The oldest grandson and his college friends might be able to take me along on their August trip. I get to pick the route since they will be taking me somewhere that I could never get to on my own any more. Where should we go??
6-7 days - move everyday, 4 canoes, 9 people, all strong (except me.) and willing. Either Ely or G.M. Interested in the Border for some miles? Not afraid of big water. Straight route - (have family to shuttle).

Curtain Falls!
Moose River, Lac La Croix, Iron Lake, Day trip to curtain. Out the Beartrap river

Did PP to Seagull last Sept. on way back from Quetico. I took 4 days 3 nites solo dropping to Eddy and out via Ogish. Add paddling Moose and Newfound and you have 6 to 7 days of easy paddling. Is that what you consider a straight route?

butthead

If you can get a shuttle, I think I'd be inclined to go to Seagull or furthest east and take out at EP14. I love paddling LLC and poking around the islands.

Oh, forgot to say - these kids did Moose River North to LLC, Crooked, east and out Basswood to Fall - the last time they took me on a trip. They have also taken me up Moose Lake east along the border and looped back through Amoeber, Hanson and South Arm - back to Moose.
They are willing and able - Each time they "escort" me, I am super grateful. - never know when it will be the last. They keep getting real jobs and have less and less time for trips.

Any interest in the Q?

quote redbeardcanoeworks: "Curtain Falls!
Moose River, Lac La Croix, Iron Lake, Day trip to curtain. Out the Beartrap river "

or go up little indian sioux, continue on border through crooked lake then down to mudro. if i had a last trip (maybe) to the BWCA it would have to pass curtain falls.

I don't know if you're locked into the big water/border route idea or not, but . . .

Personally, if I had sherpas and a shuttle, I'd start somewhere between the Sawbill Trail and the end of the Gunflint Trail and go across and exit over on the Ely side or vice versa. A lot of options depending on how far and fast you can travel . . .

The Frost and Louse Rivers, etc.

quote boonie: "I don't know if you're locked into the big water/border route idea or not, but . . .


Personally, if I had sherpas and a shuttle, I'd start somewhere between the Sawbill Trail and the end of the Gunflint Trail and go across and exit over on the Ely side or vice versa. A lot of options depending on how far and fast you can travel . . .


The Frost and Louse Rivers, etc. "

+1. Frost and/or Louse River.

Start out at Little John or McFarland off the Arrowhead trail. Either go up the Royal to North Fowl or head out across Pine and see Johnson Falls. You can end up anywhere on the Gunflint and it be a good trip. I know you have people to shuttle, but there's this canoe guy who can't do much paddling that would love to meet you at your destination and run you and yours up to the put in. Can't fit nine in my truck but all four canoes and gear and four or five people. I'll be looking for excuses to head that way and camp and such. I kind of want to hike the Grand Portage trail and maybe camp up at the end sometime. Maybe my backpacking daughter will come to do that with me.

Ben, Good idea! We could make a good team to get these "kids" into the BWCA! You are on my list!! If the kids don't follow through with this trip, we should just head up and see the world for ourselves.

Two thumbs up. I just want to camp and enjoy what I can. I don't want to slow anyone down or take away from a possibility of a good trip from anyone. Lots of options out there I think.

quote nctry: "Two thumbs up. I just want to camp and enjoy what I can. I don't want to slow anyone down or take away from a possibility of a good trip from anyone. Lots of options out there I think."

You bet - even on your "slow" days - you are probably much faster than a 20 year old whimpy kid! I have checked out the world up past Arrowhead Trail on #61 - and Grand Marias camping - I fell in love with Devil's track camp ground. There is also a poor but doable campground at Grand Portage by their marina where some of the Challenge folks have stayed. Great possibilities - we will have to make plans!

quote AmarilloJim: "Any interest in the Q?"

The dreaded double post.

quote AmarilloJim: "Any interest in the Q?"

Bingo. Last trip in the BW I did a few years back was frustrating. Too many people, and stressing out about finding a site defeats the purpose of the trip.

