Boundary Waters, Message Board, Forum, BWCA, BWCAW, Quetico Park
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
    Trip Planning Forum
       Recommendations Fall Father/Daughter Trip?
          Reply
Date/Time: 03/28/2024 05:07PM
Recommendations Fall Father/Daughter Trip?

* Help stop spam. Please enter the lake name you see over the flying moose.

  

Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
scotttimm 07/21/2019 09:37AM
Gary Carstens: "Hey Scott, you may remember me from your Fairfield days. I am that potter from Dubuque who visited you guys with Briggs. Just thought I weigh in on the fall trip. Im going up the first week of sept this year and doing my Moose to Birch to Knife Lake trip. This is great family route with lots to see and fishing is pretty good on Knife. Have not done lakers but they are in there. Good for bass and walleye. Isle of Pines, Eddy falls, if you go the north arm there is Ottertrack with cool cliffs and pictographs. Sept weather can go either way. August is great especially if you can time it with the Persied meteor shower.
"



Gary! I see you on pop up on Facebook once in awhile - and remember that time you came down fondly. We moved up to Decorah, and are now looking at setting up another studio for Emily...we still have that wonderful slab-roller you hauled down for us! Looks like you are working on a nice new studio space of your own, I'll have to swing by sometime if I am in the neighborhood for work.


We've done Moose to Ensign and back twice - love the area up there. The first time was before Emily and I got married, the second time our youngest was 3 years old for her first trip. I didn't think about trying to time it with the Perseid meteor shower - that is a FANTASTIC idea!
scotttimm 07/21/2019 09:14AM
jillpine: "
Ok, so in discussing it...we may look at doing an easy family trip going in mid-August. I don't think the rest of the fam wants to be left behind. "




Please excuse this over-stepping, but since you came to the board for advice, I'll extend some additional thoughts, intended kindly - - if you did a father-son solo, please don't underestimate the importance of providing the same to your other child, especially the daughter. I speak as the youngest (girl) of an all-male family except for my mom. Being the late sixties and early seventies, I was consistently left out from what my brothers got to do - Girl Scouts and soccer teams likely saved me. With my own family, in addition to family trips, I provided both of my sons their own mom-son trip after being very influenced by Rob Kesselring's book, Daughter Father Canoe (highly recommend). I made a lot of parenting mistakes along the way - tripping alone with each son to the BWCA was not one of them. Lots of good advice about routes. If LT aren't a big pull, also consider Bower-Trout entry - lovely region, smaller lakes. Poplar - Meeds also great. Tow across Burntside would be exciting for her, Crab portage will build her courage and confidence, and then up to Cummings for terrific SMB fishing and lots of solitude. You'll have a blast!! Best wishes -
~JP"


JP - I don't think you can ever overstep with advice like that, and your post made me smile. If anything, the father/son solo we did was to compensate for the amount of time I spend in the outdoors with my daughter! She is an avid bowhunter, and we spent an incredible amount of time in the trees together each Fall. While my older daughter has logged I think 7 trips up there so far, the BWCA and fishing has always kind of been my son's favorite thing, and he really wanted some special time with me this year, to push himself and see how far he could go. He is going to be a sophomore this year, and I know his ability to do these kinds of trips are numbered. Now I think my daughter has really caught that "bug" too, to my absolute pleasure. My wife and I have discussed ways to try and fold in a solo with her either this Fall or next year...unfortunately this summer my wife had a bunch of grad coursework to do, and though she and the girls joined us for the last part of the father/son trip - nobody felt like they got enough time up there. And I have three kids, my youngest is also a girl...and while the wilderness is not her favorite "thing" in the world YET...I'm sure providing ample opportunities for her to get out there. Her favorite way to spend time with me is in the woodshop (she made her own paddle for this year's trip). So I've got one who loves to fish and canoe trip, one who loves to bowhunt, and one who loves woodworking. I have somehow managed a way to ensure that I spend quality time with each of my kids year-round doing things that I also love.


