Please Note that the section of the Border Route from the Crab Lake Access Trail to the Sock Lake Campsite has been cleared in September 2009 by Paul Zoldahn and Al Ringer.
I got up early and started away from the Topper Lake Campsite. The trail wasn’t any better than the night before. There were plenty of obstructions in the way. I went past the trail to the Sock Lake Campsite and I didn’t bother to see how bad the spur trail was, I just kept going. The Border Route followed a ridge, and there were a few spots were I could see some lakes off in the distance, but I didn’t bother to check my map to figure out what lakes they were. I had a lot of ground to cover today, if I was going to make it out to the Clearwater Lodge.
Eventually I made it past a little lake called Mucker Lake. It looked like a rather large beaver pond, but I didn’t see a beaver dam. Then I made it to the South Lake Trail junction. The Trail was pretty reasonable up until then, with only downed trees in the way. After the South Lake Trail Junction, the brush and small pine trees start to move in on the Border Route. Before you get to the Partridge Lake Campsite Trail, you are treated to some pretty good views. But it’s nothing compared to was you see after Partridge Lake. Soon you are treated to the Rose Cliffs and one of the most spectacular views on the trip. To the west, I could see for miles. I could see Rose Lake, below me, then Rat Lake, then South Lake out in the distance. I took several photos of me on top of the cliff. To the East, you couldn’t see that far because there is a ridge after a couple miles or so. Rose Lake made a turn to the east of these Cliffs, and there was a hill in the way, so I couldn’t see the rest of Rose Lake. Actually, that part of the Lake is the wide section, where the part down below me was rather narrow.
I continued on and soon was looking at my map pocket for directions and noticed my map was gone. I still had my copied sheets of the Border Route Guidebook, but I was rather distressed that I didn’t have my big map. I checked out my camera, and figured out I must have just lost the map, because it was still in my map pocket during the photos on top of the cliffs. I retraced my steps and found the map on top of a cliff. I was surprised it didn’t blow away. I must have burned at least 20 minutes retrieving the map.
I continued on, and still the Border Route continued to be closed in upon by little pine trees and thickets. Soon I arrived at an overlook of a small pothole lake that is between Rose Lake and Duncan Lake. It has it’s own little valley and was it’s own little ecosystem between the much larger lakes. Soon I came to some wonderful overlooks of the east end of Rose Lake. This is the much wider part of the lake. I knew it wouldn’t be much further until I made it to Stairway Falls. On the top of the overlook, I thought the trail went down sharply to the east. So I went down. When I got to the bottom, I could not find the trail.
I figured Stairway Falls and Portage could not be that far away to the east, so if I just went east I would be alright. I started bushwhacking through the brush and eventually I found the trail again. Did I mention that I hate bushwhacking. But I didn’t want to climb up that steep hill. Again, the Border Route is not marked with ribbon here.
And I was right, Stairway Falls and Portage wasn’t that far. I crossed the bridge and set my stuff down on a nice rock ledge that was just the right height. When I crossed the portage before the Bridge, I saw a wooden stairway about 20 yards long. I figured that must be the stairway they’re talking about. But the incredible waterfalls, is like a stairway too. There is one huge drop part of the waterfalls that is absolutely spectacular. But then the falls has many smaller drops that do look like a stairway. I proceeded to take photos of all the falls. I was actually stepping down right next to the falls. When I was right next to the falls, I saw a tree with a memorial on it. The little wooden plaque said “JRG 10/2/66 – 3/6/08.” I figured someone wanted their ashes to be put in Stairway Falls.
As I kept going down and more down, taking more and more photos, I came across something that is the most peculiar sight I’ve ever seen in the wilderness. It’s a long wooden staircase. This Staircase eclipses the other staircase I seen up above. This one must have been around 50 yards long. I would hate to have to haul a canoe up that staircase. It was hard enough getting up it with just a camera.
After Stairway Falls, the Border Route starts going up a hill again. Right after Stairway Falls I passed this very tall majestic pine tree that had tipped over. I was saddened because the tree was still green on top, so it just must have tipped over recently. The problem with the Boundary Waters is there is not much topsoil, and under the topsoil it’s all rock. Trees have trouble putting a taproot in the ground.
