The Beaver-Fisher-Mink-Martin Route – June 12 – 18, 2004

Day 0 – The Trip North (Sat June 12, 2004)

Tom and I have been making a “Father–Son” trip for the past three years. It has become an annual tradition and something for the two of us to look forward to each year. Tom was 15 years old this year… I hope we can continue the tradition for a long time.

We had all the shopping, cooking, and packing done over the previous 3 days so this morning we packed the cooler, loaded the truck and strapped down the canoe. We left Wisconsin Rapids at 7:45am. We stopped at the Kwik Trip on the edge of town for a cup of coffee and a hot chocolate. 20 miles out of town we checked the canoe and rack at the usual spot and all was okay. We took a bathroom break at Osseo and stopped next at Scheel’s in Eau Claire. Tom bought a Fat Rap and I got a small pack bag for my towel and washcloth. We stopped and got gas and ketchup packs north of Eau Claire and then stopped again at a bait shop just off the highway in Gordon but didn’t buy anything. We had lunch at Gronk’s Grill and Bar in Superior. It was a biker bar decorated with beer advertising and not quite appropriate for a young man like my canoe partner. It was a place I had heard mentioned on the Canoe Country Bulletin Board and I wanted to try it out. Tom had a grilled chicken sandwich with fries and I had a burger with fries. The food was good and we enjoyed the “all you could drink” local tap root beer!

We stopped at the Bait Box just down the road. This is the traditional last stop for bait and tackle. We weren’t making a lot of time with all our stops, but it was easy traveling. The weather to Grand Marais was cool and foggy along Lake Superior. We stopped at the Trading Post in Grand Marais and used the bathroom but didn’t buy anything. As we drove out the Gunflint Trail I had the sense that this was the start of a good trip. We stopped at Gunflint Lodge to look at their used canoes that would be for sale at the end of the season. Al Kubisiak, my partner from the May trip is looking for a Kevlar canoe and had been in contact with Gunflint Outfitters about used Mad River canoes. Big Al is looking for a Destiny with wood trim similar to mine. All the Gunflint canoes had aluminum trim and hull repairs and did not look too good. I went inside and talked to the guy. He had a funny look on his face… guess he didn’t like my Seagull Outfitter’s staff t-shirt!! We continued on up the trail to Seagull and dropped off our stuff in the bunkhouse… 410 miles door to door. Dinner was at Trail’s End Café… fried chicken sandwich for me and grilled cheese for Tom. I feel asleep with the light on at the bunkhouse. Tired.

Practical Tip #1.

For a great nights sleep, borrow a mattress from an unused bunk and sleep on two mattresses when staying at the outfitter. Be sure to put the mattress back in the morning.

Day 1 – Cache Bay to Ottertrack (Sun June 13, 2004)

I woke up early and I had my last domestic shower and shave. We had a delay in leaving as a party of nine in three canoes had the 7am tow to Hook Island. We hung around the outfitter’s store and killed time. We didn’t leave until almost 9am. Due to our slow start we lost a couple more hours at the Ranger Station. Six groups were at the Ranger Station at the same time!!

It was nice to see Janice. She wondered where we were two days ago. She had called our outfitter to find out we moved our entry date back two days. Tom’s school went longer this year and I had to change our reservation and permit day. Our entry route was the Man Chain, but as we talked with Janice she realized that we needed the Knife Lake permit (which was still available) and she made the change on our paperwork.

The wind was starting to pick up as we left the Ranger Station and it was clear we would not get to Emerald Lake today. It was already after 11am. We stopped at a small island campsite that our group had used in May so Tom could check it out. We continued on to the 5 rod portage. The water was high enough that we were able to sneak the canoe thru a small opening without unloading. We put a couple $20 scratches on the Destiny’s red gelcoat, but it was worth it. Tom really gets a kick out of skipping a portage that way.

Tom at the 5-rod portage. This is similar to a picture I took of Tom 3 years earlier to show his first portage!

We double portaged the Monument Portage and no one else was there! I had expected it to be quite busy, but it was surprisingly empty.

We had the wind in our face all the way down Ottertrack Lake and the paddling was tiring. We took a break on shore just to rest and then took the next site we found… a nice 3-star site. After setting up the tent, tarp, and other camp items, we broke out the fishing rods. I caught a walleye from shore on my first cast and we discussed changing the rating to 4-star. We got the steaks done just as a storm came thru. We ate under the lean-to tarp and got a little wet. The tarp is new this year (a used mid-winter purchase on e-bay) and I see that I need to work on my rigging techniques.

The storm blew over quickly and the sky cleared off so we went out in the canoe fishing and checked out the bays and islands to the north of our site with not much luck. Back at camp, we had popcorn and caught several more walleyes.

Phil fighting a fish from our campsite

on Ottertrack Lake.

Tom’s ability to help around camp is making the trip easier each year. The first trip when he was 11 years was a lot of work for me. His specialty now is setting up and organizing the tent. He understands the work of portaging is worth the effort and rarely complains. He is able to carry more and bigger loads and I expect soon we will be able to trade off portaging the canoe.

