Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Solo Mudro trip end of August. How hard to find campsite?
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chrisb |
This will be my first canoe trip in the BWCA and really first ever canoe overnight trip. I do have lots of experience backpacking and have done some backpacking trips on BWCA trails (Sioux Hustler) and have some paddling experience. As I have come to find out, this entry point is very popular and it has me somewhat scared I will not be able to find an open campsite. I'm hoping to take the Mudro > Fourtown > Boot > Fairy > Gun > Wagosh > Niki > Chippewa > Papoose > Crooked and back route over the course of a 5 day, 4 night trip, going in on a Sunday and coming out on a Thursday. I will be traveling light (by canoe camping standards) with a basic weight of around 25-30 lbs. I will be using my Swift Prospector 14 with a double blade and plan on leaving Sunday morning around 6 - 6:30 AM. With this being a popular route, how far do you think I will have to go on the first day before sites start to open up? Also, I know water levels are low and from what I can tell, it might be an issue on the trip from Gun up to Crooked. Has anyone been up that way and had issues? Also, on the way back on my last night, where do you suggest I start looking for open sites? Thanks for any info you can share. This site has been a lot of help so far. Don't worry, I won't abandon my canoe on the Moosecamp river and dial 911 for pizza. ;) |
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cyclones30 |
The three portages from Mudro to Fourtown....the two shorter ones on the ends have a bunch of ankle breaking rocks. Go slow. The long one is scenic. |
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Bushman |
We made it from Northern Gun Lake to the parking lot under 6 hours. We had a tandem with two guys and a solo with one guy that had a double blade. We also double portaged. If you can find a spot on Boot you should be good. That lake looks really fishy too. We didn't fare so well on Gun Lake. Friday Bay and in between Thursday Bay was good fishing but the biting flies were atrocious. Good Luck and try not to worry. It takes some of the fun out of it but alas it is a price to pay for using the most popular spots. |
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egknuti |
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Blatz |
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MikeinMpls |
The portages from Fourtown to Mudro, or vice versa, can be very treacherous if it is raining or otherwise wet. I fell twice portaging in the ponds between Mudro and Fourtown. The second fall led to a bad leg injury that limited me the rest of the week. But, it could have been a lot worse. Please beware. An early start is always good, as is looking for a campsite early. Much of the busy-ness of this route depends on the day of the week you put in, and how early you do. There likely will be low water, especially on the creek into Mudro, that will require lining your boat. You will find some wonderful campsites. I advise getting to at least Boot by day one. Nice campsites there. Mike |
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cyclones30 |
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Blatz |
cyclones30: "To the last 2 posters....it didn't sound like they were doing a loop. Sounded like get to Crooked and go back the same way. "Might as well do the loop if you make it that far. |
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chrisb |
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chrisb |
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jfinn |
A good way to gauge timing/distance is get out for a day of 3 hours, paddle and portage, loading and unloading and see what distance you cover and go from there. Looking back to my first two solo BWCA trips (and my first other BWCA trips) I know I screwed around with my kit too much. Adjusting pads, getting the yoke on right, moving thwart bags ect ect. Practice at home and if you are efficient, you can cover 2.5-3 miles/hr portage and paddling and then it comes down to how long do you want to paddle, how much do you want to take your time. You have a lite kit and boat so you should be able to move efficiently. On this route, you could be at Gun by 10 AM and play it by ear. Head over to Moose Camp to see if any sites are open or roll up to Crooked. Don't stress, enjoy the time. There will be sites if you are flexible. Enjoy and let us know how it goes. John |
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fishonfishoff |
If you have time, look into some of the campsite ratings. There are some beautiful sites and people will comment about them. FISHONFISHOFF |