Day 4
Well I need to jump back into day 3 for a short. We had noticed that 1 of our crew seemed to have alot on his mind and just didn’t seem to be enjoying himself. So after some discussion come to find out on our way up the Echo Trail he had called home and found out his Mother was admitted into the hospital the day we had left home. Quite understandably he was really concerned because as he found this out we had lost cell service and he was disconnected and never did hear how she was doing or really what the problem was. So it was decided that the next day Matt and Steve would paddle back to the EP and drive towards town far enough were they could make a call and find out how things were with his Mother. I was alittle concerned about them heading back permit wise know that if they would run into a ranger they might be issues a citation not having a permit to enter back into the BW. Well we figured we would cross that hurdle if it came and they woke up early around 4:30 and paddled back and made the phone call which come to find out everything was ok with his Mom and he was able to enjoy the rest of the trip without worries.
Now to day 4
Again I was the first up and put the coffee pot on and a pot of water for our oatmeal and hot chocolate. I have to tell you I really enjoy listening to the woods and birds wake up just sitting around the fire pit or on a rock overlooking the lake.

This day we did a lot of fishing and exploring around Lake Agnus and hanging out at camp swimming and just wonder what and where our 2 crew members were and what they found out when the made contact home. Well I have to tell you they made great time must be nice to single portage and not have much gear to carry cause they made it back in camp around 1;30 with smiles on there faces. Which set the tone for the rest of the trip for all of us. So with some more swimming and some more fishing {not catching} we made it thru another day to another big decision on what to have for dinner. Some things are really rough on these trips when the hardest thing you have to do is decide what you want to eat. Well Paddlefaster Pasters famous personal pizzas one the toss for tonites dinner. Say that 10 times over quick!!! I have to tell you it was a hit with everyone thanks PFP. I know it was lot of work to make for a crew of 8 but everyone jumped in and helped with the cooking and it was another great meal. After everything was cleaned up after dinner we sat around the fire


and made smores and drank coffee and hot chocolate and just enjoyed everyones company and humor before turning in for the nite.


Day 5
Again I wake first and get the coffe pot going and a pot of hot water for oatmeal and hot chocolate for the crew. We decided this would be a day trip day and we would get a early start and head off towards curtain falls and possibly rebecca falls. Well we did get a early start and actually did well thru the first 115 rod portage into the boulder river.


We saw lots of beautiful flowers and a few deer along the river and came up to a beaver lodge on the bank and there was a young bear on top of it which ran off before any of us could get a camera out and take a picture. Oh well that happens if these guys want a pic of a bear they will just have to come back again. I love paddling rivers there is always something to see around the next bend


and you can almost always paddle even on windy days. Well back to the day trip we made it up to the bottle portage as a boat came in with a canoe on top and 2 other couples were unloading there gear to make the portage. We had just a very short wait and they motioned us by and let us go ahead which I was greatful for. This portage was almost uphill the whole way and I was tired by the time I made it to the top. As we all loaded back into the canoes and started paddling I noticed the bottle falls off to our right with a nice big rock for us to rest on and fish off of. Well that’s as far as we made it we stopped to fish and let me tell you the fishing was great I think about everyone caught fish from northerns to small mouth bass the biggest being caught by Andrew at 19 inches. I am sorry we didn’t keep any for dinner but we had a long paddle back to camp and I just figured it would be to far to have to carry fish. So between fishing and walking down the falls taking pics





time got away from us and we figured we had better head back to our campsite. Matt and I paddled around the point between the top of bottle falls and the portage and came face to face with the first moose of the trip



We were just getting ready to back up and get the rest of the guys so they could see it but then a few trippers came down the portage trail and the young bull walked back into the woods. Unknown to us the rest of the crew was watching a moose on the bottle river at the same time. We took the portage back to lake la croix and had lunch at the bottom of the bottle rapids. After lunch we all took out time and fished our way back thru lake la croix and the bay by the ranger cabin.

Matt and I were the first to make the portage back in to the boulder river and as we paddled around the first point we came onto our 2nd moose of the day a good size cow



after watch her for awhile she saw us and decided she didn’t like our looks and headed for the woods. We continued on fishing our way thru the boulder river and caught a lot of smallmouth and small northerns. The boulder river is a beautiful river to paddle and the fishing was good enough that I know it is place that I will come back to someday.
After everyone made it back to camp we had to have the big vote again and chilli won out for the dinner of choice. Now let me tell you you need to read the directions for the ingredients that belong in chilli. I forgot the tomatoe past but as luck would have it we had some pizza sauce left over and nobody knew any different. That with some more dehydrated ground beef and it was a meal fit for a king. We might have had more cheese cake for desert but I really don’t remember. Oh well another nite around the fire and off to bed we