Was going through my pile of old Ely Echo's, and came across this.
I should have knocked on his door, and met him when I had the chance.
Although I didn't agree with him on every level.... I respected him.

I remember the announcement of his death well. I was a senior in high school and Sig died the day before I was due to give my senior speech. Since my speech was about my wilderness travels and how they had shaped my character, and I already had some Sig Olson quotes incorporated (he was one of my favorite writers at the time), I rewrote a few parts and dedicated the speech to him.

Thanks for posting the article.

I too, loved his books, and was in dream land reading them.
back in the 70s, it was hard to find canoe country articles & books.
I used to scour the periodical files at my high school and JR College.
Finding some Bob Cary stuff and National Geographic stuff.
I would copy some things, and read them again and again.

I remember when Sig died, as well. I was 20 years old. My favorite book of his is "Runes of the North". He and Calvin Rutstrum were my go-to authors at the time. Different writing styles, but both lived in the same era, and both loved the North.

I lost a friend a few years ago that was a forester from Wisconsin. He graduated from the Univ of Michigan in forestry in 1938. He did a 3 week canoe trip to northern MInn in what is now the BWCA. His outfitter was Sig Olsen. That was round 1937.

Stumpy: "

Was going through my pile of old Ely Echo's, and came across this.
I should have knocked on his door, and met him when I had the chance.
Although I didn't agree with him on every level.... I respected him. "

Thanks for the post Stumpy hope all is well from one basswood cowboy to another.

arctic: "I remember when Sig died, as well. I was 20 years old. My favorite book of his is "Runes of the North". He and Calvin Rutstrum were my go-to authors at the time. Different writing styles, but both lived in the same era, and both loved the North."

The publishers of both did a great job of capturing the essence of the text with the book design, including the choice of papers. Throw in the Jaques artwork in the books by Sigurd Olson and you’d be hard pressed to find a better way to light a lifelong passion for the way of the wilderness.