Practical Tip #2.

Pack a “Return Trip Bag” and leave it in your vehicle. Include a set of clothes, shoes, razor, shaving cream, soap, towel, washcloth, deodorant, shampoo and cash. When you get back to the outfitter, you can shower and get on the road a little quicker.

Day 2 – Ottertrack to Emerald (Mon June 14, 2004)

We packed up and left our Ottertrack site after a breakfast of oatmeal and cappuccino. We tried with no luck to catch a few more walleyes from shore before we left. We were only able to catch one small northern. The sky was threatening to rain but it was not as windy as yesterday so traveling was much easier.

The portage from Ottertrack to Plough was long and muddy with lots of mosquitoes. We were cautious on this portage to avoid overworking ourselves and repeating last year’s incident. I was lucky last year when I fainted and fell off a log and landed face first on the ground with my Duluth pack grinding my nose into the dirt. Our map now has this portage labeled as “Pass Out Portage”. Everything went fine this year and our planned route would not bring us back this way.

We stopped on an island on Plough for lunch which was beefsticks, an apple and Rolos. We got sprinkled on briefly as we headed down Plough after lunch, but it didn’t last. About halfway down the lake, we stopped and watch a group of six otters playing in a small waterfall. They were curious and cautious at the same time and a lot of fun to watch. Further down the lake we saw 3 more and then a group of 4. We thought the name of this lake should be changed to Otter Lake.

Tom at the campsite on Emerald Lake.

The portage from Plough to Emerald was shorter and easier with fewer mosquitoes but still lots of mud. The “5 star” site Deb has recommended was taken and someone was on our targeted island site (where did all these people come from??). We grumbled to ourselves and paddled off across the lake straight into the increasing wind to another site. It was open and turned out to be a very nice site with lots of firewood.

Supper was hamburgers, a new menu item this trip. I would consider bringing burgers again. The wind has died down completely now and it looks to be a nice sleeping nite ahead.

Practical Tip #3.

If you feel light-headed, dizzy, or just not right while on a portage, stop and sit on the ground. If you rest on a rock or log you may end up falling and getting injured. Take the next available campsite and spend the night.

Day 3 – Emerald, Carp, Beaver, Fisher, Mink, Martin and Knife (Tues June 15)

On this trip, neither of us had a watch. We got up when the sun was up, ate when we were hungry and went to bed when the sun went down.

Breakfast on Emerald Lake.

We got up at ? Breakfast was French toast, bacon and cappuccino. French toast was on the menu at Tom’s request as it is one of his favorites. This was quick and easy to make and tasted great smothered in real maple syrup. We packed up camp on Emerald Lake and left as soon as we were ready. Our day of traveling took us thru Carp, Beaver, Fisher, Mink and Martin to Knife Lake. It was a beautiful morning for canoeing with very lite winds and Emerald Lake looked like a real gem.

The portage from Emerald to Carp is marked wrong on the map and we wasted time searching for it and rechecking the map. We were in the right place on the map, but the portage was just not there. I finally realized that the map was wrong and we checked another bay just to the south and there it was!! I was hoping this was shorter than the 73 rods marked on the map, but that was right. Carp Lake looked very inviting as we cruised along its shore and we easily found the next three portages to Beaver, Fisher, and Mink.

We met two canoes on the portage from Beaver to Fisher and they told Tom that “there is good walleye and bass fishing on these lakes”. We found fresh walleye and bass carcasses on our shore lunch island on Fisher. Seagulls were enjoying there lunch as we enjoyed PB&J sandwiches, an apple and Rolo for dessert.

We crossed a small stream on the portage from Fisher to Mink. You had to step carefully on the wet rocks and hope for good footing. This was tricky with the canoe, but we made it without incident. This was a fun portage compared to what was next.

The portage from Mink to Martin is not on the map and now we know why… there is about 100 yards of mosquito infested bog/swamp before you get to dry shore. The swamp was too thick to paddle thru and the edge of it was too steep and overgrown to unload and carry thru. It was terrible and I wondered what we were doing here. It crossed my mind, but we were too far to turn back. We finally had to unload and pole the canoe forward to where I could get out on the wet bog and carry it to the portage. Tom came along with a load and I went back for three trips. The first trip, I put on a Duluth Pack and fell three times coming thru the heavy brush.

Tom checking our tent on Knife Lake.

Thankfully, our 6^th and last portage of the day was short, easy and downhill from Martin to Knife.

Our island on Knife rises out of the water like a mountain. As we approached, I wondered how a camp site could be here. The shoreline is too rocky and steep. The site was around on the backside and is nice with plenty of firewood. Tom washed his zip-offs at camp… the second time this trip. Dinner is hot dogs and summer sausage. A large cloud came over and it started to sprinkle. Tom jumped up and quickly set up the tent. It just squeezed into a small opening in the brush. We fished from shore for an hour with no luck and then popped some popcorn, played cribbage and went to bed.

Practical Tip #4.

Before heading off on a new route, review your plan with your outfitter. They can make corrections to your map and give you advice that will save you time and make your trip more enjoyable.

