As BWCA canoe outfitters and parents we've had the opportunity to take a number of family canoe trips into the Boundary Waters. We love paddling with our kids and think a Boundary Waters canoe camping trip is one of the best family vacations there is.
While there are a number of great BWCA trips to choose from for your family we've decided to list a few here for you to choose from.
Top 5 Family Trip Recommendations
1. Saganaga or Red Rock Base Camp – We've done this BWCA trip even when our kids were in diapers. We've taken a tow boat ride to the Red Rock portage or to a campsite on Saganaga. We've taken day trips, swam, picked blueberries, fished and had an awesome time.
2. Duncan and Rose Lake – When the kids got a bit older we took them into Rose Lake. Stairway Portage is a beautiful portage that is next to a waterfall and is great fun to play in when hot outside. It crosses the Border Route Hiking Trail that can be accessed for day hiking trips that entertain kids for hours.
3. East Bearskin, Alder, Canoe, Pine – Give this route a try if your kids are able to carry a small day pack. A nice day trip is to walk the portage to Pine and then to Johnson Falls. You can camp at one site or multiple sites during this trip.
4. Granite River – A great trip for a young family to do a 3-5 day canoe camipng trip. While there are lots of portages you can break them up by camping at multiple sites. It's a great trip for avoiding wind because there isn't big water on the route.
5. Seagull, Knife Saganaga – If your children are a little bit older and have been on another trip then this is the perfect BWCA route. It's a great 5-6 day loop route that has lakes of all sizes, great fishing and scenic vistas. It requires a bit of paddling and portaging and is a great route for families who want to cover some ground and water!
This was our first trip to the BWCA. We brought 2 adults and 4 kids (ages 6-11)! We purchased the Complete Outfitting Package with Voyageur Canoe Outfitters to make sure that we had everything we needed and to keep the trip as simple as possible from a packing perspective. It was a FANTASTIC experience!
The Voyageur staff was very professional and really took the time to go over the equipment, route, and maps with us until we felt comfortable. They also put us up in a nice rustic cabin and served a great pancake breakfast to get us going with a strong start. All of our equipment was in excellent condition and packed perfectly. The food was generous, well-packed, labeled perfectly, and really good. When we returned from our BWCA adventure, the staff had our car pulled up for easy loading, took care of all of the equipment immediately, and offered us towels and a shower.
I have done lots of camping trips before, but have never been outfitted by a company. This is really the way to go. I HIGHLY recommend VCO for their professionalism, high quality of gear, level of support, and the convenience.
The dates are set for our BWCA canoe camping tips for Women and we'd love to have you be a part of one. If you have ever wanted to take a Boundary Waters canoe trip then this is the perfect opportunity.
It doesn't matter if you have paddled extensively or if you have never been in a canoe you are welcome to participate in a Voyageur adventure. Our trips are designed so you can learn the necessary skills while you're out enjoying the canoe country with other women. You'll participate in all aspects of the trip including setting up the tent, cooking, cleaning, portaging and of course paddling.
The benefits of the wilderness are many and you'll feel a new sense of confidence after accomplishing a BWCA canoe trip.
Itinerary
You will arrive at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters on the first day of your session to meet the rest of your group and discuss your trip. After your routing session, you will pack up your personal articles and depart for 3 nights of camping and 4 days of paddling in the wilderness. Group participants will return to Voyageur on the 4th day and will spend the night in one of our luxurious Lodge Hideaway units to celebrate their accomplishment. Enjoy breakfast with us in the morning in our main lodge before you head for home with wonderful memories of your wilderness canoe camping experience.
Package
This package has been designed for women by women. This complete outfitting package includes everything you need for a wilderness canoe camping adventure. We provide sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tents, packs, food, canoe, lifevests, paddles and everything you need. You just bring your personal clothing, toiletry items and fishing gear if you want to fish. We send you a trip preparation packet prior to your trip to help you in the packing of your personal items. In an effort to bring awareness to women's health and to promote an active outdoor lifestyle we include a Pink Paddle made by Wenonah Canoe designed by owner of Voyageur Canoe Outfitter's Sue Prom. This is a lightweight, bent shaft paddle made from graphite that you will get to bring home with you.
We are offering three scheduled Women's Trips for the summer of 2012. Each session features an easy route suitable for beginning paddlers and costs $500. To reserve your space on a trip just call us toll-free at 1-888-CANOEIT, tell us the session you want to participate in and secure your reservation with a deposit of $250.
July 2-6th- arrive & paddle on the 2nd, off water & stay in lodge on 5th, depart on 6th.
July 8-12th- arrive & paddle on the 8th, off water & stay in lodge on 11th, depart on 12th.
