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!
While most of the population is thinking about fireworks and 4th of July parades I’m thinking July is a great time for a canoe camping trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. With its warm temperatures, good fishing, refreshingly cool water temperatures and blueberries ripening there may not be a better time than July to visit the BWCA.
Smallmouth bass and northern pike are two easy species of fish to catch in the Boundary Waters especially in July. Troll a lure in a lake inhabited with fish and you’ll have a difficult time keeping the fish off of your line. It’s almost guaranteed you’ll catch something if you put your time in. While some fish snobs don’t like to eat smallmouth or northern pike the people who remove the y-bone and eat these species are in for a real treat. The fish that come from the cold waters of the Boundary Waters taste absolutely delicious when they are prepared fresh. A shore lunch is just one of the many good things about paddling the BWCA in July.
The warm air temperatures combined with the warm water temperatures makes July a perfect time for people who want to spend time swimming. It’s so refreshing and fun to swim from BWCA campsite to campsite or out to an island. Hours of entertainment are provided for families with kids who want to spend time swimming. It’s a very comfortable time of the year not only for swimming but also for sleeping in a hammock.
The nights are warm and the bug population has dropped considerably by July in the Boundary Waters. It makes evenings by the campfire even more enjoyable. The nights get a little bit longer in July but not by much. By mid-month the sun rises around 5:24 AM and sets around 9:00 PM. There’s plenty of daylight to paddle, swim, fish and pick berries.
There’s nothing more satisfying than filling a camp cup with fresh blueberries while you’re out in the Boundary Waters. They taste wonderful in pancakes or when eaten by the handful. In addition to blueberries you may find some strawberries left from June and perhaps ripening raspberries. The wild roses will be blooming along with the Blue Flag Iris, Twin Flowers, Cow Parsnip and many other colorful and fragrant wildflowers.
Also appearing in July are newborn loons. Loons in the BWCA usually have their young around the 4th of July. Look carefully if you see a loon because there’s a good chance there’s a little one riding around the back of their parent. You may also see moose with their young in the water eating underwater plants or cooling off in the mid-day heat.
The lack of bugs, addition of blueberries and good fishing are just a few of the reasons to visit the Boundary Waters in July. With the solitude, scenery and serenity found in the BWCA it’s difficult to understand why anyone would want to swap fireworks in a city for fireflies in the wilderness. But that’s what keeps the numbers down in the Boundary Waters in the beginning of July so I guess we should be thankful for the folks who have to stick with their city traditions for the 4th of July and who leave the BWCA for the rest of us.
If there's one New Year's Resolution that should be easy to stick to it is to Visit Voyageur Canoe Outfitters in 2012. Whether it is for a Boundary Waters Canoe trip or a stay at the end of the Gunflint Trail you must include a trip North on your 2012 Bucket List.
The lakes are frozen but will be liquid once again before we know it. We can reserve your BWCA canoe camping permit beginning January 25th but there's no need to worry if you don't have your canoe trip dates determined at that time. There will still be plenty of permits available throughout the entire summer.
Our cabins are booking up quite nicely for the summer of 2012. There are still plenty of weeks open for you and your family to enjoy time at the edge of the Boundary Waters at the end of the Gunflint Trail. Call today to reserve your place in the woods.
We're wishing you the best in 2012 and we're hoping you'll include us in your New Year's Resolutions.
After our family trip to the Minnesota North Shore and a day trip to the Boundary Waters last summer, I was excited to see a Living Social deal at the end of the summer for an everything included Three Day Boundary Waters Canoe Trip, good for one year.
So after consulting with a friend, we decided it would be a great weekend getaway for the husbands and two deals were purchased. What is nice about going through an outfitters, is that they give you everything that you need for your trip, including canoe, tent, sleeping bags, cooking stuff, and even all the meals. You just bring your personal items and fishing poles!
Last Thursday, my friend and I made the 7-hour trip north to the Boundary Waters. The first night is spent in a bunk house at the Outfitters, where they give you instruction on the equipment and how to survive in the Boundary Waters without getting eaten by a bear or losing all your equipment in the middle of a lake.
