanut butter, puppy chow, and chocolate-covered caramels. At the time, it felt like we were onto something revolutionary. Then sat around the fire enjoying our first perfect evening in the Boundary Waters.

[paragraph break]That night I slept better than I ever have on a canoe trip. Before climbing into the tent, I took a couple melatonin, hoping they'd help. They Do! ~John Lake, Little John Lake, McFarland Lake, Pine Lake, Little Caribou Lake

[paragraph break]After dinner, nobody was in much of a hurry to do anything. We just sat on the rocks and watched golden hour settle over the lake. The breeze that had made us fall in love with this campsite kept the mosquitoes away, the water was perfectly calm, and everything seemed to slow down. It was one of those rare moments where you don't feel the need to say much because everyone is quietly appreciating the same thing. I remember thinking that if life could always feel this simple, I'd never complain. Eventually the sun slipped below the trees, and we wandered back toward the middle of camp. We hung the food pack, got another fire going, and spent the rest of the evening doing what had quickly become our favorite part of the trip—telling stories, laughing at each other, and enjoying the kind of conversations that only seem to happen around a campfire. Looking back, those quiet evenings are every bit as memorable as the miles we paddled.

[paragraph break] ~Little Caribou Lake, Caribou Lake

[paragraph break]The plan for the day was to take a day trip over to Johnson Falls. Originally, we thought the falls were on the other side of Caribou Lake, but after spending some time looking at the map, we realized we had been making it more complicated than it needed to be. The trail actually started from the portage near the beginning of Pine Lake, which meant we were hiking toward the falls in less than an hour.

[paragraph break]Johnson Falls sits a decent distance back in the woods, but the hike was absolutely worth it. When we first arrived at the lower falls, we were already blown away. The sound of the water crashing over the rocks, the power of the falls, and the fact that we were standing in the middle of the wilderness experiencing it made it feel pretty special. Then we continued farther upstream and found the upper falls, and somehow it got even better. The upper falls were bigger, more powerful, and even more impressive than the first one we had just seen. [paragraph break]We spent a few hours there just taking it all in. It was one of those places where you don't really need to do much. You just sit there, look around, and appreciate how incredible the world is. Eventually, Ryan and I decided we needed a picture in the water. Of course, that quickly turned into much more than just taking a picture. Before long, we were taking turns jumping off a rock into the falls and letting the current carry us downstream a bit. [paragraph break]At some point, I decided a normal picture wasn't good enough. I wanted to get a picture of myself mid-air during the jump, which seemed like a great idea at the time. Unfortunately, before I ever got the picture, I had a little incident that probably looked like it came straight out of a comedy movie. As I was getting ready for the jump, my feet slipped out from under me, and instead of gracefully launching myself into the falls, I slowly slid backward and landed directly on my butt on the rock. There was nothing quick or athletic about it. It was just a slow-motion fall where I had plenty of time to realize exactly what was happening but not enough time to stop it. The best part was that it didn't even end there. After hitting the rock, I slowly continued sliding and eventually rolled right into the water. It was probably hilarious to watch because there was absolutely nothing I could do once it started. I was committed to the fall whether I wanted to be or not. It hurt pretty bad, but luckily it ended up being nothing more than a big bruise. After shaking it off for a few minutes, I was able to laugh about it. Looking back, the funniest part was probably how ridiculous it must have looked. I was trying to create this epic adventure photo and instead gave everyone a front-row seat to me slowly losing a battle with a wet rock. I still got my photo though.

[paragraph break]Ryan had his own mishap shortly after when he slipped trying to climb out of the water and bruised his ankle. The timing couldn't have been worse because he was planning to run Grandma's Marathon just a few weeks later. When we got home, he wasn't able to train the way he had hoped and had to deal with that setback heading into the race. The impressive part was that he never let it derail him. Through a combination of determination, stubbornness, and probably a little bit of pain tolerance, Ryan still showed up on race day. Even better, he and his fiancée both finished Grandma's Marathon that year. Looking back, it was another example of the kind of person Ryan is. Things don't always go perfectly, but he finds a way to keep moving forward.

[paragraph break]After that, we continued jumping into the falls and floating through the current. It was one of those moments where you feel like a kid again and don't want to stop. Hopefully anyone else who makes the trip out there is willing to take the leap too because it was an absolute blast. On the way back from the falls, we ran into two guys hiking in and stopped to talk for a while. Somehow the conversation turned toward where everyone was from, and when they mentioned Forest Lake, I asked if they happened to know my father-in-law, Bob. Sure enough, one of them knew Bob well. He had been a good friend of his and had even been my wife's boss during her summer job through the Chisago Lakes school district. It was crazy how we could travel hundreds of miles away from home, deep into the wilderness, and still somehow find a connection to our own backyard.

[paragraph break]After Johnson Falls, we decided to spend some time fishing Pine Lake. We were hoping to get into some lake trout, but the wind had picked up quite a bit and made things difficult. We gave it a shot, but honestly, we weren't fighting very hard for them. Eventually, we decided to call it and start heading back toward Little Caribou. Once we got back to Little Caribou, we decided to fish the end of the lake for a while. That turned out to be a great decision because John hooked into an absolute brute of a smallmouth from shore. The excitement took over immediately, and I jumped into the water to help him land it. Unfortunately, somewhere between the heat of the moment and trying to get my hands on the fish, I managed to let it slip away. [paragraph break]I felt awful.

