Every once in awhile we'll hear the question, "Why should I paddle with Voyageur Canoe Outfitters?" Our first thought to this question is, "Because we're the best!" And while this statement is true it might sound a bit like bragging so we usually tone it down a little bit.
Our answer to why take your BWCA trip with Voyageur Canoe Outfitters goes something like this. We've been year round residents at the end of the Gunflint Trail since 1993 and have been outfitting BWCA trips since then.
We're 56 miles from the nearest town of Grand Marais, MN and you are already in the wilderness when you begin your trip up the Trail. Just by driving the Gunflint Trail and coming to Voyageur you're farther into the wilderness than some people get on their Boundary Waters canoe trips.
We love what we do and where we live and this shows. Our enthusiasm and love of the wilderness is evident and we want to share this love with as many people as we can. We take pride in being the best there is in BWCA trip outfitting. We're knowledgeable about the Boundary Waters, Quetico Park, wilderness fishing and camping and everything Gunflint Trail.
We have an excellent facility and incredible staff and we provide a one-of-a-kind outfitting experience. We guarantee your satisfaction with Voyageur and the number of repeat customers we have speaks loudly.
There it is in a nutshell. While it may be easier to just say we're the best it's probably better to give the lengthy explanation, even though we really are the best!
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
Yesterday we received a letter from the USFS outlining changes made to Boundary Waters entry point quotas and campsites. According to the Forest Service 114 campsites were affected by the fire. Not all of those received equal fire damage and out of those only 75 campsites will be closed at the beginning of the 2012 season.
The Forest service will open the BWCAW campsites when the sites are safe and rehabilitated. Some campsites just need some snags removed while others need attention to prevent erosion. The USFS said, "Forest Service crews will be opening most campsites early in the 2012 season."
The were 23 lakes with campsites that were affected and of course none of these were near the Gunflint Trail. The lakes included are, One, Two, Three, Four, Hudson, Insula, Horseshoe, Brewis, North Wilder, South Wilder, Harbor, Clearwater, Gull, Pietro, Hudson Pond, Baskatong, Bog, Isabella Lake, Isabella River, Kawashong, Quadga and Rice. The reductions range from 1 campsite removed up to 13 on Insula.
In order to prevent crowding in this area of the Boundary Waters the USFS has reduced quotas for entry point lakes. According to their document there will be no quota for Little Isabella River, Bog Lake or Island River and the Pow Wow Hiking Trail is closed until further notice. Isabella Lake will have 1 permit a day as will Snake River. All of these areas have restrictions regarding day use and directions which one may go so be sure to check with an outfitter or the USFS before traveling. Lake One lost 4 permits a day but gained 2 permits called Lake One Restricted.
The Lake One Restricted will be in place until the other four permits are added to the regular Lake One quota. Folks entering the BWCA with the restricted permit will not be allowed to camp on Lake One, Two, Three, Four or Hudson at any time. This isn't a problem for people who want to travel on the fist and last day of their canoe trip.
On the Gunflint Trail we're thankful to have all of our entry point permit quotas in place and campsites ready for use. We can start reserving BWCA permits on January 25th so give us a call 1-888-CANOEIT or send us an email to get yours reserved.
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.
Our canoe camping guests at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters are loving the fall colors and solitude of the BWCA. "This is my favorite time of the year to paddle!" exclaims one of our campers. Of course, there's plenty of reasons to love a fall canoe trip into the BWCAW and one of them is because it's even more of a wilderness with far fewer people out enjoying it.
I love being the only person on a lake and not seeing anyone else for days. It's the time of the year when I go out to do a solo trip because I really enjoy the solitude. I like to swing in my hammock and sit by the lake without any bugs buzzing around. It's a great time to gaze at stars and sleep beneath them. Some people get lonely or don't like being in the woods alone but I crave it. And as I write about it I get even more anxious to get out canoe camping in the Boundary Waters.
