BWCACAST- High Definition Boundary Water Canoeing

With snow falling from the skies we step away from the car park and into the BWCAW. Sleds loaded down with tents, stoves, food and warm gear bite into our chest as the tow line go taunt. We are headed in for a weekend of winter camping. Five guys two tents and enough bacon to keep us warm on the frigid nights and cool days. Join us as we strap on the snowshoes and spend a weekend in the frozen Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

On a nice sunny day we leave our camp on Knife Lake traveling east along the boarder into Ottertrack Lake. We wind our way down this narrow lake with high cliffs on our northern flank. At our new camp we do a little swimming before cooking up some fish for dinner. What a great day in the Boundary Waters.

We continue our way North East from Vera portaging our way into Knife Lake. With crystal clear waters and a fresh breeze blowing in our face we work our way to the North Arm of Knife Lake where we camp for the night.

After a winter of frozen lakes and trees covered in snow we find ourselves at the Moose Lake entry point for our first trip of the summer. The skies are mostly cloudy and the days are just starting to warm up. The temps are just perfect for paddling in the BWCAW. I am joined on this trip by Jesse, Jim, and Glenn who are all great guys to camp with. Join us as we take our first paddle strokes and portages of the spring.

On a beautiful early April day with the ice freshly melted from the lakes Erin and I head into the BWCAW. Our destination for this trip is the easily accessible Little Bass Lake just one portage away from North Hegman Lake. The Sun shining through the trees made for a serene portage through the woods.

If you venture out around 5:00 AM near the end of April on Lake Vermilion you will find some exquisite sunrises. Here is one from April 27, 2012.

After a foot of snow pounced on us out of nowhere we found ourselves on a calm lake with the sun setting in a winter wonderland. The mirror like lake made breathtaking views of the lake shore. Jim and I go for an evening paddle amidst our spring snowset.

March showed up with extremely warm temperatures for the season which quickly removed what little snow we had accumulated over the short winter. In the last couple of days the ice has begun to pull away from the shoreline opening up the opportunity for an early paddle. The first paddle of the spring is always a favorite time even if its only for 10 or so minutes. We had a an amazing sunshine filled day giving the ice a shimmery reflection.

Our loop out of the Little Indian Sioux entry point is coming to an end. After a heavy rain throughout the night we woke to sunny skies and calm waters. Looking at the maps we find a day filled with portaging ahead of us. With over 800 rods of portaging we knew our shoulders would be ready for some relaxation on Lynx lake which would be our destination for the day. Paddling along the way we encounter a couple of loons showing off as well as a serene beaver flooded portage.

Winter is a great time to get out and enjoy a host of winter sports. Everything from ice fishing to winter camping get you out of the house and into the crisp fresh air. Many of these winter activities involve frozen bodies of water. It doesn't matter if your riding on a snowmobile, gliding along on skies, or crunching by on snowshoes, crossing ice covered water ways need to hold your full respect. It can happen in an instant and without any warning. You could find yourself plunging into the frigid water below the ices surface. Now this doesn't have to be a death sentence, however depending on your location and how well you are prepared for such an event the end result can vary greatly. Glen Hooper from Northwest Ontario is an avid winter enthusiast and a writer for winter trekking.com. He spends a lot of time traversing the rugged Canadian terrain in both summer and winter. The prospect of falling through the ice is something he takes very seriously and has put a lot of forethought into what he needs to survive such and ordeal. Join me as I visit with Glen on what he has readied to aid in increasing his survival skills after a plunge into frigid waters.

After leaving behind the dead moose carcasse in Thumb Lake we paddle through fresh air under sunny skies. The wind always seems to follow us with a gental push from behind helping ease the day of paddling. We encounter a couple of beaver dams and a few mergansers as we paddle our way to Ge-be-on-e-quet Lake.

After a beautiful night camped out on Steep Lake we awake to sunny skies and a light breeze. Continuing our loop out of the Little Indian Sioux River we head North East working our way through Little Bear Track Lake, Bear Track Lake, and into Thumb Lake. Along the way we bump into a snake, a turtle, and what remained of a dead moose.

