Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: My Father's First Trip
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boonie |
quote CharChar: "Good for you for going thru with your plan! I'm sure the walk in the woods will be fine and well worth it. People take 10 mile hikes for the heck of it in state parks everywhere, you are taking a 2.25 mile hike with a goal, which makes it so much easier. I'm amazed at how adverse people are to portaging on the BWCA forum..." I think most of the suggestions that it might not be a good idea for his first trip arise from the fact that an almost universal #1 complaint from first-timers is the difficulty of portaging, even the short easy ones. Most people seem to be unprepared for it. I think that after the "test" hike, they have a much more realistic basis for their decision, which is a good thing. |
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overthehill |
quote mutz: "I agree, make the first trip as enjoyable as possible, don't try to challenge yourself at your dads expense. If you need to challenge yourself do it solo or with more experienced trippers." +1 |
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CharChar |
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bobbernumber3 |
quote CharChar: "I'm amazed at how adverse people are to portaging on the BWCA forum..." I wouldn't take an overweight 58 year old first-timer on a 2.25 mile portage and expect a happy camper at camp... just my thinking. First-timers need sunshine, camptime, scenery, good food, a little fishing, a good time. This sounds like a "one and done" trip plan to me. Hope I am wrong. Eager to read the trip report. |
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mutz |
quote CharChar: "Good for you for going thru with your plan! I'm sure the walk in the woods will be fine and well worth it. People take 10 mile hikes for the heck of it in state parks everywhere, you are taking a 2.25 mile hike with a goal, which makes it so much easier. I'm amazed at how adverse people are to portaging on the BWCA forum..." I don't think the responses are adverse to long portages, we all do them when we have to, I think the opposition is to making a first trip a difficult trip which could mean a trip that was not enjoyed resulting in a been there, done that, not again result. |
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jwartman59 |
as a note i will add that i have been on angleworm when every campsite has been occupied. several times. |
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mutz |
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Skarc75 |
After much hesitation and second-guessing, we've decided that we will, in fact, head to Angleworm next week! I received a ton of valuable feedback from this board earlier this summer. Some were favorable to this idea, and others warned against it. I did have the chance to take my father on the Moose Lake trail with a loaded pack. He did very well for the first 2 miles, then began to slow. I plan to take this portage very slow, with frequent breaks. All in all, I feel that this is doable, and I feel that I've instilled a dose of reality in his head. Anybody have any good recommendations for finding walleyes on Angleworm, Home, Gull, Thunder or Beartrap? Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will get my trip report uploaded soon after I return! |
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boonie |
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Grandma L |
quote wrestlencanoe: "Angleworm overnighter is possibly the most entertaining trip report ever written. The whole comments thread is the best. I encourage you to read this classic. OH MY....that was a wonderful report - I giggled and laughed through the entire reading. I will have to share this around the campfire with the grand kids on one of our upcomig trips. Corndog - where ever you are - you are a great entertainer and canoe tripper. Thanks for the old but great report! |
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TominMpls |
quote IceColdGold: "Not sure if it's been mentioned this yet, but do some research on the trails as you get closer to Angleworm. I have read that if you take a wrong turn, you may end up on the hiking trail instead of at the lake. No use in adding any distance :-) When we backpacked it in October it was fairly straightforward if you were paying attention to the map, but there is a place where the trail goes off in four different directions and so it's important to know which way you want to go there. The backpacking loop is a *loop*, and portage follows the backpacking loop from that junction to the west side of the lake, not the east, and where the portage landing diverges from the west side of the backpacking trail it should be fairly obvious. They're going enough earlier in the season that it could be harder to tell - by mid October most of the leaves were off the trees, which made route-finding easier - but I think it should be fairly clear as long as they're watching the map. |
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boonie |
quote Skarc75: "Boonie, If he's still excited about the challenge after the "dose of reality" - a good solid hike with the pack - then you're probably good to go. He'll know if he needs to do a little more conditioning or abort. Better to abort beforehand than at the beginning of the trip. Good luck. I hope it all works out. |
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wrestlencanoe |
Angleworm Overnighter |
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Skarc75 |
quote Grandma L: "Are you doing a loop or straight in and out trip - does that mean doing the 714 rod portage twice????? I'm not sure why you're questioning whether or not I'm being genuine... I can assure you that this is a serious proposal, as I already have the permit. To answer your question, I haven't yet decided whether to make the loop or not. I was thinking we would just play it by ear. But, I've received some great feedback here, and I think I will start by just taking him for a 2-3 mile hike with a pack to see how he does. |
