My mind is scrambled. I am overworked, underpaid, and sick of 2020 and its bullshit. But time is almost here for my yearly BW trip. 10-days of wonderful wilderness canoeing.

So I have a few questions for those that have recently come back from the end of the Gunflint.

How are the bugs right now?
How busy are the lakes? I'm going in on Seagull and looping around SAK to Big Sag.
Animal activity? Mainly, are the bears in that area still causing a fuss?
Are you seeing a lot of trash from the noobies who are escaping Covid?

Thanks!

RT: "My mind is scrambled. I am overworked, underpaid, and sick of 2020 and its bullshit. But time is almost here for my yearly BW trip. 10-days of wonderful wilderness canoeing.

So I have a few questions for those that have recently come back from the end of the Gunflint.

How are the bugs right now?
How busy are the lakes? I'm going in on Seagull and looping around SAK to Big Sag.
Animal activity? Mainly, are the bears in that area still causing a fuss?
Are you seeing a lot of trash from the noobies who are escaping Covid?

Thanks!"

I was on Fourtown a month ago. Never once put on bug repellent. I used my Thermacell during the day just to keep the minor amount of flies away. Mosquitoes were out at dusk, as usual, but I'm usually in the tent by then.

The lakes are crazy busy, and Seagull will likely be a mess. It's a very popular lake, and is a perfect lake for loud groups, with or without a permit, to do whatever they want. Please see other threads about how 2020 has been in terms of the people and the problems many of them have brought.

Can't comment on wildlife in that area.

Trash has been a problem. Again, please see previous threads about this. What I've noticed more than anything is the noise. More people equals more noise. Many newbies don't know, or more likely don't care, about how loud they are or how their noise negatively affects those who value the quiet of the area. Unless you plan on going deep, I'd give up on the idea of quiet.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill.

Mike