New Trip Report posted by TomT

Trip Name: Quetico Solo with/Dog through Louisa, McEwen, Falls Chain, and Emerald.

Entry Point: 25

Click Here to View Trip Report

Tom, thanks for posting. Your TR is the perfect way to offset this intense winter weather and a cold. It was interesting to see Luna relaxing as she got further into the trip. That was a real interesting route you picked and I am surprised at how few people you encountered. Nice work.

Excellent trip report! Loved how you mixed some small videos with pictures and text! Look forward to your next one.

Napolean Dynamite!

quote Kawishiwashy: "Napolean Dynamite!"

Bingo!

Nappy D

What a great area! Thanks.

Great trip report! And you don't live too far from me! (I noticed the phone number on the side of your truck is my same area code)

Thanks, Tom-

I enjoyed the video trip report, but I'm glad you decided to write this up with pictures.

A question: What kind of retainer is that for your glasses? I need a new one and that one looks pretty secure.

quote boonie: "Thanks, Tom-


I enjoyed the video trip report, but I'm glad you decided to write this up with pictures.


A question: What kind of retainer is that for your glasses? I need a new one and that one looks pretty secure. "

I wasn't gonna do it but it just kept nagging at me. Then I got some time off of work because of the harsh winter we're having so just blasted it out. Sometimes any kind of creative release is a good thing. I get tired of watching TV ya know?

The retainer? Around my neck? I picked it up at Piragis right before the trip. Or do you mean the case? The case is a hard shell that I've had for years.

Helluva trip report and helluva dog.

quote TomT: "

quote boonie: "Thanks, Tom-



I enjoyed the video trip report, but I'm glad you decided to write this up with pictures.



A question: What kind of retainer is that for your glasses? I need a new one and that one looks pretty secure. "

I wasn't gonna do it but it just kept nagging at me. Then I got some time off of work because of the harsh winter we're having so just blasted it out. Sometimes any kind of creative release is a good thing. I get tired of watching TV ya know?


The retainer? Around my neck? I picked it up at Piragis right before the trip. Or do you mean the case? The case is a hard shell that I've had for years. "

I know you said you weren't going to write one up, and they are time consuming, but I wish I had done them for my earlier trips like I have the last two.

Yes, I meant the one around your neck. My glasses are getting more expensive ;).

quote boonie: " Yes, I meant the one around your neck. My glasses are getting more expensive ;)."

Glasses are such a pain in the butt. I got my prescription about 3 years ago but haven't worn them a lot until this year. And yeah, at around $500 it would be bad to drop them in the lake or step on them. Piragis had several different kinds of straps and I chose the ones I couldn't get off when I tried them on in the store. :)

As far as writing the report. I wish there was a way to save these in some format and put on DVD or whatever to be loaded into a kindle. It would be cool to have all my trip reports on a kindle or I-Pad. The technology is probably out there already but it's darn hard to keep up with it all isn't it?

quote missmolly: "Helluva trip report and helluva dog."

Thanks. She is a helluva a dog and I consider myself lucky to have her. My previous dog was an Aussie and there's no way I could ever take him on a trip because he loves the forest and chasing wildlife too much. He would have gotten in big trouble. Luna amazingly listens extremely well and I have to thank the breeder for that one. I got her at one year because she was being kept for breeding purposes so was already trained.

That's the kind I want Tom - the kind that doesn't come off unless you work at it. If I can find some of those that float too....

I've often thought the same thing. I do write mine up in Word.

I'm sure there are people here who could tell you a half dozen different ways to do it if you asked.

Great report. I did that route - via Burke instead of direct to Sunday and Wet instead of further up the Falls Chain - and counterclockwise - but a fantastic route. Stayed at same site on fall s- your night 5 - and lunched at some of the other sites you camped at. The Falls Chain to Louisa Falls is just amazing. I want to do the Gamp route out of Glacier sometime.

Thanks. Really nice read on a cold snowy day in January.

Thanks for taking the time to do your trip report. The pictures were great and it was a pleasure to read.

Wow, I really enjoyed your report, Tom! It seems like you and Luna had a great time together. I think it is really fun bringing the dog along on a trip. Yours seems VERY well behaved in the canoe (you can't blame her for jumping out that one time). I'm amazed that she wouldn't eat at times, though. That is a "problem" we have never had with Piwi - if there is food for her, she will eat it!

I was wondering if Luna liked to be in the bushes because of bugs? On our short Q trip last July with Piwi - which will forever be known as "close encounters of the insect kind" - she would duck into bushy patches as a way to escape the deer flies. At least that's what I thought she was trying to do, and it seemed pretty smart. Of course, dogs also like their shelter no matter what. Sometimes after we set up the tent, Piwi just sits outside it (or even bats at the door), wondering when we will let her in. Hunkering down in the bushes might be part of the same instinct.