I suggest you come up and enjoy a fall canoe trip with Voyageur. It doesn't have to be solo and I guess you could come and enjoy the BWCA on day trips and stay in a cabin. Whatever you do, just don't miss this awesome time of the year in the Boundary Waters or Gunflint Trail.
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.
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.
There's been lots of Gunflint Trail wildlife spotted recently. Mamma moose and last year's calf have been spotted numerous times, a set of 2 year-old twins have only made a couple of appearances and Malachai has only been spotted once. Three timber wolves were seen ambling down the Gunflint Trail the other day. And lots of grouse have been seen and heard drumming in the woods. The deer have migrated north from the winter feeding grounds at Gunflint Lodge back up to Sag Lake Trail. Several have been spotted browsing over the past week. We've seen robins, goldeneyes, juncos, bald eagles and even a loon has returned to the edge of the Boundary Waters. It's a great time to visit Voyageur Canoe Outfitters and watch for wildlife. Come give it a try.
Everyone feels good when they know they are doing their part to take care of Mother Earth. By participating in the Ham Run Half Marathon or 5k Fun Run you are showing your support to a race dedicated to implementing green initiatives.
Our Cup Free Racing reduces the amount of waste produced because there aren't hundreds of paper cups strewn about the roadway.
We reuse our racing bibs and banners from year to year so we're not wasting precious resources.
Any plastic, glass, aluminum, tin, cardboard or other recycleable materials generated at the Ham Run are recycled.
We replenish the nutrients in the earth by composting food waste from the Ham Dinner at the end of the race.
Trees are planted for each participant as a way to restore the pines trees in the Superior National Forest.
Along with doing good for Mother Earth you'll be helping support wellness and fitness in Cook County. Young runners are able to participate in the Little Runts Run free of charge and area non-profits are able to earn money for their group by volunteering to help at the Ham Run Half Marathon. The Ham Run takes care of the planet and the people by promoting fitness and outdoor recreation.
We hope you will tell your family and friends about the Ham Run and head up to the Trail Less Traveled on Sunday, May 1st, 2011. If you need a place to stay then Voyageur Canoe Outfitters can help you out. In addition to bunkhouses there are cabins and lodge units available for the race weekend.
Just call 1-888-CANOEIT for help.
Thank you to our wonderful Sponsors of the Ham Run 2011!
The ice on Saganaga Lake went out on April 10th last year but it's a different story out there this year. Sag is usually one of the last lakes in the Boundary Waters and on the Gunflint Trail to go out. It's deep, it's large and it's pretty far north. Other lakes in the Boundary Waters and on the Gunflint Trail tend to go out a week or so earlier than Saganaga. We have clues we look for on the Gunflint Trail to determine/guess when the ice will go out. We keep track of when the Cross River starts flowing, when the ice is gone from the moose pond and when the Seagull River opens up. We also keep track of other lake ice out dates in Minnesota at this website. For a few days we were making good progress on melting ice. There was quite a bit of open water in front of the Voyageur Canoe Outfitters lodge. Then it got cold again and we got a layer of insulating snow on top of the ice and that put a halt to the melt. The forecast for this week calls for warmer temperatures and that should get the ice melting again. The average ice out date for Saganaga is May 3rd but we've had it as late as May 17th in 1996. Ever wonder how the ice goes out? Wonder no more.
How Lake Ice Melts
A wonderful description of how lake ice melts away appeared on the web blog "Air Mass", hosted by the Star Tribune's Bill McAuliffe. Ed Swain, of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency describes the process of freezing and thawing lakes.
In the late fall, the lake loses heat to the atmosphere, and then on a day or night when the wind is not blowing, ice forms. The ice gets thicker as long as the lake can continue to lose heat.
In most Januaries and Februaries, snow both reflects sunlight and insulates the lake. With a thick snow layer, the lake neither gains nor loses heat. The bottom sediment is actually heating the lake water slightly over the winter, from stored summer heat.
