Appropriately, we woke on Frost Lake to frost. With the clear skies, we experienced a cold evening on Frost Lake and had frost built on our cook gear in camp. It was a very clear, quite still morning as we tumbled out of the tent at 6AM. Our plan was to have a quick breakfast and get an early start on the morning – our target was the campsite on Bologna Lake, the only site on the Frost River. Shortly after leaving the tent, we noticed that our neighbors on Frost had the same idea, but a head start. They had started their run toward the 130 rod portage out of Frost Lake toward the Frost River. Our goal on getting away early was to make a concerted effort to grab the site on Bologna Lake, but after seeing this other group on their way, we elected instead to have a little bigger breakfast and a little later start. We had a hardy breakfast. We pushed off at 9:10AM from our site on Frost Lake and began our run. We completed the first 6 portages and three miles of our day by noon. As we proceeded through the morning, I noticed the portage trails themselves becoming more primitive and remote – like the area we were entering. The canoe balanced on my shoulders rubbed over hanging tree limbs frequently and the portage trail overgrowth gently glanced by my knees and calves. The footing was a bit more challenging as well. With all the rain the area had received in the recent past, the portage trails were wet to the step in many places – we even dealt with trail bogs. A favorite in my book - ?! The portaging actually was quite enjoyable as we advanced deeper into the wilderness.

As we reached Chase Lake, we had a decision to make. Since we had seen the canoes traveling the route ahead of us, we assumed that they may have occupied the Bologna Lake campsite. Without scouting the site, we elected to push on and shoot for the Afton Lake site. We elected to take a quick break and “fuel the machines” before pressing on through the river. We pulled the canoe ashore by placing the nose on the bank and off loaded the gear at the landing. We began having a bite when out of the corner of my eye, I see the canoe catching a gust of wind and slowly pulling away from shore. Matt was the closest to the wayward canoe and without thinking, extinctive leaped from the shore into the bow of the empty canoe. As all reading this I’m sure knows, an empty canoe is as unstable as they come and a body being dropped into the bow was more than she could take tipping and submerging at the shoreline. In retrospect, without doing this, someone still would have been swimming for the canoe as it was on its way across the open water, but that didn’t help my son. Pulling the canoe ashore, we took advantage of the one day of warm sunshine we had on the trip to dry out.

After lunch we continued on to Pencil Lake and then officially into the Frost River. At the end of the 65 rods portage, we placed the canoe along the river bank and headed back for our gear. When we returned – the canoe was gone. Another gust of wind had taken it and when we returned, it had pushed down river about 50 yards. Fortunately for us, it was easily retrieved and we proceeded on our path. We were now in the most pristine, remote area of the Frost River. Shallow waters, grass bank edges and narrow twists & turns described the waterway. Occasional beaver dams and lodges dotted the route. We had covered at least there beaver dams that required us to “pull-over”

The sun was dropping now in the late afternoon as we pulled into Afton Lake only to find that the site was occupied. We had no other option than to press on. We pulled up to the infamous 10 rod portage I had heard other talk about. Here is a picture of the approach The portage is on the right around the large rock...

It was a straight uphill and downhill mountain climb! A very difficult portage in-of-itself, but after a long day coming through the Frost River made it even harder.

We press on targeting the aptly named Whipped Lake campsite, but as we approach we find it, too, occupied. By this time, we are tired and the sun is lowering in the sky. We head to the 100 rod landing out of Whipped to Mora and fortunately find the first island campsite open and available. We welcome the sight of the empty camp site and land exhausted! It is 6:15PM – one of the latest times of day I can recall securing a campsite in many years. I’ve learned that attempting to find a site too late in the day usually results in a longer than expected day and exhaustion.

The day’s totals: 15 portages, 421 rods and 15 miles of territory. Started the day at 9:10AM and arrived at Mora Lake at 6:15PM. In retrospect, I wish we had explored the site on Bologna Lake before deciding to proceed through the Frost River. I had thought othe other groups who had left before us that morning would have taken the site and the portage may have been wasted effort. but after getting to Afton Lake & Whipped Lake to find those site taken, I wonder if they too moved on that morning. Here is a map of the route for the day…