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boonie |
It seems that portaging difficulty is the thing that catches most first-timers by surprise. A lot of that I think has to do with pack weight, which is an area where you might look for reductions. I made continued efforts to reduce pack weight before my last trip and found it paid great dividends for me. I also did a lot of walking, including some serious hill walking. Since you have all day to do the portage - which is basically 1 1/2 hours of slow walking (1.5 mph) - there is also the possibility that you could go back and carry his pack the rest of the way if it becomes too much. If he is not used to aerobic endurance activities, make sure he is hydrated to start and continues to drink. |
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IceColdGold |
I have Angleworm on my list for a solo at some point. I need to get lighter first though. I just came back from a trip a few weeks ago with two of my sisters. Their first trip. We went in at Kawishiwi lake. After two short portages, I gave them the option to camp and they wanted to press on. After the two longer portages into Poly, they were ready to camp. I asked my sister if she will go again, and she said it depends on the portages. Just take it slow and rest if you need to. |
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CityFisher74 |
quote Skarc75: "quote Grandma L: "As a "first time" trip for your dad, this might be pretty over whelming. As you must know, that portage is 714 rods - that is 2.25 miles. If you are doing this portage, you might think about doing a "leap frog" system so neither of you carry too much and you get to rest and enjoy the woods as you go back "empty" to get the last pack on the leap. FYI - this is the topo of the portage going SW to NE Who's carrying the rods and the paddles? |
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Skarc75 |
I appreciate your help! I like the idea of letting him drop a pack if he feels he's getting too tired. That actually sounds like a very good game plan. Again, I'm not 100% certain that we're going to do this, but he does seem excited for the challenge. I'm trying to explain the trials and tribulations of portaging in the BWCA, especially emphasizing the length of this one. Hopefully it's not a shock to him when/if we get there! |
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Skarc75 |
Fair question! I like to bungee the rods underneath the seats so that they stay in the canoe while portaging. I do the same for the paddles. It's a bit of extra work/weight but I think that pays off. |
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QuietWaters |
they are from a disposable camera, but I thought it would give you an idea of the portage. I didn't mention in the previous post, but I was a woman who was in my mid 50's, slightly overweight and slightly out of shape, carrying a 50 # pack when I did this. I do like hiking and portaging, so that may have factored into my thinking this one was not that hard, just long. Also, this was 18 years ago, so the portage may be in different shape now. The first pic is after the actual entrance to the BWCA, the last one at Spring Creek and the other two after that. Try to include some elevation and off the trail when you are out hiking . That will give him a better idea of what it will be like. |
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fsupp |
Why even take a chance of that happening, then, when you can choose from a host of other routes that don't require a lengthy initial portage that's not likely to be enjoyable? And if it takes a whole day to get to Angleworm, as you predict, then you've missed a day's paddle. This seems like your trip, not your father's, and it really should be his, as it's his first BWCA trip. I did a winter backpacking trip to Angleworm 20 years ago, and, while winter conditions are obviously different, the walk in was no picnic. |
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fsupp |
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Grandma L |
Or are you doing the 271 between Home and Gull? I am beginning to wonder if your proposal to do the Angleworm route is just to get a conversation going? |
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Northwoodsman |
quote boonie: "Put a 40-lb pack on his back before you go and walk 3 miles around the neighborhood (that'll be easier than the portage). That will tell him (and you) if it's a good idea or not. And crawl up and down over every car and fence that you encounter, soaking wet, and blindfolded. That's how a couple of guys in my group described what they would have to do in order to get ready for another trip like the last one. |
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QuietWaters |
If your father can practice with a pack and you take your time, it should be doable; and it will give you both a great sense of accomplishment. Would love to hear after your trip what you decided to do and how your father liked it. |
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Grandma L |
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scramble4a5 |
quote Grandma L: "As a "first time" trip for your dad, this might be pretty over whelming. As you must know, that portage is 714 rods - that is 2.25 miles. If you are doing this portage, you might think about doing a "leap frog" system so neither of you carry too much and you get to rest and enjoy the woods as you go back "empty" to get the last pack on the leap. FYI - this is the topo of the portage going SW to NE |
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Skarc75 |
