Aganok Falls to the Gunflint Lodge

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

I got up early, packed up, had a powerbar and hit the trail. I left Aganok Falls around 6am. They were no longer my falls. I had felt that I owned them last night, because I was the only person camping there. Now they are free for someone else to come and claim.

My plan was simple. I would hike over to the Lake Gabimichigami campsite and cook breakfast there. I wanted to make some progress before I stop to make breakfast. Then I would try to walk out to the Gunflint Trail before the end of the day. So I worked my plan, but it wasn’t that easy. About twenty minutes after leaving Aganok Falls I reached a beaver dam and pond. Below the dam there was a small stream with little yellow water flowers. The stream was easy enough to cross, but after the stream the trail went up a gigantic hill. I started up the hill and every so often I would look back at the beaver pond and it kept on getting smaller. I thought I would be so happy when I made it to the top. But when I made it to the top, I wasn’t so happy.

There was another part of the hill that I hadn’t seen, that I had to go up. I looked back every so often and the beaver pond was still getting smaller. And I thought I was going to be so happy when I made it to the top of that hill. But I wasn’t very happy.

When I got to the top I saw another part of the hill that I had to go up. This was starting to not be funny. So I got to the top of that part of the hill, I realized that I was on top of everything. I wasn’t all that happy, just pooped out. And the beaver pond was really small when I looked down. From this vantage point I could see Gabimichigami Lake off in the distance, so that gave me some hope. That’s where I was headed.

But the scenery on top of this huge bluff was different than I seen before. I was in the burn zone. It was a sad sight. Sadder than the clear cut area that I saw a few days earlier. It was a lot sadder because as far as I could see ahead of me, everything was burnt. But after I got to the top of the hill is was easy walking because you were walking across the top of all theses hills. There were very few obstructions on the trail because everything was burnt up. Sometimes the tread of the trail was a little hard to follow, but they had ribbons marking the trail.

Jerry Swanson had said that the burn zone was marked with ribbon this spring. I assume that was after Nimblewill Nomad had backpacked the trail in early April, and he reported on his website that he was having a hard time following the trail. But when he came through here there was still snow on the ground. Maybe they marked the trail because two hikers from Duluth were lost on the eastern part of the Kek last October. Whatever it is, I’m the beneficiary of it.

On Sunday when I went through the big wicked thicket, I started to give nicknames to stuff. The big wicked thicket was an example of that. At that time I started giving the Kekekabic a new nickname. At first I started calling it the keke-butt-kick because it was kicking my butt. Eventually that transformed to Get-your-butt-kicked. Yes, on Sunday, I was definitely on the Get-your-butt-kicked Trail. But now I felt much better. I was getting into a groove where I thought I could handle the rigors of the trail. I was getting closer and closer to Gabimichigami Lake. I even started giving it a nickname. I called it the Get-a-hug-from-your-mommy Lake. The Lake was getting bigger and bigger as I got closer to it.

Hiking was good on top of that hill. Eventually the trail went down through a little valley with rock faces on each side. Then I got to a point where I could see the northern arm of Gabimichigami Lake and nothing much else. I made it around the northern shore and came to the campsite. I looked at my watch and it was 8:30 am. I thought I made really good time getting over there. As planned I made breakfast at the campsite. Again it was the Coco-oata. The tent pads at this campsite were a little rocky, just as the hiker said the day before. I ate breakfast, packed up and left the campsite by around 9:15 am. I was off to Howard Lake.

Again the trail went up to the top of a hill, but it was a nice gradual walk up this time. I saw some lakes down below me, but I wasn’t sure if it was still Gabimichigami Lake or if it was Howard Lake. But soon I was able to see the northern arm of Howard Lake. I hiked up to it and hiked around the northern shore to the campsite. Again the campsite was pretty bumpy as the hiker had described it the day before. But all this site needed was a little clearing out. There were a few flat spots that would be good for tent pads if the brush was gone. I made it over there by 10:30 am. I was making good time.

I passed the campsite and got to a spot where there was a flat rectangular shaped rock up from the shoreline of the lake. I stepped up onto the rock and took a series of photos of the lake that I’m in hopes of stitching together for a panoramic photo. Although, it might be a dreary panoramic photo because Howard Lake is surrounded by the burn area.

It seemed like I was hiking away from Howard Lake for a long time. I wanted to see Chip Lake, which was the next lake, but I was continuing to see the eastern arm of Howard Lake. Finally I did make it up to Chip Lake, which was about 100 yards south of the trail.

