BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 26 2024
Entry Point 51 - Missing Link Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 5
Elevation: 1498 feet
Latitude: 48.0731
Longitude: -90.8301
Missing Link Lake - 51
Gunflint Summer
Entry Date:
May 19, 2008
Entry Point:
Missing Link Lake
Number of Days:
99
Group Size:
1
In mid-May, right after final exams were over, I made the long haul up to the BWCA for the summer. Upon my arrival there, I was greeted with snow! Now I am not from northern Minnesota, and normally I would have been slightly perturbed if it snowed, yet again, in mid-May. However, I got to experience TWO springs that year: one back home, and one up in the BWCA. I also saw, for the first time, snow-shoed hares with their winter-white coats. I even went on my first paddle of the summer into Missing Link while it was snowing. We found a pair of loons nesting on Missing Link and kept an eye on them for part of the summer. Never saw their loonlings (?) though.
Breakfast was instant carnation and grapenuts cereal. We broke camp and headed back across Alice to make a 2-day return trip. My friend in the other canoe was trolling too by this point and had another big northern on the line in the middle of Alice but it came off the hook as we were trying to land it. It had bit the plastic front lip clear off of his minnow. Back on Insula, I’m not sure if it was a snag or a sharp bite, but my line snapped and my lucky rappala lure was gone. It was a long paddle south and east through insula in a hot sun, and kind-of disheartening to be in the burn area again. There was almost a traffic-jam at the Insula-Hudson portage: one scout group with 4 canoes lingering at the far landing and two other small groups waiting to cross. Luckily our food pack was a lot lighter and we had a well-practiced portage routine by then, so we could get through and out of the way quickly.
On Hudson, we caught a pair of moderate-size pike as we paddled through. Our plan was to go back on “the path less traveled” and from Hudson we went north to Fire lake. This took us out of the burn and to a quiet, narrow channel. There was someone camped on the north bay of Hudson, but after that we didn’t see another soul. By this time we were tired, and it was after 3pm. We looked at the sites on the West end of Fire, but decided to keep going. (couldn’t find the west-most site on Fire lake #1482, and further research shows that others haven’t found it there either). Short portages to the north arm of Lake Four. It was serene back here, and not heavily traveled. We found site #1483 and were ready to stop! 
Dinner was the priority as it was nearing 5:00 after a long day and almost 14 miles paddling. An easy-to-make meal of potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and chicken was quickly demolished. This site had a south-facing view and the weather was dead calm and clear. Once the sun went down I stayed awake to try some milky way photos. No rainflys that night and we slept under the stars.
Yes, I said "Holy Blueberries!" I found some (a slight under-exaggeration) blueberries (and raspberries and wild strawberries) this summer. And even after fresh blueberry pies, and cobblers, and berries sprinkled in oatmeal or on top of ice cream, I still couldn't get enough. I even had to freeze a 2 gallon bag of the little guys. This summer had the perfect conditions for creating a little bit of blueberry heaven: wet early on in the summer and warm and sunny coming into the end of July, pair that with the bare landscape from past fires, and you get the perfect recipe for berries. Lots and lots of luscious, abundant berries.
There were days that my friends and I could literally sit down with our Nalgenes, pick berries for a good half hour to an hour and not ever have to stand up! It still amazes me when I think about the berry season. 
FROST RIVER LOOP Early in the season, I did the Frost River Loop trip. After getting skunked on Frost Lake the first night, we headed back to Long Island to set up camp. I guess that's what you get for not hitting the water until 3:30 PM! Next morning we woke up, headed through Frost yet again, and then down the river. The water level was so high that we were able to skip a few portages, and at times, we just had to rudder with no paddling required. We saw 5 moose on this trip! The second night, we stayed on Crooked and had the entire lake to ourselves. We spent the evening trout fishing and sipping tea by the fire. Next morning we woke up early and made way for Owl and Tusc and that "fantastic little" portage. We made it back in time for lunch and work in the afternoon. 
POPLAR, MEEDS, GASKIN Took a quick trip out to Meeds and spent the night just telling stories around the fire. The next day on Gaskin, we hit perfect winds and kicked up our feet and sailed the afternoon away. I never thought a paddle could double as a sail, but it surely can. I spent the day with five friends and warm sunny skies while relaxing in a canoe in the Boundary Waters. Life is good. 
I guess I have cabin fever right now and can't wait to get back there! 