New Trip Report posted by rdgbwca

Trip Name: A Walk In The Woods - Second Time To The Boundary Waters.

Entry Point: 14

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Great report with great photos! You two sure did eat well--not familiar with the Russian fish stew, but it sounds tasty. Love the Old Town Canadienne--we had an Old Town Columbia from 1988 until a couple years ago--both models paddled well, and I often wish OT had offered a Kevlar version of them to compete with the much lighter boats now available from other manufacturers.

Many of will have to live vicariously through reports like yours this year--we have an August Quetico permit, but just don't see that happening. Thanks for sharing!

TZ

Sounds like a great trip. Seems like each trip teaches its own lessons...we never fully arrive! Here is a tip on the duct tape (which I got from this site): wrap a good length of it around your Nalgene bottle. If you need to use it, it will come right off and maintain its tackiness.

TrailZen: "Great report with great photos! You two sure did eat well--not familiar with the Russian fish stew, but it sounds tasty. Love the Old Town Canadienne--we had an Old Town Columbia from 1988 until a couple years ago--both models paddled well, and I often wish OT had offered a Kevlar version of them to compete with the much lighter boats now available from other manufacturers.


Many of will have to live vicariously through reports like yours this year--we have an August Quetico permit, but just don't see that happening. Thanks for sharing!


TZ"

Thanks TZ. My friend post processed some of the photos even though they were all taken with my point and shoot or his.

If only I had some of your baking skills, our breakfasts of coffee cakes could have been delicious too.

The Canadienne is a joy to paddle. We were looking long and hard at those ultra light canoes sans gel coat though.

Sadly, travel to Canada doesn't seem likely any time soon.

SummerSkin: " Here is a tip on the duct tape (which I got from this site): wrap a good length of it around your Nalgene bottle. If you need to use it, it will come right off and maintain its tackiness."

Thanks for the tip. Seems like the solution is to wrap small amount of duct tape around some other object. Using a nalgene might make a lot of sense.

I wrapped both orange duct tape, and gorilla duct tape around our Nalgene bottles. Didn’t use any last year in the BWCA. Mended a broken shovel handle at an Order of the Arrow Boy Scout project with the gorilla tape last fall. Just replaced that section last week so we’ve got it for the trip coming up. As a perk it makes the bottles slightly quieter bouncing in the canoe.

I love putting orange duct tape on things like flashlights. Way easier to find when it gets dropped in the dark or see in camp.

Ryan

I enjoyed the report and photos attached to your report. I did most of that route a few years ago in a Loop trip from EP 14 to EP 16 including two or three nights on Lac La Croix. We did some research and consulted with John at Voyageur North and decided to take the "unofficial" portage from Slim to Fat, to avoid some of those portages and lakes on your route. It was about a mile long and not cleared very well, but it was easy to follow most of the way and I don't remember a lot of elevation change. Your route was a good one to avoid a lot of people. Sounded like a good trip for you two.

As is usually the case, you are making me wish I was there. Thanks for sharing. Glad you had a good trip.

IndyElden: " decided to take the "unofficial" portage from Slim to Fat, to avoid some of those portages and lakes on your route. It was about a mile long and not cleared very well, but it was easy to follow most of the way and I don't remember a lot of elevation change. . "

My friend and I had discussed this "unofficial" portage. After the Little Loon to Slim portage, we weren't feeling like taking on this extra challenge. Also, being relatively new to boundary waters trips we decided to stick with marked portages. I had also read that this portage is easier going from Fat to Slim. After taking the Steep Lake portage, it may have been a good idea to attempt this "unofficial" portage. With all the portaging we did, I would be more confident to attempt this unmarked portage next time.

pswith5: "As is usually the case, you are making me wish I was there. Thanks for sharing. Glad you had a good trip."

I have had that same feeling when reading some of the trip reports on this site. Go when you can.