OK so I can't stand it any longer. Here's this great site and no posts for over a month, that is just not right. I'm gathering equipment for our August trip and am wondering what everyone else is doing before your trip to WCCP?

FRED

Since my put-in is in early June, I'm into final menu planning now--mostly on perishable/early trip meals, but have already purchase several shelf-stable items. Will put the finishing touches on a new portage yoke in the next couple of days. Will load the fishing reels with new line in a couple of weeks. I've picked up most of the fishing lures/jig heads I'm planning on using but might replace a stick-bait or two lost during last season. Then it will be time to treat my trip clothing with permethrin. Print off my final set of trip maps and load up the GPS. Test fire and tune the camp stove. Refresh/replace items in the first aid kit. Then the last week, run the dehydrator.

Basic gear (tent, cooking fly, sleeping gear, canoe, packs, etc) has already been selected and checked. Will re-check a few details with Harlan and Claire at the Midwest Mountaineering show in late April.

WCPP trip #4 is definitely in sight!

dd

I'm going for the first time on June 1st for seven days. Going with a group of seven other guys. Can't wait. We've had our first planning meeting, been thinking about meals, gear, etc. Harlan has been very helpful... Did I mention I can't wait?

I have been spending some time doing some virtual exploring. This G4 map site has been a lot of fun. I have learned how to overlay my GPS info on the map. Sometimes I just use the draw and save feature to put a possible travel route through the back-country and then view it on all the available google images and topo maps. I can compare the google image to an area I know and have a good idea of what the ground conditions will be like.

G4 Mapping

Fred,
I was thinking the same thing!!!
I'm planning a Fall trip with 2 or 3 other solo canoe fanatics.
We are planning on taking a trip from Leano South possibly.
Gear is all over the basement, sorted and getting ready for the
May 18th Put in for a 10 or 11 day Quetico trip.
Take Care and safe paddling soon.
SunCatcher

Just counting the days.

Yep, we have trip fever too! Tonight we are talking to Harlan about our upcoming May trip. And we just got our damaged day pack back from Granite Gear and they sent us a brand new one-SCORE!!!! :) Happy planning. :) WCPP in less than 2 months.....

It has yet to be determined if it's a "family trip" in late July, with my wife and son, or a solo trip in mid August. We'll need to make a decision soon so I can plan accordingly.

For this year at least, I'm leaning towards the solo trip.

Hans Solo

Just sent for a planning map. My husband and I will either do WCPP or Q in the fall for a week. Can't decide.

What kinds of trips are people planning? Lots of fishing? Small lakes? Distance? What's you're interest?

My son and I will be heading in to WCPP proably sometime in early August for nine days.

Will probably do a small lake southern route out of Leano with some bush-whacking thrown in.

We will definatly eat our fair share of fish (always do).

If the yearly rendezvous is going on may try to stop in and say hi.

Scot

Welcome aboard the BWCA.com website scot320 .

SunCatcher

Thanks SunCatcher

Been lurking for years, like traveling off the beaten path so I thought I would join in.

scot

As Suncatcher already said WELCOME to the forum, lurking is OK but joining is much more fun. We're going Aug. 19, going in on Leanno and headed to Mexican Hat {thanks to many suggestions from other board members]. I can't give any advice because this is my first trip. If you have any questions please post them [others may have the same questions] those who have went before us have great knowledge and aren't afraid to share. We are fisherman and fisherladys [that sounds really dumb but I don't know what else to call my "girls"] FRED

Thanks Fred

We did the Mexican Hat loop last year...its a great trip with lots of options.

Only saw people on Leano wich surprised me because I think its the most popular route in the park.

Scot

WARNING NO ONE SHOULD GO TO WCPP BIG FOOT LIVES THERE !

SunCatcher

quote SunCatcher: "WARNING NO ONE SHOULD GO TO WCPP BIG FOOT LIVES THERE !


SunCatcher"

Really!? That's cool! I'll make sure and pack plenty of film! LOL

Hans Solo

bigfoot is blurry. see my quote. :)

mitch..God rest his soul

So Bigfoot lives in the WCPP? Good deal, I heard they taste like chicken. FRED

T minus one month and counting.

Jumped the gun a bit on the dehydrator start-up ... its been running for 2 days now and is still going. But, I'll do the chicken, hamburger and sausage the week before departure. I always like those to be done in the "near term" to the actual trip.

On last weekend's trip to the Midwest Mountaineering Expo, I added a few more details to my preliminary maps, thanks to Harlan. (I had already hammered him, Claire and Chris over the "winter" months for many of those items.) So, this week the trip maps got printed and the GPS loaded with details.

