Just a brief report:

TONS of mosquitos, it had rained for a few weeks before we went in. We had great weather for 5 days, and made it back to the lodge 15 minutes before the sky opened up. Woke up one morning on Long Island Lake, and noticed that the wind had changed to the east, and that it was humid...vast experience told me to pack up and get out.

As we did, we were followed by thunder, but the big clouds passed to our south, as we progressed north. In the calm, we saw a big bull moose in an arm of Cross Bay Lake, pretty nice.

Did a bunch of swimming at the beach site on Frost. The beach was swarming with bugs emanating from the nearby wetland (which had fresh moose tracks leading to it, of course), but the site was largely bug-free thanks to the wind. Disappointingly, the people there before us left garbage including ziplocs, and CIGARETTE PACKS littering the site. Incredible.

Also, on Long Island Lake, there had been fishermen there before us, who threw a bunch of pike and laker carcasses pretty close to the campsite, which I had to get rid of. They also threw the skins and some carcass material right in front of the landing, a small beachy area where we like to swim. Nice.

WHAT is these people's problem? Complete ignoramuses. I also spent 20 minutes on the site on Cross Bay Lake cleaning up cigarette butts.

Although it was beautiful up there, having to do a significant cleaning before being able to enjoy the beauty is getting tiresome.

On the plus side, the Irwin saw and Wetterlings axe performed excellently, as did the Sawyer Mini. I didn't even use the Katadyn Pocket monster that I bring. I forgot our stove and cookset at home so had to buy new ones; the MSR whisperlite (?) is only OK, and the stainless MSR pot set I got was also only OK, IMO neither was as good as our own stuff (Primus stove and GSI cookset). Guess I'll keep it in the car for emergencies.

Did I mention the bugs were crazy? After 4 days trapped sweating in my bugshirt, I gave up and slathered myself with DEET. Liberation!

The good news is that we managed to evade all the rain, the loons were active, the eagles, merlins, vultures, mergansers, etc. were all around, and there weren't many people.

Speaking of people, as we were heading to Long Island Lake from Frost, we ran into a party going the other direction, back to Cherokee. There we are in our bugshirts, long pants, and thick socks (and my wife had gloves on), and here is this girl at the put-in: lycra shorts, tank top, cleanly shaven legs, no hat, fashion sunglasses. ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

Reflecting that night on the experience, I woke up the next day and poured DEET all over myself, and proceeded to lounge around making morning coffee with complete impunity, with the bug shirt hood down and my hands completely exposed. Freedom!

It's amazing how they still hate DEET. My thanks go to the chemists responsible, at the US Dept of Ag, and to the military appropriation that apparently made it all possible.

Thanks for cleaning up the mess.
Right at the access on West bearskin by the YMCA camp somebody cleaned two big smallmouth bass and threw the carcases in the water just a little ways out from the landing. Like you said the mentality of some people.

Dates you were there?

We just got out from the Duncan area yesterday and no bugs anywhere-morning or evening. Well maybe two bugs,but that was about it.

Nice report.

June 6-10. We had planned on staying until June 12, but decided to escape with dry gear instead. We overnighted on the 10th and did lots of hiking and sightseeing on the 11th...oh, and of course, ate my fill at Trails End.

I love Trails End. I'm not big on Americana, but when it's done right, it has its place...and IMO, they do it RIGHT! I like the Coke, the burgers, the chili, the malts, everything.

mmmmmmmmmm, calories!!! Nothing like them when you're up there. Allows me to schlep around the 100-lb canoe with ease! lol