Around March, as the air warms and the sun gets more intense, the snow melts, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Because the ice acts like the glass in a greenhouse, the water beneath it begins to warm, and the ice begins to melt FROM THE BOTTOM.
When the ice thickness erodes to between 4 and 12 inches, it transforms into long vertical crystals called "candles." These conduct light even better, so the ice starts to look black, because it is not reflecting much sunlight.
Warming continues because the light energy is being transferred to the water below the ice. Meltwater fills in between the crystals, which begin breaking apart. The surface appears grayish as the ice reflects a bit more light than before.
The wind comes up, and breaks the surface apart. The candles will often be blown to one side of the lake, making a tinkling sound as they knock against one another, and piling up on the shore. In hours, a sparkling blue lake, once again!
There's a fresh coating of snow on the Gunflint Trail today and it's looking more white than green outside. No worries though, Minnesota's Greenest Race will be here before we know it. The Trail Less Traveled was completely snow free yesterday and will be again soon. The temperatures are expected to be in the 50's this week and with a little luck we'll have an average high temperature on Race Day in the 60's. No matter what the weather brings be ready to enjoy your run along the rugged and scenic Gunflint Trail.
Being a cup free race is just one of the Green Race Initiatives theHam Run Half Marathon is implementing again this year. Participants will be given a HydraPouch to use at the Aid Stations along the Race Course. Water and Gatorade coolers will be equipped with HydraPour Valves to ensure a speedy fill. The HydraPouches work great and if you aren't familiar with them then be sure to watch their video online or try them out at Packet Pick Up at the Senior Center in Grand Marais on Saturday the 30th of April.
We still have openings at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters for lodging the weekend of the Ham Run Half Marathon. A camper cabin is not heated or insulated but is equipped with bunks with mattresses for your overnight stay. For just $20/person you can bring along your sleeping bag and pillow and spend the night. There are other lodging options to choose from so give us a call if you need help finding a place to stay. 1-888-CANOEIT
We need your help in growing the Ham Run Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run. We have almost as many volunteers as we have runners and we would love to have twice as many runners. We hope you'll spread the word about our race and invite your friends and family to join you on the Trail Less Traveled this Sunday, May 1st, 2011.
Thank you to our wonderful Sponsors of the Ham Run 2011!
We always used to call the Boundary Waters the BWCA. Then, I can't remember when, they added the "W" to call it the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. We still primarily refer to it as the BWCA especially when we're putting it on new garments to sell in our store. It's that time of the year at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters when Billy UPS brings us boxes and we act like it's Christmas on the Gunflint Trail. I'm not sure who gets more excited, me or Rugby our dog because Billy brings him doggie treats. In any case it's pretty exciting to get new things in for the store. The first delivery of T-shirts arrived last week and I couldn't resist immediately tearing into the box. It's a simple blue t-shirt with Voyageur Canoe Outfitters and the established date on it, 1961. Yep, it's our 50th Anniversary at Voyageur and we'd love to see you in the BWCA or BWCAW.
I told Abby and Josh I would give them the proceeds of the first sale of t-shirts from this blog post for modeling and playing photographer. So for $15 plus $4 shipping you can have a t-shirt and make their day!
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.
There's a winter storm warning for the Gunflint Trail and surrounding Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. I guess it shouldn't surprise us since we do live in Northeastern Minnesota just five miles from the Canadian Wilderness. Still, I think back to last year when we'd experienced very warm temperatures already and had very little snow on the ground, if any. In fact in March of 2010 for the Mush for a Cure we barely had any snow on the ground. That isnt the case at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters today. I look out the window to see snow flurries and white all over the ground. The Seagull River is frozen and a large snowbank blocks my access to the canoe pile. Forecasters are calling for total snow accumulations of 5-11 inches of snow by tomorrow. The snow will be gone soon, just how soon, we just don't know.
While we're still thigh deep in snow at the end of the Gunflint Trail some day summer will be here. It's been snowing off and on at Voyageur Canoe Outfittters all day long and I don't mind because next weekend is the 5th Annual Mush for a Cure a Sled Dog FUNdraiser on the Gunflint Trail. Last year it was more like the slush for a cure so we're completely content that winter is lasting this March.
