April 21 2016 at 11:54AM

Yesterday we packed up camp and hauled our canoe loaded with skis, toboggan, and mountain of food and equipment down Knife Lake to the portage into Bonnie Lake. As we crested the hill overlooking Bonnie, open water stretched across the lake and a loon floated quietly in the calm water. Loading the canoe and figuring out how to get all of our stuff, Amy, Tank, and me in the canoe was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. We found that by wedging/lashing our Black River Sled toboggan under our seats, we can portage the canoe with the toboggan left inside!

We paddled, portaged, and pushed our way though the ice across Bonnie Lake and Spoon Lake. Between our unusually large assortment of gear that we are carrying during the shoulder season and the challenge of pushing our way though the remaining patches of ice, it was a hard day- but it felt great to paddle and travel.
The haunting cry of a loon echoing across the Wilderness filled me with joy at dawn this morning. In late November we said goodbye to the last loon of the season. Back then, their call echoed across Knife Lake until many of the smaller lakes were frozen. As the smaller lakes open up, the loons are returning along with many of the other birds.

We swatted our first mosquitoes last night as well! We are excited to get a new Cooke Custom Sewing Lean soon. The CCS Lean is a really neat tarp shelter which will make it easier for us to cook, eat, write, and relax in a dry, bug-free environment. Cooke Custom Sewing is a great example of the many businesses who are supporting our efforts and are dedicated to protecting this national treasure for future generations. Please join in the effort by signing the @savethebwca petition at link in bi)!
#wildernessyear #SavetheBWCA #Wilderness #Canoe #ice #BWCA #BoundaryWaters #OnlyinMN #CaptureMN #natgeoadventure