*July 15-19th- arrive & paddle on the 15th off & stay in lodge on 18th, depart on 19th. *For women 50 and older.
The answer to the question, "How do I plan a Boundary Waters Trip?" is very simple, you just call an outfitter, preferably Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. We can help you plan a BWCA canoe trip within a few minutes of speaking with you.
The benefits of using the services of a canoe outfitter to help you plan your Boundary Waters Canoe Trip are endless. We've been outfitting canoe trips into the wilderness for 20 years and we know the lakes and the routes. We know what type of fish are in which lakes, the degree of difficulty of the portages and the best places to camp. We also know where you are most likely to run into a moose and when you're most likely to see people. We can tell you lots of valuable information about planning a Boundary Waters Canoe Trip but you have to give us a call first.
It's our job to outfit folks into the Boundary Waters and to make sure they have a good time and return year after year. We'll help you plan your Boundary Waters trip, we're ready and waiting to do so. 1-888-CANOEIT
Deciding where to canoe in the Boundary Waters is always a tough decision whether it's your first trip, tenth trip or fiftieth trip. Just like when you're planning a regular vacation you'll want to gather information for a BWCA canoe country vacation. There is a plethora of information on the web including great commercial BWCA websites and outfitter websites. There are also books published about popular BWCA canoe routes but keep in mind the information in books may not always be precise or up to date.
To determine where you want to go in the BWCA you’ll need to know if fishing is an important part of your trip.If fishing is important then you'll want to know what Boundary Waters lakes have which types of fish in them. If you're going to paddle the BWCA in early May then find a lake trout lake because that's what will be biting then. You'll also want to spend less time traveling and more time fishing if it's really important to catch fish.Don’t plan to camp a 12 hour paddle from where you're BWCA starting point is or you’ll spend all of your time paddling and not fishing.
Most folks want solitude on their Boundary Waters Canoe trip.If your goal is solitude then choose a BWCA route with lots of long portages.Look for lakes that are difficult to get to and farther in than a few hour paddle and find a BWCA campsite that is off of the beaten path. This will keep you away from the vast majority of folks. Don't be fooled by thinking an canoe entry point with lots of travel permits is necessarily bad. There are smaller lakes off of some of these bigger lakes that you can find and have all to yourself.
Another factor in determining where you will go in the Boundary Waters is who you are going with.If you’re paddling with elderly or small children then you may want to plan a base camp canoe trip.Find a BWCA lake with good day trip opportunities so people have the option to paddle and portage or stay back and relax.
There are lots of things to consider when planning a Boundary Waters canoe trip. You can find a trip route finder on our website that might offer you some insight. Also, we have maps we can mail you if you’d like to purchase one.Then you can spend time looking at all of the BWCA lakes and dreaming about camping on them.
No matter how many times I've been on Boundary Waters canoe trips it's still a tough decision to decide where to go. Who I'm paddling with, how much time I have and how energetic I'm feeling all make a difference in what route I'll choose. No matter where I go in the BWCA I know I’ll be happier there than anywhere else I could be and that’s a very good thing.
If you have your Boundary Waters Canoe Trip for this summer all planned out then you can reserve your permit beginning January 25th, 2012. If you don't have your plans determined then don't worry, there's plenty of time to make your plans especially if you're paddling out of the Gunflint Trail.
The Gunflint Trail side of the BWCA is not as heavily used as entry points into the BWCA near Ely, MN. We'll often have Boundary Waters permits available up until the last minute. However, if you want a particular entry point on a particular day then the sooner you reserve your permit the better.
How do you reserve a BWCA Permit? You can give us a call with all of the information below and we'll do it for you or you can do it yourself. It's quite easy and you can reserve your Boundary Waters permit online or by telephone(1-877-444-6777) When reserving a BWCA camping permit you'll need the following.
Name, address and telephone number of the party leader.
Name of up to 3 alternate party leaders
Number of watercraft(estimated & can be changed) up to 4/permit
Number of adults & children(17 & under) estimated & can be changed upon arrival at your permit pick-up location.
Entry point & Entry Date(these are set in stone)
Exit Point(is not set in stone)
Permit Pick Up Location(Choose us, Voyageur Canoe Outfitters if you're outfitting with us or entering at an entry point near us). By default the permit will be sent to the USFS Ranger Station closest to your BWCA entry point.
Submit payment with a credit card($6 Reservation Fee, $16/adult, $8/youth)
That's all there is to reserving a Boundary Waters canoe trip permit. If you need help determining an entry point or route then feel free to give us a call. We love to talk about canoeing in the BWCA. 1-888-CANOEIT
There are discussions and debates taking place all over the Midwest about how the USFS has handled the Pagami Creek Fire. The policy of the USFS is to let a fire burn if it was started by a natural cause and if it is not threatening private property or life. But should that policy be null and void when the USFS is allowed to purposefully ignite the forest surrounding the natural lightning caused 200 acre fire with the intention of burning more acres?
