Newbies- Moose River North to Moose Lake
by Freeleo1
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
06/27/2006
Entry Point:
Moose/Portage River (north) (EP 16)
Exit Point:
Moose Lake (EP 25)
Number of Days:
10
Group Size:
5
Trip Introduction:
We had many planning meetings divided into 2 groups of 6. Sent meal choices to CBO. Met at 5am to make 8am flight from Houston Intercontinental. 1 of the dads tells us he will not be going due to having a new job. We're not thrilled by lack of notice but don't want his sons to be uncomfortable. We end up with 11- 5 adults, 1 18 year old ex scout (the only one who's been before) 2- 15 year olds and 2-13 yo. Drive from Minneapolis to CBO via Gooseberry falls & check into bunkhouse. Spent next day learning about equipment, route and realigning groups. Ended w/Me and my husband 2 15 yo scouts & our 13 yo son. Other group had 1 adult male w 15yo son adult lady w/ her adult daughter, 1 18yo exscout, & 1 15 yo scout.
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (9 messages)
Day 1 of 10
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 Breakfast at CBO. We are shuttled to Moose river EP 16 arrive at 7am. The other group will arrive 30 minutes later. We get our 1st look at the gear we will be carrying since we elected for full outfitting. 3 food packs 60+lbs. 1 gear pack w/ iron griddle, stackable pots, plates, cups saw, heavy tarp & 2 tents. 3 more packs with sleeping bags,pads, clothes,1st aid, fishing stuff. A total of 7 packs, 2 canoes, 5 paddles, 1 coleman stove & 2 cans of white gas, life jackets & maps. We loaded up & started on the 160 rod portage. It started to drizzle as we left.
It rained off & on most of the morning. We relied on rain jackets & quick dry pants. Moose river is pretty narrow and we have to watch for rocks and logs. It gets marshy and there are plenty of mosquitoes. It is a beautiful area though. We saw a muskrat & deer. Lunch at Nina Moose lake at a campsite near the portage Summer sausage, cheese tub (yuck) and tortillas. Group B who put in behind us ate lunch nearby then left 1st and stayed ahead the rest of the way. Nina Moose river was broader & more marshy. Theres a couple of beaver dams to slide across. We got to Lake Agnes about 4pm an a lot of the campsites appeared to be taken. We decided to try for the site next to the Oyster Lake portage. A group in a silver canoe was racing us for it but we got there 1st. The campsite was open with a large slanted rock to the water. We set up camp & found out why the food packs were so heavy. We had 6 burgers, 6 steaks, 5 packages of bacon, 6 ham steaks, 3 quarts of corn oil, 12 eggs and tons of gorp. The lunches were pretty heavy mostly sausages & cheese, 2 jars each of peanut butter & squeeze jelly, the rest was freeze dried. We also had 5 loaves of bread which got flatter as time went on. Bear bags went up, 1 rope & no pulleys was not enough for 3 heavy packs. A lot of the weight is our fault for choosing 3 fresh meals & too many potential fish meals. but we also had food for the extra person that didn't show. More about him later.
It rained off & on most of the morning. We relied on rain jackets & quick dry pants. Moose river is pretty narrow and we have to watch for rocks and logs. It gets marshy and there are plenty of mosquitoes. It is a beautiful area though. We saw a muskrat & deer. Lunch at Nina Moose lake at a campsite near the portage Summer sausage, cheese tub (yuck) and tortillas. Group B who put in behind us ate lunch nearby then left 1st and stayed ahead the rest of the way. Nina Moose river was broader & more marshy. Theres a couple of beaver dams to slide across. We got to Lake Agnes about 4pm an a lot of the campsites appeared to be taken. We decided to try for the site next to the Oyster Lake portage. A group in a silver canoe was racing us for it but we got there 1st. The campsite was open with a large slanted rock to the water. We set up camp & found out why the food packs were so heavy. We had 6 burgers, 6 steaks, 5 packages of bacon, 6 ham steaks, 3 quarts of corn oil, 12 eggs and tons of gorp. The lunches were pretty heavy mostly sausages & cheese, 2 jars each of peanut butter & squeeze jelly, the rest was freeze dried. We also had 5 loaves of bread which got flatter as time went on. Bear bags went up, 1 rope & no pulleys was not enough for 3 heavy packs. A lot of the weight is our fault for choosing 3 fresh meals & too many potential fish meals. but we also had food for the extra person that didn't show. More about him later.
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