I'm sure I'm revealing even more of my ignorance (which is monumental), but I was wondering if I could get a little guidance on the Minnesota area Boundary Waters region. I never even knew about this area (please note, my background is in sailing, not paddling), until the last few weeks. I stumbled on a magazine dedicated to the area, and then ran across an article in Canoe & Kayak mag about it. It looks like a tremendous area for paddling. Are there any list members who live or paddle in that area? If this is a dumb question, please forgive me. As I've indicated before, I'm relatively new to this sport and still learning. Thanks. Mark L. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
It is a great area for paddling. A several hundred (thousand?) square mile area that straddles the Minnesota - Canadian Border. It links to Voyagers Park and Quetico. The area is quite heavily restricted to keep if from being loved to death. There are required permits for entry, limits on number of craft (4) number of people in a party (9), where power boats are permitted, etc. Power boats are restricted to the perimeter areas. Parts of the area can be quite crowded from early June through August, but with a little work and a couple of portages you can find solitude. Permits for the popular areas during the summer can be difficult to get. Prior planning and/or flexibility is recommended. It is primarily a canoe area. It is a thousand small lakes linked by portages ranging from a few meters to over a kilometer. Most find portaging a canoe much easier than dealing with moving a kayak over a portage. However if you plan your trip right and accept the limitations it can be a great kayak area. One of the better information sites is at: http://www.gis.umn.edu/snf/bwcaw/ Piragis rents sea kayaks in Ely which one of the key entry points into the area. They have a web site at www.piragis.com. They can set you up with anything from just a kayak to a complete outfitting. There are some other great outfitters in the area but Piragis is the only one I know that rents sea kayaks. Went up the first week in October two years ago. The crowds thin the end of August. By October had the place almost to myself if you don't count eagles, moose, and loons. At 01:25 AM 04-24-2000 -0000, Sailboat Restorations, Inc. wrote: >I'm sure I'm revealing even more of my ignorance (which is monumental), but >I was wondering if I could get a little guidance on the Minnesota area >Boundary Waters region. I never even knew about this area (please note, my >background is in sailing, not paddling), until the last few weeks. I >stumbled on a magazine dedicated to the area, and then ran across an article >in Canoe & Kayak mag about it. It looks like a tremendous area for >paddling. Are there any list members who live or paddle in that area? If >this is a dumb question, please forgive me. As I've indicated before, I'm >relatively new to this sport and still learning. Thanks. >Mark L. > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not >to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark and Bob, I went on a week long canoe trip with my Dad, brother, and Uncle into the BWCA when I was about 14 or so, and though details are fuzzy now, I do remember that we were hopelessly confused most of the time as to what lake we were on and where we were exactly (many of the lakes didn't have names). Nothing serious, and I don't know if the map was faulty or the adults navigation. I think a GPS would be a good investment for your trip. Also, gloves and a mosquito net for the head. Most of all, I remember dreading going to the powder room and exposing my backside to thousands of biting insects. -Nick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The maps have gotten a lot better, the mosquitos, black flies, etc haven't. Generally, if you go after mid June/early July the bugs aren't bad during the day. In late July we generally did not even use bug dope on the water. Some of the portages can be bad for bugs and make sure you relieve your self and are inside a tent with good bug screens by dusk. If you can't make it through the nite without a pee break a jar is recommended. One evening I counted over 100 mosquitoes on the tent screen. We found that the maps now are so good that we didn't even really use the compass until we got lost. As long as you keep track of what lake you are on, you can generally keep very good track of your position by campsites and other landmarks. I took a group of Scouts up and we let the Scouts navigate. We got lost once all week when I told my (then) 14 year old son that he was wrong about where we were. He wasn't and it took four hours in the rain to fix the error. The scenery, animals, and fishing make it well worth the few welts. I remember the loons and moose far more than the bugs. My son seems to remember chasing the bear out of camp, and me getting them lost. At 04:10 PM 04-24-2000 -0700, Nick Von Robison wrote: > > >Mark and Bob, > >I went on a week