This Sept. I took a quick overnight on Crocodile Lake, starting at the Vegetable Chain and paddling back to E.Bearskin. Due to the birth of our daughter Molly this summer didn’t involve as much paddling as usual, and for the first time a while we didn’t take a longer Canadian trip. After getting the OK from Kate, I jumped at a chance to spend a night out.
I picked a short route, usually a nice day trip, and had a great relaxing trip. The weather was brisk but clear, and I had every lake I was on to myself.
Vegetable Chain portage
Approaching camp
All set up at camp
Boiling water in the morning
Stretching my legs on the paddle home
This week Kate and I paddled a route from East Bearskin to the Vegetable Chain, at the same time running a shuttle for long-time guests Mark and Carol Morgen.
The Vegetable chain is a series of lakes that connect the east end of Crocodile Lake to the Shoe Lake Road. The Vegetables are unique in that they are outside the BWCA, but still non-motorized. They are also the only other access to Crocodile besides East Bearskin. The Vegetables to E. Bearskin is a great day trip, but involves a very long and impractical car shuttle To get around this problem, it was decided that Kate and I would paddle from East Bearskin and end at the Shoe Lake Road (the uphill but downwind direction) and Mark and Carol would come the opposite way. When Kate and I finished, Mark’s truck would be waiting for us.
— Quinn
South Bean Lake to East Bearskin
Lily pads on Crocodile
Meeting the Morgens at a portage
East end of Crocodile
Parsnip Lake on the Vegetable Chain