Does any one have a picture or pictures of the old portage signs that use to be in BWCA? I am curious to see what they looked like, what size they were, what colors, etc... Were they mounted to a post at/near the landing of a portage or how were they posted? Maybe this winter I might need a project and could tackle making one if I could see what they looked like. Thank you in advance.

reproductions

I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. Here is what they looked like... Signs Edit, sorry Jan, you beat me to it.

Here you go - taken in 1984 - Doing a border Route - Duncan, Rose, Rove etc.



Just a few summer ago!

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness.

Here is another old relic. Canoe Rests! - I miss them!

I'm sympathetic to the changes but poor Grandpa just can't figure out why they took the signs and canoe rests away. An erstwhile outfitter told me it was maintenance concerns that was the cause for their removal, no one apparently had the time to take care of them.

Our first canoe trip was in 1973 in the BWCA with a 70 lb Grumman. I remember those signs and I also remember how canoe rests made the trip survivable. We also had a 2 year old on that trip.

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Oh yes, I forgot about the tables. I only saw one of these on Saganaga, right before the falls.

These days they'd probably disappear faster than they could make them. Even then I'm sure they were shot up or stolen at a good rate.

Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals...

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

picnic point seagull lake 1992 ?

quote Frenchy19: " Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals..."

Frenchy, we saw something like this on Slim Lake this year, middle campsite

We like ours

Me and my tripping where taking sat. That it would be nice too have portage sings at some lakes

quote tbellrichard: "

quote Frenchy19: " Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals..."

Frenchy, we saw something like this on Slim Lake this year, middle campsite"

+1 if it's Slim lake up out of Lac La Croix.

quote SevenofNine: "

quote tbellrichard: "

quote Frenchy19: " Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals..."

Frenchy, we saw something like this on Slim Lake this year, middle campsite"

+1 if it's Slim lake up out of Lac La Croix."

As I recall, the site was up on a hill. Sound familiar?

Not to change the post but anyone know why they took the canoe rests down, years ago when I didn't need them they were there now when I do need them they are gone.

quote mutz: "Not to change the post but anyone know why they took the canoe rests down, years ago when I didn't need them they were there now when I donned them they are gone."

I think it has to do with the Wilderness Act. Also there was a huge maintance cost to not only the rests, but the signs, tables. I do miss the canoe rests on the longer portages.

1998 or 1999

Portage out of Clearwater

quote Frenchy19: "

quote SevenofNine: "

quote tbellrichard: "

quote Frenchy19: " Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals..."

Frenchy, we saw something like this on Slim Lake this year, middle campsite"

+1 if it's Slim lake up out of Lac La Croix."

As I recall, the site was up on a hill. Sound familiar?
"

Yup, up a big rock face overlooking the lake. The old latrine was right next to the new one, although I didn't notice until a more lengthy visit

quote mutz: "Not to change the post but anyone know why they took the canoe rests down, years ago when I didn't need them they were there now when I do need them they are gone."

As the other person said maintenance was a huge factor. I have that on very good authority.

quote Savage Voyageur: "

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Oh yes, I forgot about the tables. I only saw one of these on Saganaga, right before the falls. "

I remember the signs, the latrines, the rests, but not the tables

quote mooseplums: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Oh yes, I forgot about the tables. I only saw one of these on Saganaga, right before the falls. "

I remember the signs, the latrines, the rests, but not the tables"

yup

As I recall the portage signs and canoe rests disappeared with the wilderness designation. Here is a rotted remnant I found back in the woods in the Sylvania Wilderness Area in the UP a few years ago.

I still remember canoe rests and portage signs from trips in the early 90's. The reproduction signs are very cool. May have to get a couple

quote shock: "

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

picnic point seagull lake 1992 ?
"

for a little history, i had heard that there was a picnic table on a alpine campsite pre 1996 and the only canoe rest i saw , was on the clearwater to west pike portage, early 90's

I miss the signs and the canoe rests. Never thought to take a pic of either. Don't miss the tables, but I have an old pic of one on Seagull too.

