Hi!
Thanks for dropping by.

I'd made another thread (Seeking advice on an ambitious route) before realizing I'd completed this process in the wrong order - I should have first asked you all for advice & suggestions!

So, this post is a more general 'where would you go' with the prompt:
"If you were planning a lengthy (weeks/months long) BWCA canoe trip, where would you go & why/when?"

While the question for the thread is 'open-ended', in agreement with feedback received on the other thread I'm going to be shifting my route towards more basecamping with day trips versus the route previously shared. Suggestions for locations to basecamp & for day trips/other stops are greatly appreciated.

A bit of detail on my trip specs: ~5 month solo May-Oct '22. Expecting 3-4 portage trips when fully loaded, with two resupplies anticipated (early July & late Aug). Intended pursuits are fly fishing, exploring/sightseeing/challenge seeking, & photo/videography (landscape/wildlife/'trip recording/home video').

Cheers!!

Im intrigued with a trip of that length and will be following the thread.

All of my 6-8 trips have been from Ely entry points and have been travel trips rather than explore trips so I really have not even seen much of the areas I have been.

I would probably start with a couple weeks exploring the areas Ive already passed through - get into the PMAs; checking out vacant campsites; stop on whatever island or point I encounter; bushwack to find the Snowbank loop trail and follow it for a little ways; try to find any ruins/remains from pre-wilderness days (reseached in advance); try to get into lakes that the map shows do not have a portage.

After that I would probably move across the map to a new basecamp location and repeat.

Back in the seventies I would get dropped off up at Little John and head up to the Royal River to the Fowl lakes and head west. I would take three weeks and end up at Crane Lake doing mostly the border route. Fast forward to 2012... I hairbrained a forty day trip. I started at Gunflint Lodge and went East and looped back for seven days. I got a second permit and started west... doing the Granite River to Big Sag down to Red Rock and Alpine to Ogish to Little Sag, then Elton, makwa. Over and down to Boulder and Adams... down to Fishdance. Then to Alice and up to Thomas and was heading to prairie portage for a resupply. But the portage to Gordon was blocked due to fires. So I headed through Jitterbug to Disappointment and out to Snowbank. My intention was to do the Flash Lake jump over to Moose and get back in the Boundary Waters... but Snowbank reared up and made making the turn that direction not an option. I ended up and the canoe landing and was able to snag a friend/ Bwca.com member (Zulu). He came and got me to his cabin on the Echo Trail he was renting. I got my resupply to come there. Met JB in the wild and his crew for a fire on Fenski Lake and by morning was on Fall Lake bright and early. Headed up to Basswood Falls and camped with a friend a few days kind of exploring and such. Then across Horse Portage and the boundary to Crooked Lake, Iron, Lac La Croix. Then did the Pocket, Finger Thumb stretch to Eugene. And the Fat to Slim portage (just because) and down to Upper Pawness and out the Little Indian Sioux. Obviously not near as aggressive... I was already pushing 60 years old. Haha. But I wanted to see things Iike Johnson Falls, and things and I did my best to not make it about miles or number of lakes. That year I did a number of short BW trips and a 26 day trip to Woodland Caribou. For me it was what I did when my dad passed. I had planned most before hand but it kinda expanded. Haha. Never got to canoe the boundary waters with my dad. But it was maps he had hanging in his shop from a trip he took in 1951 that inspired me to check out the boundary waters in the first place. As you can see I had to improvise due to a fire... but it was me and my Chesapeake Bernice. Best trip I ever took... on Lac La Croix I was wind bound for a bit. I moved once thinking I was being to cautious. And I confirmed I wasn’t as I only got a short ways and camped again. So as you can see, you should be able to be flexible. But your trip is your trip. Your speed or lack of is your choice. I chose to go some slower and enjoy every minute and most every lake I was on. My main reason for soloing was to often I’d be all excited to do at least a yearly trip and get out there with whoever and by day two they were complaining and wanted to cut the trip short. It was to hard! Haha. And I wasn’t always a real pusher like a lot of guys.
You do you... you know what you can do. I’d put a couple more lay over days in there myself. But there are other ways to make up for unexpected situations. Like paddle harder! I’ve had a disability for a number of years, so my trip was more challenging then you might think. Enjoy the planning... so many people ask... how much fuel... what should we eat and how much... two weeks before their trip. I spent the winters cooking meals at home on my dragonfly... I knew what I needed for both food and fuel. Taking extra food just to have enough wasn’t an option. No surprises either that way. Tried and true...

