August 14th We awoke refreshed and while the head/chest cold was still there I believe it was at its peak or slightly dwindling. By then we were able to manage it a bit better after a day’s rest. I had lots of cold/flu meds in my pack and we ate those like candy to stay on top of it.

We had breakfast and packed up camp. Our next campsite was either going to be at the southern end of Friday bay or go for broke and head for Moosecamp lake which I had read was a great lake with good walleye fishing.

The paddle across the top of Crooked was quick. There was a breeze at the top of Thursday bay but oddly enough it dissipated once we crossed the open section. This area was amazing. I will go back here again someday. I love all the little islands which make up the Crooked lake archipelagos. It was fun to read the map and decipher where we were and where we were going. I truly felt like a voyageur!

We made it into Friday bay in no time flat. All three campsites inside the bay were taken. It was still quite early in the day, around 10 am, so instead of backtracking to one of the sites at the top of Friday bay we pushed for Moosecamp Lake.

It was at this stage of the trip we began to encounter more and more traffic.

We portaged down through Papoose Creek and though Papoose lake into Chippewa. These lakes were quite weedy and the small creeks that connect them were shallow and choked with vegetation. It was a constant paddle to keep forward momentum. It was still neat to see the change in scenery from giant granite and broad expanses of water to a swampier tighter area. I fully expected to see a moose at any moment. The other two small lakes were much the same and I passed up the two open sites on Chippewa and Niki. The one on Wagosh was taken. I imagine these sites were quite buggy and I wasn’t a huge fan of the lakes either. I don’t imagine the fishing was very good either.

We hopscotched these lakes with two other groups and soon found ourselves at the 327-rod portage that leads into Gun Lake. It was a nice portage although it seemed to go uphill forever. We double portaged everything from this point out. It just didn’t seem worth the extra effort to 1.5x portage anymore.

Once we arrived at Gun lake there was a canoe fishing right at the end of the portage. We made the quick portage into Bullet lake and another small one into Moosecamp Lake.

This is where the trip took a turn. Every site on Moosecamp was taken. Now it was getting later in the day and I was feeling a bit uneasy. So, nothing else to do but paddle on. We entered the Moosecamp River and began our meandering slog. Water levels were not optimum and once again it was solid paddling to make any headway. By the time we reached the end of Moosecamp River, it was close to 5 pm. We were both exhausted. Little did we know it would soon get worse.

I knew Fourtown was a big lake with lots of sites so I didn’t think it would be a big deal to find one. I was wrong. We paddled the entire length of Fourtown Lake and every single site was taken.

I couldn’t believe it. The map showed around 15 sites yet everywhere we looked I saw a canoe or a tarp or a tent or heard hooting and hollering as the campers were well into their evening routine.

So, we paddled on. Tired, sick and now overcome with the dreaded feeling that we need to paddle fast now to get back to the truck before dark.

I do not recommend the portages out of Fourtown in the dusk after you’ve been paddling all day. While beautiful in their own way they are not at all a welcome sight at this stage of our day. We overcame that last day obstacle and made it back to the truck just before all light left from the sky. Tired, wet and hungry we loaded up and headed back to VNO.

We arrived back at VNO just as they were locking the door for the night. Lynn set us up with a room and we quickly headed into town to catch the last few minutes before Subway closed for a bite to eat.

August 15th 2018

We crashed hard that night after food and a shower and were on the road headed back to Michigan early the next day. Although this time we went back through the upper peninsula which was a way better drive and 2 hours quicker.

It was an epic last day for sure and it shaved two whole days off our trip but I’m not sure I could have done anything differently. At that hour in the day, there wasn’t any time for backtracking into other lakes to look for an unoccupied site. We would have most likely been caught in the dark and had to bushwhack a site.

I could have grabbed a site at one of the smaller lakes north of Moosecamp but my back up plan was Fourtown and its plethora of sites. Even now there really isn’t another game plan I would have made. I wish I would have stayed at the top of Friday Bay but we had only traveled a short time before arriving there. I thought for sure we had plenty of time. Had we have stopped who knows what may have happened. I know one thing for sure, I would have had an extra day!

At least we know now that we can cover some ground and grind it out with the best of them when we must. It was a real learning experience for sure.

Things gone right:

Fishfinder mount worked great

Awesome adventure

VNO is a great outfitter. Lynn did us a solid on our return that night for sure. Even after that grueling last day, I asked my son if he wanted to go next year. “Hell yes,” he said.

Lessons learned: External frame backpack from Goodwill was awful. I wanted to burn it when I got home but the wife took it back for some other unsuspecting soul to curse themselves with.

Hanging the food bag was a colossal pain. Food barrel next trip. (which I now own)

The Ozark Trail backpacks worked fine but I now own a Granite Gear Superior One portage pack which will allow us to consolidate both packs into one.

Don’t bring so much fishing gear! LOL Not sure I can ever do that.

I brought a lot of food but shorting ourselves those two days and being sick put a damper on food consumption. I brought more snack/sugary stuff then I think we would have eaten anyways.

Make sure the backup paddle isn’t heavier than your day paddle. We had a little short wooden one that weighed a ton.

Better water shoes leave the hiking boots at home. I know everyone says you need hiking boots and ankle support but I don’t. I did just fine in my water shoes for most of the trip the only bad thing was they were a bit soft in the soul and some of the rocks were jabbing my feet. Also, every time I stepped in the water they would fill up with sand and pebbles. I need something a bit more snug to help keep out the debris.

Never drive through Chicago when you can go through the UP.

Brought way too much stove fuel

Bag chairs were a solid PITA. Bringing different chairs next trip.

A most excellent experience and I can’t wait to go again. 2019 will find us in Lac la Croix around Tiger Bay/Boulder Bay area doing a basecamp style trip. Depending on traffic and site availability we may make a second camp on Iron lake or up further north and west into LLC.

I wish I could go twice a year but for now, I will settle for once. I have a toddler who will be three in April and in a few more years she will be joining me on these adventures. I just wish her Mom was more outdoorsy because I would love to take her as well.

Below is a link to the youtube video I did.

https://youtu.be/sHYqAklFc6U

~ Papoose Lake, Chippewa Lake, Niki Lake, Wagosh Lake, Gun Lake, Bullet Lake, Moosecamp Lake, Moosecamp River, Fourtown Lake, Mudro Lake

Lakes Traveled:   Papoose Lake, Chippewa Lake, Niki Lake, Wagosh Lake, Gun Lake, Bullet Lake, Moosecamp Lake, Moosecamp Lake, Fourtown Lake, Mudro Lake,