My group of 3 (a buddy I guided with, my wife and I) will be arriving in Ely this Saturday, and entering the BW at the Stuart River entry 8/10.   We've elected to go with a single 18.5' Souris River kevlar from Wilderness Outfitters instead of having a tandem and solo canoe pairing. This should be faster on the open water, especially in any adverse wind conditions, but that would never happen on a canoe trip

The plan is to go through the Dahlgren River to Lac La Croix, then along the border through Iron and Crooked Lakes, eventually taking the Horse River back to Horse and Fourtown, exiting via Mudro on 8/17. 

I understand the water levels may be higher than a typical mid August trip,  but aren't raging as they were in early June.  If anyone has been through the Dahlgren or Horse rivers this summer, I'd love to know if they are in good shape, or if a beaver dam blowout has created a 2 mile muck slog.

If any of you should be in the area, please feel free to say hi.  If the weather cooperates and gives us a clear evening, we'll likely be watching the stars, looking for meteorites from the Perseid shower and hopefully taking in the northern lights, all while baking desert on our outback oven.