Pictures & Writing: Lyle Such

Camera: Canon 5D MkIV

Saganaga Lake

Our Boundary Waters adventure began with a tow-in up the Sea Gull River and across the windy and choppy Saganaga Lake. We were dropped off at American Point, the last spot where motor boats are allowed.

Once we were dropped off, we were on our own. The first string of lakes straddled the U.S./Canada border. This would be our longest day of paddling.

Ottertrack Lake

This was our first portage, and one of our longest. At 92 rods, this could have been a really tough one but luckily for us it was relatively flat.

These markers are there to show which country you are standing in.

The portage into Gijikiki Lake was supposed to be one of the most difficult. It was only 46 rods, but consisted of a steep, wooded path. We welcomed the shade, and were thankful there hadn’t been any rain yet. If this path were mud, it would be almost impassable.

My view during our portages. It’s an odd thing, carrying a canoe on your shoulders. Your view is mostly blocked, and the noises make it seem like you’re being attacked by bears. Balance is also tricky, especially on steep, uneven terrain.

Lunar Lake

The most enjoyable time on this trip was spent on the calm, open water of the more remote lakes. It takes a lot of effort to get deep into the Boundary Waters, but once you’re there you can feel like you’re completely immersed in nature. The lakes are small, however, and another portage is never very far off.

This was by far the most challenging portage, from Lunar Lake to Cherry Lake. Another medium length hike at 57 rods, we had no idea what we were getting into. It began with a relatively steep climb, which we had gotten used to. But as we reached the other side, we found that a beaver pond had completely flooded the trail. After a failed attempt at finding our way straight through, we had to navigate around the flooded area.

I spotted a single leech on the side of the canoe. I found one stuck to my ankle later that night, I assume this is where I picked it up.

Cherry Lake

We had a campsite in mind on Cherry Lake, but it was occupied. With a storm and nighttime slowly moving in, we had to move on to the next lake to find a spot.

Topaz Lake

With no real campsites in sight, we pulled our canoes up onto this small island and found a couple spots for our tents. The mosquitos were terrible, and just as we finished setting up our tents a massive thunderstorm rolled in.

The storm rolled past, and cleared the way for an incredible sunset. I was exhausted from a 15 mile day of paddling and portaging (and an ear infection), so I went straight to sleep after dinner.