June 19 at 4:30 a.m., breaking camp 5, with a warming fire, hot water to drink and a usual cold breakfast of a scotch mint, protein bar, seeds, peanut butter. Last night I awoke at 1 a.m. to a "whoof" and a large animal running very close, a black bear surprised by my presence or by some noise I made. He gave another "huff" characteristic of when startled and somewhat afraid. The sequence of "huff" and running occurred once more a bit farther away, before he is hopefully gone.
Packing the canoe with the five portage loads at 'unnamed lake 6', I paddle a short 400 metres to the 70 meter trail.
With my first carry, there is a small duck to greet me at 'unnamed lake 8'. The duck remains on the lake or flying nearby all the time I am portaging. After five carries, I am sure glad to be done with the stony portage and hope there are no more like that.
A short paddle across 'unnamed lake 8' to the next trail.
The 380 metre trail passes a black bear trail that veers off to the side. Repeated generations of bears have worn well-defined footprints into the soil.
At the upper end of the 380 metre trail on 'unnamed lake 9', I pole/paddle out of some tall grass but in a short distance see what appears to be the end of the lake, which according to my map should be much farther on, about one km. Upon reaching the far shore, thankfully I can view the main body of the lake over a shallow rise. There is a 20 metre winter portage beside thick grass and brush. Assuming I will have to unload and carry everything across the trail, I turn the canoe around and back stern first into shore. However I see that there is actually a shallow channel beneath all that grass and brush with perhaps enough water to make my way through with the loaded canoe. Paddling/poling into the channel as far as possible, I step out of the canoe and drag it as far as I can through the alder and birch brush until firmly wedged, pulling on the two rope painters. Finally I have to unload some of the gear, gradually unloading until the only items left in the canoe are the two heavy barrels and the two coolers. Once the load is lighter, I can pull the canoe farther until it floats free from the short 10 metre "sort-of" portage. Reloading the canoe I push out into the lake and turn it around to paddle up the lake to find the next portage.
At first I see a possible landing on one side near the end of 'unnamed lake 9' where I stop and explore to rule out this spot.
Near the other corner of the lake I see a likely spot, with some cut-off branches from a pine tree. Success ... the landing for the winter portage. Tying the canoe, I walk 100 metres to confirm this is the trail and to locate a campsite.
Hungry, I need to eat, so I unload my rubber pack. The sunshine is very hot in this open spot, with no good campsite. There is no protection until I cut some bottom branches from a nearby bushy spruce tree. Laying out the boughs to provide a mat to sit on and set my lunch, I back into the shade of the tree. I start a small fire on the sandy soil to boil drinking water and to shoo blackflies. Lunch with hot water is a typical cold meal of a scotch mint, ¼ cinnamon bannock, protein bar, cheese, almonds.
Camp 6 is set up 30 metres from the trail, and 100 metres from 'unnamed lake 9', having travelled a total of three km including three portages (70, 1200, 380 metres), plus canoeing an extra four km for the pre-portage. Wearing my hat scarf because the blackflies are bothersome, the first chore is making a fireplace. Initially I think it will be necessary to carry stones from the dry lake bed near camp, but I am able to dig a firepit although somewhat difficult, removing about 50 stones from the ground, plus the usual tree roots. So now I am even more sweat-soaked, but the fire thankfully shoos the blackflies. The ropes for the tarp shelter are difficult to secure to raise the tarp properly. Initially the tarp is quite cockeyed and I have to use a pole underneath, but the next day with some creative use of multiple ropes I manage to correct it. Having to wade past the water plants, I have a refreshing bath just before bed at 8:30 p.m., fighting mosquitoes which are more bothersome now because the sun has already dropped behind the trees.
There is a patch of fireweed greens for several servings.
About 80 metres away from camp I manage to find enough stair-step moss for my "fridge". Nearby, 150 metres from 'unnamed lake 9', I place the two heavy barrels and the canoe under which are the canvas Tent, stove, paddles, laundry pail.
A black bear marked pine tree along the portage.
June 20, the end of the 400 metre winter trail to 'unnamed lake 10' where I pre-portage the two heavy barrels, canvas Tent/stove, paddles, canoe, painters, food pack. There are many dragonflies darting around, eating mosquitoes.