This will be my second time to the BWCA but my first time as a walker. I've got 7-8 days to do a solo trip this October and I'm in the planning stages. My initial thought is to do the Kek or Border Trail, walking in one direction at my pace and reversing the direction when it feels right to return to the trailhead. I'm pretty good at off trail navigation and I'm using this trip to dial in some gear that I'll use in a backcountry walk I'm doing in Colorado next year. I've been doing solo off-trail trips for a while, so I feel comfortable doing a mostly on trail walk with route finding...

I'm going for solitude... so it seems like the Kek might be the best choice? Any thoughts/alternatives?

And I haven't done the research yet, but does anyone know off hand the amount of hunting pressure this time of year and whether wearing a lot of blaze is recommended?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

-jamie

Great time to go. In regards to solitude, I generally see very few people when hiking in the BW. The last time I through hiked the Kek I saw one person around the Agamok gorge and a couple of hikers doing the Snowbank loop. When I hiked the Border Route a couple of years ago I saw no one. I like both trails and would hesitate to recommend one over the other. I do think the Border route is a little easier to navigate, but if you're used to bushwacking either will pose no problem.

I think you could easily do a yo-yo on the Kek in the amount of time you've got, so that is something to consider. Another trail to consider would be the Sioux-Hustler, but I honestly think it is too short for the time frame you've chosen.

Anyway you go, it should be a terrific time to be in the woods. I usually hike at least one of the three trails mentioned above during the end of September or month of October, so maybe I'll bump into you. This year I'm thinking about the Kek, since I did the Sioux Hustler last year.

October? I'd FOR SURE wear blaze orange.

I predict you will fall in love with October hiking in BWCA.

Very cool. Thanks for the input.

Frankly, on this trip I'm not intentionally trying to make it hard, unlike some intentional bushwacking trips in the past, so maybe Border with its more straightforward trail and more solitude might be interesting.

Thanks for the one blaze orange reply -- looks like it's been discussed a bit on BWCA.com before: http://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=834451&forumID=16&confID=1

Looking forward to this trip and happy for any other suggestions/advice.

-jamie

Okay, my plans are shaping up... Border Route Trail. I've got about 8 days, so it looks like I'll walk east 4 days and then walk west 4 days :)

Quick question about permits. I'll be arriving on a weekend and want to start hiking right away. Is there a location where I can pick up a permit on the weekend? Seems like the Ranger's Office in GM is closed on the weekend after Oct 1st.

-jamie

Try checking entry kiosks or ask one of the outfitters in the area if they have any extra. Permits are self-issued and free after Sept 30th.

According to the BWCA web site, you should be able to get your permit yourself right when you enter the BWCA on the trail.

"For BWCA entry between October and April, self-issued permits are required for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW. Self-issued permits are free and available at the entry point or Forest Service ranger stations."

Yeah, they're self issued in October. There's a box at the trail head, just fill out a form and drop one copy in the box, keep the other on you. No cost, no limits on number. You may want to tell the rangers you plan to be there, but they don't need to see you.

Thanks inspector, harry, and tom. Seems straightforward to self-issue the permit.

I've started my 30 day countdown, so starting to get food/gear, etc. together. I bought McKensie maps and the BRT guide and kind of already "walked it" by slowly going over the maps. Should be a new moon and the Draconid metor showers during the first part of the trip --- really looking forward to that, too.

Thanks everyone!
-jamie

I'll be hiking the BRT west to east Oct. 6 to 11. Maybe see you on the trail.

yep, there is a box but not always permits inside. stop in GM at the ranger station and grab one. also ask about bear activity.

Souix Hustler trail

I'm very late with this trip report... but "Sioux Hustler" was probably the right answer!! :)

I found the western part of BRT very difficult -- overgrown trail with ankle-twisting rocks hidden underneath. It took me two days to get to the rose cliff area -- which was really beautiful and I had the whole place to myself. But after three days of 30-40 degree on/off rain and a nasty snow storm coming in, I decided to bail. I already had bailout paths on my map so I was prepared for this. On my fourth day I took a half day to walk to gunflint trail and then hitched back to my car. (This was the mid-week storm that gave Ely about 4 inches of snow.)

A really neat adventure. I knew the weather would be nasty and, like I planned, I learned a lot about walking/camping in this weather. It's very tricky balancing rain protection and insulation under heavy exertion -- either you sweat yourself wet or you get wet through your rain jacket vents. Really the goal is to say warmish-moist.

What worked for me was very thin fleece under a windshirt (technically a marmot driclime hoody) under a oversized rain jacket -- it kept me warm enough and ventilated enough. I could only stop for 10 minutes, though, before I started getting chilled. For longer stops (especially lunch/snacks), I needed to set up a tarp to get out of the rain. From under the tarp I would be warm long enough to heat some water for drinks/meals. When I took a nap after lunches I would also put on a thick fleece layer, which kept me warm for a nice 20 minute snooze after a warm meal.

I brought a 15 degree down bag with me... I was glad to have the extra insulation because I was losing insulation from the wet breeze and condensation (and seam leakage -- need to seal the seams!) of my tarp.

A nice big and light polycro ground cloth (the plastic sheet stuff that's used to seal windows for winter, shrinks with a hair dryer) was really nice to be able to spread out under the tarp and help protect my bag.

Anyway, it was a difficult but very rewarding trip. But I don't think I would blindly recommend the path to others.

Sounds like a good but challenging trip. I find the exact problem when traveling with rain gear on being too hot from the rain gear. Usually if you stay cool it’s the best way to go.

Any chance you have a picture of your tarp and sleeping bag setup?

Thanks for your trip report.

Sure, here's the tarp I used -- a black diamond BetaMid, which I normally use for snow camping. It's 1.5lbs, super spacious for one person, sheds snow, and works well if mosquitos aren't in the equation. (But note to self: seal those seams if I'm camping during liquid water temperatures!)



I don't have a picture of my sleeping bag but it's a WM Versalite, so actually a 10 degree F bag. I was using in it a cheapish silnylon/DWR nylon bivy (I think from the company Titanium Goat) which didn't breath well, so I was getting condensation on the underneath (inside) of the top nylon layer -- perhaps because I over-treated the nylon with DWR spray? I don't know but the bivy was part of the reason I was losing some loft in the bag.