It was cold. Deliciously cold. After six months of humidity, the weather had finally broken and autumn was rolling in. I shook off the DuoMid and the polycryo ground sheet, repacked everything in my MLD Burn, and headed off with Len and Jan to meet Fred and Brad at the ranger station.
Fred had organised this trip through meetup.com. Last year I hiked with him on the Sioux Hustler Trail, and this year he chose a route around Snowbank Lake near Ely, MN. We planned to take in an additional loop to check out some old pines, and explore a rarely-visited trail over the charmingly-named Disappointment Mountain.
We were a mixed group. Jan, the oldest, from Poland. Len from Belarus. Brad from Bemidji, and Fred from Finland - Finland, Minnesota, that is. I don't usually like hiking in large groups; too much noise, and not enough flat tent places. But I wanted to get out, and this was a good opportunity to test out a load of new gear.
After a quick breakfast at the trailhead, we set off on the first leg, a 13 mile hike to Medas Lake along the Kekekabic Trail and Old Pines Loop. The trails in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildreness (BWCAW) are rarely hiked and often hard to find. The frequent storms in the area guarantee a lot of treefall across the trail, so I had a pretty good idea that the 32 miles we planned to walk would be long and hard. I was correct.
After only a few minutes walking, we had to negotiate the fearsome guardian of the trail.
Fortunately, the cold had slowed the beast into inactivity, and we were able to safely slip past. (Okay, so it wasn't poisonous, but as this was a fairly uneventful trip a little drama goes a long way.)
The early part of the trail was fairly easy going. My MLD Burn was pretty light, weighing in at 8.2kg, or around 9 with the water bottle.
I did make one adjustment early on: I'd set up my Sawyer water filter to work inline between the dromedary and the hydration tube, but it was too much effort to suck the water through the tube. I simply removed the hydration tube and filtered water into the platy-bottle. In the end this method was less hassle anyway.
Considering that the other guys were carrying packs weighing 15 to 18kg(!) it wasn't long before I started to get enquiries about lightweight backpacking. By the end of the three days, all the guys were talking about getting lighter packs, sleeping bags, tarps, and hiking poles (the Gossamer Gear LT4s really impressed them). When you see their packs, you can understand why next time they hike, they won't be bringing three spare, heavy shirts!
The trail became progressively more remote and wild, and at one point the three guys in front took a wrong turn, missing the almost invisible path through overgrown young aspen and wild raspberry.
It's a shame beavers can't be trained to clear trails.
By mile 10 we were getting pretty tired of climbing over or swinging under fallen trees. We almost decided not to take the slightly longer trail around Old Pines Loop, but in the end our decision to do so was worth it.
In Minnesota, most of the virgin forest has been logged, and only a few stands of old trees exist. When you come across them they are magnificent. Tall, giant, strong; standing tall against storms for over a hundred years.
Above us stretched a vast canopy of pine, shading out the sun.
Most of the people in the BWCAW are canoeists. If you're on the water you can expect to see plenty of other people. Very few even know there are trails through the woods, with secret campsites hidden away up from the water's edge, on remote lakes almost impossible to reach by canoe. That night, ours was on Medas Lake.
It was getting late. We quickly set up camp, and I scavenged for fuel for my BushBuddy Ultra.
That night, the stars were spectacularly clear. Well away from any other light pollution, the Milky Way spread out above us. Even Andromeda was visible (I know this, because I used Pocket Universe to locate it!)
After hanging the bear bags, I retired into my DuoMid for the night. I slept erratically, woken by the THWACK of beaver tails on the water, warning each other of our presence.
The air chilled again overnight, falling well below the dew point. I slipped past the condensation on the DuoMid, and into the eerie morning.
Mist hung in the air, veiling the landscape.
Dew coated the morning, highlighting the nocturnal activity that had taken place as we slept.
Under one spruce, I almost expected to find presents and tree-elves.
After firing up the BushBuddy for oatmeal and coffee, I shook off the condensation, packed the Burn, and we set off again.