New fishing line now adorn the reel spools I'm taking on the trip and the other fishing gear has been inspected, replenished and repacked as necessary.

I've even seen a few 75 degree days in the near-term weather forecast ... lets get that ice moving out! (An e-mail from Harlan this week suggested that the area really changed while he was gone to the Midwest show ... snow covered when he left, mostly gone when we returned.)

Counting the days until departure!!!

dd

p.s. I've loaded up on Big Foot repellent. How high up do you have to hang your food pack to be out of that bad boy's reach? May be out of luck there in WCPP.

T minus one month and three days for us! First trip to Woodland Caribou. Can't wait!

Awesome

you will love the place!

SunCatcher

quote walter: "T minus one month and three days for us! First trip to Woodland Caribou. Can't wait!"

What's your anticipated route. We (myself and paddling partner ... one red canoe, one skin color) will be taking a lazy 2-week meander along the upper section of the Bloodvein River (Artery, Mary's, Barclay, Musclow, Simeon, Sabourin, then Sabourin River thru Thicketwood to Bigshell).

BTW: I generally fly a "flag" at my campsite ... flamingo at a beach party motif. If you are in the area ... come by and say HI. I can at least offer you a cup of coffee and if you catch me on the right day ... a fresh baked muffin.

dd

I think we will be a bit south of you. Although our route is not set in stone, we are starting on irregular then planning on heading up to wrist, over through Glenn, and eventually out at Johnson. There will be four of us. If our paths do cross we will definitely say hello.

Hoping the ice's off in time for our trip, we leave in 21 days! :) YAY!!!

quote McVacek: "Hoping the ice's off in time for our trip, we leave in 21 days! :) YAY!!!"

With 70's in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday ... I'm think you'll be golden!

When I talked to Harlan last weekend (Midwest show), he was projecting ice-out by the 15th. If he gives me an update on that, I'll post.

dd

quote walter: "I think we will be a bit south of you. Although our route is not set in stone, we are starting on irregular then planning on heading up to wrist, over through Glenn, and eventually out at Johnson. There will be four of us. If our paths do cross we will definitely say hello. "

walter - Is that a fly-in? I read somewhere that fly-ins there are no longer allowed. Am I misinformed?

quote jcavenagh: "I read somewhere that fly-ins there are no longer allowed. Am I misinformed?"

The park staff pitched a proposal about 2 years ago that would limit the fly-in destinations to roughly a half-dozen spots around the park. At almost the last minute, the Canadian equivalent to the FAA step in and basically said "Wait a minute, we have jurisdiction on all flights over Canada. You can't do that." So the park pulled its proposal until the various agencies could get their collective heads together.

So far as I know, there has been no progress on further limitations. In fact, in about a month, I'll be flying to Mary's Lake (would not be possible under the proposed restrictions) and out at Bigshell lake (also not on the proposed list). Thus, if a pilot can land on a body of water in the park, it seems to be fair game.

dd

Yeah, I haven't heard anything about flight restrictions, but our trip is a fly in paddle out. Have you been to the area?

I have not. I have looked at a similar route over the last few months, but some necessary major expenditures will put any trip on hold for a year or two.

Hey everyone,

There are currently no flight restrictions in Woodland Caribou. If I can land a plane safely on a lake, you're welcome to fly in there.

For those looking for flight info, please drop me a line and I'd be more than happy to help out.

Harlan

For those not keeping track of Red Lake Outfitter's Facebook page, today's offering is a photo of Harlan holding a nice lake trout caught on Wrist Lake about 2 days ago. (And here I thought he was out there working hard and clearing portages!)

Certainly one of my favorite lakes in WCPP.

dd

quote dentondoc: "For those not keeping track of Red Lake Outfitter's Facebook page, today's offering is a photo of Harlan holding a nice lake trout caught on Wrist Lake about 2 days ago. (And here I thought he was out there working hard and clearing portages!)

Certainly one of my favorite lakes in WCPP.

dd

"

Yeah, I saw the picture today. My wife and I had a good laugh when we noticed how much gear Harlan had piled in the canoe.

Hans Solo

Hans, glad you had a good chuckle....as I mentioned, had to tear into a pack to get the camera at the bottom.

....was carrying a lot of gear, 2 chainsaws, 20 litres of fuel, safety gear and enough food for a week of 18 hour days that we've put in over the past week to make WCPP water trails passable.

Harlan