Day 4 – Knife to Ottertrack (Wed June 16)

With the cooler weather this year, we have had very few bugs to bother us.

Tom at Little Knife Portage.

We had rain during the night so things are wet this morning but starting to dry off with favorable winds. Tom slept in, so I went out lake trout trolling around the island with no luck. I got snagged and lost a new rapala and two rubber core sinkers.

We got packed and loaded after a breakfast of tasted bagels with jelly and cappuccino. We headed across Knife Lake to a BWCA campsite and both Tom and I used the facilities. Nice view from the privy. The wind was at our back all the way down Knife Lake. Little Knife portage was pretty with a small waterfall. The sun was nice. I spent a little time looking for artifacts as I'm sure this route has been used for centuries.

Phil shows off the solar shower!!

We are back at our 1^st night campsite and still able to catch walleyes here. We had foiled Italian walleye and Walleye Almondine over the campfire. Italian is the better of the two and Tom agrees. I used Al’s solar shower and it was great!! Two improvements were I spiked it with a coffee pot of hot water and used a plastic sheet as a floor mat to keep my feet clean.

Tom built a fish crib this afternoon and it worked well for our fish. It is empty this evening and we have had no bites yet after supper. I can hear a waterfall on the American side… and some noisy campers across the lake… probably the group of 10 in 5 boats that went by this afternoon. I wonder what the BWCA limit is??

I paddled across to explore the waterfall and then checked out a small bay behind our campsite. I had a loon swim underwater around the canoe and I stood up to watch it move thru the water. Then the loon did it a second time! Cool!! Tom burned lots of wood while I was gone.

Practical Tip #5.

A two man trip requires a lot less gear and food. Pack critically and leave behind items like a hatchet, 5 gal water jug, fancy food items, and gas lantern. Make room for the solar shower!! The backwoodsman smell is no longer cool.

Day 5 –Ottertrack to Saganaga (Thur June 17, 2004)

Phil cooking at The Grassy Knoll – Saganaga Lake.

We left Ottertrack after a breakfast of oatmeal and the usual packing routine. It was a beautiful day. As we paddled, Tom noticed a beaver hut along shore and commented that we had not seen too many. Just then, there was an animal on it. We quickly realized that it was not a beaver, but a fisher that moved on down along the shoreline. We had never seen one before and added that to our list of Quetico mammals.

We portaged Monument Portage again with no traffic and pulled thru the five rod with only one $20 scratch. On my trip in May, our group had stopped at a site between Saganaga and 1^st bay. It was open, flat, and grassy and we called it The Grassy Knoll. It was big and flat enough to play Frisbee (if you had one). And the fishing was pretty good from the site. The Grassy Knoll site was open so we took it. Tom set up the tent in the honeymoon area. The fire pit area was so open and grassy, that there wasn’t much to tie up the lean-to tarp to.

We re-hydrated the Quetico Skyline Chili for dinner and it was a great meal. We didn’t catch any fish from shore, so headed out to do some lake trout trolling near the entrance to Cache Bay. We heard and then noticed the ranger (probably Janice we thought) coming out of Cache Bay station via motor boat. At the same time, I noticed something unusual swimming in the water off Cache Point and we started off that way too investigate. As the motor boat approached, the "something swimming" headed back toward shore. It was a bear! The bear swam along the shoreline looking for a spot to get out, and when it found the spot, it jumped six feet out of the water and bounded off thru the woods in a hurry.

We headed back to camp for a snack of popcorn. It is too dark to see my writing and we had to get up early and be at Hook Island for an 8am pickup. Since we had no alarm clock or watch, we would have to check the time on my GPS in the morning.

Practical Tip #6.

Learn something new every day of every trip. Keep track of successful ideas and build a list for handy reference.

Day 6 – Saganaga to Hook Island and home (Friday June 18)

I woke up early several times and checked the clock on the GPS. We got up at 6am and packed. The wind was in our direction but starting to get gusty as we loaded and shoved off for Hook Island. We hugged the North shore as it was somewhat protected. It was rough across the mouth of Cache Bay and the wind and waves really increased just as we landed at Hook. My past experience has made me a worried canoeist on rough water.

We were early, so we watched the waves and whitecaps until we saw our tow boat coming with a drop off at American Point. The tow boat was taking a pounding! The tow boat arrived for us just as another canoe pulled up!! They had water in the bottom of their canoe but didn’t seem too concerned or aware of the risk they had just taken coming across Saganaga. The tow boat ride in to the outfitter was with the waves so we didn’t get too wet.

Phil relaxing on Hook Island.

Hot showers back at the outfitters felt good and we were headed down the trail at 10:30am. We stopped for prime rib hash and a strawberry waffle at Trail Center. We saw our tow boat partners there as we were leaving. We got gas at Beaver Bay and ice cream cones at the Big Dipper, another tradition. We took the backroads around Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire to avoid 5pm traffic and arrived back at WR at 7pm.

End of another great canoe trip!

Practical Tip #7.

Get an early pick up on the way back to civilization so that you can shower and still have time for breakfast on the way home. You can get home early which makes going to work the next day just a little easier.