The mist lifted to reveal a fine blue day as we made our way towards Disappointment Mountain.
Before our "ascent" we had to cross a beaver dam. I was hoping to get my Inov-8s wet, but the dam was so sturdy that this test would have to wait until later.
Perhaps it is the name that keeps people away, but the trail over Disappointment Mountain is one of the least travelled in the BWCAW. It is also one of the most overgrown. Because it stands slightly elevated above the rest of the landscape, it picks up the wind more, and consequently had many more downed trees.
The two-mile trail took us three hours to cross. By far the slowest going I've ever experienced on any trail.
The views were... from a slightly higher vantage point!
As we sat for an hour, 7 groups of canoeists trudged grumpily over the portage. In the confusion, some of them left empty water containers, and one group forgot to take their water filter.
We packed up and left, the lake now full of people enjoying their wilderness experience.
Today's section of the hike would only be 12 miles, but the bushwhacking across Disappointment had exhausted us. Thankfully, our route would now take us on a scenic circumnavigation of Snowbank Lake.
I appreciated the more open views. I love hiking, but walking through a continuous green tunnel is not my idea of an enjoyable trail. I'm much happier when I get some open vistas, and am able to see beyond the next four meters.
After 11 miles, we were all exhausted. We'd been climbing up and down for hours, through dense thicket, over trees, along a trail paved with sharp rocks and numerous bear sign. When we arrived at a tiny campsite with poor access to water our hearts sank. We had to continue to the next site - but all would be well.
Half a mile further along the trail we arrived at a far better site with plenty of pitching sites, and some good trees for Fred's Hennessey Hammock (he swears by it, but I could never sleep in it - still, a light alternative to a heavy tent).
With tired limbs, I gathered sticks for my evening meal.
I had to pitch the DuoMid quite high because of uneven, rocky ground. This, combined with a low dew point, resulted in absolutely no condensation in the night. Fantastic! And what a joy to wake up to sunrise over Snowbank.
I rose to explore the shore. Distant pockets of mist drifted over the water near islands and inlets.
A beautiful scene to accompany breakfast.
Although we only had 8 miles to the trail head, I would have been happy to spend a day here. It was an idyllic spot to sit and watch the lake, and would have made a nice resting site for a day. But we had to continue - through more uneasy terrain.
We came across a group of six hikers from Michigan who were complaining about the quality of the trail - so many fallen trees. I was worried that we'd have another section like Disappointment Mountain, but between meeting them and the trail head I counted four trees down. They were in for a real surprise when they got further around the lake.
As we climbed a hill, we were treated to a spectacular view of Snowbank and Disappointment Mountain in the distance - can you see it towering above the landscape?
The trail in fact became much easier for the last stretch, but my shoulders were aching and my feet sore from the uneven terrain.
Thirteen mile days are not so bad when the trail is good and the path is clear. I would estimate that an equivalent distance travelled on a better path would be around 20 miles. But this is the Boundary Waters - there are no well-trodden paths. Fallen trees block your path at every turn, and the trail will often disappear into thicket.
The trail head was a welcome sight.
(More detailed gear reports to follow...)
Kekekabic - Old Pines - Disappointment Mountain - Snowbank Lake at EveryTrail
It was cold. Deliciously cold. After six months of humidity, the weather had finally broken and autumn was rolling in. I shook off the DuoMid and the polycryo ground sheet, repacked everything in my MLD Burn, and headed off with Len and Jan to meet Fred and Brad at the ranger station.
Fred had organised this trip through meetup.com. Last year I hiked with him on the Sioux Hustler Trail, and this year he chose a route around Snowbank Lake near Ely, MN. We planned to take in an additional loop to check out some old pines, and explore a rarely-visited trail over the charmingly-named Disappointment Mountain.
