Thursday, May 29, 2014

6:30am - Looks like a calm morning.

I eat breakfast and pack up camp and hit the water at 8am.

P314 38 rods - The portage to Alpine Lake followed some powerful rapids. I paddle across Alpine Lake and take the first portage to Seagull Lake

P308 101 rods - I see an older couple doing a double portage with their canoe. Plenty of room at the landing so I pull in my kayak and start my portage. I chat with them for a while and find out they are from Fort Wayne, IN.

It's about 9:30am when I start the long paddle across Seagull Lake, nearly 6 miles. The rocky islands are picture worthy and I snap a few shots along the way.

I reach Seagull Outfitters at about 10:50am. I get my kayak and gear loaded up and chat with the outfitters for a while. I leave the outfitters and head south on the Gunflint trail to the Magnetic Rock Trail, part of the Border Route Trail.

Once I reach the trailhead, I grab a water bottle and camera and start the 3 mile round trip hike to the Magnetic Rock. This area is burnt from the Ham Lake Fire of '07, but it is still quite beautiful with the multi-colored rocks everywhere.

I reach the Magnetic Rock and it looks totally out of place. This tall rock just standing upright on the top of a hill looks like a giant placed it there. It's a 60-foot tall glacial erratic.

I finish my hike and start the long drive back home. I can't wait to plan another trip up here again.

Day 6 Summary

8.78 miles | 3 lakes | 2 portages | 139 rods

Jasper Lake, Alpine Lake, Seagull Lake

Also a 3 mile hike on the Magnetic Rock Trail.

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Total Trip Summary

72.98 miles | 50 lakes and ponds | 4 rivers | 54 portages | 2122 rods (double portaged for a total of 19.9 miles of traversing portage trails)