long canoe trip with my Dad, brother, and Uncle into the BWCA >when I was about 14 or so, and though details are fuzzy now, I do remember that >we were hopelessly confused most of the time as to what lake we were on and where >we were exactly (many of the lakes didn't have names). Nothing serious, and I >don't know if the map was faulty or the adults navigation. I think a GPS would >be a good investment for your trip. Also, gloves and a mosquito net for the >head. Most of all, I remember dreading going to the powder room and exposing my >backside to thousands of biting insects. > >-Nick > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> At 01:25 AM 04-24-2000 -0000, Sailboat Restorations, Inc. wrote: > >I'm sure I'm revealing even more of my ignorance (which is > monumental), but > >I was wondering if I could get a little guidance on the > Minnesota area > >Boundary Waters region. I'm sure Chuck Holst or Dana or some of the other Minnesota paddlers can give you more details, but I seem to recall that the Boundary Waters area got nailed with a BAD storm last year that blew down hundreds of square miles of trees. I don't know how this has affected portage trails etc or what impacts the dead blowdowns will have as "fire-season" approaches. Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 09:58 AM 4/24/00 -0800, Seng, Dave wrote: > > I'm sure Chuck Holst or Dana or some of the other Minnesota paddlers can >give you more details, but I seem to recall that the Boundary Waters area >got nailed with a BAD storm last year that blew down hundreds of square >miles of trees. I don't know how this has affected portage trails etc or >what impacts the dead blowdowns will have as "fire-season" approaches. I'm not a Minnesotan, but have been kept a little up to date due to trail issues that I'm concerned with. The portage trails have been cleared out, and clearing is planned on hiking trails in the area. There is considerable concern about future fire danger, and some areas may see closures in the next few years, as the fuel index is intense and will get worse as time passes and this stuff dries out. (I have this unhappy vision of a cluster of canoes gathered in the middle of a none too large lake, watching the fire on every side. However, much of the BWCAW escaped serious damage. The worst damaged part is the southern part, between roughtly Snowbank Lake and the Gunflint Trail. -- Wes *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Strongly recommend Cabelas Canadian made bug hat with under arm straps...although I had a very good bug jacket, the hat was all I used in a 5 week trip on the Barrens, last summer. I used <2 1.5 oz bottles of DEET, the entire trip. As for a "Jar"... my wife swears by it, and it has "saved her butt" many a night on trips in northern Canada. The one quart plastic food storage jars, with a 3 1/2inch opening works well. Cost: <$2 at any Kmart type store. There haven't been any mishaps (yet). ----- Original Message ----- From: <whiterabbit_at_empowering.com> To: "Nick Von Robison" <n.v.rob_at_deltanet.com> Cc: "Sailboat Restorations, Inc." <sailboatrestorations_at_worldnet.att.net>; <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 8:03 PM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Boundary Waters Region > The maps have gotten a lot better, the mosquitos, black flies, etc haven't. (SNIP) > > Generally, if you go after mid June/early July the bugs aren't bad during > the day. In late July we generally did not even use bug dope on the water. > Some of the portages can be bad for bugs and make sure you relieve your > self and are inside a tent with good bug screens by dusk. If you can't > make it through the nite without a pee break a jar is recommended. One > evening I counted over 100 mosquitoes on the tent screen. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Glad to hear the maps have gotten better. Reliving this BWCA trip some 34 years ago on PW, I called my dad and we reminisced about it some. I was amazed that he and Uncle Dick were navigatiing by compass, sextant, artificial horizon, and HO 208 tables....which are accurate to about 2 NM, 1 NM at best with an artificial horizon..<g> He does remember though that the charting and positions of the lakes were badly done and nothing ever tweaked up right, except for the bigger lakes. An amazing feat if they can chart all these small lakes accurately now, maybe through satellite imagery and non-selective governmental GPS? A lot of fun anyway, and in spite of the insects, I have wonderful memories about this trip to this day and am glad something is being done to save it "being loved to death". Have a great trip Mark, and give a return cackle to a loon for me! You'll never regret this trip and have wonderful memories of it. -Nick whiterabbit_at_empowering.com wrote: > The maps have gotten a lot better, the mosquitos, black flies, etc haven't. > > Generally, if you go after mid June/early July the bugs aren't bad during > the day. In late July