Hey all,

I'm currently planning a winter camping adventure for early Feb that starts in the BWCA and heads up into Quetico Provincial Park. I've started a series where I share some of the ways that I'll be preparing for this. I hope that it will be informative and inspire you as you plan your adventures.

Feel free to follow along.

I hope to post updates every couple of weeks or so along with a follow-up report after the trip.

Looking forward to following along. Ambitious trip. Can't talk my group into more than about 3 miles in the winter.

Yep, looking forward to reading along. I am especially curious how the "fast and light" version of winter camping will go for you. I am thinking I could learn some things to lighten my own pack.

Thanks for following! It is an ambitious trip, so we'll need to be flexible based on conditions and Type 2 fun. I've done some arduous ultra races, so hoping that resilience kicks in.

Thanks for following along! As a wilderness guide, I'm fairly used to packing lighter as I sleep outdoors during my winter trips in a hammock while my clients are in Snowtrekker tents. But this is a longer adventure, mileage-wise, so I'll be doing a couple of practice campouts closer to home to dial in the gear more.

I will be following as well. Finally getting to catch up on posts after the holidays and this seems fun for sure.

Thanks for sharing the adventure!

Brandon

bfurlow: "I will be following as well. Finally getting to catch up on posts after the holidays and this seems fun for sure.


Thanks for sharing the adventure!


Brandon"

Thanks for following along! I'll be sure to add a follow-up report as well after the adventure.

I just read your Part 2 posted on December 28. I have done that Route A a couple of times, but not the cut over though Jeff, so no insights for that section.

However, for the rest of it here are some things. You mention that this area will be new to you, but if you already know about this stuff, feel free to ignore.

The portage from Moose Lake through Prairie Portage gets really close to the falls. I know during the summer they have a floating barrier up for canoeists, but I don't know if it is up during the winter. And that ice will probably be a lot thinner then other places on the lake.

Sunday Lake has some great cliffs on the western/northern side. Might be a good place to consider a campsite if the wind is blowing from the West/North. You would have great protection there.

The Meadows portages are fairly level, but if there isn't a lot a snow they will be a bugger to drag sleds over. In fact, if you do have enough snow and are able to float over everything, you might find them pretty easy. I'll be really curious to hear if you were able to take the creek instead of the portage, though it probably has too much downed trees and such.

On Agnes, make sure to stop by Louisa Falls, but you probably know that already. And just watch the ice through the whole Narrows area. The way the current flows through there could be tricky. If you spend a night on Agnes, and you do a day-trip, make sure you go check out the petroglyphs by the portage from Agnes to Silence. They are pretty clear.

North Bay is big and wide. Even in a canoe it feels like it takes forever to cross. The islands to the western side are fairly large and provide a good windbreak for a campsite, but would be deviating from a direct crossing of North Bay.

Try going up the creek from North into Burke. It is fairly shallow, a bit rocky, but would be easier then the portage with snow. And the creek is really nice. On Burke, the island campsite has some great, elevated views. Good spot for some panoramic photography.

Thanks for bringing us along on your journey!

Minnesotian: "
I just read your Part 2 posted on December 28. I have done that Route A a couple of times, but not the cut over though Jeff, so no insights for that section.


However, for the rest of it here are some things. You mention that this area will be new to you, but if you already know about this stuff, feel free to ignore.


The portage from Moose Lake through Prairie Portage gets really close to the falls. I know during the summer they have a floating barrier up for canoeists, but I don't know if it is up during the winter. And that ice will probably be a lot thinner then other places on the lake.


Sunday Lake has some great cliffs on the western/northern side. Might be a good place to consider a campsite if the wind is blowing from the West/North. You would have great protection there.


The Meadows portages are fairly level, but if there isn't a lot a snow they will be a bugger to drag sleds over. In fact, if you do have enough snow and are able to float over everything, you might find them pretty easy. I'll be really curious to hear if you were able to take the creek instead of the portage, though it probably has too much downed trees and such.


On Agnes, make sure to stop by Louisa Falls, but you probably know that already. And just watch the ice through the whole Narrows area. The way the current flows through there could be tricky. If you spend a night on Agnes, and you do a day-trip, make sure you go check out the petroglyphs by the portage from Agnes to Silence. They are pretty clear.


North Bay is big and wide. Even in a canoe it feels like it takes forever to cross. The islands to the western side are fairly large and provide a good windbreak for a campsite, but would be deviating from a direct crossing of North Bay.


Try going up the creek from North into Burke. It is fairly shallow, a bit rocky, but would be easier then the portage with snow. And the creek is really nice. On Burke, the island campsite has some great, elevated views. Good spot for some panoramic photography.


Thanks for bringing us along on your journey!"

Thanks for the great details. I have been through PP and expect thinner ice with the current, but everything Canada north will be new. I was wondering about the Meadows portages in a low snow year. Hopefully we'll get enough to glide over the boulders. I appreciate you taking the time to provide such helpful details. I'll be adding it to my trip notes. :)

Any update? How did the trip go? I noticed your last posting was from January 29 and I hope the trip went well.

Bump for Minnesotian's question.

Sorry for the slow reply! The year has been a whirlwind.

We did nearly all of the intended route with a few changes due to open water. I need to finish my report! Stay tuned. It should be ready in a
couple of weeks.

If you subscribe to Paddle & Portage you can read all about it here.

Thanks for the update!

Ok, all! The final installment of this adventure is up. Sorry for the delay. I work as a guide in the BW and the year has been wonderfully full of wilderness adventures.

Enjoy! I hope your winter plans are coming together.

Thanks, you always have good writeups, I follow your messages on Facebook.
I am the one who commented on my winter Quetico trips.
The east portage into Sunday can be a real energy challenge and beater up in deep snow. We were doing good across Basswood and hit that portage, made it across and had to call it a day and set camp up right there.

Great writeup, thank you for sharing. I can understand that feeling of seeing open water in the middle of winter and feeling uneasy. Looks like you adapted very well though.

Did you stay at that campsite between Burke and Sunday? And it looks like you got upto Louisa Falls. Was it iced over or still flowing?

Minnesotian: "
Great writeup, thank you for sharing. I can understand that feeling of seeing open water in the middle of winter and feeling uneasy. Looks like you adapted very well though.


Did you stay at that campsite between Burke and Sunday? And it looks like you got upto Louisa Falls. Was it iced over or still flowing? "

Thanks! Yes, we stayed at the campsite between Burke and Sunday. Louisa, as well as all water falls were flowing.

Pinetree: "Thanks, you always have good writeups, I follow your messages on Facebook.
I am the one who commented on my winter Quetico trips.
The east portage into Sunday can be a real energy challenge and beater up in deep snow. We were doing good across Basswood and hit that portage, made it across and had to call it a day and set camp up right there."

Thanks for commenting on your winter trips to Quetico. The info was helpful. Thankfully, due to the low snowpack, that portage from Sunday to Basswood was easy. Our travel was amazingly, very nice! It's gonna be totally different this year.