The 200 acre Pagami Creek Fire could have been left to burn as the USFS policy states however the USFS made a decision to intervene. They didn't put the fire out but they did start a bigger fire in order to create a fire break around popular BWCA lakes Lake One and Lake Two. Also in their plan was to prevent the fire from reaching the populated Fernberg Road. This disruption of a natural forest fire caused the fire to grow from 200 acres to over 2000 acres.
Was the fire forecast predicting strong winds from the south that would put private properties on the Fernberg Road in danger? Was it necessary to light the small Pagami Creek Fire in order to save a couple of popular canoe routes in the Boundary Waters? Someone in the USFS thought so and signed their name to a burn plan that resulted in one of the biggest forest fires of this century in Minnesota.
If a canoe outfitter can see a forecast calling for 90 degree temperatures and strong winds from the North then surely an experienced fire expert has access to the same if not better information. It was unseasonably hot weather that helped spread the Pagami Creek Fire but that weather was in the forecast. There wasn't rain in any of the forecasts I saw and I questioned the act of a prescribed burn under such conditions.
There is no doubt prescribed burns are useful and helpful in preventing the spread of wildfire. The Gunflint Ranger District has completed many of them since the 1999 Blowdown and these have been successful at protecting private properties. These have all been done after weeks of careful planning and monitoring of the weather. None of these prescribed burns have ever gotten out of control.
If the Pagami Creek Fire is defended by the USFS on the basis of a hands-off, let it burn policy then they should not have ignited the surrounding forest when there were no properties or life in danger. The additional acreage they lit on fire could very well have been what caused the Pagami Creek Fire to explode. Had there only been the 200 acres around the lightning strike to worry about when conditions rapidly deteriorated then would the fire have grown to over 100,000 acres in size?
There is no question forest fires are part of the history of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Fires have been suppressed in the BWCA in the past while fires are proven to be wonderful for the forest ecology and are a part of nature. This all makes sense to me but what doesn't make sense is saying, "We're going to let nature take it's course because it was a lightning strike and we're going to add a couple of thousand acres by starting more fires oursevles. Doesn't the saying "You can't have your cake and eat it to." apply to the USFS?
I don't know whether or not the USFS should let things burn but I do believe they should make a decision and take responsibility for their actions no matter how the situation turns out.
The USFS is taking advantage of the Pagami Creek Fire to complete a controlled burn in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The fire has consumed 130 acres 15 miles east of Ely and just west of Lake One and Lake Two. A controlled burn will help protect the popular canoe route and homes outside of the BWCA from future wildfires. If weather conditions cooperate today then they will start the burnout with their crew of over 100 firefighters from combined agencies.
Firefighters plan controlled burn today in BWCAW
Labor Day weekend vacationers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness might have to adjust their plans today as firefighters seek to contain a wildfire in a popular area.
By: News Tribune staff, Duluth News Tribune
Labor Day weekend vacationers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness might have to adjust their plans today as firefighters seek to contain a wildfire in a popular area.
In a news release, the U.S. Forest Service said a controlled burn is planned today to reduce fuel for the Pagami Creek Fire, which was first detected on Aug. 18 and has consumed 130 acres of woodland.
The controlled burn, or “burnout,” will take place between the fire and Lakes One and Two. The two portages between those lakes will be closed for a period of time during the burnout. Visitors with travel plans including those lakes are most likely to avoid delays if they cross the portages before 2 p.m. today, the news release said.
Visitors also should be aware that they probably will see and smell smoke today. People with a history of cardiac or respiratory illnesses should be aware that the smoke may be heavy at times and may be present for several days in the fire area. Visitors also should expect to hear pumps running as part of sprinkler systems used to dampen fuels along the portages. Aircraft will be heard and seen in the fire area.
The portages will be reopened as quickly as possible, the news release said. Public safety crews will be on hand to escort paddlers.
It also was noted that the operation is weather-dependent and could change on short notice.
The fire, which was caused by lightning, is being managed by more than 100 wildland firefighters from several agencies. Lightning-caused fires in the wilderness area are mostly allowed to run their course. But firefighters hope to use the controlled burn to reduce fuels that might allow the fire to threaten private properties along the Fernberg corridor or affect the Lake One and Lake Two area.
A drying pattern is expected soon, the news release said. Despite recent showers and cooler conditions, the fire danger in the Boundary Waters region remains high.