Now my father/daughter trip turned family trip seems in jeopardy with the realization that we have friends coming to visit in August who ALSO want to go canoe camping here closer to home. SIGH. I have a rough life, I know. I may try to prep some meals, tuck them in the freezer, have gear ready, and keep an eye on the weather and permits available in September when I could potentially pull her out of school last minute and zip up. I usually obsess over planning for our annual BWCA trip for months, and it seems a little odd to be doing so off-the-cuff. There are worse problems to have ;)
jillpine 07/21/2019 07:01AM

Ok, so in discussing it...we may look at doing an easy family trip going in mid-August. I don't think the rest of the fam wants to be left behind. "


Please excuse this over-stepping, but since you came to the board for advice, I'll extend some additional thoughts, intended kindly - - if you did a father-son solo, please don't underestimate the importance of providing the same to your other child, especially the daughter. I speak as the youngest (girl) of an all-male family except for my mom. Being the late sixties and early seventies, I was consistently left out from what my brothers got to do - Girl Scouts and soccer teams likely saved me. With my own family, in addition to family trips, I provided both of my sons their own mom-son trip after being very influenced by Rob Kesselring's book, Daughter Father Canoe (highly recommend). I made a lot of parenting mistakes along the way - tripping alone with each son to the BWCA was not one of them. Lots of good advice about routes. If LT aren't a big pull, also consider Bower-Trout entry - lovely region, smaller lakes. Poplar - Meeds also great. Tow across Burntside would be exciting for her, Crab portage will build her courage and confidence, and then up to Cummings for terrific SMB fishing and lots of solitude. You'll have a blast!! Best wishes -
~JP
Michwall2 07/21/2019 07:01AM
scotttimm: "cyclones30: "Go the week after Labor Day, should be less people and more entry options.




What do you guys want to do or see? Fishing, pictos, waterfalls, etc. Lots of options....do you want to move every day or move one, stay one, etc. "




Ok, so in discussing it...we may look at doing an easy family trip going in mid-August. I don't think the rest of the fam wants to be left behind. As per boonie's suggestion - Kawishiwi Lake EP looks decent - headed up to Polly or maybe Malberg? Daytrip to Fishdance pictos, looks like nice beach sites on Malberg. 4 nights, five days? Seems like a well-worn path but a lot less miles than we usually do. Permits up to the day we would enter are sold out, but 5 available day of and 3 the day after...is it tough to get campsites on Polly and Malberg or pretty much a crapshoot, as is most other places?"



I have been looking at Kawishiwi entry for about the same period. I don't know how it happens, but the wilderness just swallows all those people. We entered Kawishiwi last year about the same time. While there was not a large number of sites available on Polly, we did find one. And Malberg had lots of sites open. You want to enter early and be looking early for your campsite. Talk to people that are exiting about sites they may have vacated or if they noticed available sites as they passed. It cuts down on the paddling around the lake (especially Malberg). Note the status of the campsites on Koma as you paddle through. I think it would be easiest to return to Koma for a night if Malberg is full. Alternately, there are several sites just beyond Malberg on River Lake. Frankly, I think there will be a lot of people exiting just before that weekend. That weekend is the last before many children return to school (if not in MN then other nearby states). Many people will be headed out to get home to prepare for the start of school Monday. In my opinion, that's why you see all the permits open for that weekend. I would not hesitate to grab the Kawishiwi permit.


The pictos on Fishdance are a nice day trip. If you go to Fishdance, take a few minutes to walk the portage toward Alice Lake. It follows a scenic portion of the Kawishiwi River. Also along this route is a nice side trip to the first campsite on Amber Lake. At least walk the portage out the northeast of Malberg. There is a nice canyon and water fall there. There is an iconic erratic in the middle of the rapids between Koma and Malberg. If you want to get a very ancient feel, take a day trip to Boze/Frond Lakes. The Louse River will most certainly give you some solitude.


Have a great trip.
Gary Carstens 07/21/2019 12:19AM
Hey Scott, you may remember me from your Fairfield days. I am that potter from Dubuque who visited you guys with Briggs. Just thought I weigh in on the fall trip. Im going up the first week of sept this year and doing my Moose to Birch to Knife Lake trip. This is great family route with lots to see and fishing is pretty good on Knife. Have not done lakers but they are in there. Good for bass and walleye. Isle of Pines, Eddy falls, if you go the north arm there is Ottertrack with cool cliffs and pictographs. Sept weather can go either way. August is great especially if you can time it with the Persied meteor shower.
boonie 07/17/2019 08:19PM
I like the Kawishiwi Lake entry, but have always gone in Sept. and never had a problem getting a site on Polly/Malberg. BUT, I've never gone when ALL 54 of the available permits for the 6 preceding days were reserved. Not even close. There are limited sites available before Polly, which is 8-9 miles if you double portage. About 13-14 miles to Malberg. One thing about Malberg, there could be a lot of paddling up and down the arms looking for a site.


