Pemigewasset Wilderness, Thirteen Falls, and Mt. Garfield

 In July I was back in New Hampshire for the funeral of my great uncle. While there, I took the time to go on a three-day backpacking trip in the White Mountain National Forest with my good friend Paul and his dog, Chloe. 

along the popular Lincoln Woods Trail

My uncle lived in the White Mountains for many years and was deeply fond of the Whites and the north woods. It felt like a fitting way to remember him to spend a few refreshing days hiking and sleeping in the Pemi Wilderness. 

Beaver pond along the Franconia Brook Trail

We camped near the Thirteen Falls area

Paul by the fire

One of the falls along Franconia Branch

The hike up to Mount Garfield, some stretches are the classic very steep and rocky trails typical throughout the White Mountains

Me, Paul, and Chloe

From the summit of Mt. Garfield

Most people that hike up Garfield are doing it as a day hike from the Gale River side, off the Daniel Webster Highway, with some people doing the Pemi Loop.

Paul and Chloe

We happened to be at the summit of Mt Garfield as the final scene shoot for an upcoming film, All You Have was wrapping up. 

                                                                Views from the summit

After hiking back down from Mt Garfield took a very chilly evening dip in Fraconia Branch and then warmed up by the fire

On the third day we hiked back to the Lincoln Woods parking lot. When I was in high school and college you could come to this parking lot to hike into the Pemi, and it was never full, but that is certainly no longer the case. Like many outdoor areas in the country, it's become quite crowded at times. It's nice to see people appreciating the many natural areas, it sometimes means you need to be a bit more deliberate about timing to avoid parking or congestion issues. But, from this parking lot, once you get past Franconia Falls, and actually into the Pemi Wilderness, you see far fewer people.  On the way in and out we only passed a couple of people on the Franconia Brook Trail. 

The Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area

 

In August of 2023 me and three close friends went on an amazing paddling trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area in northern Minnesota. The unique wilderness area is over 1 million acres with over 1,100 lakes and ponds and 1,200 miles of canoe routes. It is a wilderness lover and paddlers paradise. It's also a spot I have wanted to explore since I was in middle school, when I first read about the area. 

Pine Creek

Pine Lake campsite

Across 5 days we paddling through 10 lakes. The first day an outfitter towed us and our canoes, dropping us off in the northern section of Lake Vermilion. We then did the short 0.4 mile Trout Lake Portage to Trout Lake, where we paddling along the eastern side before portaging 0.8 miles to Pine Lake. We paddling to the largest island on the lake and spent our first night there. 

Jarrett's fish at Pine Lake, before capsizing the canoe and falling in :-D 

me adding wood to the fire at Pine Lake

                                           

Pine Creek

Portage point to Chad Lake from Pine Creek

The next day we paddled north along Pine Creek, which was a wide sinuous river surrounded by wetlands. We took this to the 0.8 mile portage to Chad Lake. We paddled across this lake, once again not encountering any other people. We then portaged 0.7 miles to Buck Lake. This was already a long day, but we decided to continue on and try to get to what we were told was an amazing camping spot on Cummings Lake. Doing this long day would then allow us to spend two nights at this location. 

Portaging to Buck Lake!

Paul portaging 

So we paddled up the length of Buck Lake then did the tough 1.6 mile portage to Cummings Lake. It was approaching sunset, but we paddled hard and made it to a stunning camp site on a peninsula. 

portage break on the way to Cummings Lake. 

Sunset over Cummings Lake

Cummings Lake campsite on the peninsula

Cummings Lake

Cummings Lake

After two nights at Cummings Lake we paddled south through Korb Lake, along the Korb River to Little Crab Lake then a quick portage to Crab Lake. We camped along the southern shore, where we had our first only bit of rain the entire trip. 

the group at Crab Lake!

Final night, on the southern shore of Crab Lake

                                        

Crab Lake

Crab Lake

Red maple seedling on the shore of Crab Lake

The final day we had a quick paddle to the final 1.3 mile portage south to Burntside Lake, where our outfitter towed us back across the lake and drove us back to Ely, MN. It was an incredible trip, and I look forward to returning to the BWWCA as soon as possible!