Like nctry says, be flexible. I used to be very rigid when planning a trip and had all the campsites rated on the lakes and which one I wanted to camp at. But lately I like to get a general outline of a loop and try to not over plan it. Leave room for spontaneity. Also, let the weather dictate your travel days. Also how you feel. That's what is so great about soloing, you can do as you please.

As for layover lakes I like Finger, Insula and remote little Buck Lake. I basecamped on Malberg one year and a nice day trip is doing a loop through the Kawishiwi River just north of there.

Camping on Raven Lake might be fun too. I spent a night there in 2009. You need a pma permit though if you go in there.

John,
When you get ready to go and have a plan, please let me know. I track lots of paddlers as they cross - especially the Border route Challengers. I would love to see your track and progress. I am assuming you are carrying SPOT or InReach. Oh, I am located in the west metro of Minneapolis - If I can help, let me know.

With 5 months on my hands solo, I guess I'd go pretty much everywhere! Boredom would seriously REQUIRE me to travel at least every few days. Just for the fun of it, I'll say I'd go in at EP 14 and amble my way all the way to an exit at Poplar.

With 5 months...I don't believe I'd have a plan. I'd pick an entry point, carry all the maps with and just see where it takes me.

Nova Scotia, Alaska, Vancouver island, New Zealand, Vietnam/Laos, Norway...

I have held back on answering this one for awhile as I mulled it over in my brain.

1) Central EP like Moose Lake that has lots of permits available. Reason: I can create loops and come back to this area for resupply as needed. If I needed to exit the BWCA for awhile (health or equipment reason), it would be pretty easy to get the same EP permit to reenter.

2) Loop 1: from Moose EP, head to the western edge of the BW by doing a figure 8 of sorts. Explore all the nooks and crannies. Move every couple days, take day trips to places off my travel track on the non-moving camp days. Return to Moose for resupply from friends or pay a tow operator to run food up to the north end of Moose/Newfound.

3) Loop 2: central loop that follows the border but drops south before entering Saganaga, then drop south into Little Sag, keep going into Sawbill, then loop back west to explore the Kawishiwi area before returning to Moose. Lots of smaller loops within that area to explore, as weather and desire allow. Hard to ever get bored in that interior area.

4) Loop 3: central east loop, cut over to the very western edge of the Gunflint Trail to explore the various loops available south of Seagull, north of Brule. Take the Frost River east too west to get bck oover to Little Sag and then make your way back to Moose for another resupply.

5) Loop 4: hopefully you are at your most kickass stage in terms of physical strength and health. Follow the border route east to the Granite River and travel into the eastern area (Vento Unit). Make your loop go all the way out to the Fowl Lakes and wind around in some of the prettiest areas oof geology (IMO). If you have the right kind of outside support who can transport your vehicle, you could end this whole experience with the Grand Portage as your exit point. Otherwise make your way back to Moose.

I am in agreement with people who say don't try to create too rigid of an itinerary. Give family a sense of your loops but not a day to day. Instead use a SPOT or other device to send tracking info. Definitely take GrandmaL up on her offer to keep an eye on your track...she has a lot of experience with that :) And is a good friend to have on the outside.

straighthairedcurly: "I have held back on answering this one for awhile as I mulled it over in my brain..."

Hello Straightharedcurly!

Firstly, apologies for my delay in responding to your reply - I will not bore you with my excuses. Anyways...

Thank you for this great route suggestion. I wanted to let you know that this is the general route that I will be following & the permits I booked are for Moose Lake EP. As you suggested, I'll be heading in general directions & will determine detailed route movements 'in the wild'.

For a brief period, I was considering shortening my trip to six weeks (geopolitics & other concerns) though life threw me a curveball in the eighth inning. I took it as a sign that I should proceed according to my original plans & I'm burning the ships. Today is 'moving day' & I'll have all of my junk in storage by supper. I'm writing this while having my morning coffee in a cramped office full of gear for the trip - life is good!

PS - I'm pretty sure last night was the last night I'll sleep in a bed for ~six months... Lol!

Grandma L: "John,
When you get ready to go and have a plan, please let me know..."

Howdy Grandma L!
Today is moving day & the 'burning of the ships' for committing to this excursion.

For route tracking, I will be taking along a Zoleo & I'll be using the 'Location Share+' feature. The device sends a check-in message with location. I am planning to set up an email address to receive & auto-forward these messages (per my understanding these messages can only get sent to one address via the Zoleo). I can also provide you with my Zoleo email address/phone number if you would like to contact me in the field (I'd rather not post this information to the open web, though it can be shared with anyone from the board if anyone seeks to get in touch with me after I depart).

PS - I'm assuming there is a PM (private message) function on this board, we can chat there to exchange contact details. Cheers!

