I think it is great friends good weather and booze

Since this post is in the fishing forum, I assume that good fishing is part of making a good BWCA trip.

With that said, I think the answer to this question falls into two categories: 1) things I can control and 2) things I can't control

Things I can control:

1. good planning
2. good friends
3. good attitude

Things I can't control:

1. good fishing
2. good weather
3. that everyone else has a good attitude

There are no guarantees with the things I can't control, so I make sure to focus on the things I can control.

any trip is a good trip!

This could really get to be a deep subject, but along with the good fishing, good weather, etc, I have to throw in the safety aspect...nobody gets hurt and no equipment lost/damaged.

everything

Good tripping partners are number one IMHO. You can overcome most everything else thrown at you if you have a good group.

Hey, look! I earned my 2nd pine tree!!

What does that mean...?

Careful and detailed route planning
Good meals
Great tripping partners
lots of fish
cool weather (60's and 70's)

"Good tripping partners are number one IMHO. You can overcome most everything else thrown at you if you have a good group."

Very well said Snakecharmer!

MagicStik

Hiker,
Your second tree means you now get to pay the bill at the next BWCA.com get together. I know I speak for all of us when I say thanks for all the beers! ;-)

As for what makes a good trip, good company is always a huge, huge part of it. I can't imagine truly enjoying a canoe trip if I'm with a bunch of people who don't have some sort of friendship connection.

Can it be done? Of course. Most people can be polite and courteous to each other, but there is usually more enjoyment if good friends are involved.

And along the same lines as the thread about the perfect size for a group, if all members are on the same page regarding expectations of the trip, that helps a lot, too. Doesn't matter if it's four people or eight people. A group with some who want to cover lots of miles intermixed with others who want to fish a lot might make for some friction. Of course, that should be discussed before leaving home.

The other thing that makes a good trip, at least for this angler, is catching fish. It's amazing how everyone's spirits go up a few notches when the fish are biting. Weather is important, good meals are important and friendship is important. If the fish are biting, it's icing on the cake. Some might even say it's the cake itself.

For me a good trip would be one where the people i have invited up with me are haveing fun and enjoying their trip. On my last trip nothing pleased me more than to see my girlfriend land a 13 inch northern for her first fish, the look on her face when she saw her first bald eagle soar above us or the cow moose with twin calves wadeing in the water at 75 yards out. Anytime the people I go with have a good trip, I have a good trip.

snakecharmer is spot on.

Kanoes, that's because he has great tripping partners!

I think as long as everyone comes back safe, every trip with good and bad experiences makes for a terrific trip. Good weather helps as does good fishing, and some good booze can take care of any "bad" tripmates. 4 go in, 3 come out!!

I try to take full advantage of every calm morning and evening. These are by far the best times of day to be alive in the BW, and I don't get there often enough to take them for granted. I sit on a rock, go for a paddle, whatever. It often makes the trip for me.

The sunset in the bwca on a lake...... It does not get any better. period. that makes the entire trip, good fishing/bad fishing is still better than metro living......I wish I could talk me girlfreind to moving up to grand marias... i failed

Well you have to bait her its going to take time but I am working on my wife to retire up the granted thats not for 25 years but I think I can get done by then lol Keep working on it

Well there 325..your forest is growing!And being there with a good group is good for me as well. Throwing in the line is next however!

Some of my best trips have had terrible weather. But I do appreciate good weather, I expect good fishing and solitude. Anything else is a bonus.

I think it's the people. Some trips I have taken were with people I hardly knew, and they were ok trips. But ALL of the really good trips I have taken were with people that I knew well and we tailored the trip to the group likes/dislikes. A good BWCAW trips is one set up for the group to enjoy.

Nothing worse than an individual that does not like the outdoors but is going because of the "frienship" factor. They will complain and gripe and ruin the trip for everyone! Consequently, I agree with the majority in that the group you go with makes up the vibe of the trip!

Good Weather

Just being 250 miles away from the Twin Cities for a few days is enough for me.

For me the weather is the biggest factor.

With good weather people have better attitudes and I would be more tolerable of different issues that I may have with others in my group.

Besides, I guess I'm pretty carefull who I go to the BWCA with and have only had one issue in a dozen+ trips.

Hey grouseman, Whats was the issue?

Getting to go... the weather doesn't matter, fish not biting really doesn't matter (although I go to fish), even a possible bad canoeing partner can be dealt with, as long as I am there... even an injury as long as I am still mobile is able to be dealt with!

Bruce

I've never had a bad trip:
had bad weather (cold, rainy, windy and miserable)
had injuries going in to trip mates (sprained knees and back spasms)
had poor fishing on several occasions
had trip mates push each others buttons and nearly come to blows
But I can honestly say that I have never had a bad trip and it all comes down to the "great eight". You get the right group and everything else takes care of itself.

Being there. 'Nuff said.

agree with gutmon.