Make them work for their supper. How about Moose and then across all the little lakes just south of the border route? Splash, Ensign, Vera, Missionary, Spoon, Pickle, Kekekabic, Ogishkemuncie, Alpine, Red Rock, Saganaga. I know I missed several, but you get the idea. You can stop at the end of the Gunflint, or If they knock that out in 3-4 days, keep going to Grand Portage with the same concept. Consider it a scouting trip for an alternate Challenge route. :-)

quote paddlinjoe: "Make them work for their supper. How about Moose and then across all the little lakes just south of the border route? Splash, Ensign, Vera, Missionary, Spoon, Pickle, Kekekabic, Ogishkemuncie, Alpine, Red Rock, Saganaga. I know I missed several, but you get the idea. You can stop at the end of the Gunflint, or If they knock that out in 3-4 days, keep going to Grand Portage with the same concept. Consider it a scouting trip for an alternate Challenge route. :-)"

Thanks Joe, -I am currently thinking of starting at Sag - Trail's End and pulling out on Little John -(loop around at South Fowl). I am only concerned about a couple of the portages on the Granite River area being difficult for me. But, if the "kids" help this Grandma some - I have been told I can probably do just fine. That being said - it was a couple of my Challenge friends who gave me that advice - they can do just about anything - so I have to really think this through. Hope you are planning to joint the Challenge again next summer!!

With your spunk I'm sure you'll do just fine. It is so fun to see that you get three generations involved in the Boundary Waters in that way.

I look forward to going through that area, hopefully next year. It will be all or nothing next time. As much as I enjoyed meeting everyone at the start, not being there for the camaraderie at the end leaves a bit of a hole. Thanks again for your enthusiasm and logistics coverage of the challenge.

I'll bet you'll be fine on the Granite River with help. The Granite has a flavor of it's own. Very smart to consider this section. I'll have to go back and look if you had dates set for this yet. July 6 7 and 8 is the Goodland Wing Night you should know.
I might find my own Sherpas and explore south fowl to grand portage. Haha.

the kids are leaning toward Labor Day weekend so they get that extra day off. Some of them have to go back to school right after Labor Day. this timing would give me a couple of weeks before the Challenge - those dates are not set as yet but I hope they don't conflict.
So, July Goodland weekend sounds good!

I don't dare ask these guys to tell me where to go. They are likely to tell me just where I can go!!;)

quote pswith5: "I don't dare ask these guys to tell me where to go. They are likely to tell me just where I can go!!;)"

My problem is that they DO tell me where they think I can go! (That would be almost anywhere) My family calls "my canoe guys" my own personal "enablers". Family wants to know which ones of them are going to come and "save me" when I am in "over my head" - maybe literally?

quote Grandma L: "

quote pswith5: "I don't dare ask these guys to tell me where to go. They are likely to tell me just where I can go!!;)"

My problem is that they DO tell me where they think I can go! (That would be almost anywhere) My family calls "my canoe guys" my own personal "enablers". Family wants to know which ones of them are going to come and "save me" when I am in "over my head" - maybe literally? "

Put me on the list.

So Ben, which list - the "save me List" or the "enabler list" thinking it over - probably both! hee hee

Think in terms of a 5 day trip if nothing goes as planned. If everything is going well, then "add" 1 or 2 days to a side trip along the way. If that were to happen, you would be able to base camp on day 4 and/or 5 to see your choice of lakes and what is around that area you travel to. You with your strong help could easily travel 15 to 20 miles or so on this/these day trip(s) by traveling light and leaving early. Sounds fun.

redbeardcanoeworks: "Curtain Falls!
Moose River, Lac La Croix, Iron Lake, Day trip to curtain. Out the Beartrap river "

I too was going to suggest Iron Lake, and the Beartrap River.

Cool!

You could enter Mudro; go west ; then out the beartrap to iron then out bottle and out nina 16.