Hiking in the BWCA: Bear Lake and Adolf Lake -

Due to complications related to work / travel / schedules /or whatever, I found myself alone for Thanksgiving. Determined to make the most of the day, I drove north to the Mud Creek Road with a plan to hike into Bear Lake and hopefully on to isolated Adolf Lake. I'd been to Bear Lake before - it was on one of those early trips that a friend came up with the term "wacko adventure" - but Adolf Lake had always remained illusive. Arriving at the start of the old logging road around 9:00 a.m., I put my truck into 4 wheel drive and crept slowly up the steep ridge. The road was very rocky and barely passable; and at my chosen parking spot I loaded up my gear, entered a waypoint into the GPS, and continued down the deteriorated cartway on foot. The night-time low of 1F gave me the confidence to test the ice on the edge of the first beaver pond, and Lucy and I crossed the line into the BWCA around 9:30 a.m. The retreat of the glaciers at the end of the last ice age scraped away sufficient enough topsoil as to expose the underlying bedrock; and the topography of the area is characterized by high, pine-covered rock ridges and wet, boggy lowlands of cedar and spruce. In this most fleeting time of year, the lack of snow cover and frozen bodies of water afford the hiker the range extending benefit of easy walking - hiking around a beaver pond can be a brutal physical challenge, hiking on a beaver pond can be compared to walking across a concrete parking lot. Lucy and I traversed a long ridge under old growth red and white pine and found our way to the giant beaver pond that lies just south of Bear Lake. I chose to cross the flowage atop the dam, and on this morning the lake looked just as lovely as ever. Sticking within a foot or so of the shore, I stepped lightly on the 1 inch of black ice (standard disclaimers!) and made quick time to the north end of the lake. There's a map of my basic route here and a photo of the large beaver pond and dam south of Bear Lake here.

With all the ducks long gone, I had my sights set on the Ruffed Grouse. These wary upland game birds are popular quarry for local outdoorsmen; and before becoming hopelessly addicted to waterfowling, I walked a thousand miles through heavy cover behind a fanatical German dog seeking them. The small "plateau" to the northwest of Bear Lake holds some of the most amazing natural grouse cover that I'd ever seen; and despite our serpentine course and the discovery of a notable amount of "sign," Lucy and I found not a single bird. While making our way to the large beaver pond to the north of the lake, we came across a large tract of forest that had been devastated by the July 4th Storm of 1999. It took Mother Nature less than 20 minutes to inflict the damage shown in the photo - this was once a heavily forested area with a dense canopy of healthy trees. After arriving at the beaver pond I headed east; and after an unpleasant jaunt through a disagreeable spruce bog, I reached my objective.

Adolf Lake is not on any canoe route and likely holds a limited population of fish. There's supposedly an ill-maintained winter trail to the lake, but it sees just a handful of visitors in any given year. It's one of the smallest named lakes in the S.W. Region of the wilderness area, and I'd always been curious about it. Lucy and I took a break on a rock on the southwest shore, had a Cliff Bar and some Gator Aid, and took some photos. Truly a beautiful spot! I though for a moment about just how much I have to be thankful for. On the way out we really hunted around the "plateau" area but again found no grouse. With the exception of the pain in my out of shape feet and legs, the walk back to the truck was mostly uneventful - mostly.

Upon arriving back at the far end of the old logging road, I heard a familiar and exciting "clucking" sound coming from a stand of alder. I brought my gun to the ready as Lucy dove into the underbrush, and a good sized grouse broke cover and headed for some spruce trees. The first shot went low and behind the target; but the second shot - fired just as the bird disappeared into the trees - found its mark. Lucy made the retrieve of her first grouse; and we went home tired but satisfied. Although far from a traditional Thanksgiving, I still had a pretty good day. I got to hang with Lucy, see some new country, and put nearly 10 miles on my ageing airframe. Stir fried grouse over brown rice is a fair replacement for a turkey dinner, and I just may head out into the woods again tomorrow. I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving as well.

Peace.