I totally understand the people who warn against this trip, and I welcome the encouragement from others! As some have suggested, I will start this week by taking my father on a walk with a fully loaded pack. I'll see how he does! We have a good deal of time left, so even if he feels out of shape, we can try to build that stamina up with these walks. |
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stevedug |
We purposely go to quetico or cirrus lakes in quetico so that we can travel some distance with minimal portages. |
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boonie |
quote Skarc75: "I really do appreciate all the feedback! It's a reasonable plan; let us know how that walk goes. |
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DeanL |
I've seen plenty of groups that are not at all prepared to cover even 10 rod portage but if you've got your gear situated they are nothing to be afraid of. Sure they are challenging but to me that's part of the draw of the BW, to push ourselves to do something outside of the daily grind. Have a great trip with your dad and let us know how it goes. |
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Skarc75 |
quote Grandma L: "As a "first time" trip for your dad, this might be pretty over whelming. As you must know, that portage is 714 rods - that is 2.25 miles. If you are doing this portage, you might think about doing a "leap frog" system so neither of you carry too much and you get to rest and enjoy the woods as you go back "empty" to get the last pack on the leap. FYI - this is the topo of the portage going SW to NE Thank you. I appreciate the topo map! This is the response that I anticipated. I've never been to this area, and to be quite honest, I really want to take the Angleworm portage. Maybe I'm being selfish. We are going very light. I have my UL canoe, and I will carry the whole way along with a pack on my back. He will be carrying a ~40lb pack on his back, but nothing else. Again, if need be, we can take all day on that portage and set up on Angleworm on night 1. Is this stupid or doable? |
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Grandma L |
Is it an endurance challenge for you - your goal? but what about your dad? If you want his first trip to get him more interested and willing to go on more adventures - maybe.... you should not overwhelm him before he even sees the lake. At least get his buy in and let him know exactly what he is in for. Angleworm might be a better route plan for you and a young buddy. If you are into challenges - check out the Voyageur Challenge - Far west starting at Crane Lake (entry #12) to far east - Grand Portage. Sept 2 - 10 - 250 miles and the last portage is the 9 miles from Fort Charlotte to Superior (Grand Portage). Contact BeaV here on BWCA.com for the details. |
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TominMpls |
Also, keep in mind that *strong* doesn't translate to *has aerobic endurance*. Aerobic condition is a much bigger factor on portages than strength, and it's easy to assume you can muscle your way down a portage, when what you really need is aerobic capacity. I guess I'd consider an entry point with an easier start than that one - it's a pretty hardcore way to start a trip for a first-timer who you describe as being a little overweight. Mudro would definitely make for an easier start. Not to totally talk you out of it, Angleworm lake is stunningly beautiful, and pretty secluded. There are some gorgeous sites there too. |
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ParkerMag |
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boonie |
Like Tom said, strong (lifting) is one thing, endurance is another. I suspect he may be a little short on the aerobic stamina and there's not much time left to change it before the trip. |
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Northwoodsman |
I took 3 first-timers last September. All about your dad's age and all in great physical condition. They all either walked daily, worked out in a gym several times a week, or played softball, We hit a 180 rod portage with not nearly as much elevation change as you are looking at and I thought two of the guys were going to die, so did they. It took us almost 2 hours to double portage it. 40 lb. packs turn into 60 lb. packs in the last few hours of packing. For a few months after the trip they all wanted to go back. Now almost a year later it's "I'm not sure if I can do that again". This was a bucket list trip for them, but also something they hoped to do every two years. Whatever you decide to do, I hope that you and your dad have a great trip. I look forward to reading your trip report. |
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Skarc75 |
I've planned a six day trip in early September for my father and I. This will be his first ever BWCA trip. My father is 58 years old, a tad overweight (so am I), and has minimal experience outside of state park camping. My plan is to enter at Angleworm and try to make it up to Beartrap sometime during the trip. This is an area that I have not yet been to, but I've been looking forward to exploring for some time. I do not know exactly what to expect once we hit the portage to Angleworm. My father works physical labor, and he is capable of taxing himself physically, but I want to make this trip enjoyable, and I don't want the Angleworm portage to make him regret coming. We will be at the portage entrance by 7:00am, and I plan to take it as slow as possible. If it takes us all day to get to Angleworm, that will be fine with me. I will be carrying the canoe and 1 pack. I will have my father carry 1 pack, and we will single-portage the whole way. What do you guys think of this plan? I'm reaching out for any input/advice that may help make this an enjoyable experience for my father. We do plan to fish quite a bit, and I know he is looking forward to that part. Thanks, Tyler |
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Grandma L |
Since you are going in September, there will be less traffic and you could go in Mudro and get to much the same area with less portage. |