After Chip Lake, the trail runs down into a valley on the approach to Seahorse Lake. And this valley has all sorts of stuff in it. During one portion of it there is a long rock field where you have to walk on top of the rocks. There is a large marshy area, where I didn’t see the tread of the trail and I couldn’t see any ribbon markers either. I just kept walking in the same direction down the valley and eventually I saw another ribbon. And when you get closer to Seahorse Lake, there is a creek in the valley that you are waking next to.

The Trail skirts the edge of Seahorse Lake then crosses above the lake on an old beaver dam. The reason I think it’s called Seahorse Lake is because it’s shaped like a Seahorse. Then you go up a smaller hill this time and are hiking parallel to the Chub River that is down the hill from you. You get closer to the river and join a portage between the Chub River and Warclub Lake. This portage is to avoid some rapid and rocky areas of the river. I kept following the portage and missed the turn off to cross the river. When I got to the end of the portage, I was wondering where was the right place to cross, then I back tracked and found it. It was an easy crossing.

I also believe that the reason Warclub Lake is called that is that it’s shaped like a Warclub. Once I crossed the river, it started to rain. I found a nice pine tree on the side of a hill to set my gear under. I set out the beacon, put on my poncho and had lunch. It was the peanut butter and bagel combination and some trail mix. After the beacon sent it’s message, and I refilled my water bottle, I headed up a small but steep hill. Now I was walking parallel to the shoreline of Warclub Lake, but up on the hill. Then down near the handle of the warclub the trail descents down to the lake again. Then the lake turns into a river again. I suppose it’s still considered the Chub River.

The Kekekabic Trail follows the portage between Warclub Lake and Fay Lake. Again, I kept following the portage and missed my turn off. I backtracked and found the turn off. It wasn’t well marked. The trail went up a small hill between Fay Lake and Glee Lake. I wondered if Fay Lake was called that because it's shaped like Fay, whoever she is.

By this time I was completely soaked because it kept on raining, and I was still hiking through the burn zone, which got to old after a while. I got a glimpse of Glee Lake and continued on to Bingshick Lake. I could tell it was Bingshick Lake because there is a little peninsula of land sticking out in it, just like the map shows. I went past the first campsite on Bingshick, which is a huge site with plenty of areas to pitch several tents. After that there was this cute little stream that had several rapids that you cross. It was easy because there are lots of rocks in the stream.

Pretty soon I seen a green object up from the shoreline ahead. It took me a minute to figure out what it was, because the green wasn’t the same type of green as the grass. It was a tent, a dome tent. I was approaching the second Campsite on Bingshick Lake. When I got a little bit closer to the campsite I shouted out “Ahoy Campers, is there anyone there.” And someone answered me back. When I got up to the tent I seen the door open and there was a guy inside. He looked like he was trying to dry out. His name was Paul and he was from the Twin Cities. I asked him if he had hiked into the campsite and he said no, that his canoe was down by the lake. He had just arrived at the campsite less than a half an hour ago. I asked him what time it was, and it was 3:30 pm. He asked me where I was headed, and I said I was hiking out to the Gunflint Trail today and trying to make it to the Gunflint Lodge. I told him there’s a hamburger there with my name on it. He chuckled. Then I took his photo, gave him my card and was on my merry little way.

Paul was alone at his campsite. I thought that he was another Lone Ranger in the Wilderness just like me. I wondered if he was out fishing, or just canoeing. At any rate I continued on. At this point, all I wanted to do is get out of there. After a while I came upon a Boundary Waters boundary sign. There was actually a sign here, because on Saturday near Pickerel Bay there was not a sign. I took a photo of me with the sign. I felt like I was making progress, I was out of the Boundary Waters. Now all I have to do is go past Mine Lake, then go past 3 beaver ponds, go up a little valley and I’m to the road. It’s less than 3 miles. Bada Bing, Bada Boom!

So I make it past Mine Lake and the three beaver ponds. I didn’t take very many photos because I wanted to get out of there, plus my camera fogging up. Also, I didn’t take any photos because I was running out of battery power. I had already used three batteries, and had only one left. My battery charger was sitting in a package waiting for me in Grand Marais. I figured I wouldn’t have enough battery power for the Border Route.

