First Quetico Trip... The Epic Journey
by hexnymph
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
05/28/2004
Entry & Exit Point:
Moose Lake (EP 25)
Number of Days:
8
Group Size:
8
Day 5 of 8
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Conmee Lake, Suzanette Lake, Brent Lake, ? Lake, McIntyre Lake
Day trip McIntyre Lake, Paulene Lake, Burt Lake, Paulene Lake, McIntyre
Day 5 started out with the drumming of a grouse very close to camp but never seen. I woke up several times in the morning to hear it’s drumming and even as we were leaving camp it continued. It was decided that this day was to be the “Easy Day” since we had pushed hard for the past 4 days and were right on track. To the best of my knowledge we stayed in the ballpark of 12-16 miles per day. Day 5 was not really an exception due to a side trip but at least we didn’t have much gear with us when we did that. So, we woke up, had breakfast and casually broke down camp.
Once we were on the lake the wind picked up a little but once again, it was at our backs and the sun was shining. We only had about 300 yards on the lake before we hit the portage. About midway across the portage to Suzanette lake we saw a geographic marker with the longitude and latitude marked on it. … right in the middle of the path. I didn’t stop to look at it mainly because I was wearing the Kevlar helmet and wasn’t about to stop. I’m sure someone in the group took a picture of it.
At Suzanette Lake we headed toward the portage to Brent Lake, down through a noname Lake and onto McIntyre. As soon as we were out of a little bay and McIntyre opened up we saw one campsite that was occupied to the north so we headed south to an island campsite. We were just starting to unload our stuff when the people from the occupied camp appeared from out of nowhere and pleaded with us to head farther south to the next set of sites. The reasoning was good enough, “So we don’t see another fire at night, and you don’t either.” So we decided to oblige their request. Had we not found a site close buy I think we were all prepared to head back to that site but we were rewarded with one of the nicest sites I’ve camped in. It was another island site with open woods and lot’s of big rocks. The only downfall I can recall is that the skeeters were out in force but I am sure that would have been the same anywhere. As soon as we landed my paddling partner, Cookie, pointed at a giant rock and said “Let’s throw the tent up, there” as I joke, I think, but I did and It was the flattest softest surface around. It was probably the nicest tent spot we had the entire trip.
Once camp was set up, water made, and lunch was eaten we decided to do our side trip. We traveled northeast, less the two rookies, through Paulene Lake and over to Burt Lake to check out the pictograph site. Once we reached the cliff we spotted the pictographs. This site isn’t much more than a couple of handprints and some other unidentifiable markings that have seen years of weather.
The three canoes had previously agreed to push to the pictographs and then fish on the way back to catch some dinner so that’s what we did. Working for fish back through Burt Lake, for my canoe, was unsuccessful so we portaged into Paulene behind one of the other two boats. About midway across Paulene neither of the two other canoes were in sight. As we sat there and watched the portage from Burt lake, waiting for the third canoe, an osprey skirted around the shore and up over the hill into Burt. Later we heard from the guys on Burt Lake, they got to witness the osprey perform a couple of dives into the water…. I’m Sorry I missed that. The fishing on Paulene made up for it though. Soon, the Cookie began to pick up some largemouth’s. So I rerigged my gear and started to catch them too. By the time we reached the portage into McIntyre we had dinner covered. We were using floating rapalas and picking them up on top water occasionally which was a lot of fun. We waited there for the third canoe and when they arrived they added to the dinner menu a pike from Burt Lake.
Back at camp we cleaned the fish and swatted the bugs. By far my favorite dinner of the whole trip was had this night…. FISH TACOS! With rice, refried beans and hot sauce… I wish I was eating one right now! Way to go Cookie!
The rest of the night was shared around the fire passing platys. The lake was calm, the moon was still shining bright. Off in the distance, almost to far to distinguish the sound, was a whip-poor-will crying it’s monotonous song… for hours. The loons also gave a quite a choir off and on the whole night. The rock was we slept on was very comfortable.
Conmee Lake, Suzanette Lake, Brent Lake, ? Lake, McIntyre Lake
Day trip McIntyre Lake, Paulene Lake, Burt Lake, Paulene Lake, McIntyre
Day 5 started out with the drumming of a grouse very close to camp but never seen. I woke up several times in the morning to hear it’s drumming and even as we were leaving camp it continued. It was decided that this day was to be the “Easy Day” since we had pushed hard for the past 4 days and were right on track. To the best of my knowledge we stayed in the ballpark of 12-16 miles per day. Day 5 was not really an exception due to a side trip but at least we didn’t have much gear with us when we did that. So, we woke up, had breakfast and casually broke down camp.
Once we were on the lake the wind picked up a little but once again, it was at our backs and the sun was shining. We only had about 300 yards on the lake before we hit the portage. About midway across the portage to Suzanette lake we saw a geographic marker with the longitude and latitude marked on it. … right in the middle of the path. I didn’t stop to look at it mainly because I was wearing the Kevlar helmet and wasn’t about to stop. I’m sure someone in the group took a picture of it.
At Suzanette Lake we headed toward the portage to Brent Lake, down through a noname Lake and onto McIntyre. As soon as we were out of a little bay and McIntyre opened up we saw one campsite that was occupied to the north so we headed south to an island campsite. We were just starting to unload our stuff when the people from the occupied camp appeared from out of nowhere and pleaded with us to head farther south to the next set of sites. The reasoning was good enough, “So we don’t see another fire at night, and you don’t either.” So we decided to oblige their request. Had we not found a site close buy I think we were all prepared to head back to that site but we were rewarded with one of the nicest sites I’ve camped in. It was another island site with open woods and lot’s of big rocks. The only downfall I can recall is that the skeeters were out in force but I am sure that would have been the same anywhere. As soon as we landed my paddling partner, Cookie, pointed at a giant rock and said “Let’s throw the tent up, there” as I joke, I think, but I did and It was the flattest softest surface around. It was probably the nicest tent spot we had the entire trip.
Once camp was set up, water made, and lunch was eaten we decided to do our side trip. We traveled northeast, less the two rookies, through Paulene Lake and over to Burt Lake to check out the pictograph site. Once we reached the cliff we spotted the pictographs. This site isn’t much more than a couple of handprints and some other unidentifiable markings that have seen years of weather.
The three canoes had previously agreed to push to the pictographs and then fish on the way back to catch some dinner so that’s what we did. Working for fish back through Burt Lake, for my canoe, was unsuccessful so we portaged into Paulene behind one of the other two boats. About midway across Paulene neither of the two other canoes were in sight. As we sat there and watched the portage from Burt lake, waiting for the third canoe, an osprey skirted around the shore and up over the hill into Burt. Later we heard from the guys on Burt Lake, they got to witness the osprey perform a couple of dives into the water…. I’m Sorry I missed that. The fishing on Paulene made up for it though. Soon, the Cookie began to pick up some largemouth’s. So I rerigged my gear and started to catch them too. By the time we reached the portage into McIntyre we had dinner covered. We were using floating rapalas and picking them up on top water occasionally which was a lot of fun. We waited there for the third canoe and when they arrived they added to the dinner menu a pike from Burt Lake.
Back at camp we cleaned the fish and swatted the bugs. By far my favorite dinner of the whole trip was had this night…. FISH TACOS! With rice, refried beans and hot sauce… I wish I was eating one right now! Way to go Cookie!
The rest of the night was shared around the fire passing platys. The lake was calm, the moon was still shining bright. Off in the distance, almost to far to distinguish the sound, was a whip-poor-will crying it’s monotonous song… for hours. The loons also gave a quite a choir off and on the whole night. The rock was we slept on was very comfortable.
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