I am doing my first solo this year. Going the first week of July for 9 days. I have been in the b'dub about 50 times in the last 9 years. I am looking for a route recommendation. Here is the canoe I'm using 17 ft, weighs 42 lbs, it is set up to use as solo.

42 pounds for a 17' wood strip is very impressive. What model? How thick are the strips? What weight fiberglass?

I built a 15' Osprey a couple years ago with standard 1/4" strips and 6 oz. fiberglass but cut weight with aluminum gunwales. Also built a lightweight sliding seat with a wood frame and fiberglass seat. Mine came in at 40 pounds.

Alan

Well, there are a lot of options for a 9-day trip.

Would you prefer Ely/Echo Trail, Sawbill Trail, Gunflint Trail?

What are you looking for out of the trip? Priorities?

How far do you want to travel?

Loop, out-and-back, point-to-point?

I've done a nice solo through EP #14, Little Indian Sioux, off the Echo Trail, up through Slim, Steep, Finger, Gebe, Oyster, etc.

You could also do a nice long solo southwest of the Gunflint through one of the entries off Poplar Lake - or Cross Bay or Ram.

You've been to the dub 50 times but can't figure out a route you want to do?
Perhaps you're bored with the Dub. Try the Q.

I'll buy your boat if you can't figure out where to paddle it though! :)
Nicely done.

I don't remember the model, we built it in 05/06 winter. Strips started out at 1/4 in but probably ended up at 1/the thick, we hand plained outside until the cedar had a little give and used a rasp on the inside and gave it a good sanding. Used 6 oz glass cloth and made sure we squeezed out all unwanted epoxy. White strips are aspen, the rest of the strips are WRC, the bottom came from a 35 year old deck, Gunwales are Lake Milacs Black Ash, seats and yoke is Walnut, plugs over screws are white oak. 150 man hours are in that Canoe.

in a canoe that beautiful i could canoe up and down the horse river for nine days and be totally content. btw the horse river is my least favorite place to paddle in the bwca.

Sounds like time for the Q.

Never been to the Q. Is it hard to get in???

Not really. All you need is a passport to drive over the border or you need that and an RABC (or remote area border crossing permit) which is around $30 to enter the park from the American side. The daily camping fee in Quetico is much higher than the BW. I'm sure you already know this stuff though.

Many of us on this board really prefer the Q to the BW for many reasons. A simple reason to like it more is it doesn't get used nearly as much therefore will feel more like wilderness.

Unless you're unable to cross the border I would highly recommend going there at least once.

Not only do I want to do the Q, I also want to do two weeks in the WCPP. Problem is I know nothing about either one YET.

I would start with the Q. Campsites are not marked but their location is on the Chrismar maps (location approximate). Then you will have a better feel for finding campsites in WCPP..sometimes you have to do some sleuthing as not all are as obvious. If WCPP has maps of campsites, I am not aware of any.

quote yellowcanoe: "I would start with the Q. Campsites are not marked but their location is on the Chrismar maps (location approximate). Then you will have a better feel for finding campsites in WCPP..sometimes you have to do some sleuthing as not all are as obvious. If WCPP has maps of campsites, I am not aware of any."

Not the best but map but will help you find one. There is suppose to be a new and improved map out this spring.
wcpp campsites

quote hobbydog: "

quote yellowcanoe: "I would start with the Q. Campsites are not marked but their location is on the Chrismar maps (location approximate). Then you will have a better feel for finding campsites in WCPP..sometimes you have to do some sleuthing as not all are as obvious. If WCPP has maps of campsites, I am not aware of any."

Not the best but map but will help you find one. There is suppose to be a new and improved map out this spring.
wcpp campsites "

I think this one is slightly better (although partial and substantially degraded for purposes of quicker uploads). For those familiar, this represents a portion of the area around the Leano Lake EP, one of the most popular in WCPP. (These maps are not widely available, however.)