We were a mixed group. Jan, the oldest, from Poland. Len from Belarus. Brad from Bemidji, and Fred from Finland - Finland, Minnesota, that is. I don't usually like hiking in large groups; too much noise, and not enough flat tent places. But I wanted to get out, and this was a good opportunity to test out a load of new gear.
After a quick breakfast at the trailhead, we set off on the first leg, a 13 mile hike to Medas Lake along the Kekekabic Trail and Old Pines Loop. The trails in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildreness (BWCAW) are rarely hiked and often hard to find. The frequent storms in the area guarantee a lot of treefall across the trail, so I had a pretty good idea that the 32 miles we planned to walk would be long and hard. I was correct.
After only a few minutes walking, we had to negotiate the fearsome guardian of the trail.
Fortunately, the cold had slowed the beast into inactivity, and we were able to safely slip past. (Okay, so it wasn't poisonous, but as this was a fairly uneventful trip a little drama goes a long way.)
The early part of the trail was fairly easy going. My MLD Burn was pretty light, weighing in at 8.2kg, or around 9 with the water bottle.
I did make one adjustment early on: I'd set up my Sawyer water filter to work inline between the dromedary and the hydration tube, but it was too much effort to suck the water through the tube. I simply removed the hydration tube and filtered water into the platy-bottle. In the end this method was less hassle anyway.
Considering that the other guys were carrying packs weighing 15 to 18kg(!) it wasn't long before I started to get enquiries about lightweight backpacking. By the end of the three days, all the guys were talking about getting lighter packs, sleeping bags, tarps, and hiking poles (the Gossamer Gear LT4s really impressed them). When you see their packs, you can understand why next time they hike, they won't be bringing three spare, heavy shirts!
The trail became progressively more remote and wild, and at one point the three guys in front took a wrong turn, missing the almost invisible path through overgrown young aspen and wild raspberry.
It's a shame beavers can't be trained to clear trails.
By mile 10 we were getting pretty tired of climbing over or swinging under fallen trees. We almost decided not to take the slightly longer trail around Old Pines Loop, but in the end our decision to do so was worth it.
In Minnesota, most of the virgin forest has been logged, and only a few stands of old trees exist. When you come across them they are magnificent. Tall, giant, strong; standing tall against storms for over a hundred years.
Above us stretched a vast canopy of pine, shading out the sun.
Most of the people in the BWCAW are canoeists. If you're on the water you can expect to see plenty of other people. Very few even know there are trails through the woods, with secret campsites hidden away up from the water's edge, on remote lakes almost impossible to reach by canoe. That night, ours was on Medas Lake.
It was getting late. We quickly set up camp, and I scavenged for fuel for my BushBuddy Ultra.
That night, the stars were spectacularly clear. Well away from any other light pollution, the Milky Way spread out above us. Even Andromeda was visible (I know this, because I used Pocket Universe to locate it!)
After hanging the bear bags, I retired into my DuoMid for the night. I slept erratically, woken by the THWACK of beaver tails on the water, warning each other of our presence.
The air chilled again overnight, falling well below the dew point. I slipped past the condensation on the DuoMid, and into the eerie morning.
Mist hung in the air, veiling the landscape.
Dew coated the morning, highlighting the nocturnal activity that had taken place as we slept.
Under one spruce, I almost expected to find presents and tree-elves.
After firing up the BushBuddy for oatmeal and coffee, I shook off the condensation, packed the Burn, and we set off again.
The mist lifted to reveal a fine blue day as we made our way towards Disappointment Mountain.
Before our "ascent" we had to cross a beaver dam. I was hoping to get my Inov-8s wet, but the dam was so sturdy that this test would have to wait until later.
Perhaps it is the name that keeps people away, but the trail over Disappointment Mountain is one of the least travelled in the BWCAW. It is also one of the most overgrown. Because it stands slightly elevated above the rest of the landscape, it picks up the wind more, and consequently had many more downed trees.
The two-mile trail took us three hours to cross. By far the slowest going I've ever experienced on any trail.
The views were... from a slightly higher vantage point!