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, they headed out for the wilderness. We spent the next 2-1/2 days canoeing, fishing,
cooking over an open fire, playing Camp Cards and reading by flashlight.
We had a little bit of stormy weather, which was not fun. Although we protected all of the food supplies by hanging it in a tree (like we were taught at the Outfitters), there was no sign of a single bear. Or coyote. Or eagle. Or even squirrel. Apparently all the wildlife in the Boundary Waters takes their vacation in August. Including the fish. My friend caught 4 fish the whole time. Me, I caught none. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
We did see some incredible sunsets though.
It was a great weekend of male bonding. We learned a lot and would definitely do it again.
The people at Voyageur couldn't have been better and we would definitely go back to them again.
We know kids these days don't spend enough time in the great outdoors. Soon they will get even less when school starts back up. Why not give them some time to play and take advantage of all of the benefits of outside play by bringing them to the BWCA?
The Boundary Waters provides a great place for kids to use their imagination. Yesterday my son and his friends were pretending they were Rescue Swimmers as they jumped off of rocks and swam to a small island in the BWCA. Pine cones have a number of uses for a child with an imagination as do sticks and other items found in the woods. Creativity explodes while kids are in the BWCA.
Kids learn self-discipline and enhance their problem-solving skills by spending time outside. There are so many things to learn and opportunities to grow while canoe camping in the wilderness. It's a great place to bond as a family before the busy school year starts back up. Give your children and yourself a lasting gift this year and come on up to the Boundary Waters today.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has been in the news lately. They say, "Bad news is better than no news." but they also say, "No news is good news." I don't understand or agree with either of these statements but the BWCA is in the news.
Last Thursday night around 7pm a son left a campsite where he, his brother and his father were camping. He paddled away from camp to go fishing for awhile but he never returned. He wasn't wearing a life vest and maybe if he had he'd still be alive today. We'll never know because since Thursday his body has sat at the bottom of Swan Lake in over 80 feet of water. Recovery efforts have not been successful due to the location and weather. I imagine they will be able to retrieve his body or it will eventually float to the surface. But the life in his body is gone and no amount of time or effort to retrieve his body will bring it back. Tonight it will be a full week since he sunk to the bottom of the wilderness lake. Even if the life jacket wouldn't have saved his life it would have made recovering his body alot easier and it would have made things a little less painful for his family and loved ones. Please wear your life vest, it only works if you wear it.
On Monday a small fire on Gaskin Lake was reported by a group camping in the Boundary Waters. It's a small fire on a peninsula that isn't expected to grow in size and the USFS is keeping an eye on it. Similar to the small, cigar shaped fire back in 2007 that was expected to burn out into the wilderness never to be seen again. Only Mother Nature had other ideas and that was the start of the Ham Lake Fire. Structures were burned to the ground and people's homes and lives were disrupted and changed forever.
One person was responsible for the Ham Lake Fire. An individual who was careless with his campfire. Something many of us have been at one time or another. Maybe we've thrown paper on a fire, left the fire from breakfast smoldering while going out fishing during the daytime or not made sure the coals were cool. Then "Poof" that's the time a major wildfire starts and we're responsible. It could happen to any of us and maybe the Gaskin Lake Fire was from a lightning strike, then again, maybe not. Being responsible for a wildfire is a huge burden to bear and the person who started the Ham Lake Fire couldn't handle it and took his life. Be careful with fire folks.
I don't want to read about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the news unless it's a report of a great canoe camping trip. I don't want to read about you in the newspaper unless it's because of some great achievement. The BWCA is a great place let's keep things positive by using caution with fire and always wearing your life vest.
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.
