The Best Trip Yet (Well, Mostly)
by TrailZen
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
08/27/2023
Entry & Exit Point:
Moose Lake to Prairie Portage (EP G)
Number of Days:
10
Group Size:
2
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (26 messages)
Part 5 of 11
Day 5, August 31, 2023. Hello, Kenny! 14.4 miles, 7 portages. Agnes, Agnes River West Channel & no-names to Murdoch, Kawnipi, and Kenny Lakes.
Sunrise on Agnes.
Agnes has been mean to us sometimes on past trips—high winds, big water, etc, but this visit has been really nice. The lake was like glass this morning, and we had a pretty sunrise. I don't recall ever doing the West Channel of the Agnes River before, and we were pleasantly surprised at the beauty of the four portages between Agnes and Murdoch. Footing was excellent, and the trails were wide, smooth, and mostly level. The sound of rushing water in the rocky river channel was a bonus, as was the thick moss carpet beside the trails. Exiting Murdoch into Kawnipi may be easier at higher water levels, but we had a rocky, unlisted portage there today because of low water. It's about 7.5 miles from Murdoch to Kennebas Falls, our portage to Kenny Lake, the stop for the night. We stopped at the first campsite we saw on Kawnipi and lunched, then decided that between the wind and the lack of portages to break up our paddling, we should stop every hour or so for a rest. Paddling this afternoon was tough: wind with some whitecaps, and we couldn't find wind shadow anywhere! We were launching after our second stop and heard a loud splash behind the canoe; spotted a beaver who was curious enough to swim back and forth while checking us out. We also saw several eagles and an osprey today.
From the Kennebas Falls portage we could see an empty island campsite on Kenny Lake, and we needed it! The site is nice, but a bit tired from this years' visitors. The duff layer has almost disappeared in many places, but it's roomy enough, has an easy bear hang and a good cooking area, and a resident red squirrel. We're home for the night. As we were planning the trip, Tia hoped for a full-moon paddle. The moon is full tonight, but by 8:30 or so we're both so tired that a paddle is out of the question. Dinner was a hearty stew with chocolate pudding for dessert, followed by our routine of Farkle and Patrick McManus stories. The acoustics of this site are hard to beat—Canyon Falls is constant white noise, and we sometimes hear a voice or two—perhaps people are at the peninsula site between us and the falls.
Approaching the Kennebas Falls portage.
The site's resident squirrel rests between pine cone harvests.
Agnes has been mean to us sometimes on past trips—high winds, big water, etc, but this visit has been really nice. The lake was like glass this morning, and we had a pretty sunrise. I don't recall ever doing the West Channel of the Agnes River before, and we were pleasantly surprised at the beauty of the four portages between Agnes and Murdoch. Footing was excellent, and the trails were wide, smooth, and mostly level. The sound of rushing water in the rocky river channel was a bonus, as was the thick moss carpet beside the trails. Exiting Murdoch into Kawnipi may be easier at higher water levels, but we had a rocky, unlisted portage there today because of low water. It's about 7.5 miles from Murdoch to Kennebas Falls, our portage to Kenny Lake, the stop for the night. We stopped at the first campsite we saw on Kawnipi and lunched, then decided that between the wind and the lack of portages to break up our paddling, we should stop every hour or so for a rest. Paddling this afternoon was tough: wind with some whitecaps, and we couldn't find wind shadow anywhere! We were launching after our second stop and heard a loud splash behind the canoe; spotted a beaver who was curious enough to swim back and forth while checking us out. We also saw several eagles and an osprey today.
From the Kennebas Falls portage we could see an empty island campsite on Kenny Lake, and we needed it! The site is nice, but a bit tired from this years' visitors. The duff layer has almost disappeared in many places, but it's roomy enough, has an easy bear hang and a good cooking area, and a resident red squirrel. We're home for the night. As we were planning the trip, Tia hoped for a full-moon paddle. The moon is full tonight, but by 8:30 or so we're both so tired that a paddle is out of the question. Dinner was a hearty stew with chocolate pudding for dessert, followed by our routine of Farkle and Patrick McManus stories. The acoustics of this site are hard to beat—Canyon Falls is constant white noise, and we sometimes hear a voice or two—perhaps people are at the peninsula site between us and the falls.
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