Day 7: 6 Miles, 7 Portages (319 Rods), 2 Rivers, 2 Lakes

~Basswood River, Horse River, Horse Lake, Finger Lake, Tin Can Mike Lake

When I planned this trip, I should have done 2 things: More research on the Basswood River, and more research on the Horse River! I wasn't prepared for either. It may be because of the higher water levels, but it seems like the Horse river has a great big lack of adequately marked portages. The first one or two were fine. It all went awry at the 58 rod portage. McKenzie map says right shore, Fisher says left shore. The portage was fine and had a stellar boardwalk. At the end was a group hogging up the landing for an hour while they repaired their canoe, and another party coming our way from the other side. We had to boogie across some rapids. Why were there still rapids? Why wasn't the portage extended to accommodate the remaining rapids? It would have only been 10 or 15 rods longer. Anyhow, we got through with a fistful of gripes. The rest of the River went just like that one. Rapids with no marked portage. There were portages, so I suppose all is okay. The final rapids were kind of cool. It was the first time I lined the canoe. Accomplishment!

Horse Lake was not very nice to us with its wind and waves, but we made it safe to the other side. The portage to Tin Can Mike was muddy and rutted, but easy. We chose the camp site on the south shore for the cool breeze and a shady backdrop. It was a crummy site with a crummy landing and a crummy latrine and a crummy hanging tree and a crummy tenting area and a set of crummy benches and a crummy fire grate with no legs. USFS needs to get on that site like now!