After I passed the third beaver pond, I thought I was getting to the end. But then I passed a 4th beaver pond, then a 5th, 6th, and 7th. It seems as though the beavers have been busy in this area, because it only shows 3 ponds on the map. Soon I was walking up the little valley towards the road. Down by the beaver ponds the trail was full of water. I looked at my boots when I walked and every time I would step down, water would come up and go out of the boots by the shoe laces. Pretty soon I made it to an area that was fenced off with a wooden fence. It was the Paulson Mine, but it was filled up with water. The water was green, about the same color of Paul’s tent at Bingshick Lake. Then I hiked a bit further a saw a sign pointing to the Old Gunflint Tower site, which was 3/4 mile away. Sorry, I wasn’t in the mood for any site trips today. Finally, I heard a car. Then I saw the road. At last I was done with the Kekekabic Trail. I took a photo of me triumphantly standing next to the Trailhead sign. I had conquered the Mighty Kek. Who got their butt kicked now?

I started to hike down the road towards the Gunflint Lodge, but I really wanted to get a ride. After about 4 vehicles came by, someone stop. It was Kelly in a rather new pickup truck. I felt a little bad about messing up the inside of his truck with my wet clothes. But I was eternally grateful for the ride. He drove me right up to the door of the Gunflint Lodge. Kelly was a local resident, but I didn’t ask him what he did for a living. I thanked him, but should have offered to by him a beer or something. If he gets in touch with me I’ll send him a six pack of Spotted Cow.

I set my gear down and took off my boots in the foyer of the Gunflint Lodge. It was around 5;30 when I made it there. Then walked in to talk with the clerk. But before I got to the clerk, an older gentleman that works there came up to me and said “You’re here, we didn’t know if you were going to be able to make it today or if you would be camping near Mine Lake.” I was surprised that he had heard about me. “we’ve got two messages for you and a package” he said “you’re getting quite the reputation around here.” I smiled and wondered if it was a good reputation or a bad one. Well I got the two messages. One was from Greg Mackler saying “Good Job,” and the other was from my sister and her family saying “Way to go!!, we love you.” Well, I was happy about getting the messages and my resupply package.

I was planning on staying at the Gunflint Lodge two nights. They have some bunkhouses that they rent out for $18 a night. I was glad to have the resupply package, but the package I really needed was sitting at the Grand Marais Post Office. My plan was to pick it up when I got to Grand Marais. But I needed the Camera Battery charger now. I asked the clerk what time they usually get their mail? And he said about noon. I told him about my package in Grand Marais, and whether he thought I could get it delivered tomorrow. He didn’t know, but he gave me the Phone number for the Grand Marais Post Office. He said there was a courtesy phone in the foyer and also in the Outfitters shower building.

So I tried the phone number and it was closed. My plan was to call there early in the morning. I asked the clerk how late the were serving food and they said the Bistro serves it until 9pm. So I had plenty of time. I told them that my boots were wet, and I was wondering if I came to the Bistro, If they would mind if I walked in with my wool socks. They said that was alright. I went back to the bunkhouse and unpacked. I changed my socks. My resupply package had some quart sized ziplock bags in it, so I put each foot with a dry sock on it in a ziplock bag. Then I put them in the wet boots. This is an old scout trick.

I should have showered first, but I was hungry so I went back to the Bistro. But an amazing thing happened when I got back to the Gunflint Lodge. The Older Gentleman came up to me and said he had a pair of shoes for me. And he would take my boots to some furnace room where they would dry. WOW!!! They must have been a pair of shoes that were in the lost in found, but they were great!!

I went into the Bistro to eat, and I parked myself at a table that was away from the other customers, because I was still very grungy. I placed the beacon outside on the patio. Then I order that hamburger that had my name on it. But I was embarrassed because when I the Waitress came over by me, a tick started crawling up my neck. I don’t think she saw it, but at any rate it was an uncomfortable moment. I went into the bathroom and threw the tick and 4 of his buddies into the toilet and flushed them. About ten minutes later I had to make another trip to the bathroom for some more ticks. I only had 1 tick on me up until today. I’m not sure why I had so many ticks on me now. Maybe the ticks thrive in the burn area.

The hamburger was great and was reasonably priced. Picked up the beacon, which sent the Okay message, then I went back to my bunkhouse and then to the shower house. While I was taking my shower, I kept finding ticks on me. This was no fun. After the shower and shave I went out in the hallway where they have a courtesy phone. I tried calling my sister and my mother collect. But I couldn’t figure out how to do it. I pressed 0 to get the operator and it didn’t work. Oh well. Then I just went back to my bunkhouse and went to sleep.