[paragraph break]It honestly bothered me more than it probably should have, and I still think about that fish from time to time. I felt like I had let John down after he had done the hard part of getting it all the way to shore. The funny thing is, knowing John, he probably forgot about it five minutes later and definitely isn't sitting around thinking about it the way I am. That's just who he is. We continued fishing Little Caribou for a while longer but didn't have much luck. Eventually, we decided to head back toward camp. Kev and I wanted to stop there first, and while we were back, we found something that somehow made our already great campsite even better. We discovered a much better landing. It seems like a small thing, but after fighting with the original landing every time we came and went, this completely upgraded the campsite. What we already thought was a great site had somehow become a five-star site.

[paragraph break]Kev and I got back up to camp, filtered some water, and started realizing we were running out of energy. The plan was to keep going over to Caribou Lake, but as we sat there, we realized we were perfectly happy staying put. We gathered enough firewood for the evening, cleaned up around camp, and settled in. We never did make it back over to Caribou, but honestly, I think it ended up being exactly what we needed. Sometimes the best days are the ones where the plan changes. While Kev and I were relaxing at camp, John and Ryan were still out fishing. They were the only two who really committed to it that day, and they came back with another full stringer. Five more fish meant we were having another fish fry. At this point, we were getting pretty spoiled. [paragraph break]Kev got to work cleaning the fish, and I took on my usual role as assistant and wildlife security. This time, the turtles were joined by multiple garter snakes trying to get in on the action. I started calling the turtles Marco and Polo, and since we couldn't tell the snakes apart, they all got the same name: Geves. At one point, Geves lunged toward one of our fresh fillets sitting on a rock. Kev reacted instantly, grabbed the fish, and ended up in a full-on tug-of-war. Thankfully, Kev won the battle. It was pretty funny watching us take our fish protection duties so seriously, but after working that hard for dinner, nobody was letting anything steal our meal. That night we decided it was finally time to have our party night. We pulled out the flasks, poured some whiskey, and settled in for an evening around the fire. It's hard to beat whiskey during a sunset, but whiskey next to a campfire might be even better. We laughed so hard that night we were crying at times. Those are the moments you can't really plan for. They just happen when you're exhausted, comfortable, and surrounded by good friends.

[paragraph break]Eventually, we decided to step away from the fire and shut off all our lights to look at the stars. Our campsite wasn't the best place for stargazing because of the trees, but walking down near the water and looking up completely changed the perspective. It has a way of making you realize how small you really are. With almost no light pollution around, the stars were incredible, and looking up at the vastness of space while sitting in the middle of the Boundary Waters was one of those moments that makes you stop and appreciate everything around you. I remember thinking that I would love to come back in the fall someday, when the bugs are gone, and spend a night just sitting by the water watching the sky. Eventually we made our way back to the fire, but it wasn't long before Ryan called it a night. The rest of us followed shortly after. It had been another incredible day, and as we crawled into our tents, we were all feeling incredibly grateful. This place was special, and every day seemed to give us another memory that we knew we would be talking about for years. Tomorrow would be our last full day in the Boundary Waters, and unfortunately, the forecast was calling for a lot of rain.

[paragraph break]~Little Caribou Lake, Pine Lake, Caribou Lake

[paragraph break]Eventually, we reached the outfitter, where we celebrated the end of the trip the best way we knew how, with a cold beer and some cookies. After a quick shower, we packed up and started making our way south toward Two Harbors. Stopping in Grand Marais was a special moment too. We got gas, called our loved ones, and spent some time telling them about the trip. It was funny trying to explain everything because there are some experiences that are hard to put into words. You can talk about the lakes, the fishing, the campsites, and the portages, but the feeling of being out there is something different. That's why I write these trip reports. [paragraph break]That night in Two Harbors, we grabbed pizza, stopped at Castle Danger for a few beers, and eventually made our way back to the hotel. We finished the night watching the NBA Finals and enjoying the simple comforts that felt so different after a week in the wilderness. A real bed, a shower, and a television felt pretty incredible. The next morning, we got up early and started the drive back to the Twin Cities. We made it home before noon, bringing an end to what was easily the best trip I have ever been on. It is hard to fully explain what the Boundary Waters does to you. The beauty is obvious. The clear water, the endless forests, the sunsets, and the quiet. But, the part that sticks with me most, is how it brings people together. The challenges, the laughter, the unexpected moments, and even the difficult parts all become part of the story. There is something special about spending a week away from everything with a group of people who are willing to work hard, help each other, and appreciate the little things. Throughout the trip, we kept finding ourselves stopping to acknowledge how fortunate we were. We felt incredibly lucky to experience such a beautiful place and to have the time, health, and friendships that allowed us to do it. Sitting around the fire, paddling across quiet lakes, watching sunsets, or simply laughing about something ridiculous that happened during the day. We were constantly reminded how much there is to be grateful for. [paragraph break]As I finish writing this trip report, there are unfortunately major fires impacting parts of the Boundary Waters. My heart goes out to everyone impacted, and I hope those areas recover and continue to be protected for generations to come. [paragraph break]The good news is that I already have another trip planned for August, this time with my wife. It will be her first experience in the Boundary Waters, and I honestly cannot wait to share this place with her. I am excited for her to see the beauty that has meant so much to me and to experience the same sense of peace, wonder, and gratitude that I have found every time I return. [paragraph break]The Boundary Waters has a way of reminding you what really matters, and I feel incredibly thankful that I get to keep making memories there with the people I love.

[paragraph break]~Little Caribou Lake, Caribou Lake, Clearwater Lake