Click to View the Full Thread

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Solo Tripping :: Hunters Island Trip
 
Author Message Text
Frenchy19
05/03/2017 09:08PM
  
Have officially switched entry from Nym to PP (Carp). Will take some miles off the trip, and it makes more sense given where I live. Also, the switch was motivated by my wife who has agreed to go on a trip with me-the first time in 10 years. She wants to drive up to Atikokan, so I figured I may as well start and end this trip at Williams and Hall, the best at what they do, hands down.
 
sedges
05/02/2017 10:32AM
  
If big lakes concern you then this will be nervous trip. You have much bigger open water on Basswood and Knife and Kawnipi is notorious for its winds funneled down the narrows. Lac la Croix only has a little "around the corner" stretch to navigate and there are some nice pictographs there you shouldn't miss.


My suggestion is to be on the water very early when the wind is usually down. This means quick breakfast and fast packing. Sometimes a few granola bars is enough, eat a second breakfast later in the morning after you get some miles in or get through that big open stretch.


Be prepared to be windbound. I carry a light hammock and will get off the water if the wind gets rough in the afternoon. Hang the hammock anywhere, doesn't need to be a campsite. Read, snooze, write in your journal, go exploring on foot. The wind usually drops in the evening so you can get back on the water and travel a bit before camping. Be flexible.


Build windbound time into your schedule. Give yourself at least two weeks for this trip. Don't take off days when its nice traveling.


Enjoy the big lakes! It means you are putting in a lot of miles without having to portage.


I also suggest you eat freeze dried dinners at home for a few nights and make sure they are compatible with your digestive system. I have never had issues with freeze dried and they are much better now than ever, Easy to fix, light to carry.


Enjoy your trip, it is endeed a grand tour!
 
Frenchy19
05/02/2017 10:56AM
  
quote sedges: "If big lakes concern you then this will be nervous trip. You have much bigger open water on Basswood and Knife and Kawnipi is notorious for its winds funneled down the narrows. Lac la Croix only has a little "around the corner" stretch to navigate and there are some nice pictographs there you shouldn't miss.



My suggestion is to be on the water very early when the wind is usually down. This means quick breakfast and fast packing. Sometimes a few granola bars is enough, eat a second breakfast later in the morning after you get some miles in or get through that big open stretch.



Be prepared to be windbound. I carry a light hammock and will get off the water if the wind gets rough in the afternoon. Hang the hammock anywhere, doesn't need to be a campsite. Read, snooze, write in your journal, go exploring on foot. The wind usually drops in the evening so you can get back on the water and travel a bit before camping. Be flexible.



Build windbound time into your schedule. Give yourself at least two weeks for this trip. Don't take off days when its nice traveling.



Enjoy the big lakes! It means you are putting in a lot of miles without having to portage.



I also suggest you eat freeze dried dinners at home for a few nights and make sure they are compatible with your digestive system. I have never had issues with freeze dried and they are much better now than ever, Easy to fix, light to carry.



Enjoy your trip, it is endeed a grand tour!"


Good points regarding other "big water" lakes on this trip. The ones you mention I am familiar with; Lac La Croix has been one lake I have always avoided. Regarding the food, I could eat goat feed and have no problems, and I have eaten plenty of the MH products in the past, just never for an entire trip. Doing it to save some weight, and I am too lazy to dehydrate this year. Beyond pumped for this trek!
 
Whatsit
05/02/2017 11:14AM
  
quote Frenchy19: "Finally getting around to the Hunters Island trip this June. Putting in @ Nym, heading south and then making a counter clockwise loop. Going to avoid Lac La Croix as huge water kind of spooks me. Biggest fear on this trip is that I will, for the first time, be eating only Mountain House food for dinners...!"
I have only mountain house meals for my May solo as well. They are filled with salt so make sure you drink a lot of water
Sounds like a great trip
Mike
 
boonie
05/03/2017 04:09PM
  
Will this be your longest solo?


Twelve days is my longest so far. On my first long one, I found myself a little hungrier the second week than I am during the first week and was glad I had packed an extra ration or two of snacks, which I had thrown in after hearing some people mention that effect.
 
Frenchy19
05/03/2017 02:40PM
  
quote boonie: ""Biggest fear on this trip is that I will, for the first time, be eating only Mountain House food for dinners...! "



Yikes! You'd better take extra TP! :).



Seriously though, I used to eat several of the MH and some others, but have found the dehydrated meals from Hawk Vittles and Outdoor Herbivore to be more to my liking. They are lower in sodium and generally free of chemicals and preservatives; consequently, they taste better to me.



Have a good trip! There's nothing like a nice long solo to unwind things."


Agree on the Hawk and Outdoor products. Got the MH in bulk at a good price, and that is why I went that route.
 
HighnDry
05/02/2017 07:47PM
  
I'm sure that you read Kanoes' HI trip in 2013. He encountered a lot of wind on Sturgeon and was windbound for about 2 1/2 days. He had better luck crossing BW by shooting for the portage out of Jackfish bay to Pipestone and then on over to Moose ( he took out at the outfitter W&H). There was not much wind but still some on Kawnipi. Just a few thoughts.
 
boonie
05/02/2017 07:56PM
  
"Biggest fear on this trip is that I will, for the first time, be eating only Mountain House food for dinners...! "


Yikes! You'd better take extra TP! :).


Seriously though, I used to eat several of the MH and some others, but have found the dehydrated meals from Hawk Vittles and Outdoor Herbivore to be more to my liking. They are lower in sodium and generally free of chemicals and preservatives; consequently, they taste better to me.


Have a good trip! There's nothing like a nice long solo to unwind things.
 
Frenchy19
05/02/2017 10:06AM
  
Finally getting around to the Hunters Island trip this June. Putting in @ Nym, heading south and then making a counter clockwise loop. Going to avoid Lac La Croix as huge water kind of spooks me. Biggest fear on this trip is that I will, for the first time, be eating only Mountain House food for dinners...!