I'am sure my group is not even near the top with all the savvy veterans on this board - but what is the longest tenure of consecutive you (as a group) have been able to keep up? Not solo or individual - but as a group?
My group of 4 started in 2000. 2016 we missed to buddy with a job loss (but fished St Croix instead for long wkend). 2020 was missed due to Covid. Other than that- 27 years going strong -- all in May / except June 2010 when buddy got married in May (why?) :O)

Actually been going since 1993 with one of the other three.
Each May at this time I seem to get more and more excited. It simply never gets old, there really is nothing like getting ready and pumped for a BWCAW/Q trip! - I really think the planning and expectation is almost just as fun as the real deal!!!

My trip partner and I are preparing for our 28th year in a row....He happens to be my son, and we started in '99 - two weeks before the blowdown. He went to grad school in New Hampshire for two years, but made the trip back both summers for our trip. Made it during Covid as well. It happens to be my 40th consecutive year - but nothing compares to this run. My grandson is about to turn 2 - so we have a plan for adding him as soon as he demonstrates some basic wilderness camping skills. We have a June 2 permit......so thankfully, we'll miss the coldest water.

My two buddies and I have been the three amigos "almost" every year since the mid-80s with almost all trips to the north side of Quetico. There have been a handful of BWCA trips mixed in.

Being three of us, we always had at least one other person join us. Sometimes we had a group of six. Sometimes eight. We've taken two daughters, three sons, a son-in-law, two brothers and some other friends to fill out our trips. Some have gone multiple times. Some were one-and-done.

Two of us have taken Quetico trips with others and those were great fun, too.

We have slowed down a bit in these later years for a variety of reasons and don't go every year anymore, but we still fish together. We've had more fun, shared more laughs, and caught more fish than three guys should ever be allowed to do.

One constant remains... there are not too many more special activities to do than a canoe trip in Quetico with great friends. I'm not sure how many more canoe trips I have in me, hopefully a few yet, but however many there are, if any, the ones I've taken are forever etched in my memory.

Not as long, but I have been going with my dad for 16 years. We haven't missed a year yet. It is my favorite tradition. 18 trips, 10 different entrance points

Got me beat…My wife Sara and I have been doing trips yearly since 2000. I’ve done many trips with others but that’s my constant. It might be over… she doesn’t seem to have the passion for the trips anymore. Maybe it will come back…maybe not? Our last trip was 2023. So 23 years! I filled in by leading scout trips for our troop with my boys. I could also say my sons? They have done trips with me, friends, just the family, scouts for 12 years now.

This year it will probably be my 15 year old son and I going to Quetico. Maybe I’ll start a new partner tradition :) but if i am honest with myself I am not sure my kids feel the passion for trips that I do. All you can do is expose people to the area and see if it takes root. I know my first trip was with 6 buddies and I was the only one to ever go back.

T

Nowhere near as long as anyone else, but my son has been my trip partner for the last 5 years. These have been some of the most enjoyable trips I have ever had up there. If anything, he gets more excited than I do every year. He will be going to college year after next but still hoping for an annual trip.
My other two kids are now starting to show an interest, and I can't wait to take them up there too.
Sharing trips with them has been one of the great joys in my life

You could say my brother and I have been the dynamic duo and canoeing together for 63 years.

Been going each year since 1993 with missing only two years - Covid and the other for a June hip replacement.
Started out with a buddy of mine and 8 year old son. Similar to Jackfish, we have had different combinations ranging from 3 to 9 voyageurs. The groups have included sons, foster sons, grandsons and brothers. Right now our crew is pretty much set with two of my sons, four grandsons and papa.
I would put the BW trip each June at the top of our outdoor adventure list. We have a blast in our deer camp and spring turkey hunting but the BW trip has created the most memories and learning experiences for all of us. Heading in on Saturday, June 6th this year after having the other hip replaced in March (better planning this time!)

Have been tripping annually with the same group of four guys from high school since 2004. There's been a few years we've made our annual trip to Isle Royale instead of the BWCA. One member missed a year for a tour in Iraq and another for the birth of a child, but outside of that it's been a steady group who is currently counting the days until our upcoming trip.

Interesting how differently people do the BWCA and for me it's kind of the opposite of the "same old guys" on a trip.

Over my dozens of trips there are repeats and "regulars" for sure, but, for me, one of the best things about a BWCA trip is introducing new people to this beautiful wilderness. Some of them do also turn into repeats and while some are satisfied with a one-time "been there, done that" approach, I can only think of one person that didn't like it to the point they wished they hadn't gone. The number of DIFFERENT people I've gone to canoe country with will in 2026 reach 90--all of whom, except for about a dozen or so, I'd go back with again in a heartbeat!

Agree- this is just one trip each May for me. After that I usually go 2-3 times more - usually with different people.

I think I counted 52 people I introduced to the BW with a trip that had never gone before- including winter. As mentioned - only a handful said it wasn't their cup of tea.

Same four guys for 33 years in a row for a spring trip, right around opener. Danced around births, deaths, adoptions and "can't miss" family events. Covid year, our spring trip was in September, but what the hey? We started in our mid-30s and are having a harder time with replaced joints, heart attacks, shoulder and back surgeries, etc. Changed it up last year and went to Voyageurs--this year's a fly-in to Canada fishing. It's the only cabin on a lake and there's three other lakes to "portage" to if that counts.

Another partner and I had a 28-year fall string broken due to ailments and infirmity. Keeping the tradition going by car camping around BWCA/Voyageurs late season. Not as entertaining as frosty white-caps, slippery rocks and long portages but getting together is the important thing.

cofit: "Same 4 guys for 33 years in a row for a spring trip, right around opener. Danced around births, deaths, adoptions and "can't miss" family events. Covid year, our spring trip was in September, but what the hey? We started in our mid-30s and are having a harder time with replaced joints, heart attacks, shoulder and back surgeries, etc. Changed it up last year and went to Voyageurs--this year's a fly-in to Canada fishing. It's the only cabin on a lake and there's three other lakes to "portage" to if that counts.


Another partner and I had a 28-year fall string broken due to ailments and infirmity. Keeping the tradition going by car camping around BWCA/Voyageurs late season. Not as entertaining as frosty white-caps, slippery rocks and long portages but getting together is the important thing. "

+1 = getting her done is the main thing!!

I was pulled into the group in 1999, in what was their second trip. I was asked by a college friend and enthusiastically joined. Five of us on that trip. The organizer of the first trip (not my college friend) only made it for one more trip before dropping. He had anointed himself trip leader and handed out tasks and instruction to the point of annoying everyone. It was apparent the vibe wasn't there and he left the group, along with his brother.

Subsequent trips (myself, college buddy, and another fella from my first trip) we're organized. We were the most consistent, while others came and went. Our largest group was eight and our smallest, just two of us.

I've been on 43 BW trips since 1999, twenty-four of those were with what I call the college group.

I've been lucky. We have a group of 4 guys and last year was our 38th annual trip. We did miss 1 year (2021) due to covid and fires that closed several entry points. That year our group went to several state parks and took advantage of bike trails rather that canoe routes.

The first photo is the first group shot. It's from our 1989 trip. The second photo is from our 2025 trip. As we've gotten older, we all bring chairs now.

1989 Jasper Lake site.


2025 Lake 2 site.