The Bald Rock Falls campsite and that campsite at the east end of Emerald have always been occupied when we've gone by. Nice that you got to stay at them! I especially want to try that Emerald site sometime.

Hope Luna is ready for more trips.

Ho Ho

Lovedthe report. You are my hero.

quote Ho Ho: "
I was wondering if Luna liked to be in the bushes because of bugs? On our short Q trip last July with Piwi - which will forever be known as "close encounters of the insect kind" - she would duck into bushy patches as a way to escape the deer flies. At least that's what I thought she was trying to do, and it seemed pretty smart. Of course, dogs also like their shelter no matter what. Sometimes after we set up the tent, Piwi just sits outside it (or even bats at the door), wondering when we will let her in. Hunkering down in the bushes might be part of the same instinct.

Ho Ho
"

It's possible the bugs were bothering her but it's probably more of that "denning" instinct you talk about. Her thing at home is to hang under our end table next to the couch and the tight spot next to a chair. Also, you see in the bunkhouse picture that she's half under the bed.

A funny thing happened on one of the small rivers we were on - there was a deer fly that kept landing on her head and face and she would snap at it but would always miss. I was really rooting for her because this thing would not let her be. Finally she snapped real quick and got it! I was so happy for her.:)

And yeah, both those sites you mentioned are worth the stop. Good swimming at both also.

@Rambler Dog - Thanks!

Very nice report.

What a great report Tom. Especially like the videos. They really help give a feel for the place.
Thanks for taking the time to write about your trip.

Great trip report!! The pictures were great.

quote ktoivola: "Very nice report. "

Thanks!

@ Mcspin50 - Thanks, I cringe when I watch the videos. Could I be dorkier? :)

@ exo - thankyou. It's just a small point and shoot and next time I think I'm going to take my DSLR and a tripod. I love foggy mornings the best and luckily I had a good one. That pic of Luna curled up in the canoe is one I'll always remember. She was like that for a good hour as I paddled this beautiful stream. (McEwen River)

Really enjoyed the report Tom. Not many trip reports that I read word for word. I noticed that you used a Vittle Vault. I assume that you do not hang your food pack. Is that right? I still hang my food but I may change that this year. If you stash your Vittle Vault, how far away form camp to do put it? Thanks!!

quote TomP: "Really enjoyed the report Tom. Not many trip reports that I read word for word. I noticed that you used a Vittle Vault. I assume that you do not hang your food pack. Is that right? I still hang my food but I may change that this year. If you stash your Vittle Vault, how far away form camp to do put it? Thanks!!"

Thanks TomP. It's a pleasure to not have to hang my food anymore. I've only done this on solos so far though. I usually walk it somewhere off the main trails at least 30 yards or so away from camp. I look for a cluster of bushes or low hanging pines that will hide it from view.

Just remember to really know where you put it. I even like that it is white because I will spot it easier. A few years ago I had a tough time remembering where it was. :)

The only fresh food I bring on solos is salami and cheese. I will double bag those with freezerbags. Also, try not to get any foodsmells on the outside of the vault. This is one thing I'm careful about and always rinse my hands off real good after eating.

I bought an Ursack this year and also the clear bags they sell at that site called Lopsacks. I put my dog's food in freezer ziplocks then into Lopsacks then in the ursack and hid it next to my food.

Very Nice report!! Very well done! Thanks

Thanks for writing such an excellent trip report. I very much enjoyed the photos and videos too.

quote johno: "Thanks for writing such an excellent trip report. I very much enjoyed the photos and videos too."

Thanks, I appreciate it. I think you're the first person from So Cal I've seen on this board.

@ mnrackhunter - Thanks!

Great report! Thanks for sharing!

Great trip report. I have a silver lab and he loves the water and fish. Fish are like catnip to him. He turns into an absolute "hound dog". He just starts to shake and howl when I am cleaning fish on the dock. He is as gentle as can be except when fish are around. I have to give him scraps with an open hand or I could loose a finger. I could never imagine him laying still in the canoe with a fish on.

Really enjoyed the report. Perfect way to spend a little of this cold, windy winter day. Last summer we did the same loop from EP14 that you did the year before. And now, next summer we have a permit for EP25. The similarity stops there though, as we're going to do a loop up through Knife, Ester, Hanson, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to write it up. It looks like Luna had a great time.

Excellent report, videos, and photos. It sure took me far away from this grey winter day. Thanks so much for sharing your solo adventure.