Boundary Waters Canoe Trip

(Additional videos from this trip are now available in the Boundary Waters Video Gallery)

We flew to Ely, Minnesota for a 6-day/ 5-night canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a vast area of lakes, rivers, and portages that border Canada. This was a guided trip, provisioned by the Piragis Northwoods Company of Ely.

The genesis of this trip was a birthday present from Jani, given to Gary, whom she knew really liked this area when he was dogsledding there the previous March. Gary loved the idea but was only interested if Jani would join him, so he reciprocated with an equal gift on Jani’s birthday. They both decided that it would be more fun, and less costly, if they invited friends or family to join them. Gary invited his cousin Dan and his wife Ceil; Jani asked her older brother Matt and his wife Cathy if they would also be interested. Neither of the invited couple had ever met.

Our Crew: slideshow

Ceil trying to capture lovely Boundary Waters morning

Dan & Ceil attempting to record the stillness of a BWCAW morning

Jani, with brother Matt at Curtain Falls on Candian border

Matt & Cathy engaged in conversation with Dan

Crew gathering around for cold-morning breakfast

Ceil, enjoying a warm afternoon on Nina Moose Lake

Dan and Ceil had limited canoeing experience but had traveled the world on many exciting trips, and could not go abroad in 2020 due to the pandemic. Matt and Cathy were the most experienced canoe campers. As it turned out, this was a great group with whom to go camping.

The seventh member of the trip was the guide, Dave Hicks. He brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience which he enjoyed sharing, and he had boundless energy. Best of all, he carried the heaviest packs and did all of the cooking. (Between his trail cooking abilities and Piragis’ provisioning, we ate very well.)

Our Guide: slideshow

Dave Hicks (guide) did the cooking on oir trip

Dave, about to fill his filter bag and water bottle.

Dave expounds; Matt listens. No shortage of ideas.

Dave found a campsite he likes and stakes a claim

Dave demonsttrates unique sawing technique

Dave provided a lot of muscle, as in this lift over a beaver dam

We chose mid-September for this trip since we knew there would be fewer campers, almost no bugs, and we hoped the trees would have started to turn colors. All this was true, and we were fortunate to have almost perfect weather.

Our Trip: photo gallery

For those who have not done this type of camping, you should be aware that rivers, creeks, and lakes are not always connected. Sometimes to get from one body of water to the next you have to carry all your gear (here’s where you learn not to overpack) overland. In the Boundary Waters, that might also mean carrying a canoe and/or a overladen pack, through mud, over rocks, sometimes over downed trees, up and down hills, over single logs, or through puddles. It was probably the most arduous part of the trip.

Portages are typically 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile long, but often feel a lot longer. Of two-person canoe, one person will carry the lighter pack and the canoe while the remaining paddler will carry the heavier pack and the loose stuff, namely paddles and life jackets. For the canoe-carrier, your world-view is affected by the approximately 50-pound “shell” you carry on your back, as shown in the photos that follow:

Our Portages: slideshow