My group of four women who have never been to the Boundary Waters were blessed with all good luck...the weather, the route, the whole experience. The whole group at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters were all so helpful and friendly. We enjoyed our first but not last trip to the BWCA!!! THANKS :)
There's more than one great entry point into the Boundary Waters accessed from traveling the Gunflint Trail. Most of the BWCA entry points are found by traveling down a gravel road for a mile or two but there is one where the parking lot is just off of the Gunflint Trail. Larch Creek, Entry Point 80 into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a great place to begin your BWCA canoe camping adventure. It's perfect for a day trip or a multiple night wilderness camping trip. You can choose to do a base camp on Larch Lake and come back out the same way or paddle in through the Creek and come out through Saganaga Lake or Gunflint Lake via the Granite River. Larch Creek is a little bit different than your typical entry points into the Boundary Waters. It's a narrow, winding creek surrounded by Larch trees and tall reeds. The creek is quite shallow and there are numerous beaver dams along the way. Paddlers must be prepared to get out of their canoe to make it over the beaver dams and should plan on getting their feet wet as with any other time you get into and out of a canoe. Larch Lake was affected by the Ham Lake Fire in 2007 so there is new growth of jack pines everywhere. There are some older trees along the lakeshore and quite a few at the island campsite. The island campsite is like an oasis in a desert and it's an absolutely perfect BWCA campsite. The other campsites on Larch are a little grown over but the one in the back bay is nice too. If you feel like traveling and camping at a different site then you'll head to the Granite River. The River flows north to Saganaga but the only place you'll find much current is at the rapids and there are portages around those. It's just as easy to paddle upstream as it is to paddle downstream. It's farther to travel out to Saganaga so if you want more paddling then north is the direction to go and if you want less paddling and portaging you can travel south to Gunflint Lake. Larch Entry Point is a great Boundary Waters Route for anyone but especially for those without much canoe camping experience. If you don't have much time then it's also a good entry point into the BWCA because you can be into the BWCA in minutes and camping in no time. The only time Larch isn't a good Boundary Waters route is when the creek is too low to navigate. If it's been really dry for a long time then the water levels can make the creek almost impassible. Any other time Larch is a great place to enjoy the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
It was a beautiful day for paddling again today. The Voyageur Canoe Outfitters Crew paddled 22 miles on Lake of the Woods. They don't have too many miles left to paddle and they'll be off of the mighty lake. The International Falls Newspaper wrote a great article about the guys and their Voyage in today's edition.
The trip of a lifetime, By EMILY GEDDE, Staff Writer
By Emily Gedde
Created 06/11/2011 - 1:00pm
The longest trip Will Tanner has ever been on lasted five days. This summer, he will exceed that trip by 75 days.
Along with three others who call themselves the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew, Tanner is embarking on an 80-day, 1,400-mile canoe and portage trip from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay in what the foursome call “a trip of a lifetime.”
“I made a list of pros and cons and then I was like, ‘heck yeah,’” Tanner said of his decision to go on the journey.
Tanner, Andrew Spaeth, Adam Maxwell, and Mike Swenson, all 23 years old, are now leaving their cell phones and the life they knew behind for almost three months to take on the wilderness and develop a true appreciation for nature and everything that comes with it. The mission of the Voyageurs Hudson Bay Expedition is to promote the continued protection of the scenic waterways of Minnesota and Canada through experience, education, and outreach.
Planning the journey
The idea for the trip that brought the crew through Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, and Baudette this week, started last fall when Maxwell came up with a plan to spend his summer in the wilderness.
“I wanted a big adventure,” he said.
Maxwell approached Swenson, his friend and co-worker, to see if he’d be interested in planning a canoe trip that would take them around Minnesota and Canada and into the unexpected. The two wilderness buffs had previously worked together during the summers at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters north of Grand Marais, Minn., at the end of the Gunflint Trail. They decided this summer would be the perfect opportunity for the adventure since the outfitting store was celebrating its 50 year anniversary.
Mike and Sue Prom, who own the business, offered their full support for the crew and their journey.
“They are part of our family,” Sue said of the Voyageur crew. “Any dreams of our crew are our dreams, too. Anything we can do to help any of them along the way in life we want to do, especially if it involves a wilderness adventure we would love to be a part of.”
With the stage set, Maxwell and Swenson brought Spaeth and Tanner on board to complete the crew they would spend 80 days with.
Sponsors were lined up and donations were made and the crew launched their canoes in the waters of Lake Superior at Grand Portage May 23.
A rough start
After almost eight months of planning, setting sail came as a relief for the Voyageur crew.
“After planning so long, it is such a relief to finally be out here,” Tanner told The Journal Tuesday.
However, the group agreed, the first two days tested their physical abilities.
“We took Grand Portage, which is an 8.5 mile portage that is basically all up hill,” Spaeth said. “We had to carry our canoes and packs the entire way. It is one of the most difficult things I have ever done.”
