Hi all,
Just returned from a 5 day adventure starting at Mudro entry #23. Starting at entry to Mudro where you load your canoes in the water we picked up a 4 pack of water out of a 12 pack including the case.....so not like someone forgot it. Then down the 3 portages to Fourtown we picked up trash, all the way to Fairy and back. Very disappointing.

Those portages and entry where pristine last October.

Sounds like the trash business is picking up!

Seriously, bottled water in the BWCA? I may start selling the empties as bottled air.

old_salt: "...

Seriously, bottled water in the BWCA? I may start selling the empties as bottled air."

That made me laugh.

analyzer: "

old_salt: "...


Seriously, bottled water in the BWCA? I may start selling the empties as bottled air."

That made me laugh."

+1, bottled air - all ready to be rehydrated!

Sounds like the first miles of the Appalachian Trail.....where unwanted gear is 'flung'. I'd hate to see that begin in the BW. Hopefully more people that are going for the first time find this site and can pare down what they bring so they don't have to leave it on the trail...

Bryson's 'walk in the woods' is worth the read and the comments about hikers' realization of the things they really shouldn't have brought is comical.

This is nothing new to the BWCA. This is not from new people going in for the first time or new people who don’t care. We found trash and garbage when we started going to the BWCA in the early 80’s and like today we cleaned up what we could. The difference is that 30 years ago you might comment to a couple of people on a portage, or someone at the outfitters or a restaurant in Ely, while today it’s posted on a forum, everybody reads it and it sounds like trashed portages or campsites is a brand new phenomenon.

This May I found piles of turds and wipe all along the shore at my campsite on Rose Lake. If that wasn't bad enough, I lift a pie tin right on the shoreline and find an almost full bottle of Dawn dish soap. The latrine wasn't hard to find. Some people just don't care. I buried all the piles, just what I wanted on my vacation.

Seriously, bottled water in the BWCA? I may start selling the empties as bottled air."

Selling empties has already been done. We had cases of air sold at auction and got the price up to $20 each for a case of 24-16 oz bottles--all neatly packaged in the box with plastic wrap and everything. In actuality, this was a creative and funny way to solicit donations at a fundraiser.

I guess I can't let that stuff ruin my trip....or like being flicked off because I'm going too slow etc. Some people will never 'get it' and that is too sad.

dr bob

DrBobDg: "I guess I can't let that stuff ruin my trip....or like being flicked off because I'm going too slow etc. Some people will never 'get it' and that is too sad.


dr bob"

I agree... And yes it's not new... But it seems to go in splurts. I'm thankful for the many people that pick up after these careless folks who just don't have a clue. When you have the number of people the BW has your bound to have some of that.

old_salt: "Sounds like the trash business is picking up!

Seriously, bottled water in the BWCA? I may start selling the empties as bottled air."

Those aren't empty bottles, Old Salt. It is the new fad. Lightweight backpacking dehydrated water, just add H2O. You can double the price that way.

nctry: "

DrBobDg: "I guess I can't let that stuff ruin my trip....or like being flicked off because I'm going too slow etc. Some people will never 'get it' and that is too sad.



dr bob"

I agree... And yes it's not new... But it seems to go in splurts. I'm thankful for the many people that pick up after these careless folks who just don't have a clue. When you have the number of people the BW has your bound to have some of that. "

Oh......they have a clue, alright. More like self-centered and/or don't give a damn. With that sort, it's always about 'them' and rarely about consideration of others. I suspect it goes beyond LNT & BWCA rules, too.
Doesn't ruin my trips but still...it chaps my hide.

There are people who toss trash along my beautiful wooded road. I remove it, but with great distaste and caution because I figure a person so lazy that they can't dispose of trash is also too lazy to properly clean themselves: I imagine lice, crabs, and ticks.

My solo a couple of weeks ago was the 1st time I remember NOT having to pack out anyone's garbage. Most of the time though it's just a few little pieces, but sometimes it's worse. Each year I do a daddy/daughter trip w/one of the ducklings and they've each made a comment about the mess others make and whether or not they pay attention when they watch the video. They always tell me we should pack it out :)

Both of these pics are from big ducklings trip to Crocodile a couple of years ago.

We always take one bottle each of water liter size into the BW. It is used along the way to the first camp which is a base camp. At camp, it is used as an individual water cup which is easily filled from the gravity filter.