I was saddened by the downed tree, but at least now I was walking through a real forest, not a burnt up landscape. The burn zone was such a drag after a while. But, going through a real forest has its disadvantages too. The Trail is being closed in by all sorts of vegetation. Lots of little pine trees need to be cleared.
The trail rises up to some more scenic cliffs overlooking the east end of Rose Lake. This is a beautiful sight. But you have to be careful at these cliffs because there are crevices that you step over that are about a foot wide and about 20 feet deep. I stepped over one crevice thinking that it was only a few feet deep. I was surprised when I saw how deep it was. But the views are just amazing up there. Across the lake to the north is Canada.
After the cliffs, the trail goes on top of a ridge for a while, then descents in a zig zag switchback to Rose Lake. Right when you get down to the shoreline of the lake, you pass through a campsite. It looked like a real nice campsite. Then the trail goes along the shoreline of Rose Lake. Across the lake in Canada there is a really tall cliff on a hill. It sticks out like a sore thumb.
I made it to the second campsite on Rose Lake where I took a break. It was around 5 pm, and I thought I would surely make it to the Clearwater Lodge before it closes. I had 4 miles to go, and it’s all supposed to be easy walking because it’s on an old railroad bed. I was looking forward to some easy walking because I had been pushing through a lot of brush all day up to that point. In fact, I was feeling a little run down. My leg that I thought was sprained was holding up well
The campsite I stopped at was really nice. I ate some gorp and set out the beacon. After the beacon send its message, I headed out. The trail was really easy walking after Rose Lake. The first mile of the trail was actually a portage too. Usually the Forest Service has the portages cleared really good. The Border Route Guidebook said that this part of the trail and the Daniels Lake Access Trail was an old railroad bed. The bed didn’t look wide enough to be a regular railroad, so I figured it must have been a short gauge railroad. At any rate, there is no sign of a railroad now.
Next to the Trail there is a nice little river with lots of rapids. And on the other side of the river, it’s Canada. A mile from Rose Lake, the Border Route intersects the Daneils Lake Access Trail. The Border Route goes east from there, and the Daneils Lake Trail goes south about two miles then turns sharply to the east for a mile. That’s the way I was headed.
It was really easy walking along Daneils Lake. I was making real good time, even though I was getting tired. I passed the first campsite, which looked really nice, then made it down to the second campsite which is near the turn in the trail. I decided to stop here for one last break. It‘s a nice campsite too. I figured things were going so good that one last little rest stop wouldn’t hurt
After that campsite, the trail turns away from Daneils Lakes, and heads east to Clearwater Road. I passed a little pond on the left side of the trail. Everything was going good, then it started going really bad. I got to a spot where the trail had become a little river. Everywhere was wet, and there was a current in it. This lasted for over 50 yards. Wow, I wasn’t expecting that, because the trail on the old railroad bed had been so great up until then. The trail had another dry stretch, but then was under water for another 20 yards again. Finally I made it down to Clearwater Road, but the trailhead was under water too.
I got on Clearwater Road, and saw some houses on Clearwater Lake, which is across the road. I wasn’t sure which way to go to get to the Clearwater Lodge, so I went up to a house and asked for directions. The lady who answered the door said the Clearwater Lodge was down to the right about a block. I made it down to the Clearwater Lodge at 7:30 pm. I was thinking that they surely must still be open, but they weren’t. It’s a Friday night in late May, I thought the place would be hopping with customers coming in to go on weekend fishing trips. But the place looked like a ghost town. I went up on the porch of the Lodge to get my package and a map to the Screen Hut.
I walked down towards the screen hut and met up with three college students that were near a maintenance building. They were summer workers for the lodge, but now they were off duty and just goofing around. They pointed out the Screen Hut and shower building. The Screen Hut is just like its name. It’s a little screen building with a wooden frame. It has tarps that cover up the screens for bad weather. The Screen Hut has two bunk beds, so it can sleep 4 people. It must mainly be for people going out on fishing trips.
Well, I took a shower, tried drying out my boots, then went to bed. I was beat.