As we sat for an hour, 7 groups of canoeists trudged grumpily over the portage. In the confusion, some of them left empty water containers, and one group forgot to take their water filter.
We packed up and left, the lake now full of people enjoying their wilderness experience.
Today's section of the hike would only be 12 miles, but the bushwhacking across Disappointment had exhausted us. Thankfully, our route would now take us on a scenic circumnavigation of Snowbank Lake.
I appreciated the more open views. I love hiking, but walking through a continuous green tunnel is not my idea of an enjoyable trail. I'm much happier when I get some open vistas, and am able to see beyond the next four meters.
After 11 miles, we were all exhausted. We'd been climbing up and down for hours, through dense thicket, over trees, along a trail paved with sharp rocks and numerous bear sign. When we arrived at a tiny campsite with poor access to water our hearts sank. We had to continue to the next site - but all would be well.
Half a mile further along the trail we arrived at a far better site with plenty of pitching sites, and some good trees for Fred's Hennessey Hammock (he swears by it, but I could never sleep in it - still, a light alternative to a heavy tent).
With tired limbs, I gathered sticks for my evening meal.
I had to pitch the DuoMid quite high because of uneven, rocky ground. This, combined with a low dew point, resulted in absolutely no condensation in the night. Fantastic! And what a joy to wake up to sunrise over Snowbank.
I rose to explore the shore. Distant pockets of mist drifted over the water near islands and inlets.
A beautiful scene to accompany breakfast.
Although we only had 8 miles to the trail head, I would have been happy to spend a day here. It was an idyllic spot to sit and watch the lake, and would have made a nice resting site for a day. But we had to continue - through more uneasy terrain.
We came across a group of six hikers from Michigan who were complaining about the quality of the trail - so many fallen trees. I was worried that we'd have another section like Disappointment Mountain, but between meeting them and the trail head I counted four trees down. They were in for a real surprise when they got further around the lake.
As we climbed a hill, we were treated to a spectacular view of Snowbank and Disappointment Mountain in the distance - can you see it towering above the landscape?
The trail in fact became much easier for the last stretch, but my shoulders were aching and my feet sore from the uneven terrain.
Thirteen mile days are not so bad when the trail is good and the path is clear. I would estimate that an equivalent distance travelled on a better path would be around 20 miles. But this is the Boundary Waters - there are no well-trodden paths. Fallen trees block your path at every turn, and the trail will often disappear into thicket.
The trail head was a welcome sight.
(More detailed gear reports to follow...)
Kekekabic - Old Pines - Disappointment Mountain - Snowbank Lake at EveryTrail
Disappointment Mountain - Snowbank Lake, MN
Beautiful Thanks for sharing. God I miss Ely!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great tour and you had nice weather! Fantastic these big trees.
ReplyDeleteIt was good weather - cool at night, warm in the day. A little cooler in the day would have been nice - I could have carried slightly less.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention that a lot of the trees were chopped down for use as masts in the British fleet.
I really enjoyed reading this; very atmospheric though made me think about my kit too. It's funny to compare how different people view the same trail. Looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteFun read. Despite having lived near the BWCA for seven years, I haven't done a hiking overnight. Fun to read about someone who has.
ReplyDeleteHelen: thanks! More to follow...
ReplyDeleteBryan: You should definitely try it. The is an easier trail just around Snowbank Lake which you could do in two nights. If you were to go clockwise instead of anti-clockwise as we did, the two campsites at the north of the Lake are absolutely beautiful. The first of those two even has a lovely sandy shore for swimming.
Also, Bryan, I just checked out your site at paddlinglight.com - I'm keen to get into kayaking, so it's a timely resource! Looking at all the gear the canoeists were carrying made me think that there must be a lightweight paddling site out there. Glad to see I was right!
