Boundary Waters recomendations... Pics on Pg. 2 (8-21-2011)

[WarPony]

Anna and I are planning a BWCAW trip this year (August). I was wondering if any of you have any recomendations for outfitters there. My bud, Tony (exminnestoaboy) has been in great contact with me about this.
I'm thinking this will be the first vacation in 5 years that doesn't involve a homebuilt camper..........

Jeff

[Pizzaguy]

What entry point? Ely or the Gunflint Trail? I'm kinda partial to the Gunflint.

Try these guys.....

http://www.seagulloutfitters.com/

They know their stuff.

Bruce

[Miriam C.]

[Toytaco2]

I haven't been in the area in a long time so can't recommend an outfitter. However, if you are not already very physically active and working out regularly, I would start a training program now to be ready. The better physical condition you are in, the more fun you will have.

Also, pack as light as you possibly can. Those portages can be long and its best if you can do them in one trip.

All in all, its a great trip and you'll get into wilderness areas that you will never see in any other way but by canoe.

Have fun,

Mike

[JohnnyG]

I like these guys and they're right next to one of my favorite entry points.
http://www.sawbill.com/
Fun to read their newsletter link. I also like the Parent lake entry to the west and Brule to the east. Too many people choose the Ely (west side) entries for my taste. Although Ely is cool (one of Charles Kuralts favorite towns). If you do get to Ely you must check out Jim Brandenburgs studio. He's a world famous exNat Geo photographer that lives there.
http://www.jimbrandenburg.com/
I would say enter before late morning in order to find your first campsite, by then some will have moved on and you'll beat the rush of campers that pick up their permit in Tofte.

[sid]

Hey Jeff,

I wish we were going this year! We had it all planned two years ago and Pat went back to work for a year and we haven't gotten back to working it in.

I've been twice out of Ely into the Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. Absolutely fabulous. Both times with the Boy Scouts. My oldest son worked a couple of years up there as a canoe guide with the Scouts.

I don't have a lot of advice, other than to add that going into the Quetico is worth the trip. No motor boats!

I'll be watching your plans....

Mark and Pat

[Pete S]

If you are going from the Gunflint side be aware that there is a big area that burned a couple years back. We were up there last year and I thought it looked eerie as hell. Find a map of the burned part and you can choose to stay out of it.

Since I have all my own stuff I never use the outfitters, which means I can't really answer your original question. Here are a couple links you may find useful:

http://bwcaboard.com/board/index.php?si ... dbbd46fcee

http://my.bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction ... e&confId=1

[Miriam C.]

www.quietjourney.com

Found this while reading the Spring issue of Boundry Waters Journal magazine. You might want to get this issue and read it. Has some great articles not only on tripping but on "Staying Found" and lots of information from guides.....

I do hope you have lots of fun..

[Miriam C.]

Oh yeah Map information!
http://www.bwcamaps.com/combinedbwca.htm

[WarPony]

Thanks, M. This will help us out alot. We're looking at doing a 4-5 day trip. We can canoe 20-25 miles a day on a river trip so I'm thinking we'll go around 10 miles on flatwater. I'd like to find islands to camp on at nights so we don't have to worry about hiding our food from bears but we'll see.

Jeff

[Pizzaguy]

I'd like to find islands to camp on at nights so we don't have to worry about hiding our food from bears but we'll see.

Jeff

Ya might wanna rethink that one, them bears are notorious for swimmin from island to island.

Bruce

[WarPony]

Ya might wanna rethink that one, them bears are notorious for swimmin from island to island.

Crap!! Well, I guess we'll have to deal with the critters then.

Jeff

[Miriam C.]

A good outfitter will make sure you know how to put your food up. Seems most of the established camping areas have trees just for the purpose. Evidently they have latrines too just have never seen a picture of one. Sounds like a hole in the ground sometimes.

Sure wish I had gone while I was young and in good enough shape to go....

[Pete S]

I remember being in Dorothy Molter's Root Beer store on an island in Knife lake. She had a page from a Minneapolis paper with a large photo of her "wrestling" with a bear in a (small) rapids. OK, bad example, that bear probably grew up on her island and was more of a pet...

Bears pretty much have one thing in mind and that is food and from your picture I'd have to say that you really don't look much like a blueberry patch. You probably won't see them on the portages and if you do they won't exactly be holding "will work for food" signs. They MAY show up at night around your campsite though.

Two things I recommend in that department:

1) Don't bring ANYTHING that even resembles food into your tent. Gum, candy, bees-wax lip balm, maybe some lipstick type products are out...

2) Bring a rock-sock. A rock-sock is a sock that you put rocks into so that when you tie a line to it you can toss it over a tree limb. Use that line to hoist your food packs out of reach. I found out what they can do to a Duluth pack with just a couple swipes...

Now if you happen to camp halfway up Stairway portage between Rose and Duncan you better watch out for the chipmunks. The most cunning, persistent, fearless little pack raiders you ever did see. That and there are a million of them!

Now, about trying to drive tent stakes into granite...

[WarPony]

Alright, alright, alright......... the wheels are in motion for our vacay!! We chose to go with www.canoecountryoutfitters.com for our outfitter. They have been great emailers with all of the questions I've had and the canoe options are right up our alley.

Thank you all for the links and recomendations you've given us. Once again, this is the best site to ask questions for outdoor activities on!!

Jeff