So this trip report is a little scatter brained. This was our staff training trip for guiding and their method for training staff is that we have no idea where we are going. Our supervisors know the route, but only tell us where we are going on a specific lake. We then as a staff take turns praticing navigating, canoeing basics, campsite evaluating basics, and so on. I was comfortable with a lot of this going in because of my trips growing up, but not being told where we were going has made it difficult for me to piece together exactly where we went on this trip.
Our first day was starting on Moose. It was a cool, early season trip. Temperatures were hovering right around 50 with a constant rain for the first day (cold day to be a duffer!) We ended up working our way as far as Knife Lake, and found a pretty decent site (I think #1253?). It was compact, and a little brushy, but not too bad. It didn't stop raining for most of the night though. Not much was dry, but it was a good introduction for everyone.
Second day was another good mileage day. We worked out way into Kekekabic and Wasini. As much as this was a training trip for learning how to guide, it was also a wonderful trip for getting to know our coworkers. We had lots of wonderful canoe discussions, and I got to teach a lot about fire ecology, and reading those signs and "telling the story" of the land, which was a lot of fun. Kek and Wisini are both beautiful lakes. We especially loved the overhanging cliff on Wisini. And this is where the trip gets a little foggy for me. They were doing a great job of keeping us out of the loop, so I am not entirely sure where we camped, but I believe we spent the night on Thomas.
The next day was, once again, rainy, but I didn't care. It was just so good to be back in the BWCA! We worked our way through the "ever difficult to navigate" Insula and over to the numbers chain. We spent the night on Lake Three. It was incredibly difficult to find a site because of the traffic through this stretch. Now I can't ever honestly say I hate any piece of the BWCA, but I am surely not fond of the numbers chain. Just so many people compartive to elsewhere. We eventualy found a site and spent the night (site #1528.) It was a pretty nice site with good areas to explore and lots of options for tents. Also, I found a pristine 1974 cheese wiz can buried in the middle of camp! Litterally no rust thanks to being buried. What a treasure! Haha.
The final day was the test. The supervisors snuck out really early and left us a note of our final destination. The guiding crew worked together and made it to a hot meal at the site on Triangle. Nice way to finish the trip. Spent the night and headed back. Good start to the season.