Spaeth added that while paddling the Pigeon River, which is located in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the crew had to wade waist-deep through the cold water steering their canoes and gear.
“The water (in the river) flows towards Lake Superior and we were going against the current,” he said. “In the first two days, we kind of got thrown into the trip head first.”
Maxwell agreed. “Those first few days were interesting.”
Developing a routine
After spending almost three weeks on the water, the four young men agree a routine has noticeably set in.
“This is starting to feel very natural,” Tanner said with a laugh.
“This is becoming more of a lifestyle than a vacation,” Swenson added.
Each morning, according to Maxwell, morning light gets the crew moving and if the weather will allow them, they will spend about 10 hours paddling each day.
They experienced their first thunderstorm while paddling Rainy River Tuesday morning and have had several days of rain so far.
“We just don’t want wind,” Maxwell said. “Wind is way worse than rain for what we are doing.”
During the day, the voyageurs eat oatmeal, granola cereal, and pancakes for breakfast; trail mix and candy bars in the afternoon; and freeze dried foods for dinner.
“I think 60 out of the 80 nights we have freeze dried foods that Richmoor Foods donated to us,” Maxwell said laughing. “They actually aren’t too bad, but our favorite is the Hudson Bay Bar. It is basically as many calories as you can stuff in a little bar.”
They also fish several nights out of the week to fill their plates.
While paddling, Spaeth, Maxwell, Tanner, and Swenson rotate partners every day.
“It helps us get to know each other better every third day,” said Tanner who came into the crew not knowing his three counterparts as well as they knew each other.
Tanner added that while daily entertainment mostly consists of conversation between canoes, singing fills the air every now and then, too.
“You find out who can sing, who can’t sing, if it doesn’t matter,” he joked. “I’m a song singer — good or bad.”
Each night, the group sets up camp, sometimes in the backyards of people who live along their route.
“People in International Falls and along Rainy River have been super hospitable,” Spaeth said. “One night the people whose yard we stayed in came down and had s’mores and a beer with us.”
Evenings and windy days also bring out a running cribbage tournament between tent mates.
Tanner said that as of Tuesday, he and Spaeth were beating Swenson and Maxwell 11 games to 10.
Keeping in contact
The Voyageurs Hudson Bay Expedition crew have equipped themselves with a SPOT locator device that sends a satellite signal to the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition website every 10 minutes updating those who are following their journey.
“It’s super exciting to watch their progress and wonder what the scenery they are seeing is like,” said Prom of keeping tabs on the group.
“It makes the trip really cool for us and for everyone we meet along the way,” Spaeth noted.
The crew say they spot each other if they’re not paddling side by side by the pink paddles they are using.
“We’re paddling with pink paddles to raise awareness for breast cancer,” Spaeth explained. “We’re really proud to do that.”
The men have also had two planned stops, including one in Baudette, to pick up food and supplies and make a phone call or two.
Their last stop to refurbish their supply will be in Pinawa, Manitoba. The food collected on that stop is expected to last the final 43 days of the expedition.
“The last leg our journey won’t be very populated,” Swenson said. “I think it’ll be kind of nice.”
A life changing experience
Each crew member shared similar feelings that this trip would change their lives forever.
“I already have more of respect for the wilderness,” Spaeth said.
“Oh man, it is so great to be on the trip,” Tanner added.
Swenson said that in the modern world, people are constantly bombarded by so many things, but for him to be able to leave that and go into the wilderness is such a rare opportunity — especially for this amount of time.
“I think it’ll be hard to adjust back to normal life when this is said and done,” he said.
The trip is scheduled to conclude around Aug. 10 when the crew reaches York Factory, a former settlement and trading post located on the southwestern shore of Hudson Bay in northeastern Manitoba. From there, the four men will board a float plane and then a train to Winnipeg where friends will transport them back to Voyageur Canoe Outfitters where a celebration will await.
“It’ll be a big one,” Swenson said of the party.
The four have no doubt in their minds that their bond will be as close as ever once the trip is over.
“I kinda went on this trip with three strangers, but I already have made three of my best friends,” Tanner said.
“I love that every day I wake up and I’m in a new place,” Swenson said. “This is just awesome.”
Spaeth said once he returns home he will “figure out my life, I guess.”
And Maxwell calls the experience “as good as it gets.”
The four voyageurs together encourage anyone who is thinking about a trip like the one they’re on to take advantage of the opportunity because it may only come around once.
“This kind of trip is possible if you want to make it possible,” Tanner concluded. “Find the people who know how to do it — or think they know how to do it, and buddy up with them. You can become the person you want to be.”
