I am planning on doing this again this year. I would like to leave ShaSha early in the morning. This would get a lot of the big water completed before the winds come up and make the first day a full day. There would be 16+ hours of paddling before it gets dark and by then I would be across Dawson portage. I believe this would allow me to complete the challenge with one less night on the trip. Anyone interested in splitting the cost of a Shasha cabin for the night of 9/12? My plan would be to get up at oh dark thirty on 9/13 and launch then. Lori thinks she can handle the different start time.

Where you might have a problem is getting back to Sha-sha to pick up vehicles from the Grand Portage Fort ( over 5 hour shuttle)

My plan would be to ride the shuttle to ShaSha but not start the challenge for about 17--20 hours.

MagicPaddler: "My plan would be to ride the shuttle to ShaSha but not start the challenge for about 17--20 hours. "

You lost me with this comment. This seems to say you are starting the voyage behind the pack. Your first post says you want to start ahead of the pack and would get a cabin for a few hours (say 10pm 9/12, depart "oh dark thirty on 9/13"). Grandma L is asking about getting back to ShaSha after the trip to retrieve your vehicle and you replied about getting to ShaSha to start the event.

Signed, Confused

Edit: checked the calendar and see now you are going to start a day late??

bobbernumber3: "MagicPaddler: "

"Edit: checked the calendar and see now you are going to start a day late??"

You got it. It is not who comes in first but how long it takes from start to finish. Starting with the first day being 1/2 a day means having an extra night to complete the challenge.
You got it. It is not the first to finish but the time it takes from start to finish. Starting with the first day as a ½ day means having an extra night to complete the challenge.
first day being 1/2 a day means having an extra night to complete the challenge.

"Starting with the first day being 1/2 a day means having an extra night to complete the challenge. "

lost me again with this... You want to paddle more at night? Or you need another overnight for sleeping? Or?

ps. I'm not concerned with "first". We just want to finish!

I don’t want to paddle at night. I don’t want another night to sleep. I want the trip to require one less night to sleep That is why I want to start early in the morning. I don’t want to set up camp in the dark. I don’t mind breaking camp in the dark. I don’t want to be trying to find camp in the dark. I don’t mind paddling a few hours before dawn.

OK. Got it.

I don't think we want to split the cost of a cabin and model your trip plan. If anything, we would want to travel Friday night to ShaSha and start at "oh dark thirty" on Saturday... not Sunday.

bobbernumber3: "OK. Got it.


I don't think we want to split the cost of a cabin and model your trip plan. If anything, we would want to travel Friday night to ShaSha and start at "oh dark thirty" on Saturday... not Sunday."

That is another possibility. Let me know about your shuttle plans I might want to join you.

The start might not be as important as the over-all plan!

I think most of the paddlers plan out their journey with multiple factors being considered. When will they hit bigger or difficult waters? LLC, Basswood, Sag, Gunflint, Granite River, the Pigeon River. Are they taking Canadian or all US route? What are the water levels on the rivers? rising or falling? Weather forecast? Sunrise, set and twilight hours?

Then there are logistic factors to consider, both start and finish as well as vehicles and shuttles. Do you want your vehicle at the Casino so you are independent and not depending on a shuttle to get back to your car? Will Sha-Sha let you leave vehicles at their landing for the week when they are closed? What if you are late to the Casino and miss the shuttle? Do you want to rent a canoe to save your own from the Pigeon River rocks? Outfitter? Where and who? where are the group shuttles being based?

My best advice is to plan, plan and re-plan. Look back at past Challenge data on the Water Tribe Site. See where you might need advice or assistance and get it well coordinated.

Grandma L: " The start might not be as important as the over-all plan! "

But, the start is an important part of the overall plan! And I would hate to give up 17 hours at the start.

I'm thinking our two-man paddling crew will want a support crew (wife or buddy) who can figure in to a drop-off or pick-up plans at the start and finish. Weather, daylight hours, route options are all considerations in the plan. My partner is making "bail out plans" which is not part of my thinking. I hadn't considered a rental canoe as a way to save wear and tear on our canoe... hmm.

A big part of the plan is to become physically ready for the effort!

Bobber#3
I just checked the roster. I did not see your name. There is still time to sign up.
Grandma L has some good advice.
I can’t control the wind and I think it always blows on the high lakes. Last year I stopped early in the day with a bleeding leg and a chipped bone in my elbow on Gunflint Lake. The wind had forced me ashore to bail out once and I had taken on too much water since then. I thought get some sleep and start early in the morning after the wind stops. When I hit the water at 3AM it was all white caps with gusts that more than once turn my canoe sideways to the waves.
Anyone interested in sharing a shuttle a day earlier(9/11)?

Any one have GPS coordinates for check point one? It is listed as on Sand Point Lake but not where on the lake.

MagicPaddler: "
Any one have GPS coordinates for check point one? It is listed as on Sand Point Lake but not where on the lake.
"

MP- If you look at last years WaterTribe tracking map CP 1 is shown in the middle of the lower basin. When you get within 1/2 mile of this location, hit your "OK" button. This location allows for a much further distance (1/2 mile) to accommodate the two route choices thru here without having to paddle out of your way to get to the virtual checkpoint. To answer your question:

Long -92.457587
Lat 48.334870

MagicPaddler: "Bobber#3
I just checked the roster. I did not see your name...."

Thanks for the heads up on this MP! I just took care of that little detail.

MagicPaddler: "Anyone interested in sharing a shuttle a day earlier(9/11)?"

What about the mandatory meeting in Ely, 7pm on 9/11?

I don’t know. We can’t wait until after the meeting because we would not get to ShaSah until it was almost time to get up and go. It is about a 3 hour drive. I would like to be in bed by 8PM.
I would post on the Watertribe board but I cant get my password to work and got no reply when I emailed them.
Thanks BeaV

The time of the mandatory meeting and the distance to the start point creates a logistics and sleep problem. What gets covered at the meeting that can't be covered by other means?

I don’t remember what was covered in the meeting.
Last year I remember being concerned about getting to the casino in time to catch the shuttle. I made several mistakes that cost me lots of time and still spent 2 nights in the casino. If I had not spent the night at the campground before starting the grand portage I could have finished at before 11:00 PM the day before. Last year I got up at 4 AM and was on the water by 5 AM. I tried to be at a campsite by 7 PM. That gave me 14 hours of travel time per day. If you can stick to a schedule like this you should be able to finish in less than 7 days. I don’t think you want to start a day early.

Even with bad weather, Challengers have all made it to the finish in time for the shuttle, though, I have picked up a couple guys at early exit points. Even Muddy Feet who was the fastest last year was able to stop about 4 hours per night. He did it in 84+ hours in his personally designed and built solo boat.