I miss the tables. We started taking the kids to the BWCA back in the 80,s [4 at the time] and we could set the old green box Coleman stove on the end of the table and the kids seated around it and they didn't have to try to balance their food on their laps ect. Taught them how to count and do math while playing cards in those tables. FRED

No pictures,, but there was still a few canoe rests along the missing link to Tuscarora portage as late as 95'. Was not repaired and was going downhill winter of 95-96'. I never came across a picnic table with trips starting in 93'.

1979-Stuart River

'Ely Buyck Road
513 Rods'

quote Savage Voyageur: "

quote mutz: "Not to change the post but anyone know why they took the canoe rests down, years ago when I didn't need them they were there now when I donned them they are gone."

I think it has to do with the Wilderness Act. Also there was a huge maintance cost to not only the rests, but the signs, tables. I do miss the canoe rests on the longer portages. "

no maintenance needed on those picnic tables that wood was like 1 1/2" thick, rough cut.

doing a few trips pre 1994 (when the wood latrines were being replaced with the new fiberglass ones) the 1st time i saw the fiberglass one's i was like WT* and then when i saw the lastest version(green square fiberglass with a lid)(alpine&jasper)(guessing the fiberglass ones melted) i was like ,,,this is nice ;)

this is in a buddies house. it's about six feet long and weighs a lot. quite a bit of effort to carry this the three miles from the 'peak'.

quote SaganagaJoe: "I'm sympathetic to the changes but poor Grandpa just can't figure out why they took the signs and canoe rests away. An erstwhile outfitter told me it was maintenance concerns that was the cause for their removal, no one apparently had the time to take care of them. "

Maintenance had nothing to do with it!
Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!

quote The Great Outdoors: "Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

Sorta like Rapalas, eh.

quote jwartman59: "this is in a buddies house. it's about six feet long and weighs a lot. quite a bit of effort to carry this the three miles from the 'peak'.



"

Wow,
That's really nice.

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote SaganagaJoe: "I'm sympathetic to the changes but poor Grandpa just can't figure out why they took the signs and canoe rests away. An erstwhile outfitter told me it was maintenance concerns that was the cause for their removal, no one apparently had the time to take care of them. "

Maintenance had nothing to do with it!
Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

+1 They were really bothering somebody!

quote schweady: "

quote The Great Outdoors: "Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

Sorta like Rapalas, eh.
"

The big difference is one doesn't work very well, and the old canoe rests did!! :)

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote SaganagaJoe: "I'm sympathetic to the changes but poor Grandpa just can't figure out why they took the signs and canoe rests away. An erstwhile outfitter told me it was maintenance concerns that was the cause for their removal, no one apparently had the time to take care of them. "

Maintenance had nothing to do with it!
Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

it is ridicoulas,,like i stated about the picnic tables thick rough cut wood that would last 3 life times.. the 1 portage where i saw a canoe rest was the clearwater-west pike portage but off of that portage is a bridge up to gogebic,,like mueller falls bridge, how unnatural is that. BUT a raplala C-9 is one of the best presentaions for cold water walleyes (along with a jig spinner gold jig.yellow twister tail). TGO you should stock some..of both..

From the Malberg Area

Englishmans Island on Sag used to have a picnic table, as did a couple sites out around american point.

quote The Great Outdoors:
Maintenance had nothing to do with it!
Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

Figures...

quote Frenchy19: " Came across this a couple of years ago. CAn't recall the lake without digging around in my journals, but that means I would need to locate my journals..."

Is that a beer box?

My home project while I was laid up with a foot injury.

FISHONFISHOFF

quote fishonfishoff: " My home project while I was laid up with a foot injury.


FISHONFISHOFF"

nice

quote jwartman59: "this is in a buddies house. it's about six feet long and weighs a lot. quite a bit of effort to carry this the three miles from the 'peak'.



"

Who stole this, and where is it being hidden?

quote shock: "

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote SaganagaJoe: "I'm sympathetic to the changes but poor Grandpa just can't figure out why they took the signs and canoe rests away. An erstwhile outfitter told me it was maintenance concerns that was the cause for their removal, no one apparently had the time to take care of them. "

Maintenance had nothing to do with it!
Environmental purists didn't want them because they weren't natural, so they had to go!"

it is ridicoulas,,like i stated about the picnic tables thick rough cut wood that would last 3 life times.. the 1 portage where i saw a canoe rest was the clearwater-west pike portage but off of that portage is a bridge up to gogebic,,like mueller falls bridge, how unnatural is that. BUT a raplala C-9 is one of the best presentaions for cold water walleyes (along with a jig spinner gold jig.yellow twister tail). TGO you should stock some..of both.."

