BWCA Portage 430 (Big Moose)

Keep paddling for the second landing! The first trip through, I took the original landing which eventually led to a knee deep stretch of water. On my trip out, I was able to paddle out of that deep stretch which is much preferred. This portage has some beautiful rocks and old red pines. It's easy to get distracted! The lake-side landing is a nice rock shelf which was extra tricky in the pounding wind on the return trip.

There is a large beaver dam just downstream that has altered the water levels necessitating that the landing moving just downstream from where the original one was. It is still a very good landing. You must slalom through about 10 rods of red & jack pine trees. Then there is a choice. Either go left to a 2.5 foot drop, or go right and meet up with the old trail in what will likely be a wet & muddy trail. Other than that is is a very nice flat trail through a mature stand of red pines. Watch for rocks lurking below the surface once you put in on Big Moose.