Meet the members of the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew:
Will Tanner Although Tanner has not been a part of the Voyageur Canoe Outfitters crew, he has lived and worked on the Gunflint Trail just three miles away at Wilderness Canoe Base as a canoe trip guide and stayed through the winter. He graduated from New London-Spicer high school and from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 2010. Tanner said he is ready to experience a sense of timelessness on the canoe trip — free from the scheduled hours of the day and is looking forward to discovering the state of mind an 80-day expedition produces.
Andrew Spaeth Spaeth has been a part of the Voyageur Canoe Outfitters crew since he graduated from high school in 2007. He’s been a key employee who most guests know by name. He is originally from Montevideo and graduated from Bemidji State University in 2010. Spaeth says he is looking forward to the pure adventure, amazing fishing, and being away from his cell phone and e-mail while on this canoe journey.
Mike Swenson Swenson was a crew member at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters for the summers of 2006 and 2007 and then went to work as a canoe guide at Sommers Boy Scout Base in 2008 and Wilderness Canoe Base in 2010. He is from Plymouth and graduated high school from Maple Grove. In 2010, he graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and is currently working as a chemist. While he is on this journey this summer, he said he wants to find a place that is truly wild.
Adam Maxwell Maxwell started working for Voyageur Canoe Outfitters in the fall of 2007 and has worked every summer since. He’s contributed to the success of Voyageur over the years through his dedication and hard work. He was a frequent guest who came up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for canoe trips with his uncle. He’s originally from Crystal Lake, Ill., and is attending Lake Superior College in Duluth. Maxwell says he is most looking forward to the sense of true adventure, where paddling and camping will become a way of life.
For more information or to track the journey, visit http://blog.canoeit [3]. com/blog/voyageur-canoe-outfitters, www.voyageurhudsonbayexpedition.com [4] or search Voyageurs Hudson Bay Expedition on Facebook.
The Hudson Bay Crew spent another day on the Minnesota Canadian Border of the Rainy River. Their days of paddling the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Quetico Provincial Park are past. They paddled just short of a marathon yesterday but made great time and progress on their journey. Another day of paddling will put them onto Lake of the Woods and into Canada for the duration of their expedition.
Yesterday the Expedition Crew would have paddled past the Rainy River First Nation. "Rainy River First Nation is situated 39 kilometers west of Fort Frances, Ontario. Presently occupying 2,464 hectares of reserve land, an additional land area of 18,725 hectares was awarded in 2005...Rainy River First Nation is a community dedicated to the restoration and preservation of its ancestral Ojibway culture and tradition..."the Rainy River First Nations were ideally situated at the centre of an active network of established trade routes. “Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung” (The Place of Long Rapids), was Manitou Rapid’s designated meeting and trading destination. With a 5,000 to 6,000 year history, this site is regarded as sacred to present day." the site now houses 20 – 25 burial mounds, the largest of its kind in Canada. The sacred mounds edging the river terraces of Rainy River and Long Sault Rapids were declared a National Historic Site in 1970...With architects working to create a reproduction of a tribal Elder’s vision, a world-class Interpretive Cultural Centre was built at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung, over three decades in the making, officially opening in 1999. Also known as “Manitou Mounds”, (Manitou meaning “Spirit), the Centre is literally built into a riverbank, containing five galleries with over 10,000 artifacts, a conservation lab, a gift shop and restaurant serving traditional Ojibway cuisine. Manitou Mounds attracts thousands of annual visitors, eager to observe displays and interpretations of ancient Ojibway culture. "
I don't think the Voyageur Hudson Bay Crew took a break to visit the Historic Site but I bet they noticed the burial mounds and center. With rain in the forecast we'll see how far they get on Day 17, Lake of the Woods, here they come!
Paddling the Boundary Waters today the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew made their way from the Fowl Lakes all of the way to Mountain Lake. They covered about 20 miles today in all. It was a little bit chilly today with temperatures in the 40's most of the day and a high of 54 degrees. Tonight it is suppose to get down to 33 degrees but tomorrow there's a predicted high of 60 to 65 degrees.
Tomorrow they will continue their journey west into Rose Lake, another BWCA Lake on the border of the US and Canada. Rose is lined with beautiful high cliffs and the Border Route Hiking Trail follows along them. With a little luck the guys will have little wind or one from the East but the forecast calls for North winds of 5 to 10 mph. It sounds like a beautiful day to paddle the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
How do you choose your BWCA entry point if you've never been to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area before? How do you plan your BWCA entry point if you have been to the BWCA before? Do you take a stick pin and spin yourself blindfolded and stick the pin into the map and wherever it lands you go?
It can be a difficult decision to determine where you want to enter the Boundary Waters. There are entry points throughout the wilderness from as far west as Crane Lake to as far East as the Arrowhead Trail. You can even enter the BWCA from the Sawbill Trail or near Isabella, Minnesota. There are so many different entry points it's hard to know just where to begin.