If you didn't receive Voyageur Canoe Outfitter's E-mail Newsletter/Ezine last week then you missed out. Take the time today to sign up or make sure to put mailer@infusionmail.com and vco@canoeit.com on your white list. You can read it online if you want to on our website.
The USFS announced last week Reserve America lowered the processing fee for a Boundary Waters permit. The User Fees for the BWCA are still $16/adult and $8/youth. There are still plenty of BWCA permits available for paddling this summer so give us a call and we'll get you're permit reserved for you.
What makes an already fun place like the Gunflint Trail even more fun in the winter? Fresh snow! We were blessed with a few inches of the white stuff overnight and it looks like a winter wonderland on the Gunflint Trail once again.
I'm hoping to take advantage of the new snow conditions and venture into the Boundary Waters for a day. The portages should be much easier to travel after last week's warmer temperatures. The wilderness lakes should be less covered in snow and slush and that should make for some faster traveling by snowshoe or cross-country skis.
There are fish to be caught in the BWCA. Our guests who have been out have reported lots of success with the lake trout. Fourteen fish in one day sounds like a great day of Boundary Waters fishing to me.
There's still snow stuck in the branches of the trees and this morning's temperature was thirteen below. That's two signs that remind us winter is still here and thriving on the Gunflint Trail. There is a good three feet of snow in the woods providing plenty of recreational opportunities both inside the BWCA and outside of the BWCA. Motors aren't allowed in the Boundary Waters during the winter so if you want to explore the wilderness you must do so by snowshoe or cross-country skis. Canoe country portages look a little bit different when they are covered in snow. Voyageur Canoe Outfitters also looks different in the winter. Picnic tables that weren't tipped over for winter make perfect snow forts. Snow clings to the rooftops of the bunkhouses and you need snowshoes just to get to them. We invite you to come see for yourself this weekend. It's the Volksski 400 and although I personally can't participate I want Voyageur to be represented. On February 12, 2011 we're attempting to ski every kilometer of the over 400 kilometers of ski trail in Cook County. You can sign up for different sections and be a part of this awesome event. I'm willing to almost give the lodging away if you're willing to ski. Here's the deal. For every unique kilometer of ski trail you sign up for and ski on February 12th we'll give you that percentage off of our normal lodging rates. Say you ski 10 unique kilometers and your freind signs up and skis 20 unique kilometers you would get 30 percent off of your lodging. If you have four people and you all ski 20 kilometers of unique trail then you would get 80 percent off! There's over 70 kilometers within ten miles of Voyageur and they are ready and waiting for you. I'm hoping someone will take me up on this great offer so Voyageur can be a part of history. Come see how winter is thriving on the Gunflint Trail.
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 quite wonderful to live at the end of the Gunflint Trail surrounded by the canoe country wilderness. I can leave my house on snowshoes and be in the Boundary Waters in a twenty minute trek. Our property across the river at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters leads right up to the BWCA. I could go snowshoeing or cross country skiing in the Boundary Waters any day I want. It's right there, outside my door waiting for me to come explore. The Boundary Waters is right outside in the summertime too. A short ten minute paddle and I could be at a BWCAW campsite on Saganaga Lake or Seagull Lake. How awesome is it to be this close to the wilderness? Pretty awesome except for the fact I have a hard time working when the wilderness is constantly calling for me. There are lots of lakes to explore, trails to hike and fish to be caught in my backyard where the Boundary Waters wait.
It was a short and sweet segment for NBC Nightly News where Voyageur Canoe Outfitters wasn't even mentioned. However, Mush for a Cure, an event that is near and dear to me was highlighted and for that I was extremely happy. We'd love to see you on the Gunflint Trail this winter for the 5th Annual Mush for a Cure. Come stay with us at Voyageur, we'd love to see you here.
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