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Map Mondays – Week 1 – Hog Creek to Skipper/Portage
As part of our continuing series on the “route planning game,” we are creating routes using randomly selected entry points, exit points, and number of days to create unique and fun BWCA routes. This week is a big trip of nine nights from Hog Creek to Skipper/Portage. It’s certainly a big and challenging route, but…
How to See the BWCA in One Trip
When it comes to planning trips, I can be a bit of a dreamer, and if you’re anything like me, you spend a great deal of time thinking about what could be possible. I may not have the days lined up or the permits pulled yet. I may not even know which friends will…
8 Great Places to Canoe/Kayak Camp this Fall in Minnesota
Fall is a magical time of the year to get out and enjoy nature. And for me, I think it’s my favorite season to head out in a canoe to relish in the fleeting days of open water. The Boundary Waters are so special this time of year, and next week’s article will cover how…
Smoke On the Horizon – How Fire Towers Changed BWCA History
A drive out from Ely today, and you won’t see many fire towers. They’ve vanished as antiquated methods of dutiful rangers past. But less people remember how those fire towers have shaped our wilderness experiences.
The Annual Border Challenges – A BeaV Perspective
We are a week away from the annual Minnesota Border Route Canoe Challenges hosted by The Water Tribe. Each year, a small-yet-dedicated crew set off from Sha Sha Resort near International Falls, from Crane Lake or Little Indian Sioux on the western edge of the BWCA, or from Moose Lake off the Fernberg with the…
Map Mondays – Week 9 – Trout to Moose River South
As part of our continuing series on the “route planning game,” we are creating routes using randomly selected entry points, exit points, and number of days to create unique and fun BWCA routes. This route highlights a route across the rugged western section of the BWCA. Check it out: Total Mileage: 35.2 milesNights: 5Paddle Distance:…
Leave it to Beaver – How Beavers Change the BWCA
When I study nature, I love to learn about the superlatives. I appreciate how the tallest mountains, the biggest trees, or the oldest animals have a way to serve as ambassadors, helping people to appreciate the natural world even if they don’t understand the “nitty-gritty” science of everything. It’s with this mindset that I set…
10 Lost Routes in the BWCA
Warm weather in February is a dangerous thing. If it’s too warm, the mind starts wandering ahead to summer canoe adventures. Warm weather only intensifies the time spent pouring over maps both in remembering treasured trips past and scheming the ones to come. And for me, one of the things I’m looking for on the…
How to Hike the BWCA this Fall
For those of us whose Boundary Waters trips don’t end with canoe season, Fall can be a challenging time to decide what activities to pursue. As the ice begins to line the outer edges of the lakes and canoeing becomes tougher, it’s just the perfect time of the year to hit the trails and backpack…
The Best Month To Plan A Canoe Trip? Might Be September…
For most of us, the best time to go on a canoe trip is any and every opportunity presented. But if you have a little flexibility in planning your trip, September is a wonderful month to visit canoe country. Here are a few reasons why September might be the best month to plan a wilderness canoe…
This is excellent. Like you, the permit pickup process and watching the video is part of my BWCAW memories. Thank you for taking the time to research and compare these videos and the regulations.