We continue our journey north out of Little Loon Lake with the clouds flying by overhead. The warmth of the sun soaks into our bodies as we paddle across open waters. The portages have been both adventurous and serene. We are nearing the end of a full day of paddling and portaging and our bodies are ready for a break. With this being our first trip of the season our muscles are beginning to long for a relaxing evening.

Continuing our trip we leave the Devils Cascade and Lower Pauness and work our way North West towards Loon Lake. We have a gentle tail wind pushing us across the lakes while the warm sun shined down upon us. The fresh air and clean water engulfed our senses. A great time in the Boundary Water Canoe Area.

Our first paddling trip of 2011 we head into the Little Indian Sioux entry point on a 5 day trip. There is a steady wind blowing and the clouds are zipping by overhead. We paddle North along the river taking a beautiful portage along a small rapids. We catch a glimpse of a couple of mallard ducks and a bald eagle. The episode comes to a close as we portage from Upper Pauness into Lower Pauness.

The eastern edge of the Boundary Waters is an amazing area. With high cliffs and deep lakes this rugged terrain offers up some amazing scenery. Camped on the western end of Pine lake we wake up to a beautiful blue sky day with a stiff breeze. We had heard of a waterfall located at the western end of Pine lake and we set out to find it. In his episode we try to give you a first person experience of tracking down these falls. We hope you enjoy the experience and the falls.

On a stormy morning we paddle West out of Mountain lake to a steep portage heading south.  We encounter some heavy rain and lightening as thunder rolls across the the lakes.  We hunker down at a campsite waiting for the storm to subside and then continue on our way to Pine Lake.  Just North of Pine Lake we come across a cow moose and her calf.  The two are standing at the edge of a lake with a picturesque woodland backdrop.  It was great to see our first moose in the BWCAW.

Campsites come in every shape size and location in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Some have stunning views over calm waters, some are tucked away beneath swaying pines. Selecting the perfect campsite can mean the difference between a restful night and one where you can't wait to find a new place to call home.

With a nice tail wind we continue our way along the Voyagers Highway. Leaving North Fowl Lake we portage through thick vegetation and a few mosquitoes. Back on the water we come across a couple of loons swimming on the horizon. One puts on a bit of a show as it takes a bath. We finish up the day in Mountain lake enjoying a relaxing cup of tea and watching the sun disappear behind the trees.

For those of you new to camping and maybe even for you veterans out there, we have put together this little howto video showing the basic principles behind setting up a tent.  Now there are a wide variety of tents out there and each have their own specific way to be set up.  Many tents however follow the same basic steps. Here are a few things we take into consideration when setting up our tent.  First off our tent is a self standing tent which means it doesn't require tent stakes to stay upright.  There are tents on the market that do require stakes, so when shopping for a tent keep this in mind.  One advantage to having a tent that doesn't require stakes is if you are camping in an area that is very rocky, or the ground is extremely firm, you may not be able to put in stakes at every campsite.  With a self standing tent you will still be able to camp in these locations without too much trouble barring any crazy winds. The first thing we look for when choosing a tenting location is how flat the surface is, and if there are rocks or roots sticking up that might be painful to sleep on during the night.  We try to find areas that are as smooth as possible. If there is a slant to the ground we plan on sleeping on we try to position our on the slant so our heads and feet are lined up with the slant.  This way if any sliding occurs during the night you will slide into the end of the tent instead of into your fellow campers. After the tent has been assembled and the rain fly has been put on, we do a quick check on the edges to ensure our ground cloth isn't sticking out anywhere.  If the ground cloth is visible any rain that does fall on it will be taken right under your tent and may lead to a wet night for sleeping. We hope you've found this episode helpful.  If you have any added ideas, or questions, please post them in the comment section below. Thanks for watching.