ReplyDeleteFantastic report and photos Mark. It's really got me fired up to get out as soon as I can.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny when you go on a trip with 'conventional' backpackers. Despite your best efforts to cajole and educate before the trip it's often not until you are walking along the trail together that they 'get' the whole concept of going light. I find about half an hour of walking behind you up a steep trail and watching you and your tiny backpack disappear in a cloud of dust usually gets them around to our way of thinking!
Cheers Joe.
ReplyDeleteFunny, but that's almost exactly what happened. Twenty minutes along the trail I started to get sarcastic comments about my "baby pack". After they saw me swinging effortlessly under downed trees, sarcasm morphed into envy. By the end of the trip all they wanted were links to manufactures, which I was happy to provide!
Amazing photographs - just found your blog. Nice!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Mungo
Cheers Mungo - glad you found me. Been reading and enjoying yours for a while now!
ReplyDeletegreat photos and report - looks incredible.
ReplyDeletei'm sure to get some good kit tips from yr informative blog too. currently in new tent decision meltdown - HS scarp 2, or MLD supermid....????!
all the best
dave
(selfpowered.blogspot.com)
David, thanks. I assume you are looking at those tents for two person use? They are both good choices. I'm in a bit of a similar situation so let me tell you my decision, maybe that helps.
ReplyDeleteI have a DuoMid and a SpinnTwin, which are ridiculously great for one person, and pretty damn good for two, but... I know I won't get my wife out under a tarp in a bivy bag, so I started to look for a new tent.
I was really interested in the Scarp 2, but then I remembered that you can get inner tents for the DuoMid (and SuperMid) from MLD and Bear Paw Tents. This, for me, is the ideal solution as it offers the most flexibility. The DuoMid and inner tent together weigh about 30oz I think. Split between two that's a very reasonable weight. If I'm on my own I can leave the inner, or take it and leave my bivy.
Hey Mark,
ReplyDeleteBy mere coincidence I hiked the same trail (well, just the loop around snowbank) a week after your group did. As Helen said, it was very interesting to hear you compare the same trail.
I started my trip from the north end of the lake, and ended up completing the loop on the south end.
Did you see the single Crescent Moon snowshoe hanging in the tree? I took it...
Yes, we saw the snowshoe, and wondered how someone could lose one...
ReplyDeleteYes, we saw the snowshoe, and wondered how someone could lose one...
ReplyDeleteFantastic report and photos Mark. It's really got me fired up to get out as soon as I can.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny when you go on a trip with 'conventional' backpackers. Despite your best efforts to cajole and educate before the trip it's often not until you are walking along the trail together that they 'get' the whole concept of going light. I find about half an hour of walking behind you up a steep trail and watching you and your tiny backpack disappear in a cloud of dust usually gets them around to our way of thinking!
Also, Bryan, I just checked out your site at paddlinglight.com - I'm keen to get into kayaking, so it's a timely resource! Looking at all the gear the canoeists were carrying made me think that there must be a lightweight paddling site out there. Glad to see I was right!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your trip report and pics! My husband & I are new to backpacking and would like to hike to Medas & Moiyaka this July. Just wondering if this is doable by someone who isn't very experienced in backpacking, 2X in the BW(Centennial Trail and part of the Angleworm), 1X in Indiana. We've car camped for years, but find that state parks where we usually camp, are too crowded and noisy. We've been to the BW several times over the last 10 years to camp and hike.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that you'll have no problems. The Kek is more travelled than some of the more off the beaten path trails, and up there the "beaten path" is typically a little more beaten than some of the more obscure trails.
ReplyDeleteJust keep a map and compass with you, and your wits about you, and you'll be fine. The point where the guys took the wrong trail was somewhere before the Old Pines Loop. There is another loop which swings back to the trail, and probably more dayhikers take that route so it looks like a main trail. The main trail was overgrown and easily missed, but there was a cairn marking the spur. Generally, when you see a cairn, check the map and surroundings carefully, and scout overgrown areas for obvious trails. It's better to spend 15 minutes carefully double-checking your position and plan, than a week wandering blindly :)
But if you pay attention, you'll be fine. It's lovely up there.