Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Cross Bay & Frost
by jquast34

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 05/26/2024
Entry Point: Missing Link Lake (EP 51)
Exit Point: Cross Bay Lake (EP 50)  
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 9
Trip Introduction:
This marks the 12th consecutive year this group has done our annual BWCAW trip. It was a great trip once again. We have gotten so lucky most years considering what the Boundary Waters can throw at you. We stayed Friday night at Bef's camper in Superior. Saturday we mosied up the North Shore, stopping at Castle Danger Brewery, Bluefin Bay, GM and Poplar House for an excellent dinner. We stayed at the bunkhouse at Tuscarora Lodge .
Day 1 of 6
Sunday, May 26, 2024 We were served a wonderful breakfast at Tuscarora lodge at 7am. French Toast, fruit, coffee etc. I am really impressed with Tusc Lodge. The staff was great and the process of renting canoes etc was seamless. We paddled through Missing Link and into Snipe Lake. Those two portages were not easy, The portage into Cross Bay was much more tolerable. The plan we had made in the bunkhouse the night before was for one canoe to go check the north site on Cross Bay and another canoe go check the south site and radio to each other status updates. Since I was in the 3-man, we were slower than the rest of the group. By the time we were paddling on Cross Bay, none of our group was in sight. We made a decision to head south and to our delight, our boys were already setting up camp at the south site, despite the guy at the outfitter all but guaranteeing it would be taken. It is a great campsite. We had room for 9 guys and a good canoe landing. Plus the fishing that first night was great. We caught walleyes within view of our campsite.