New Trip Report posted by rlhedlund

Trip Name: Krista's Graduation Present.

Entry Point: 51

Click Here to View Trip Report wc-20090501-1437

What a graduation present! Sounds like a good time despite the weather.

That was a great report, really captured the feel of being out. It's great for you and your daughter to make a trip like that for graduation - I sure would have liked that for a graduation present!

From the picture, I'm thinking what you saw was not wolf scat. My theory is that it was owl pellets - an owl has a nest or perch up in that tree and there are several days' pellets below. After they eat whole rodents and the like, they cough up the fur and bones in pellets. I'm just guessing, of course, but it seems like a good theory.

The snake swimming had to be a Garter Snake. Totally harmless. However, as my tripping partner is also a snakophobe, I know exactly how you felt.

I agree the snake was probably a garter snake. Similar in coloring to the one across the trail in my pics. I have another pic of what I think is still wolf scat.



This was from day one and was very white and less degraded than the scat from Tuesday. It had more filler between the hairs. It was the size of a larger dog or coyote. Most owl droppings usually have more bone, teeth and beaks in them.

I agree that second picture is wolf scat if it is at least dog sized. My comment on the other picture was just based on seeing the picture -- you were there so I'm sure you're right. There's always a lot of wolf scat up there so that's probably what it was. Anyway, great graduation present for your daughter.

Nice report, Ron. Krista's sunny smile certainly cancelled out any rough weather. I'd say it was a nice graduation present for both of you. We took our son up to the BWCA for his graduation and I felt like it was a celebration for we, the parents, as well. (We graduated from seven years of college tuition bills for two kids.)
I like the W-E sail idea. Tyvek strikes again!

Krusty

Enjoyed reading the report. It sounds as if the weather was similar to what you found during your March trip to Merchants Millpond.

Sounds as if Krista is an experienced outdoorsperson. Many kids would not be very happy in those conditions. But it sounds as if Krista thrived in it.

Nice trip under those conditions. I thought I recognized things in reverse. Looks like you dunn well yourself.

Sounds like you enjoyed your experience despite the ugly weather. I see you already have the itch to go back next year. That tends to happen to everyone! Fishing is a bit tougher in those conditions if there is a strong wind blowing in a canoe, but hey, you cant control the weather. Great pics, what was your favorite lake?

Nice trip report. Glad that the two of you had the time to enjoy each others company and what appears to be a successful trip.

If I had to pick one lake it might be Little Sag. Tuscarora might have been my favorite had the wind been better.

I too are a Tyvek tarp junkie.

Which connectors did you have problems with....the ones pictured? they look good.

Good bonding trip!

The ones pictures are great tiedowns. I had attached bungee straps to them instead of tieing directly with the ropes. The bungee straps are what broke. The purpose of the bungee straps was to have some "give" in the rope for windy conditions so the tarp would not rip.

I ended up having to tie off directly to the ropes after the bungee straps broke. The tarp held up well, even with 40+ mph winds.

We're going into #37 on the 13th, and my friend is planning on Tyvek-ing it. What do you use to avoid the ripping and where do you get them. Talking about those tie-downs; seems like special tools.

Thanks!

Done the Ogish-Seagull leg of that trip in August of 2007; looks like a lot more growth since then. And you were wise to take the 110-rodder into Seagull; we tried the Alpine River, and the portage there was difficult with downed trees, though much shorter.

The yellow tarp tie-downs were from northerntool.com They come in a pack of 15 for $12.98. Item# 117800-2906 They work very simply. Put round disk on one side and the other piece on the other side and snap together. I leave them on the tarp.

The portage into Seagull was advise by my outfitter, Tuscarora.

Thanks for your great trip report. I am now inspired to bring my camera along on this year's trip! Your photos are really nice!

thank you, alpine

Nice report. It sounds like a perfect trip with your daughter. I have 4 daughters who have been to the BW once. I'm not sure what they would think about a BW trip as a graduation present/celebration...

Nice report and really great photos! Looks as if your trip was a real good one! Thanks for posting.

bump for new read

Thanks. I actually started paging back through the trip reports the other day and reading old ones.