On a beautiful sunny day we find ourselves back at the John Lake entry point. A light breeze is blowing and the crystal clear waters are beckoning. Jim and I begin our trip along the Border Route much like we had the year before. Traveling along the Royal River you are surrounded by cliffs and lush vegetation. The wild rice in some areas fills the horizon. Join us as we paddle from John Lake to North Fowl Lake.

Paddling back out of the Boundary Waters on the Nina Moose River we bump into Rick and a beautifully hand made wood strip kayak. We visit with Rick about building kayaks.

On a calm summer day in the Boundary Waters we decided to try our luck at catching some lunch. Fishing in the bays of Lac La Croix has provided us with some great experiences over the years. On this particular trip we decided to fish in a little bay just North of Never Fail Bay. We were fishing with spoons and caught both Walleye and Northern Pike. It was a great couple hours of fishing that led to a delicious lunch. Jim shows us how to clean Walleye, and Andy gives us the step by step on preparing a nice shore lunch. We hope you enjoy this episode of fishing in the BWCAW.

Winter is upon us and it seems its already over half way done.  If you've been out ice fishing I hope you've been successful and enjoyed the time outdoors.  For those of you who haven't been out ice fishing before we've put together this little HOW TO video showing you the basic steps in setting up a Tip-Up.  This is a great way to set a line through the ice and still have the opportunity to move around instead of being tied down to your fishing hole.  Check the regulations in you area because you may be able to have more than one line in the water using this method.  We hope you find this video helpful and get the opportunity to catch some nice fish this winter.

The Stewart River entry point starts you out with over a 400 rod portage.  This will get your blood pumping just in time to start your paddle up the river.  We are paddling under sunny skies with a nice breeze.  Canoeing in the BWCA doesn't get much better.

Our July trip is coming to a close as we paddle towards the East end of Crooked lake.  The narrow passageways make for a very scenic paddle catching glimpses of wood ducks, loons, eagles, and even a mink.  The episode comes to a close with the magnificent cliffs that tower over the end of the lake.

Working our way across the 300 rod portage heading north out of Gun Lake we came across a group of people working for the Minnesota Conservation Corps.  They were a trail maintenance crew out rebuilding the portage.  If your looking for a great summer gig check them out at www.conservationcorps.org.

The temps are in the upper 20s and the sun is shining.  With a three day weekend we head into Ramshead Lake.  We catch some nice fish and spend the weekend enjoying the great weather.

We've teamed up with BlackRiverSleds.com to bring you our next HOWTO video. In this episode we'll take you through step by step in assembling a SnowWalker Toboggan. We are using a prepped blank sled bottom, but prepare the wooden cross pieces ourselves. If you are building one of these sled kits feel free to send questions to bwcacastfans@gmail.com.

With storm clouds chasing us north we paddle across Boot Lake.  Waiting out a heavy rain on the portage between Boot and Fairy Lake we emerged on the other side to find sunny skies again.  We continue north through Gun Lake and  over the 300 rod portage.  In the series of rivers and lakes that get you on into Friday bay on Crooked Lake we encounter a river otter and the unique pitcher plant.  Join us as we paddle our way to Friday Bay.

Northern Pike are one of the most commonly caught fish in Northern Minnesota. Weather your fishing for them or walleye, odds are you'll be pulling one in from time to time. Northerns can get quite big and make for a great meal when canoeing in the wilderness. One draw back to these slimy fish are a strip of bones embedded in the meat of the fillet called y-bones. Some people leave them in and deal with picking them out while eating them. There is a way however to remove the y-bones while saving most of the meat. Jim shows you HowTo remove the y-bones on a Northern Pike.

Looking for a way to communicate with the outside world when on a canoe trip in the wilderness? Some people bring them along for emergencies, others to touch base with the friends and family during their trip. Others may have a situation where they need to be contacted during their trip. Whatever your reason may be a Satellite Phone is the best way to have this option when in the wilderness. Here's how to use a "satphone".

