Today was one of those perfect winter days. It was warm and sunny, and the thin layer of snow covering Basswood Lake made for perfect traveling. We encountered a few pockets of slush, which are places where water seeps up through cracks in the ice and forms a layer of water between the ice and the snow. When it is colder the slush water freezes to skis, sleds, dogs’ feet, and anything else it touches. Slush is truly the bane of winter travelers in the Boundary Waters, but today it was warm enough that the slush didn’t stick. As long as we avoided the really deep pockets, it didn’t bother us or the dogs a bit.
Amy was skijoring with Tank today and I was skijoring with Tina and Acorn. Tina is 9 years old and she is Acorn’s daughter. Acorn is 12 years old and her fur is most black with blown markings on her face and chest.
After 104 days in the Wilderness we continue to learn something new every day. We spent most of the day floating across Basswood Lake’s frozen expanse. Basswood is one of the largest lakes in the Wilderness and a world class fishery which draws anglers from around the world in the summer and the winter. Basswood Lake is down stream from the proposed Twin Metals, the first sulfide-ore copper mine being proposed along the southern edge of the Wilderness. Basswood is a shining example of the many lakes and rivers that are threatened. Please sign the petition and help us @savetheBWCA. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #dogsledding #Basswood #winter #dogs #onlyinMN
