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.
Ten miles in just under ten hours of canoeing on the Hayes River for the Voyageur Expedition Crew. The day included a kilometer long portage around Robinson Falls and concluded with camping on Logan Lake. With a somewhat early quitting time I hope the Voyageur Crew had time to catch some trophy fish. Tomorrow they will experience some rapids along the Hayes River before they get to Oxford Lake.
On a website I read a person should have at least 18 days to paddle the Hayes River from Lake Winnipeg to the Hudson Bay. The Voyageur Crew has canoed almost 1000 miles and only have about 300 more to go. With the amount of current in the river and the way the Voyageur Crew has been paddling my guess is they could be done with their trip by the end of the month.
If they are going to take some time to enjoy the scenery and the wilderness then they are going to have to do so soon. Otherwise they will be in polar bear country where extended stays are not advised.
From the Canadian Heritage River Site...
The Hayes River provides an outstanding opportunity to learn about Canada’s history and experience its wilderness. Nine lakes and the connecting river offer alternating whitewater and flatwater paddling, the beauty and wildlife of the boreal forest, and outstanding fishing. Sport fish species include northern pike, walleye, perch, goldeye, whitefish, brook trout and lake trout. In the lowland portion, with the portages and obstacles behind, the paddler can quickly cover long distances in a very different environment, adding a new dimension to the traveling on the Hayes. Watch for foraging harbour seals, beluga whales and polar bears in the lower 10 km of the Hayes. Plan to spend time visiting the York Factory National Historic Site while in the York Factory area between June and September. The Hayes offers unparalleled wilderness canoeing and kayaking. Its remoteness and difficulty calls out to those experienced in whitewater navigation and familiar with the demands of the northern forests. Travelers should take special care to properly equip themselves and should take precautions to avoid bears, particularly polar bears on the northern reaches of the river. Paddlers should be prepared for challenging rapids, insects, extreme water and weather conditions and remoteness. Wilderness camping is possible at numerous sites along the river. However, camping is not permitted at York Factory National Historic Site due to the possibility of polar bear encounters. All fly-in/fly-out and provision arrangements need to be made ahead of time. Outfitters and guides are available to assist in trip planning and implementation.
Another marathon for the Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew. They paddled the Echimamish River past old Hudson Bay Company dams and portaged the 25 meter Painted Stone Portage to the beginning of the Hayes River. After eleven hours and 26.4 miles of wilderness canoeing they ended their day at Robinson Lake.
A man who paddled this route solo said the following things about this area, "The Painted Stone Portage lies at the end of the Echimamish River.It sererates the watersheds between the Echimamish and the Hayes system.Please note with interest that the Echimamish system is higher than the Hayes by about 50ft,Also the Echimamish flows SE before hitting the Nelson and flowing NE into Hudson Bay.The Hayes at this juncture flows NE directly into Hudson Bay. This is a very historic portage in the history of Canada and the Hudson Bay Company.This was a main juncture for more than 200 years that opened up Canada and the U.S.A..The makeup of these two countrys would be vastly different if it were not for the H.B.C. and the Hayes River fur trading route.You can feel the age and history as you travel solo thru this system.You can see the history as you travel. The skid system is put in by the Cree to get there power boats up and down the two water sheds.Again, I did not see people for 11-days on my trip.Except for my gear I could easily have been traveling in the 1860's The first picture is on the Echimamish looking down at the Hayes.The fourth is the current ramp used by the Cree.The rest have the Echimamish in the backgroud.NOTE: If you travel this route the rock is very slick.Step carefully! Best Regards, Trapper John. I'm hoping the Voyageur Crew took lots of pictures along the way and that they had luck seeing wildlife. I tried to google pictures of the Painted Stone Portage but didn't get lucky. I'll have to imagine what the 100 foot limestone walls look like. From the Canadian Heritage River Systems website...
