I'm looking for your help.

My wife and I are at loggerheads about how old I am. I tell her I am fine to go on a solo trip for a long weekend and she says I'm too old and should start acting my age. I'm 60 and in what I consider good shape - no health concerns and I have done solo trips over the past ten years.

So, I'm trying to find a happy medium. I'm looking for suggestions that would get me into some really beautiful parts of the BWCA, but are relatively easy to reach. I'm carrying a Souris River Tranquility and have managed to get my pack down to just the essentials.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Well, Ryckie-

Plenty of guys older than you going on longer solo trips, and some us with "health concerns". Get yourself a satellite communicator and send her an "I'm OK" message every day.

How long is a long weekend - 3 days, 2 nights? More? Easy - How far can you travel? Are there portages you would not do?

Some options:

Entry 38 - Sawbill Lake or Entry 39 - Baker Lake - Cherokee Lake Loop. The trip up the Temperance River Lakes (Baker, Peterson, Kelly, Jack, Weird) is beautiful. South Temperance Lake is a beautiful island studded lake. Cherokee has long been know for its beautiful hills. The northern end of Sawbill Lake is worth the paddle.

Entry 37 - Kawishiwi Lake - Lady Lakes. Get a shuttle from Sawbill Outfitters to Kawishiwi Lake and work your way back to Sawbill Lake along the lovely Lady Lakes. The river paddling and small lakes will make your trip.

Entry 47 - Lizz Lake or Entry 50 Cross Bay Lake - Another shuttle route. Start at 47 and go to 50. Or turn it around. Either way works equally well. We have also used entry 49 - Skipper Lake as beginning/end. This is a bit more strenuous, but not more time.

Follow boonie advice - get a satellite communicator.

EP 30 and head to the far east campsite on Fire Lake, spent a couple nights there in Aug and didn't see anyone else. From EP 30 is is 4 short easy portages if you go the right way. Total distance is a little over 11 miles.

Hi & Thanks, Boonie.

The current plan is to go in on the Friday before the 4th of July & come out on Tuesday.

I run 3 miles a couple times a week and do crossfit 3 times a week, so I'm in good shape. I've done the Canoe to Pike portage a couple times, so I don't mind long - just not crazy about the sharp steep ones on the side of a hill with a drop into the lake 30' below.

I’m 66 this year and had open heart surgery to replace a bad valve last May. I missed last year’s Quetico trip (but did a fly-in trip last September). A buddy (age 69) and I are planning a trip up the Falls Chain to Kawnipi and back. I will say my problem was not heart disease, but rather a congenital condition that surfaced last year, but I’m not ready for the rocking chair yet. We will take our time (12 days) and will have an In-reach along. I exercise regularly with a treadmill and weights and will be ready when mid-June gets here.

My advice: You’ve got to do what your inner voice is saying, but I applaud your thinking and working to find routes and routines that keep you paddling! My personal motto… “ It ain’t over till it’s over!” See you out there!

ryckiej: "...I'm trying to find a happy medium. I'm looking for suggestions that...are relatively easy to reach."

Tell her what she wants to hear. Do what you want to do.

Tell her, "I'm going on a canoe trip and I'll see you when I get back".

ryckiej: "I'm looking for your help.
My wife and I are at loggerheads about how old I am. I tell her I am fine to go on a solo trip for a long weekend and she says I'm too old and should start acting my age. I'm 60 and in what I consider good shape - no health concerns and I have done solo trips over the past ten years.
"

I'm with boonie on this.....I did a 2 week solo last summer and I'm 63. The SPOT I carry helps keep my kids from worrying too much, so see if that would make your wife feel more okay with it. But, honestly, don't let it stop you. Life is short, eventually you won't be able to go.

ryckiej: "Hi & Thanks, Boonie.


The current plan is to go in on the Friday before the 4th of July & come out on Tuesday.


I run 3 miles a couple times a week and do crossfit 3 times a week, so I'm in good shape. I've done the Canoe to Pike portage a couple times, so I don't mind long - just not crazy about the sharp steep ones on the side of a hill with a drop into the lake 30' below."

Considering that you have 5 days, 4 nights and are in good shape, consider Michwall's options or some variation. They are all good.

I have done trips in/out of all those entries. I did the Cherokee loop from Baker in 2019, which was 3 years after my heart attack, and the only portage that was hard for me was the Sitka-Cherokee portage. Cherokee is a nice lake and can also be reached from Cross Bay. You could do the Lady Lakes route from Kawishiwi to Sawbill or just go north from Polly to Malberg and beyond as far as you want. I've done the Lizz-Cross Bay route and it's a nice area.

Other options: You could enter one of the EP's out of Round Lake. You could go north from Sawbill through Kelso to Zenith and Wine area if the Lujenida-Zenith portage won't bother you.

If you need more info or ideas on those let us know. Do it now, like dogwoodgirl said - it can all change in a heartbeat.

Don't know if you have ever been through the Homer Lake entry, it leads to a nice area. The scenery is beautiful but not spectacular unless you do some of the small creek/river paddling and portaging between lakes. The Vern River(for a daytrip) is really cool, scenic and good fishing and if you happen to get a Bluebird Day with little wind you would love it.

From Homer to Vern is about 2.5 to 3 hours not pushing it. Vern has 2 nice campsites and is typically very quiet. We found the fishing to be good in the area, even from camp! The put in at Homer is about as good as it gets and the couple portages to get to Vern are short and easy. Homer itself has 3 campsites, all nice. Two are outside of the BWCA but look like a BWCA campsite if you overlook the picnic table. One is in the BWCA at the far west end of Homer. Wouldn't even need a permit for the first two but if they are full and you don't have a permit...bummer.

There is more exploration or route extensions if you don't want to sit tight, namely Juno Lake with 3 campsites and Pipe Lake with 3 campsites. I don't think at any point along this route would you be more than 4-5 hours from the car.

Anyways, here is a trip report from the area my buddy and I took several years ago. Note the photos of the small river like areas in particular, they were gorgeous.

Homer Lake entry


Hope you find the perfect route and get the approval for the trip.