8-day trip May 30-June 6, PP>Back Bay>Basswood River>Robinson Lake>McIntyre Lake>Kett Lake and Kett portages. Great trip as always, water in the 40's though, so bass hard to come by although trout were leaping into the canoes. Trees down on most of the portages including Basswood River>Greer Lake, Tuck>Kett and the Kett portages. The first portage from Tuck Lake to Kett is flooded--the big beaver pond the trail skirts is now under water so we had to paddle across the pond and pick up the trail near the eastern dam. Kett portages were as long as ever (and as pretty ) and there were some wet spots and running water in a couple places but no worse than usual (the big beaver pond near Basswood Lake has dried up). Black flies were intense the first 3-4 days but after a couple nights in the 30's and some rain they dwindled and skeeters weren't out in full force yet. Photo: Robinson Lake campfire.

I've taken the Tuck to Kett route fairly often during the course of the last ten years and the only time I didn't paddle the first pond out of Tuck was the first time I took the portage ten years ago or so- ever since the beavers have shortened the first portage by mandating a pond paddle.

All praise to beavers.

Like that camp on Robinson.

Looks like a good time. Kett portages always seem to be a crapshoot.
I always think of that Robinson site as “Sigs campsite.” Don’t know where or how I read or heard it was one of his favorites. Could be Quetico lore for all I know.

GraniteCliffs:
"I always think of that Robinson site as “Sigs campsite.” Don’t know where or how I read or heard it was one of his favorites. Could be Quetico lore for all I know. "

I read something to the effect that he had an epiphany on Gardner Mountain, across from the island campsite, that his role in life was the preservation of the Boundary Waters. We really felt his spirit was smiling down on us when we were there.