The Hayes River has played a profound role in Canada’s history. Ancient campsites and pictographs testify to its importance as a route for Manitoba’s First Nations long before Europeans arrived. The Hayes River was the main route from York Factory on Hudson Bay to the interior of western Canada for fur traders, settlers, and explorers from 1670 until 1870, and played a key role in the integration of the Aboriginal way of life with the fur trade. The Hayes remains much as it was when the fur traders travelled on its waters, unaltered by dams and development. It is still an important transportation route and a source of traditional harvesting for First Nations peoples. For adventurous paddlers, its pristine wilderness, the First Nations communities along the river, and archaeological sites, including the remains of early fur trade posts, provide a link to its legacy as a trade and travel route. The entire 600 km Hayes River route from York Factory on Hudson Bay to Norway House on Lake Winnipeg, including the Echimamish River, remarkable for its two-way flow system, and 43 km of the Nelson River, is designated to the CHRS. Designated 2006
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.
The Voyageur Hudson Bay Crew paddled over 30 miles on June 17th, 2011. According to the SPOT they reached speeds of over 6 miles per hour. I'm guessing there was a little bit of current or whitewater to keep them going at that pace. Sounds like a fun day of paddling to me with great weather too. They started the day on Lake Numao, made a stop at the town of Pinawa and portaged around the Seven Sisters Falls. "Seven Sisters is the largest Winnipeg River producer of electricity with a capacity of 165 megawatts. The powerhouse was built from 1929 to 1931. Additional units were added between 1948 to 1952, doubling energy output. Today the powerhouse stretches 128 meters across a waterfall drop of 18.6 meters." Along the river near Pinawa and the Seven Sisters is Whitemouth Falls Provincial Park. This portion of the river doesn't look as appealing to me as other stretches of the Hudson Bay Expedition. The roads, towns, dams and boat and motor traffic doesn't appeal to me as much as the vast wilderness areas. The Crew hasn't seem much for canoers since they left the Quetico Park. I think they had only seen two canoes out on day trips but ran into a group of people on their own expedition while in Pinawa. Check out the Mountains to Montreal Canoe Trip website to read about their expedition.
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.
The Voyageur Crew never ceases to amaze me. Today they paddled 24 miles across the big bay of Lake of the Woods. They have left behind the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Quetico Provincial Park and now the state of Minnesota and the United States of America. The rest of their canoe camping trip will be in the great country of Canada. Their adventure on Lake of the Woods continues tomorrow. Having paddled on the Lake of the Woods with Mike many moons ago, I am envious of the Voyageur Crew. Mike began his canoeing career as a camper and guide at Lake Trails Base Camp. I fondly recall the summer after my Junior Year in High School when Mike asked if I wanted to be a camper for a session. I was a bit perplexed when he said there wasn't electricity on the island. I kindly declined since there would be no place to plug my curling iron in. Things have changed over the years and flat irons have replaced curling irons. I've also adjusted to no power and living in the middle of nowhere. I would love to be able to join the Crew on this amazing expedition and am so proud of them and their accomplishments. There are amazing adventures awaiting the Voyageur Crew and you if you're interested in paddling the BWCA with Voyageur this summer, just give us a call! 1-888-CANOEIT!
26 miles the Voyageur Expedition Crew paddled and portaged on the 11th day of their journey to Hudson Bay. They only had a few portages to contend with; a 50 rod from Lac La Croix to Loon and then an 80 rod from Loon Lake to Loon Lake River. When you look at Loon Lake on the map it looks like a loon in flight. Little Vermilion Lake is located immediately downstream of the Loon River. It is part of the Namakan Resevoir which includes Crane, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point Lakes. As they exited Little Vermillion Lake they left the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and will not be paddling the BWCA anymore this trip. They spent their first night outside of the BWCA on Sand Point Lake. Day 12 will find the Voyageur Crew paddling in a park of their own name, Voyageurs National Park.
The Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew are a group of over achievers. It shouldn't be suprising that they have already paddled to Lac La Croix when their itinerary doesn't have them there until the 5th of June.
The paddling crew has planned for days they won't be able to paddle due to weather. It's the wind in their face that is causing them the most trouble this canoe trip so far. Today the winds are steady in the high teens with gusts up to 30 miles per hour out of the West and WNW. That's the direction the Voyageur Crew is attempting to paddle and Lac La Croix is a large body of water that must have huge waves rolling today.