JohnGalt: "

straighthairedcurly: "I have held back on answering this one for awhile as I mulled it over in my brain..."

Hello Straightharedcurly!


Firstly, apologies for my delay in responding to your reply - I will not bore you with my excuses. Anyways...


Thank you for this great route suggestion. I wanted to let you know that this is the general route that I will be following & the permits I booked are for Moose Lake EP. As you suggested, I'll be heading in general directions & will determine detailed route movements 'in the wild'.


For a brief period, I was considering shortening my trip to six weeks (geopolitics & other concerns) though life threw me a curveball in the eighth inning. I took it as a sign that I should proceed according to my original plans & I'm burning the ships. Today is 'moving day' & I'll have all of my junk in storage by supper. I'm writing this while having my morning coffee in a cramped office full of gear for the trip - life is good!


PS - I'm pretty sure last night was the last night I'll sleep in a bed for ~six months... Lol!"

Wow! Awesome and epic adventure! You should definitely record as much as you can and release youtube videos of your experience once you are done. While I won't be able to track very much of your progress live, I would watch during the colder months. Have a great trip and be safe!

JohnGalt: "PS - I'm pretty sure last night was the last night I'll sleep in a bed for ~six months... Lol!"

Excited for you, and this summer-long trip! More than a little jealous as well.

I had been trying to lay out a route for just a 2-week solo and gave up on it. Not the trip, but the route planning. One of the best things about being solo is you can start/stop paddling whenever you want. If I'm feeling good on a beautiful day, I want to keep paddling. If things are a little stiff and sore after the first couple of big days, I'll stop for a day and rest up. It's all up to you, and no one else. Hence I quit planning a route, and instead have more of a list of 'landmarks' that I'd like to visit. Right now my list includes a lake trout from Raven Lake, Pictos on Fishdance, Mug Lake Falls and the Frost/Louse Rivers.

You mentioned that it might be your last night in a bed. Just to be aware in the Ely area we are probably a solid three weeks from ice out and I'm an optimist.

Banksiana: "You mentioned that it might be your last night in a bed. Just to be aware in the Ely area we are probably a solid three weeks from ice out and I'm an optimist."

Three weeks - say it ain't so!

I was hoping that the warmer weather & rain expected this weekend + the warm spell expected at the end of the month would clear up the ice. Fingers crossed :). My fallback if Moose is still iced will be to camp in the area (maybe I'll splurge on a cheap cabin/bunkhouse for a few days haha). My original target date was to enter on the 30th or the 1st, though I'm delayed a few days from that anyways & need to book a new permit for later in the week.

I am completely fascinated with the Voyageurs of old and the original Voyageurs highway. I have my route completely planned to complete the Lake Superior to Hudson Bay paddle. I doubt I will ever find the time to complete the trip, but I hope one day I will.

RT: "I am completely fascinated with the Voyageurs of old and the original Voyageurs highway. I have my route completely planned to complete the Lake Superior to Hudson Bay paddle. I doubt I will ever find the time to complete the trip, but I hope one day I will."

RT,

I too have planned this route. Grand Portage to York Factory is one of my dreams! With family and work it seems unlikely to happen but perhaps one day I will take a summer to do it.

Eric Sevaried’s “Canoeing with the Cree” and the subsequent “Adventure North” and “Hudson Bay Bound” are really inspiring books to check out if you’ve never done so before. If your like me, listening to the audiobooks is the way to do it.

While I’m on the topic of great canoeing and northwoods books; the book “Cache Lake Country” is a must for anybody that romanticizes about a life in the northwoods .

The books mentioned above are about trips from Minneapolis to York Factory…
Has anybody on here paddled from GP to YF?

I've been to York Factory (via the Hayes R.) but started at the north end of Lake Winnipeg. It would be an amazing trip to start farther south. I still regret missing out on paddling the Middle Track (Fox and Bigstone R. before dumping into the Hayes) to get to York factory due to the 1989 forest fires that closed northern Manitoba. Maybe I will get to do it in another lifetime.

I have read all those books! They are what got me interested in going deep into the BWCA in the first place, and the bug has bitten deeper each year.

outsidethebox: "Nova Scotia, Alaska, Vancouver island, New Zealand, Vietnam/Laos, Norway..."

This is how I'm thinking about 5 months off!

With the ice out situation potentially hampering the early stages of the trip, I would suggest doing the BWCA hiking trails. I’m fond of the Sioux Hustler. Beaver Dam crossings could be sketchy with ice however.

If you do a hiking trail, bring something like YakTrax. The trails can be ribbons of ice through an otherwise brown/green landscape in the springtime