Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Little Indian Sioux River north
by Bannock

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe

Entry Date: 07/31/2006

Entry & Exit Point: Little Indian Sioux River (north) (EP 14)

Number of Days: 6

Group Size: 2

Trip Introduction:

Little Indian Sioux River Trip Report Entry date: July 31st Exit date: August 5th Entry Point #14, Little Indian Sioux River North Group members: Julie Mack, Ken Brown Prologue This trip was typical in that during the planning process we had people drop out or tentatively wanted to go but then couldn’t, etc. When all was said and done, the group was Julie and I. We have done several trips together, though never just the two of us only. Still, Julie is one of those people you WANT as a trip mate -- good canoer, great camper, strong, hard worker, knows what needs to be done and needs no direction, great company. Julie and I have known each other since college. She is my wife’s best friend. She was the maid of honor in my wedding and birthing coach at my son’s birth. Julie and I have acted on stage together and in our younger days spent an entire summer together in a touring theatre company. Julie and I are not strangers. In January I entered the permit lottery wanting a Moose River entry point but got my alternate, the Little Indian Sioux (LIS) River, instead. After I was notified of my permit reservation I called Voyageur North Outfitters (VNO) to reserve a bunkhouse for the night before our entry date. Then it was time to wait. Julie arrived from Illinois on Friday, July 28 to help me with the packing and shopping, but mostly to spend a couple of days with the family before the two of us deserted them to take our trip.

Part 1 of 8

Sunday, July 30, 2006 - Travel Day

We were up early excited about our trip. My wife made us a nice breakfast. The car was packed the night before so we needed to only grab the stuff from the freezer and refrigerator. We hit the road at 8:15 a.m.

We traveled up the Wisconsin side (HWY 53). It was a hot day, well over 90, but still the ride was enjoyable. Two hundred sixty miles later, at about 12:45 p.m., we pulled into Duluth and headed for the Lake area. We visited the Duluth Pack store and had lunch at Little Angie’s Cantina. The weather was very pleasant here from the breeze and lake effect cooling. Very pleasant indeed.

We continued on arriving in Ely at 4:30 p.m. Not bad at all – 8 hours and 15 minutes and that included a quick break the Northern Wisconsin Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery Wayside, an extended lunch stop in Duluth, and a gas stop. The Blueberry Festival had just ended in Ely a half hour before. The street was crowded with vendors dismantling their booths.

We checked in at VNO; got our permit; dropped off our stuff in the bunkhouse; and went to the Ely Steakhouse for supper. It reminded Julie and I of a Supper Club. Even though she now lives in Illinois and I live in Minnesota, we both were born and raised in Wisconsin, and therefore are experts in Supper Clubs and those things associated with them such as brandy old fashion sweets, euchre nights, and smelt frys. Julie and I never run out of things to talk about.

Julie loves the bunkhouse at VNO. She’s been in many of them, but VNO is the best. She is totally impressed that sheets and blankets are supplied as well as cable TV. We watch the weather and find that we are in for a very hot day tomorrow – 100 degrees!!!