Lac La Croix makes Saganaga look small and it's 8500 acres larger than Basswood in the BWCA. It stretches 28 miles along the Minnesota/Ontario border and covers 34,070 acres and it's the largest of the Boundary Waters Lakes.
Saganaga is a large BWCA lake and today our tow boat drivers saw what she can do in the wind. It isn't a pretty sight unless you like waves coming over the sides of your boat or canoe. The wind pushes water one way, the waves move another and islands divert the waves in yet another direction. It's better to sit and wait for the waves to calm down rather than try to canoe a wilderness lake on a windy day.
More about Lac La Croix courtesy of the First Nation Website.
Our Community:
Lac La Croix which translated means “The Lake of the Cross” in the french language originated from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. However, to the Ojibway people, it is traditionally known as Zhingwaako Zaaga’igan meaning “Lake of the Pines”. Zhingwaako Zaaga’igan “Lake of the Pines”, is made in reference to the pines that surround the lake and are believed to provide protection to the community. To the Anishinabe people, the pine plays a significant role in the overall cultural practices, especially during times of harvesting fish and game for spring and fall feasts. This traditional process also includes honoring the spirits and the spiritual connection of Zhingwaako Zaaga’igan with expressions of gratitude and respect for the protection they provide. Historically, the forests were once dense with a limitless amount of pine and the respected elders of the community considered the lake and it’s natural environment as sacred to their people. The Anishinabe people of Zhingwaako Zaaga’igan continue to be guided by the inherent cultural practices and values passed on through many generations. To this day, they continue to maintain a spiritual connection and belief in the preservation of the natural environment. Lac La Croix First Nation is an Anishinabe community with a membership of 400+ people with approximately 300 persons residing in the community. it is located in Northwestern Ontario, approximately 95 km east of Fort Frances. Access to the community is by Flanders Road, an 80 km long all-weather road accessed by Highway 11, approximately 40 km west of Atikokan. The community is affiliated with Grand Council Treaty # 3 within Treaty # 3 territory.
You are WELCOME to join us for Dinner and Drinks at Hungry Jack Lodge on Saturday, May 21st at 7:30pm. We’re gathering to celebrate the upcoming voyage of The Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew. The trip is part of Celebrating Voyageurs 50 Years of Promoting Wilderness Adventures, 1961-2011. The crew is scheduled to depart from Grand Portage on Monday, May 23rd and with a little luck and a lot of perseverance they will make it to Hudson Bay by mid-August.
The Crew consists of past Voyageur Crew members Andrew Spaeth, Adam Maxwell and Mike Swenson. The 4th paddler, Will Tanner, worked at Wilderness Canoe Base. They’ve been strategizing, packing and planning their trip all winter long and are beyond excited to embark.
It’s an expensive endeavor and Voyageur along with a couple of other sponsors are taking care of many of the expenses. There are still plenty of bills to pay and you can help support them and their once in a lifetime adventure by donating online or by coming to Hungry Jack Lodge on Saturday evening.
We would love to have you share their enthusiasm and learn a little more about their adventure. They will all be at Hungry Jack Lodge, along with Mike and I and other past and present Voyageur Crew members. We know there will be good company and there will certainly be good food. On the menu is salad, chicken for the entrée and dessert. We’ll even buy you a drink or two to show our thanks.
If you know for sure you want to come then please email us at sue@canoeit.com or give us a call at Voyageur, 388-2224. You can let whoever answers the phone know your name and how many people will be in your party. Then we can give Hungry Jack a guesstimate of the number of folks planning to attend. The cost for the dinner is $35 and a portion of it will go to the Hudson Bay Expedition Crew. Be sure to check out the website for more information and photos of the guys. http://www.VoyageurHudsonBayExpedition.com
We hope to see you at Hungry Jack Lodge this Saturday, May 21st at 7:30pm!
P.S. If you can’t make it Saturday night then be sure to stop over Saturday or Sunday morning from 7-9am for some pancakes. $8 will get you all you can eat pancakes and a Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition Crew Member as a server! Hope to see you this weekend.
P.S.S. We’ll have lots of Voyageur gear at the Trash and Treasure Day Garage Sale on Saturday and Sunday. Come buy some clothing at 50% off to help celebrate Voyageur’s 50th Year Celebration.
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.
