Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

SO's first trip to the BW
by bombinbrian

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/28/2020
Entry & Exit Point: Mudro Lake (EP 23)
Number of Days: 7
Group Size: 4
Trip Introduction:
My son and I try to take yearly trips to the Boundary Waters. This year the Significant Other decided she wanted to join us, so it begins.....
Day 1 of 7
Sunday, June 28, 2020

Have you ever noticed that some people don't get the hours, days and months of prep work that goes into the trip? I've spent months, literally months, getting ready for this trip. It started at 2 people, went to 3,4 5 and then 7, back to 4, then to 3 and finished at 4 or us. Since I do the planning and getting ready, it didn't matter to everyone else that its hard to plan when the numbers keep changing.

So on Sunday the 28th, we pull into Mudro. We find that the creek is so low that we end up portaging 1/3 of a mile down the creek to find enough water to float the canoe with gear in it. Finally get loaded and off we go.

The creek is very low, as I said above, so there were several pull throughs just to get to Mudro Lake. Once on the lake, it was easy going, or so we thought. That portage from Mudro to Sandpit is the devil. I hate that portage and what a portage for your first in the BW. The SO didn't think it was too much fun and probably started to reconsider her decision.

Once over the portge, we went on to Tin Can Mike, although we had considered going to Jackfish bay and taking the big water to the falls. We eventually stopped at the first campsite on the left in Horse to hve lunch, PB&J wraps.

Down the Horse River we go. I've never seen the water levels so low. Not only did we have the 3 portages, but we had 5 pull throughs because the water was so low. It was a long exhausting trip down the river.

When we finally made the end of the river, we set up camp on the campsite to the right as you come into the lake. Great breeze and a really nice site. We decided to set the tent up on the point and not back in the trees, as we needed the breeze with the temps in the mid 80's.

Dinner was scallop potatoes and steak while watching the sunset.