We only bring you this HowTo because it was requested by one of our viewers. After getting the initial chuckle out of the request we got to thinking that this is one aspect of camping in the BWCACW that may not really get covered when explaining what to expect to a first time BWCAW camper. We tried to have a little fun while making this episode, I hope we don't offend anyone and that you find the humor in our shooting techniques. Here's HowTo use a latrine.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to start a fire with flint and steel? Matches aren't always reliable when in the back country. As soon as they get wet they become useless. Not to say flint and steel is a fool proof option, but its a good skill set to have and something you can throw in your pack "just in case". Glenn walks you through the steps of creating a birds nest and getting that perfect spark to create a nice campfire.

One of the most important things to think of when out in the wilderness is making sure you have clean water to drink. As our environment continues to become more polluted and not to mention the ever ready giardiasis looking to invade your lower intestines, having a good water filter is a must. There are a lot of water filters on the market so its important to find one you like using. We aren't supporting a specific brand in this episode, but do talk about the different options you have when picking out your next water filter. Here's how to filter water.

Another cooking tip from Jim. How to save money by making your own dry meals. Dehydrated hamburger is the first step in making lightweight delicious meals for out in the wilderness. This is something we have used over the years and feel like we have not only saved a ton of money, but also felt like our meals may have been a little more tasty. If you look at the cost of freeze dried meals in camping stores these days and feel like they are a bit spendy hopefully this video will help you on your way to keep a few dollars in your pocket on your next trip into the wilderness.

Have you ever heard the frightening sound of a rock scraping the bottom of your canoe only to see water begin to appear in the bottom of your boat throughout the rest of your trip? Well we sure have over the years!! In this episode of BWCACAST we'll show you how to patch up those holes with a little fiber glass. Its really not as hard as you'd think and with this step by step guide you'll be patching up your own canoe in no time. Jim walks you through cleaning the area, prepping the patch location, mixing the resin and applying the patch. We hope you find this episode helpful throughout your years of canoeing.

Bent shaft paddles provide more power and efficiency while paddling your canoe. Some people love them while others prefer the standard strait shaft paddle. Some don't like how the bent shaft paddle preform when steering the canoe from the stern. We at BWCACAST.com love to use bent shaft paddles both when paddling in the bow and when paddling in the stern. The design allows you to utilize more of your power being delivered in a manner that propels your canoe forward through more of your paddle stoke. Jim shows you some quick tips on how to make sure your using the bent shaft paddle correctly.

We start our third trip of the summer into the Mudro Lake entry point. My parents have joined us for this trip making this a very special time for me to show off the BWCAW. You'll see some nice paddling and portaging along with my thoughts on the the DululthPack Northwoods pack. Join us on our journey.

Our trip is coming to a close.  After being out for 7 days and traveling over 95 miles and packing our gear over 30+ portages we find ourselves paddling across a familiar lake.  Knife lake famous for so many reasons from a spot used by many to make the sharp edged tools needed to survive to the home of Dorothy Molter.  We paddled under sunny skies making our way back out to Ely.  This half of the Voyagers highway was a great trip.  The sights are amazing and the history of those traveling before you humbles one as you pack your lightweight canoe over the portages.  Thanks for joining us on this trip, it will be one I remember for the rest of my life.

After pushing it pretty hard for the last few days we found ourselves really enjoying the natural beauty of Ottertrack Lake. With the sun slowly dipping behind the horizon and a near full moon brightening the evening sky Matt and I head out for an evening paddle. The water was like glass as we listened to the loons echoing off the surrounding trees and cliffs. Matt was doing a little fishing along the edge of the lake as we paddled along. Even now I can still remember the sound of the paddle dip into the water as we glided around Ottertrack.

With the sun still shining over head and a gentle breeze keeping us cool we continued to paddle west along the voyagers highway.  Leaving Horsetail falls we work our way across Saganaga Lake using the islands as a buffer from the wind.  Leaving Saganaga we pass through Swamp lake on into Otter Track Lake where we stop for the evening.  All in all it was a great day out on the water in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

We awoke to a beautiful day. The sun was shining with puffs of white clouds scattered across the sky. We left our campsite in Gneiss and continued west towards Saganaga Lake. We encounter a rugged portage and some beautiful scenery at HorseTail Rapids.