Artificials that are deemed some of the best cold water Walleye lures, would be comparable to saying a one armed man with only three fingers is one of the top accordian players in the world! :)

I have a real original sign in my garage...and I've chopped up and burned a few of those old picnic tables over the years...

I don't miss the picnic tables. Those always seemed out of place in the BW but the canoe rests were great. Not only these but the portages seemed to have changed. When I paddled there in the 1970's portage landings often had a log upon which to disembark. I imagine these were carry overs from the wood and canvas canoe era but they made it possible to load and unload your canoe without damage or scratching. Sometimes their was even log cribbing in place for this purpose. People used to talk about not getting their feet wet.

My sense is that the USFS undid a lot of this work in order to foster the wilderness experience perhaps. Where portage landings often had been prepared, today landings often seem to have had sharp rocks perhaps intentionally scattered on the approaches. Maybe not but I did have a conversation last summer with someone who had worked previously on a Forest Service work crew intentionally undoing a lot of the improvements that had been made in the BWCA.

The rationale for all of this is likely one of fostering those qualities more appropriate to wilderness but I suspect the subtext here is that the USFS just doesn't have the money to maintain these things. Ever since President Clinton sought to reform the Forest Service and return it to its mission from its focus upon its role as caretaker of the "National Tree Farm" there has been constant pressure from Congress to cut its funding. Congress was willing to fund large scale extractive resource harvesting and excessive road construction but the recreation and wilderness lobbies just don't have the same clout as corporate America.

Its hard to find any other explanation for the removal of portage signage. Here in New Hampshire and places elsewhere such as Wyoming trail signs are provided in designated wilderness areas.

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Here's a table on Cherokee Lake 1979, and an in-ground fire pit. Can't believe we lugged in that Coleman stove

Long portage from Rose to Rove...2012

Kinda glad they got rid of that stuff, make for a more challenging trip.

quote Daunier: "

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Here's a table on Cherokee Lake 1979, and an in-ground fire pit. Can't believe we lugged in that Coleman stove"

I'm Surprised you got that good of a Cell Phone Signal back then, or is that a Q-Tip you have in your ear? ;-)

quote LindenTree3: "

quote Daunier: "

quote paddlecanoe: "

quote Savage Voyageur: "I used to see these signs everywhere up there. I also remember the canoe rests and wooden latrines. "

And picnic tables...all before it became the BWCA Wilderness."

Here's a table on Cherokee Lake 1979, and an in-ground fire pit. Can't believe we lugged in that Coleman stove"

I'm Surprised you got that good of a Cell Phone Signal back then, or is that a Q-Tip you have in your ear? ;-)"

Not sure what that was- probably cold ears because I forgot my earmuffs, this being early October- at least I remembered to tuck my wallet securely into my jeans pocket, per standard wilderness procedure.

wannabeoutthere: "


From the Malberg Area"

Any chance you still have the sign?

On my trips I focus on fishing and visiting any historical sights along my route. During my 2012 trip on Lac La Croix I stopped at several old campsites that have long been closed and also explored the grounds of two abandoned lodges. At one of the old campsites I found this latrine sign nailed about 8 feet high to a red pine tree and the remains of a picnic table. At the location of the Lac La Croix Lodge I was able to find the resort dump site and found some old beer cans.

Is there still an interpretive sign on Height of Land Portage? This photo is from 1970 on our way from Saganaga to Lake Superior. I was there again in 1979, but haven't found it in the photos.

Back in 1986, first trip, we saw a sign on the west end of Crooked before the falls that said something like "Dangerous Rapids"? Or something like that...I think it was brown with white lettering...

I give BWCA.com ten years until the post will be asking if anyone remembers that there were portage signs, canoe rests and picnic tables in the BW? Many of us that do remember will either not be here to remember or will have forgotten we ever did! There will not be many first person accounts.