we generally did not even use bug dope on the water. > Some of the portages can be bad for bugs and make sure you relieve your > self and are inside a tent with good bug screens by dusk. If you can't > make it through the nite without a pee break a jar is recommended. One > evening I counted over 100 mosquitoes on the tent screen. > > We found that the maps now are so good that we didn't even really use the > compass until we got lost. As long as you keep track of what lake you are > on, you can generally keep very good track of your position by campsites > and other landmarks. I took a group of Scouts up and we let the Scouts > navigate. We got lost once all week when I told my (then) 14 year old son > that he was wrong about where we were. He wasn't and it took four hours in > the rain to fix the error. > > The scenery, animals, and fishing make it well worth the few welts. I > remember the loons and moose far more than the bugs. My son seems to > remember chasing the bear out of camp, and me getting them lost. > > At 04:10 PM 04-24-2000 -0700, Nick Von Robison wrote: > > > > > >Mark and Bob, > > > >I went on a week long canoe trip with my Dad, brother, and Uncle into the > BWCA > >when I was about 14 or so, and though details are fuzzy now, I do remember > that > >we were hopelessly confused most of the time as to what lake we were on > and where > >we were exactly (many of the lakes didn't have names). Nothing serious, > and I > >don't know if the map was faulty or the adults navigation. I think a GPS > would > >be a good investment for your trip. Also, gloves and a mosquito net for the > >head. Most of all, I remember dreading going to the powder room and > exposing my > >backside to thousands of biting insects. > > > >-Nick > > > > > > > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark, The BWCAW is a great place to paddle. In my opinion kayaks are not the best choice for this area. I base my opinion on the problem with portages. In a canoe gear is packed in large bags, typically one or two per person, while in sea kayaks we tend to pack our gear in lots of little drybags. Even if you bring an empty large bag to transport your gear the portages will take longer to do. In addition sea kayaks are not designed to be portaged. There are a few lakes and routes in the BWCAW that do not require 3-4 portages per day, some of them are the larger lakes where motors are permited, so you would have to be willing to put up with the noise and sometimes hostility of motorboaters. Another problem is that parties are limited to 3 boats or 9 persons. With solo kayaks this effectively limits a group trip to 3 people. Next to the BWCAW is Voyageur's National Park. Inland Sea Kayakers had a trip to Voyageurs NP last year and we are doing another trip in August of this year. A description and photos are on our website, http://www.isk.canoe-kayak.org/. Other options in the area are going into Quetico, a Canadian park with fewer restrictions than the BWCAW or, paddling on Lake Superior. The windstorm last year did knock down lots of trees and the question is when will the fire happen not if it will happen. Most of the BWCAW was untouched by the storm, the difficulty is that the areas that were hit were among the most popular. The biting insects can be a problem, there are lots of breeding areas in the BWCAW. Dana >-----Original Message----- >Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 01:25:16 -0000 >From: "Sailboat Restorations, Inc." ><sailboatrestorations_at_worldnet.att.net> >Subject: [Paddlewise] Boundary Waters Region > >I'm sure I'm revealing even more of my ignorance (which is >monumental), but >I was wondering if I could get a little guidance on the >Minnesota area >Boundary Waters region. I never even knew about this area >(please note, my >background is in sailing, not paddling), until the last few >weeks. I >stumbled on a magazine dedicated to the area, and then ran >across an article >in Canoe & Kayak mag about it. It looks like a tremendous area for >paddling. Are there any list members who live or paddle in >that area? If >this is a dumb question, please forgive me. As I've >indicated before, I'm >relatively new to this sport and still learning. Thanks. >Mark L. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
http://www.bwcaonline.com/bwca.html is a fairly good starting point for BWCA info. The site seems to get a bit more commercial each year. Ah well. I find the map discussions kind of fun. Back in the '70s we used to go up to the BWCA and navigate using the W.A. Fisher maps. We always knew which lake we were on. Portages and campsites were almost always "close" - meaning "look around the next point if it isn't here". SInce then I've had the opportunity of navigating up there with the updated USGS maps. It's a little odd *knowing* exactly *which* island you're at on some of the more confusing lakes. Paul M *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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