I have a reservation for Mudro and was wondering if anyone has been on Fourtown or Horse river recently. I’m not sure if we should try the Horse River (too low?) or if we should go the Fourtown route (burned areas).

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

July 14 2021 a friend and I made a 5 day loop from Mudro. We exited Mudro to Sandpit, Tin Can Mike, Horse, Horse river, Basswood, Crooked, Wednesday Bay, Thursday Bay, Friday Bay, Saturday Bay, Sunday Bay, Iron, Peterson Bay,Beartrap river,Sunday, Beartrap, Thunder, Mudhole, Gull, Gun, Fairy, Boot, Fourtown, and exited on Mudro.

The most difficult low water to negotiate was on the Beartrap river from Sunday lake to Beartrap lake. It took us 2 hours and 20 minutes travel time from our campsite on Sunday lake to Beartrap lake and we pulled our canoe and equipment through deep mud several times. The section of Beartrap river north of Sunday lake had several beaver dam pull overs but was relatively easy to negotiate.

The second most difficult low water to negotiate was the channel from Mudro EP to Mudro lake. It was rocky, muddy, and hard on my canoe.

The Horse river required a few extra pull overs and one section after the last portage before Lower Basswood Falls that we had to drag the canoe through mud and grass for about 10 yards. Paddling the low water required a little more effort at times due to the lily pads and exposed grass.

I have no idea how the water level has changed since July. We planned enough time and food to allow us to backtrack in the event that travel was more difficult to negotiate than we desired.

John

Go out to the Fourtown Fire Inciweb page and zoom in on the map. Site 1099 (and, to a certain extent, site 1097) were affected when back burning techniques were used (balls of glycerine dropped from helicopter) on that area to reduce fuels between the active fire and the shoreline. Hard to say to what extent until one goes to visit.

Are you planning on going further or stopping at Fourtown if you go that way? I'd vote that direction just because of all the options you have and not really impacted as much by water levels.

Thank you John, appreciate you input - this is very helpful information, I hope that the recent rain has made the rivers more navigable.

Thank you for your input. We are open to going up to Fourtown and then moose camp Lake and beyond. Are you aware of any water level issues in this direction?

How was the river from Fourtown to Mudro when you went?

The only issue we had with low water between Mudro and Fourtown was that the take out point on one of the portages was mush steeper than normal and I didn't see an easy way to avoid carrying up a steep rock face. The portages between Mudro and Fourtown are normally relatively rocky and hazardous to walk and the low water did not change that. As for paddling between Mudro and fourtown, we had no issue except having to walk in the water further from shore when exiting or entering the canoe at the portages.

Thank you for helpful information!

With low water levels, do not take the Moosecamp river from Fourtown to Moosecamp or vice versa. Take the lakes to the west to get there.

cyclones30: "With low water levels, do not take the Moosecamp river from Fourtown to Moosecamp or vice versa. Take the lakes to the west to get there. "

This is good late-season advice, even in a "normal" year.

Just plan for the worst aka reserving several addition hours for travel. The water levels in this area can fluctuate greatly. We put in on July 5th, and the Mudro area was fine. The Horse River had the normal 3 portages along with 3-4 other areas in which you had to get out and walk your canoe. On our way out, July 11th, the Mudro/ Pickett Creek area had lowered another 3-6 inches which made that stream a muddy mess.

All in all, I’d choose what route excites you the most. Both should be okay with the recent rainstorms.

Thank you again!

Thank you!

thanks!

I have a customer going in at Mudro in about 4-5 days. Anyone been on the Horse River lately? How is the Mudro put in area?

VoyageurNorth: "I have a customer going in at Mudro in about 4-5 days. Anyone been on the Horse River lately? How is the Mudro put in area?


"

Out today; no real concerns for the put-in, just walk as far as you can before launching. Cannot speak to Horse River however.

Came out Friday. We went up through Gun to Thursday Bay with a plan to go out through Horse. We ran into a small group at the top of Thursday Bay that said it took them 7 hours just to navigate Horse River...we believed them and turned around to go back through Gun. Not sure it would have taken us that long because we are pretty experienced and efficient, but we chickened out. I would rather spend more time fishing...and I've "walked" Horse River before so that did not sound interesting.

BCHooked; 7 hours is exactly how long it took me (& a friend) to come from the Falls area down to Horse Lake. We walked most of the river bed, in fact we hit bottom soon after entering the north side of the river.

I don't advise anyone right now to try the Horse River, but have hoped that other areas have improved since we have had "some" rain.

(of course the Moosecamp Creek is not good to travel unless the BWCA water levels are very good/high.)