Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

First Family BWCA Trip
by Jonesy

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 07/04/2015
Entry & Exit Point: Lizz and Swamp Lakes (EP 47)
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 4
Trip Introduction:
This trip was something I thought to be a distant dream, something I'd only experience through others, but slowly I wore my wife and daughters down. This would be their first trip to the BWCA and would be planned around their abilities and goals. After reading and asking through the collective wisdom of BWCA.com we settled on EP 47 Lizz for this trip due to a combination of short portages, decent fishing, wildlife, and relative close proximity to an exit if needed. My wife and daughters (K age 10, M age 7) have done lots of overnight camping a state parks and various National Parks, but this would be their first self supported trip.
Day 1 of 6
Saturday, July 04, 2015

We arrived at Rockwood Lodge & Outfitters late in the afternoon after a relatively leisurely drive up the North Shore and a stop at Betty's Pies for lunch and pie.

We chatted with Mike & Lin about the area we'd be canoeing through when I remembered that board member Ducks asked me to say "hi". Mike immediately remembered who it was that paddled a tandem canoe backwards and had daughters with pink CCS packs. We received our permit, watched "the video", and headed off to the bunkhouse to unload our gear.

We explored Rockwood for a little while then left for dinner at the Trail Center which was very good. We spent a few minutes in the gift shop looking over the selections of "Camp Chow" and quickly added the cinnamon sugar fry bread to the food pack. With stomachs full we headed to the car only to be warned of our first wildlife sighting...a skunk. After giving a wide berth we headed to the bunkhouse for our last night in civilization.