Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Snowbank/Ima/Thomas
by GSP

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 08/22/2008
Entry & Exit Point: Snowbank Lake (EP 27)
Number of Days: 10
Group Size: 2
Trip Introduction:
Second trip of the year with a new canoe and area new to my paddling partner.
Day 1 of 10
Friday, August 22, 2008 Churchguide made it to Mankato about 4:30 pm. We dropped my dog at his babysitter for the week and went to Scheels and Gander Mountain to look at things we didn't need and had supper at Culvers. Everything was packed and loaded on/in the pickup by 9pm and we slept until 3am. We headed towards the Twin Cities before traffic began picking up. We stopped in Hinkley to have pecan carmel rolls at Tobie's and continued north. Our next destination was Spring Creek Outfitters and exchanging canoes. We bought a Wenonah Champlain in the spring and found it to be stable but hard to handle in big winds and did not cut the waves. I had spotted a Mad River tandem in the shed on the first trip and asked Chuck about the possibility of exchanging them. The MR was a Borealis only made in 2003. Chuck said it needed to have ribs to prevent oil canning, which they were willing to install. We exchanged canoes for $100 more with a new portage yoke/seat. We headed toward Ely and checked into VNO, bought a new water bottle and hat and put our things in the bunkhouse before going for pizza. Later that night Lynn brought another group over to the bunkhouse and they introduced themselves and shared they were headed to Quetico for a week. CG slept soundly but I was awake all night.