Wednesday, September 17, 2025 I got up pretty early after a pretty good sleep. In general, I haven’t slept very well on this trip and I’m not sure why, but I think a big part of that is how warm it was. I feel like I have dialed in my sleep system with my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock setup, but maybe I have some more tweaking to do for 60+ degree nights.
I woke up and got moving early. For breakfast I just have a cereal bar before breaking camp. I left the tarp for last as it was still pretty wet from the storm last night and still end up packing it while it is still pretty damp. Awhile ago I swapped out the stuff sack it came with for a small drybag for just this reason – I can pack it up wet and it won’t get other things wet.
My plan for the day was to get to Meeds and then assess the situation based on the time, weather, open campsites, etc. I’m looking at a day similar to my first with 6 portages but a fair bit more paddling including a fairly long stretch on Kiskadinna to start the day, followed up by the lengths of Omega and Henson after that.
I pull out and start tracking on my Inreach right at 8:00am. I paddle on nearly flat water for the mile or so to the portage landing to Omega and tackling the short but step uphill to start my day. Turns out that it would be the last of the really steep climbs or descents of my trip. I navigate my way through some islands on Omega and make my way down the East arm to the Hensen Portage. I am briefly joined by a group of 4 that had just pulled out of the campsite on the south side before they turn to make the trek to Winchell Lake.
On Henson Lake I pass a couple of guys in a campsite that turn out to be the last people I will see until I get to Meeds. The rest of the morning is mostly uneventful. Only minor hiccup is a little difficulty in finding the Portage from Pillsbery to Swallow, which was, as I was warned, further East than my map showed.
Meeds Lake was quiet except for a couple of guys out fishing who were staying at the middle campsite, which turns out is the only campsite occupied. Around 1:30 I get to the campsite closest to the Poplar portage and thankfully find it empty. I unload the canoe and take out what I need to lunch and get the water filter going as well as setting up my chair.
While I have my lunch I update the weather forecast as I prepare to make a decision on staying or making my way to poplar and back to civilization. The forecast of overnight and morning rain and continued high dewpoints reinforce what I was already thinking, and my plan is now to spend a few lazy hours at this campsite before moving on in time to paddle up to the Poplar public access around sunset.
I strung up my tarp so it will dry a bit and explore around this site a bit. It is a pretty good site that obviously gets a lot of use. I find a bushcraft bow and scatter a fire ring someone has set up right in the middle of one of the tent pads (why would someone do this?). Considering the long portage and paddle I have left, I figure leaving at 4:00 will get me to the landing with a bit of daylight to spare and I proceed to soak in my last couple of disconnected hours.
At 4:00 I pack everything up including my now dry tarp and set out for the short paddle to the portage. It’s long but well used and fairly flat except for the descent on the Poplar side. Double portage takes me 90 minutes before I am dipping my paddle in the waters of Poplar Lake. I find the late afternoon paddle is a great way to wrap up the trip. At the landing I take a quick dip in the lake to cool off and change into the clean clothes I had waiting for me in my car. The canoe and gear get loading up and I start my enjoyable dusk drive down the Gunflint trail to Grand Marais. I reflect on the symmetry between the morning drive to start my trip and the sunset drive ending it.
Once in town I stop for some gas and text J+A to let them know I will be taking them up on the offer of crashing for another night. I also give them a heads up that I will be heading to the gunflint tavern for a post trip Bloody Mary and burger in case they want to join me. To give them time to respond I make my checking call home. My wife knew I’d be calling as she keeps track of me using the inreach tracker and was aware I made it to the Poplar Landing.
I hadn’t heard back from J+A by the time I walk into the Tavern, but it turns out they were already there, having decided to go out to eat after doing remodeling on their house all day…so happy coincidence. We have a good meal and I tell them about my trip.
Getting back to their place I take a shower before enjoying a good night's sleep in a real bed. The next morning I have some breakfast and stop at the Java Moose for some coffee before heading on down Highway 61. On the way home I think about how glad I am that I made the decision to come out when I did and to be driving much more well rested than I would have been.
Final thoughts - Overall, it was a great trip. I would have preferred cooler weather but really can’t complain too much as the only rain I had was overnight and there were no strong winds. Now after 2 solo trips I am happy with my routines, food, etc. One thing different on this trip was coming out late in the day and driving back the next day. In all my previous trips I have exited in the morning and drove back the same day. When I think about it, I think coming out late in the day makes more sense for me and will do so on future trips whenever possible.
Seems like there is always something to learn no matter how many trips you have done. Looking forward to whatever I will figure out next time! ~Kiskadinna Lake, Omega Lake, Henson Lake, Pillsbery Lake, Swallow Lake, Meeds Lake, Poplar Lake

Lakes Traveled:   Kiskadinna Lake, Omega Lake, Henson Lake, Pillsbery Lake, Swallow Lake, Meeds Lake, Poplar Lake,