If a man's best friend is his dog then he's in trouble no matter where he goes! But seriously dogs and family pets are very important members of the family and some people would rather stay home than go somewhere without their pet. While I love my dog I do leave him home sometimes but he usually comes along when I go on a canoe camping trip in the Boundary Waters. My dog has grown up at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters in the wilderness where loons call, moose mosy and fish splash next to the canoe. Even with all of his canoe time he is still an animal and an unpredictable one at that. Last year I was paddling a canoe in the BWCA with my nieces and Rugby decided to take a leap for Josh who was in a kayak next to us. Rugby had never jumped from a canoe before and we have no clue what possessed him to do it that day but he did. We struggled in the wind and the waves to scoop him back into the canoe and thankfully we didn't tip in the process. Things could have turned out differently had we capsized the canoe or kayak in the Boundary Waters. I was responsible for my two nieces, my daughter, my son and my dog. The water and air temperature were warm and we were close to shore however I risked the safety of my people family to save my dog. Every time I hike a BWCA portage or let my dog off the leash at a wilderness campsite I risk losing him. If he gets on the trail of a moose, deer or grouse he could easily become hurt, lost or worse. It's very sad to see a sign at a BWCA canoe landing that announces a lost dog. It could happen very easily and I worry about his well-being and how I would feel if something happened to him.
With all decisions you must weigh the risks versus the benefits. Is having your pet along worth risking his safety or a fellow paddler's safety? That's for you to decide.
Consider the following when deciding whether or not to bring your dog into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Taking responsibility for your dog is a necessity if you want to bring it into the BWCA wilderness with you. You must protect other visitors, wildlife, the wilderness and the dog itself. The owner must be responsible for picking up after their pet, keeping the dog quiet, making sure the dog doesn’t harass wildlife or defecate at campsites, dig up lichen or get into someone’s packs at a portage. The dog may always stay at your side while walking in a park but on a wilderness portage it may not act the same when it is unfamiliar with its surroundings. Even if the dog is leashed it can escape with the leash on and become tangled in brush, injured or worse yet, it can become lost in the wild never to be seen again.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has gotten a bad rap for its bugs. I personally don't think the bugs are bad in the BWCA. I think there are plenty of mosquitoes, gnats and other nasty insects in abundance elsewhere but people just don't notice them because they don't spend any time outside. Our bugs in the Boundary Waters don't normally carry diseases, lethal bites or deadly stings, they just have a tendency to "bug" people who are outside 24-7 on a canoe camping trip.
If you're looking to avoid bugs in the Boundary Waters altogether then I like to suggest visiting us from November to April. These six months you'll rarely see a bug. Of course you won't be able to paddle the canoe country during these months either.
The next best time to avoid bugs in the canoe country is as soon as the ice goes off of the lakes. The ice usually leaves the lakes of the Boundary Waters during the last week of April or first week of May depending upon the size of the lake and the thickness of its ice. This isn't a guaranteed bug free time in the BWCA but there should be a an open window for bug free paddling especially if you're trying to avoid mosquitoes.
There are over 50 species of mosquitoes in Minnesota and just a little over half of them bite. Not all of them bite humans and each have their own unique life cycle. Some species need specific conditions such as length of daylight or water temperature and these conditions usually can't be met immediately after ice out.
The first mosquitoes to arrive in the BWCA are usually the big, slow ones that don't bite. It usually isn't until the end of May when the biting mosquitoes arrive in numbers. Mosquitoes continue to hatch throughout the summer until we get a good frost but the numbers dwindle quickly and considerably by the end of June. Each month after there are fewer and fewer mosquitoes in the BWCA to contend with and with a little common sense and preparation you'll barely be bugged by them.
Although mosquitoes fly about during the day they most actively feed at dusk. If you can be in your tent before that then you can listen in comfort to their buzz as they descend to the forest floor. If you do happen to be outside then you'll want to protect yourself with clothing, a headnet and some type of mosquito repellent. If you are outside then they will find you because they detect their meal of blood by the carbon dioxide we exhale and the heat we give off. Unless you are better than I am at not breathing and altering my body temperature they are going to find you in a hurry.
Compared to the mosquito the other bugs of the BWCA don't receive much attention. Some folks are worried about the biting flies and I'm never even sure what they mean because I am rarely bitten by a fly. The first biting flies on the scene are what I usually call gnats because they are so small. They sometimes arrive earlier than the mosquitoes because they lay their eggs in moving water that thaws before calm water ice. They peak in the early part of June and since they only produce one generation a year they are almost obsolete after that. A sheet of bounce in a cap, wearing light colored clothing and only going outside at night will keep you safe from these daytime swarming insects.