After a couple days of windy rainy weather we wake up to high overcast skies.  We are thrilled to be paddling without the sound of rain drops falling on our rain gear.  We paddle through North Fowl, Gunflint, the Granite River, and into Gneiss Lake.  Along the way we encounter a beaver preparing for winter and a multitude of other wildlife.  It was a great day to be out on the water.

After a day of high winds and a steady rain we leave from Rosa Lake on our way west along the Voyagers Highway.  The high bluffs along side the lakes makes for some beautiful scenery.  We find a campsite on North Fowl Lake right across from a Loon nest.  We get a nice glimpse of the egg as well as a chance to see the mother waddle her way up on to the nest.

Our big trip for the summer begins on the eastern edge of the BWCAW in John Lake.  Our plan is to follow the "Voyagers Highway" through the historic border lakes as we paddle west.  We head out from John lake through the Royal River in to South Fowl Lake then northwest into North Fowl Lake and end the episode on Moose Lake. With the recent rain in the are we encounter some vibrant colors on the portages which really makes hauling a pack almost not noticeable.  With three of us in the canoe we are able to make pretty decent time.  We have a great beginning to our trip. A theme you may hear us talk a lot about on this next series of shows is the head wind we encounter for the majority of our trip.  If you would like to take a similar trip we now recommend paddling from east to west.  :)

As we were paddling along the Voyagers Highway we ran into Steve and Ted.  10 years prior in July of 1999 the two were on Knife Lake when the severe storm which caused the blow down raged across the lake.  They were luckily having lunch at a campsite when it hit.  The two were kind enough to share their story with me.  I can only imagine the terrifying experience they had that day.  Even though they've had numerous trips into the BWCAW since they decided they should take an anniversary trip 10 years after the fact.  We just happened to bump into them on their jounrey.

Leaving Lower Basswood Falls we head south paddling up the Horse River. Emerging from the thick vegetation along the sides of the river we catch a glimpse of a deer nibbling its way along the shore. The glass like water made for an enjoyable paddle as we find a group of turtles sunning themselves on a log. To add some excitement to the trip I break a paddle on a rock attempting to paddle up a small rapids. No worries though, with a little duct tape we were back paddling in no time. The evening ends with some loons and a bobber floating just off of camp.

Spending the day at Basswood falls was amazing. The numerous falls all packed into such a confined area makes it a playground for your senses. With short paddles and quick walks to explore each fall, its an easy way to spend a day. We found a cable tram crossing the river at one point; we are not sure what it is used for. If any of you know please email us. At one campsite located right next to a falls we found half and old grumman canoe being used as a chimney for the fire grate. We continue down Basswood River through Horseshoe falls and end this episode at the spectacular Lower Basswood Falls. We hope you enjoy the fast moving water.

After a tough day of paddling into the wind we were overjoyed to find calm waters when we emerged from out tents. We head from Half Dog bay through Back Bay, and PipeStone Bay on our way up to Basswood Falls. We encounter some neat bird activity along with some scenic portages. Join us as we continue our journey to Basswood Falls.

Summer is here!! Our first trip of the summer places us at Moose Lake on the Fernberg Rd. The sun is shinning and boy oh boy is the wind blowing. Our initial plan is to paddle up moose and take the Prairie Portage into Basswood, but with 20 to 30 mile an hour winds we change our minds a bit. Instead we take a 175 rod portage from Moose into Wind Lake and on to Wind bay on Basswood. We continue our westerly path through Indiana Lake and into Hoist Bay on Basswood. We are fighting the wind the entire day. This being our first canoe trip of the year it sure took a lot out of us. We enjoy setting up camp and cooking up a small mouth bass that Jesse catches. Glenn shows us how to start a fire with flint and steel, while I talk about the advantages of renting a satellite phone from Voyageur North Outfitters in Ely. We hope you enjoy the first in this series of shows.