Even though we are BWCA outfitters at the end of the Gunflint Trail we have paddled all over the canoe country wilderness entering through Crane, Brule, Moose and many other Boundary Waters entry points. While each area is beautiful we are obviously partial to the entry points on the Gunflint Trail.
We have deeper lakes, higher cliffs and of course we can outfit you if you choose to enter on the Gunflint Trail. That alone should help you narrow it down to the Gunflint Trail. Once you've determined that you can think about the type of trip you want to take and how much you want to paddle, portage and fish.
If you're fishing for a particular species then you can narrow the options down even further because not every lake has every species of fish. If you don't want to have to portage at all then you can eliminate quite a few of the BWCA entry points. If you want to hike on a hiking trail while out canoe camping then your options are really limited. How can you find all of this out without spending days reading guide books?
Voyageur has a great trip route finder that will help you pick an entry point into the BWCA. You can enter criteria into the program and it will provide you with trip route options as well as maps. After you narrow it down that way then give us a call or drop us an email so we can talk about your routes. We've paddled the routes and can help you find one that may be more suitable than had you played pin the pin on the BWCA map.
A question we are asked frequently as Boundary Waters Canoe Area outfitters is, "How far can we paddle in a day?" Unfortunately this question is not an easy one to answer. Unfortunately there are many variables that factor into how far and how fast one can travel by canoe during a day. Among these factors are type of canoe, experience of paddlers, amount of gear/weight, how the canoe is loaded, weather conditions, wind, waves and type of water you're paddling. There are rivers with fast currents, lakes with no current and portages to consider as well.
Our Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew must factor in all of these variables and then some in order to complete their voyage from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay this summer. This trip won't take a few days or weeks but a few months to complete. A shorter BWCA wilderness canoe trip route is a little easier to figure out.
The average paddlers travel about three miles per hour in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This isn't paddling at a race pace or running across wilderness portages but it is a normal leisurely pace for the BWCA. When you're on a canoe camping trip you may find yourself not paddling continuously because you want to take a swim break, cast a line or stop to take pictures of the BWCA wildlife. All of these things take time as does setting up and breaking down camp.
If you don't want to be setting up or breaking down camp in the dark then you'll need to keep in mind how many hours of daylight you have. In the middle of the summer when there are 16 hours of daylight in the canoe country wilderness a person can cover quite a few miles in a day. But in the early spring or fall the same Boundary Waters canoe route may take more days. You'll need to know how many hours and days of travel you want to do in order to determine how far you want to go.
A 50 mile Boundary Waters canoe trip could look quite different depending upon who is paddling it. One group of people may paddle 5 hours every day for 10 days, 10 hours each day for 5 days or 20 on Day 1, rest on Day 2 and Day 3, paddle 10 on Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6. It really just depends upon what the group wants to do. It's best to determine this before you're out in the wilderness.
The Voyageur Hudson Bay Crew will no doubt be in better paddling condition a week or so into their trip. They will be stronger paddlers and once they are in a groove their portaging should be swifter too. The portions of the trip on rivers will find them covering alot of area quickly while paddling across Lake Winnipeg may be very time consuming.
You'll be able to keep an eye on the progress of the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition by checking out the website where we'll keep track of where they are at. We'll know how far and fast they can paddle in a day but we'll also know there's going to be alot of variables related to it.
We've heard from a number of canoe country enthusiasts who have planned their summer Boundary Waters Canoe Area or Quetico Park canoe trips at Voyageur already. It's exciting to think about canoe routes, fishing spots and wilderness campsites even while there is 3 feet of snow left on the ground.
It's even more exciting to think about the long journey planned by some modern day Voyageurs. Three past Voyageur Crew members will be helping us celebrate Voyageur's 50th Anniversary by paddling from Lake Superior all of the way to Hudson Bay.
In the days ahead you will hear lots more about this incredible journey but in the meantime, how about you make some paddling plans of your own for this summer?
Just like all of the different shapes and sizes a snowflake can fall to the earth as Boundary Waters routes come in all shapes and sizes. There are so many lakes and portages in the 1.3 million acre Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness they say there are over 1200 routes to choose from. I would guess there are even more routes than that since the park stretches over 150 miles in some places. No wonder folks have a difficult time determining what Boundary Waters Route they should travel with the over 2000 wilderness campsites to choose from who would know exactly where to go?
The first place I reccommend asking about canoe routes is a BWCA canoe trip outfitter. As an outfitter and an avid paddler I have paddled in most of the lakes in the Gunflint Ranger District and many of them out of the Ely District. Not all outfitters paddle the lakes of the canoe country but most of them have at one time or another. Regardless most BWCA outfitters have a vast knowledge of the lakes and portages in their area.