Anyone who has ever asked for sponsorships or donations knows how difficult it can be to find people willing to give you something. That's why I was absolutely shocked when I received a call out of the blue from a guy who wanted to donate canoe paddles to our Hudson Bay Expedition Crew. I forwarded his name to our Voyageur paddlers and this is what I heard.
Wow! Just stopped by Peter Jansen's place to check on the custom canoe paddles he's making for our Voyageur Hudson Bay Expedition trip! They are going to be gorgeous. Peter developed his paddle making skills working for Whiskey Jack Paddles formerly located near Duluth, and is looking to make a name for himself in the area. Most of his designs have been bent shaft paddles, but for our trip he is making straight shafts that we'll use on the rapids and rivers we come across. These beautiful cedar and black ash canoe paddles will definitely distinguish us... If there is anybody around in the wilderness to see us!
Voyageur Canoe Outfitters Hudson Bay Expedition Crew went for a test paddle over the weekend. It was the first time all four of them had canoed and camped together and from the way it sounds they'll be able to get along just fine for the 80+ days of their summer wilderness canoe trip.
The good thing about the weekend was the weather was not ideal for canoe camping. Freezing cold temperatures and sleet would have prevented most folks from taking a canoe trip for the weekend, but not the Voyageur Hudson Bay Crew. They went out in spite of the less than ideal weather and had a great time paddling and camping. Anyone can go camping when the sun is shining but when the elements aren't friendly it's a different story. Patience can get short when you're canoeing when it's cold and wet and that's the true test of a group's ability to get along. If you aren't convinced they can get along on their wilderness canoe camping trip then watch this quick video clip to see they are not only surviving but they are having fun too.
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.
This blog entry was written by Adam Maxwell and edited by me. He and three other young men are paddling from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay this summer.
The most feared experience among people paddling the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is the fear of capsizing. There aren't polar bears, grizzly bears, poisonous snakes or other deadly creatures to worry about in the BWCA but capsizing in the canoe country is a real risk, especially to those who paddle early in the spring or late in the fall.
I experienced the fear of capsizing in the Boundary Waters in early May of 2009 while working at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. I started my canoe camping trip the day before fishing opener for an early season, 8- day solo wilderness canoe trip. When I left American point there were still a few ice chunks floating on Saganaga Lake and plenty of snow hidden by the shade of the trees. After months of winter this trip was just what I needed. The solitude of the woods and the lake trout crusing the shallow water were calling my name.
On the fifth day of my Boundary Waters trip things took a turn for the worst. Just after leaving my BWCA campsite on Ogish I made the mistake of looking at my Boundary Waters map instead of the waves that were hitting my canoe. A gust of wind kicked up and the freezing cold water hit me like a brick. I was completely submerged in the water and at least 100 feet from shore. I could hear the last words Mike had said to me before I left, "Be careful, if you tip in this cold water you have about three minutes to get out of the lake."
I realized I needed to leave my canoe and main pack to swim toward shore with the little dry bag I had strapped to the thwart of my canoe. The bag contained a few items of clothing and some matches. When I made it to shore I was completely exhausted and with my first step onto land I stumbled and hit the ground. Struck with fear I retreated to the woods to escape the wind and put on what little dry clothing I had.
About an hour later I saw a group of canoeists, the first I had seen in three days. I yelled to them and in no time they had retrieved both my canoe and my pack. I knew I would make it through my worst moment in the BWCA.
Looking back I’m glad I experienced what I did. Nothing helps a person become a better paddler faster than a life threatening experience. The realization that a great day can turn deadly in a heartbeat has forced me to think through my actions better. It was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way, but a lesson I will never forget. Adam Maxwell
This lesson will help the Hudson Bay Expedition Crew as they make their way from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay this summer.
In May of 2011 a journey will begin for some modern day Voyageurs. Voyageur Canoe Outfitters crew members will start from Lake Superior and travel the route of the early Voyageurs all of the way to Hudson Bay. It is a canoe trip of a lifetime that will take months to complete. They will paddle rivers and lakes of all sizes and portage miles before their journey comes to an end. They will take us all along on their wilderness canoe trip as we follow them through our blog.
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?
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.
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