One week in the Boundary Waters

We moved on from Duluth to go further North to the Grand Marais area. We found an awesome campsite with steps down to a river and spent the next day Rock climbing. We found a fun spot with a great view, but it took about 3x as long to hike to it because there was a trail running race going on and we had to keep stopping to let people pass. Anyway, the climbs were interesting.

 view from Carlton peak

 first climb of the day

 interesting 5.8 climb

5.7 climb, we think. It was hard to find with limited info on mountainproject.com

The main thing to report is our one week canoe trip in the Boundary waters. We started on a Monday, heading out on a beautiful sunny day that got windy in the afternoon. Our intent was to do about 6 miles, but we did closer to 10 miles because the campsites were all taken early. Oh well. It got us pretty far out fast. It also made us very sore for the rest of the week since we were paddling daily. It was a blast though. We had several options and decided to try and take it easy. This was wise, we would have been even more sore otherwise.

 view during lunch

first campsite

portaging

making dinner

looking and feeling sleepy in the morning

The first 4 days were rain free. On the 5th day we got some rain but only after we stopped to camp. We were into a routine by then so we already had the bear bag thrown and our tarp set up. We already had dinner by the time the rain started so we went under the tarp to keep dry. That did not last. It rained fast and heavy for about 30 minutes. Our site didn't have good drainage so it started to flood. Thankfully we didn't have much out yet. We quickly got our rain gear on and got up waiting for the storm to calm. It eventually did, slowing enough for our spot to drain. We took our sleeping pads out and tried to get some of the water off. We did go to bed damp but I was happily dry by morning. Best of all we didn't flood again that night.

 chopping wood for dinner

Let see... other interesting things to note... Once while lounging at camp I felt something squishy between my feet, it was a LEEEEECCCHH!! That was gross, but didn't bother me nearly as much as I think it should have lol. On the first few warm clear days we jumped in the water to cool off. It was quite hot those days. We saw a lot of chipmunks, a few bald eagles and one snowshoe hare!

We stayed at one site that warned of a bear, with a sign on a rock and we could tell from the packaged food that was shredded at the site. Later that day two guys stopped by on there motor boat to inform us they were at the site for 4 days and saw a small black bear every day. They got tired of it getting into there things and left. Before leaving us they gave us two fish which we immediately cooked up. Unfortunately we already had dinner and couldn't finish them, so Matthew went on a short hike and dropped it off in the woods, a good distance from or site, as an offering to the bear. We never saw or heard the bear and our things remained unmolested.

 our bear warning on the rock as we pulled in

free fish!

We didn't stay at any site for more than one evening. We had to do several portages which we became efficient at by the end. It came to pass that I was unable to carry the canoe, it was just a little to heavy and awkward for me. So, I was tasked with carrying all the gear, which was not lighter but more condensed and easier to carry. We never got a photo but it was funny, we both had a backpack so I put one on with the other pack slung over it. The whole thing stuck out pretty far so I hunched a little forward to stay balanced. It worked better than when I tried having one on my back and one in front as that blinded me and I couldn't as easily walk along the uneven trails.

our last evening out

We loved the trip, it is such a beautiful and tranquil place. I'm a huge fan of being on the water and we have already agreed that we will someday buy a canoe and/or kayaks if we land in a place we can use them... which is likely. Anywho, next we are heading to Wisconsin to visit friends then on to the climbing mecca of Red River Gorge in Kentucky.