A wilderness canoe camping trip is normally a great experience but I've heard people tell horror stories about BWCA lakes and portages. When I've inquired asking for further detail and to show me on the map they'll point to some route that isn't even maintained as a route anymore or they'll describe where it was and I'll know from previous experience that's where a moose path is, not a portage. If they would have checked with an outfitter first then most likely they would not have spent an afternoon bushwhacking through shoulder high brush or dragging their canoe through a dried up beaver pond.
Most outfitters are willing to give you a little advice even if you aren't outfitting with them. We charge for a full map routing session but if it's just a question or two then we're more than happy to answer the questions. We want people to have a good BWCA experience so they will return again and bring their friends or their kids or their friend's kids.
Deciding your canoe route is an important decision you should think about carefully. We have a trip route planner on our website as well as maps to go along with it. If you have questions then feel free to give us a call or drop us an email. We can even send you maps of the area so you can plan and dream in the comfort of your own home.
While you're at it, keep an eye on the snowflakes and remember the BWCA has endless route possibilities just like the shape of a snowflake.
It's been cold and snowy in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness but I still can't quit thinking about a wilderness canoe trip. There are so many lakes to camp and paddle in and I only have to catch a glimpse of a map to start dreaming about where I'll canoe this summer. Dreaming of and planning a canoe trip are two different things. If you want to take a BWCA canoe trip this summer then just give us a call at Voyageur, 1-888-CANOEIT. We can help you plan the route, reserve the permit and get you set up with all of the gear you need. We're trying to help another group of people plan a different kind of canoe trip this summer. Voyageur Canoe Outfitter crew members Andrew Spaeth, Adam Maxwell, Mike Swenson along with Ranger Janice Matichuk's son Leif are planning to paddle from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay. We're not quite as familiar with the lakes and rivers of the area in Canada but we're very excited to be a part of their trip. Every canoe camping trip is an adventure whether it's in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Quetico Park or the vast wilderness of Canada. We get excited to help everyone plan their trip because it's such an awesome experience. So, don't delay, give us a call today so we can start planning your 2011 BWCA trip.
I did a Voyageur Canoe Outfitters 3-day trip in September. I have nothing but good things to say about Voyageur. They gave us everything we needed: a solid canoe, a waterproof map with our suggested route marked down, our park permit, and pre-packed bags with all of our supplies (except for clothes/hygiene stuff of course). We arrived the night before and stayed in a no-frills cabin. The next morning they gave us a carb-loaded pancake breakfast, went through some quick safety stuff, answered the questions we had, and then took us out to our start point. If you haven’t portaged before have them give you a lesson in it — good technique makes it a lot easier, especially for lifting the canoe onto your shoulders and putting it back down. The map had our route marked out, including the portage lengths, campground options along the way, and hiking/side trip options. The route is only a suggestion, because all that they require is that you return the canoe and bags to the destination site that you selected beforehand. Once you are in the water you are free to travel where you wish and use whatever campsites you want. We changed our plans due to weather and had no problems thanks to the map. The food was good and hardy and had proper serving sizes (for us at least, you can ask for extra food if you want). Each meal was put in a separate plastic bag, which made it extremely easy to prepare and avoids the need to ration your supplies. Portaging can be tough, the water is cold, and you won’t find any showers or faucets, but if you have never been to the Boundary Waters I recommend giving this a try.
You won't normally hear a Boundary Waters outfitter recommending BWCA trips in November. Canoe camping this late in the season poses more safety risks than most people are comfortable with. With a forecast like this week I wouldn't rule out a November BWCA trip.
Today...Mostly sunny. Highs 53 to 58. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight...Mostly clear. Lows 30 to 35. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday...Mostly sunny. Highs 48 to 53. East winds 10 to 20 mph.
Tuesday Night...Increasing clouds. Lows 37 to 42. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.
Wednesday...Partly sunny in the morning...then mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of light rain in the afternoon. Highs 50 to 55. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
The forecast looks pretty nice for a canoe trip especially if the BWCA route chosen is a sensible one. The warm daytime temperatures should alleviate the risk of getting stuck in a frozen bay and the moderate nightly lows are comfortable for Boundary Waters camping. Choosing a BWCA entry point on a small lake will make the winds a non-issue. Capsizing in the cold wilderness waters is always a concern but with sunshine and warm air you aren't much worse off in the Boundary Waters now than you would be any other time. If my schedule wasn't filled to the brim then I'd be planning a Boundary Waters camping trip and packing my bags. Actually, I would have left last Friday already since it's been such a beautiful weekend. But instead I'll be doing what is normal for November in Minnesota and making sure my son gets to hockey practice. After all, this nice fall weather can't last forever, can it?
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