The long awaited (and still not finished) trip report is now up on blogspot.

For a "work" project I need some views, so please check it out.

2014 WCPP trip

The tootsies were tasty!

I get where you are coming from. It is tough to camp with folks you really don't know well. That's especially true if their expectations are different from yours.

But you saw a caribou! We did not. But we did see a moose on my B-Day very early in the a.m.

Funny how the north woods can inspire an epiphany. I had quite a life change after my very first canoe trip.

Getting behind the eight ball in sleep from the get go didn't help much. Not spending a day on Mexican Hat fishing was a mistake in my book. There was some other sites on that lake that might have been good. Sounds like you had a good run of blueberries. Did you guys ever get any walleyes? I missed something, I thought your son was going too. I hope your epiphany works out... Are you following through with that? I hope you can enjoy that park with your son someday.

It was interesting to see how things were working out as the trip went along. Some good lessons for others in your story. I am usually in kind of a funk the first 4 days of my trips. All the prep and then the long drive seems to drain me and it takes a few days to recharge.

I am happy I inspired you. I am starting to work on another trip report. :) Going with new partners to WCPP, rookies at that, set you up for some classic obstacles. Expectations were high for everyone but I think everyone had different expectations. What was the ride home like? (that's a long drive) Will Fritz and Moose return? Do other trips?

One of the things that make WCPP interesting is the campsites. The range from "not there" to spacious with great views. The site on the south end of Aegean....Fritz or you could have had their own fire ring. :) S. Aegean is a beautiful Lake. It was like glass when I paddled it last week I might have felt different with a stiff south wind.

Weather, bugs, group dynamics, and intangibles can all impact the quality of a trip. As I remember you were really pumped to go last year. Get off with no sleep didn't help. I would have did a layerover at the first camp just to get some sleep and work on the dynamics.

Hope that in time you will get as excited to go again. Maybe solo. Lots of time to think about those things in life we are trying to escape. Hope all works out for you in the coming year. Thanks for posting the report.

Yes, no sleep was a big deal.

Fritz and Moose are out doing their thing. I talked to Fritz a couple weeks ago. We get along, but I doubt we will ever trip together again. The trip report isn't entirely finished, so it is missing one illustration of our differences. On the last night, I had cut a fair amount of wood and stacked it to leave for the next group. After I went to bed, Fritz and Moose stoked up a roaring fire, burned all the birch bark, a large stack of wood, and dragged an 8inch round 6foot long log over the fire pit. Left it to burn all night.

No walleye. Weather hit when we reached camp on Mexican Hat, and it just wasn't safe.

Yoder (my son) was not able to join the trip. A bitter dissapointment for me. He is taking some friends to the BWCA this summer, so I am happy he is camping.

And Hobbydog, I can't wait to go again! This summer was a quick 2 day backpacking trip on the Grand Portage.

As for my epiphany... I sold my business, earned my degree, moved out to the country, and am currently seeking gainful employment. As 'soul-sucking' as job hunting is, it is nothing compared to the life I left behind. I see my kids every day, kiss my wife every morning and night (and sometimes in between). Life is good, and I am a part of it again.


Here's a strange thing though... On my backpacking trip a couple weeks ago, I ran across a couple doing a 70 day canoe trip. The man grew up in Red Lake and had never set foot in WCPP. there is so much there to see and explore!

I don't know when I will make it back. The little ones are 2&4, so my focus for a while is on state parks and the back yard. WCPP will need to wait. But... I shall return!

I really enjoyed your writing style. You have a delightful way of seeing things that convey simple, stark fact but with humorous twists that make me laugh. The dog is an example. Very insightful as to what cause/effect situations occurred.

Tough trip that had lots of risk. I would not have done the same for many reasons, but admire that you made it work. Speaks well of your tenacity and commitment. The rookies and difficult trip had plenty of downside risk. And the sleep deprivation started it with a serious uphill challenge.

Curious thought was if your career decision was spawned by realizing the great wilderness trip was forever hindered by your less than optimum paddling partners. Not throwing stones at them - but simply stating wilderness paddling is not everyone's cup of tea. You personally have the "fire" and should team with others that share that.

Very happy for you that you have made your career move.

One reason I love to paddle is it reminds me every time how absolutely content and happy I can be when living in a hammock, cooking over a fire and paddling a canoe with a few close friends. Don't need a mansion, don't need a fancy kitchen with gourmet food, don't need a BMW, and don't need a 1000 casual acquaintances. Simple (I mean REAL simple) is just fine.

I am heading to WCPP for the first time this Sept. Have been to BWCA and Quetico for the last 30 years. Looking forward to the adventure.

Old Hoosier

I liked what you have so far EC. I have only one suggestion, you may want to downplay the negative group dynamics. OK to mention it, but don't dwell on it too much. I read trip reports to find information on lakes, camp sites, routes, portages, etc. And you are covering that very well. Just my 2 cents. Thanks.