There are so few biting flies in the BWCA that are out for such a short time most people don't even know about them in spite of their existence. Size and speed at which they fly help distinguish a Horse Fly from a Deer Fly. I can always tell when a Horse fly is attacking my paddling partner in the Boundary Waters. Since they like water, legs and wet skin I'll feel the canoe shift abruptly from movement before I hear the sound of a hand slapping skin. Horse flies fly faster than Deer flies and normally escape the palm of my partner's hand.
Deer flies are more annoying than anything as they buzz around and around your head until you grab them from the air. I can usually pluck them out of the sky, throw them to the ground and stomp on them before they have time to react. Both the Horse and Deer flies appear around July, only produce one generation and are only out during the daytime.
The stable fly is a biter that produces more than one generation and both the male and female bite so they are more abundant than the other types of flies. They too are more of an annoyance(just ask Rugby) and we refer to these flies as ankle biters because that's where they tend to get you when you're trying to set up your tent. As with all bugs they tend to prefer some people over others and luckily for me they don't like me as much as the rest of my family.
The last Boundary Waters bug of any concern is what we call "Jaws." The real name is the No See Um and when I first saw this in print on a product that had "no see um netting" I thought it was a joke but they really do exist. If you've ever been bitten by one then you won't deny their existence because for such a little insect it packs a good sized hurt. It maybe isn't so much of a hurt as it is a shock that you are feeling pain yet you can't see anything. They are so tiny they are difficult to see and the slightest breeze will carry them away so most people don't get to experience them. They are usually around for parts of June and July and only come out on calm nights.
There you have it, the best time for bugs in the Boundary Waters. By the end of July the bugs are barely an issue in the BWCA and in August and September you probably won't know there are any at all. So if you're wondering when a good time to visit the Boundary Waters is when there aren't any bugs now you know. But if you ask me when the fishing is good then that's a different story altogether.
I would really like to take our family camping in the Boundary Waters during the winter season. I must say I'm very glad we didn't go this weekend. The temperature got down to 28 below zero this morning and the windchill is expected to be 25-35 degrees below zero as well. I feel sorry for anyone or any family camping in the BWCA this weekend. Our family stay in the Yurt on the Banadad Trail was somewhat like a winter camping trip but much more luxurious. The yurt was set up, had cots, a table, a stove, dishes and everything already there unlike winter camping when you have to unpack and set up everything yourself. Just getting water to drink while out winter camping is a challenge especially in the Boundary Waters where power augers are not allowed. Despite the intense cold a person easily works up a sweat when drilling through 12-30 inches of solid Boundary Waters ice. The week's forecast doesn't look good for winter camping in the BWCA either. The high daytime temperatures are expected to be just above zero. It looks like we'll wait for another week to take our family into the BWCA at least on an overnight camping trip.