I don't know where all those people are headed. Some could stay on Kawishiwi Lake. They could go across Lady Chain from Polly, across Louse River from Malberg, NE out of Malberg towards Makwa, or SW towards Fishdance, or north to Boulder. In my experience, traffic really thins out past Malberg.


I'd be more inclined to look at Missing Link or Meeds or Skipper/Portage. Crab on the west end doesn't look too busy. You might look at Missing Link and say that's too much portaging, but it's no more than it'll be to get to Malberg and fewer miles overall. And fewer portages to load/unload. Even out to Crooked. Crab is not even a hard portage. The last two portages into Polly are essentially one - there's a 3-minute paddle between and a few extra pack lifts.
scotttimm 07/17/2019 04:18PM
cyclones30: "Go the week after Labor Day, should be less people and more entry options.



What do you guys want to do or see? Fishing, pictos, waterfalls, etc. Lots of options....do you want to move every day or move one, stay one, etc. "



Ok, so in discussing it...we may look at doing an easy family trip going in mid-August. I don't think the rest of the fam wants to be left behind. As per boonie's suggestion - Kawishiwi Lake EP looks decent - headed up to Polly or maybe Malberg? Daytrip to Fishdance pictos, looks like nice beach sites on Malberg. 4 nights, five days? Seems like a well-worn path but a lot less miles than we usually do. Permits up to the day we would enter are sold out, but 5 available day of and 3 the day after...is it tough to get campsites on Polly and Malberg or pretty much a crapshoot, as is most other places?
cyclones30 07/17/2019 12:05PM
Go the week after Labor Day, should be less people and more entry options.


What do you guys want to do or see? Fishing, pictos, waterfalls, etc. Lots of options....do you want to move every day or move one, stay one, etc.
scotttimm 07/17/2019 10:11AM
boonie: "Some thoughts-



I'd say Mid-October is pushing it; after mid-Sept. the weather becomes increasingly variable and you could have great weather or terrible weather. The later, the more true that is. Daylight gets pretty short by end of Sept. too.



If the last week of Aug. would work best for you, there are permits available that would provide nice trips - Crab, Brant, Missing Link, Kawishiwi Lake, Meeds - to name a few I'm familiar with. "



Great insight, thanks! Last week of August is her first week of school, something tells me that wouldn't be great for her. So now I'm thinking maybe September 5 would be a good put in day, driving up to Ely after school Wednesday night. I was kicking around A Moose River North trip, looping up through Oyster into LLC and back around. Not sure if that is doable in 4 days. Open to other ideas.
boonie 07/17/2019 09:46AM
Some thoughts-


I'd say Mid-October is pushing it; after mid-Sept. the weather becomes increasingly variable and you could have great weather or terrible weather. The later, the more true that is. Daylight gets pretty short by end of Sept. too.


If the last week of Aug. would work best for you, there are permits available that would provide nice trips - Crab, Brant, Missing Link, Kawishiwi Lake, Meeds - to name a few I'm familiar with.
scotttimm 07/17/2019 08:10AM
Hey All - I'm working on writing up my father/son adventure from this summer, 'twas amazing. Now my near-teen daughter wants her shot to travel alone with dad, and my wife suggested we do a short Fall trip and pull her from school for a few days. Am I a lucky guy or what? She is usually my bowhunting partner in the fall, but I think a change of pace is in order. Since this group was so helpful, I thought I would reach out again! Here are my questions, if you have a couple of minutes to rub together...

1) I can be really flexible with when I take off, and I think my daughter could also. I'm thinking 4-5 days max. Looks like getting into some of our favorite spots the week before Labor Day won't work, pretty booked. I was thinking a loop through Moose River North. Any other good 4-5 day loops you'd recommend?

2) Timing - this is my big question. We've always done June/July trips. We have plenty of good gear, warm bags and clothing, but don't want to be miserable in the cold. Lakers cannot be caught after September, correct? Is the second week in October pushing it weather-wise?

3) Any other advice for Fall trip planning?

Here's a pic of where we met up with the girls this summer at LBF on our epic trip. Love this kid, can't wait.