We get asked this question by quite a few BWCA families who want to bring their kids to the woods. I say you are never too old or too young to visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The challenge with canoe camping in the BWCA with small children is getting them to keep their life vest on. If a child doesn't fuss when they are wearing a PFD then by all means bring them to the Boundary Waters. We made our kids wear their lifevests almost constantly when they were little. I still worry sometimes when they are out on the dock without them on. There's no need to take it off even around camp or when swimming. Having your child wear their lifevest at all times takes a little bit of the worry away when camping in the BWCA. No one wants to harm their child so common sense is key when bringing your children to the wilderness canoe country. The sun's glare can be extremely harsh so lathering tons of sunscreen on your child, having them wear a wide brimmed hat and keeping them out of the direct sunlight is very important. You'll want to protect your child from other elements of the BWCA as well. If a child is not paddling then they can get pretty cold in the middle of a canoe especially if it is raining. A good set of rain gear, an umbrella, a tarp or other protection from the rain is needed. Bug bites can affect children's sensitive skin so dressing them appropriately, using bug deterrents and having bug screen along can help keep them safe. Remember to bring along some sort of itch cream in case the bugs do reach your child. The attention span of all individuals is different. There are some two-year-olds who will refuse to sit in a canoe for 8 hours just as there are adults who will refuse to do the same. Knowing how much paddling to do and more importantly, when to stop will make life much more pleasurable while camping with your family. Some people need to be entertained or they will get bored from doing the same thing over and over. Paddling the wilderness lakes of the Boundary Waters may not seem repetitive to you but to others it might. Tie toys to the inside of the canoe for tots to play with, play I Spy, sing songs, tell stories, read a book, take pictures, use binoculars and think of a number of other creative ways to pass time while in the canoe. Plan the BWCA trip according to your group's abilities. A trip with alot of long portages isn't going to be easy with some small children. One hike from an entry point parking lot into a wilderness campsite might be just perfect. That way you're always within a short distance if you need to cut your trip short. If you're really worried you or your child won't do well while camping in the Boundary Waters then plan to stay in a cabin near the BWCA. That way you can take day trips to introduce your child to the wilderness lakes and islands. Enjoy swimming, picknicking and paddling during the day and return to a cozy cabin at night. If everyone does good then make the step up to a wilderness canoe camping trip in the BWCA.
It takes a very special person to appreciate all a BWCA or Quetico Park wilderness vacation can offer. Adventure travel is a popular trend in vacationing and more and more people are enjoying it each year. A canoe camping trip in the Boundary Waters or Quetico Park is a unique opportunity for a vacation of a lifetime.
There are many benefits of taking a canoe camping wilderness vacation this summer, we've listed just a few:
Solitude and serenity on a remote campsite occupied only by your group and not another one in sight.
Paddling across open expanses of pure water surrounded by towering pines.
Fishing from a canoe or shore and catching delicious fish for lunch.
Listening to the call of the wild, the howling of wolves, the cry of the loons.
Exploring rock palisades and scenic vistas while hiking in the woods.
Swimming in the cool, clean waters underneath the sparkling sun.
Sleeping in a tent underneath the stars and Northern Lights.
Catching the scent of fresh air and pine trees as the wind blows lightly through the trees.
Reading or reflecting on the day while perched on a rocky ledge.
Enjoying the warmth of a campfire and company of good friends or family.
These are just a few of the many benefits of taking a canoe trip into the wilderness through Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. If your idea of camping is flush toilets, activity filled campgrounds, located five minutes from the nearest town, then this is not the place to come. But if you are looking for a wilderness canoe camping adventure, then this is the place.
If I had a choice then I'd choose to paddle my canoe through a rainstorm or even a blizzard over paddling in a wind that produced large waves. The wilderness waters have been quite turbulent the past few days and it doesn't make happy canoe country campers. Canoe parties in both the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park have been fighting the steady 10-15mph winds with gusts up to 30mph. Usually the wind stops blowing in the early morning or evening yet at 4:00am this morning the wind speed was 12mph and at 6:04am there was a gust of 26mph. There's nothing worse than listening to the wind blow outside of your tent when you have plans to paddle the BWCA or Quetico in the morning. It's always a good idea to plan on at least one day of a wilderness canoe trip when you might not be able to paddle. Whether it's rain or wind or great fishing you didn't expect at a campsite you want to have the cushion an extra day provides. That way when you don't come off of the water on your scheduled day your family or friends whom you have given your trip itinerary too will not worry if you're late. Unfortunately it's difficult to know when the wind is going to blow. Smaller lakes and rivers are sometimes ok to paddle even when it's windy and some larger lakes have islands and bays that are protected from the wind and waves. One thing we have learned over the years of camping in the Quetico in Boundary Waters is you can't control Mother Nature. If you're out in the canoe country wilderness during inclement weather and you have to camp at the same site for four days then that's part of the wilderness experience. You may not get to see the lake you had your heart set on but at least you will be safe and able to plan to visit the lake in the future.
We're hoping the wind will settle down sometime soon. If not then we hope people just sit tight and wait until it's all done blowing and there will be calm waters once again.
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