Happy 2018 MN Fishing Opener!

It's the start of the summer fishing season here in Minnesota.  People have been getting their boats and canoe out of storage over the last few days and weeks.  There has been new line strung onto fishing reels, plans made for where to spend the opener and dreams of eating some freshly caught fish.

Here's a clip about how to clean a fish in case you are new to fishing or just a little rusty with filleting fish.  It's not a bad refresher as we get started on our 2018 summer canoe and fishing season.
MPR News - How to Clean a Fish

Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters and Retail store is stocked up with Minnows, Crawlers and Leeches for your trip.  Remember our bait will catch fish or die trying!

Happy Fishing

Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters & Retail Store
2030 E. Sheridan Street
Ely, MN 55731
218-365-3149
info@elycanoetrips.com
www.elycanoetrips.com

7/27/16 Update on the BWCA after the July 20th, 2016 Storm

Date Issued: July 27, 2016

USFS Information: 218-365-7600

We (the USFS) will not be posting sites as closed to avoid implying that the other sites are safe. Hazard trees have not been removed yet. When choosing a campsite and tent pads, visitors are reminded to look up and all around. There are many leaning trees, broken tops, and hanging branches that may fall easily. Saturated soils make otherwise stable trees prone to falling over. Consider these hazards and prevailing winds when choosing a parking, picnic, camping site, or tent pad.

Some access roads have not been widened. Even where they have been widened debris in ditches and on shoulders increases danger. Power companies continue to repair lines and there are still some down. We’ve had reports of people driving the access roads too fast and this is endangering our crews and each other. Getting visitors INTO the wilderness is NOT an emergency.

We have not been able to assess everything within the impacted area yet due to the need to open portages. Traveling roughly clockwise, beginning at Snowbank, here are the conditions as we know them right now:

·         Snowbank Area: Portages from Snowbank into Disappointment, Disappointment to Parent, and Parent to Snowbank are now passable. The portage into Grub was not cleared yesterday (mistakenly reported as cleared). Portages have been cleared from Snowbank east to Thomas Lake. The condition of portages from Boot to Caddyman Lake and Gibson to Ensign Lake are unknown.

·         The Snowbank/Kekekabic Hiking Trail has not been worked. Much of the trail is believed to be impassible, especially around Disappointment Mountain and on into Thomas. Hiking may be hazardous and is not advised.

·         Lake One Area: Portages into Lake Two are passable. Conditions beyond are believed to be mostly passable.

·         N. Kawishiwi/Gabbro area: Portages through Ojibway, Triangle and down into the North Kawishiwi River are passable. Conditions are unknown on the North Kawishiwi River, into Clear and into Eskwagama. Portages have been made passable from Little Gabbro, Gabbro, Bald Eagle, and Turtle to Clearwater Lake. Portages south from Clearwater to Gull have not been worked. The portage from Little Gabbro to Bruin is now passable.

·         The access into Glacier Pond is passable.  

·         Farm Lake, Birch, and White Iron roads and campsites are south of the largest impacts but had scattered damage. Roads are mostly passable. The South Kawishiwi and Birch Lake Campgrounds had little damage and are open.

·         Mudro entry point: The North Grassy Road is mostly open shoulder to shoulder now but the road is narrow and shoulders are now lined with cut trees. Power is not yet restored on much of the Echo Trail so power company trucks and workers may be on the roads. Please drive slowly! Mudro to Lower Basswood Falls through Horse is passable. Horse to Fourtown is passable. Conditions on portages to the west and north of Fourtown are unknown.

·         The Fenske Lake Campground was impacted and remains open. Crews cleared the Fenske Campground Trail, Swimming Beach, Group Site, and the trail to the public landing. They also made the Fenske to Everett Lake Portage passable.

·         Portages on the Circle Route are clear into Grassy Lake. Camping is not recommended on Bass, High, Dry, and Low Lakes at this time. Hiking the Bass Lake Trail may be hazardous. The trail is passable from the parking lot into Dry Falls. The portage from Dry into High is passable. The Dry Lake Loop of the trail is very hard hit and has not been cleared. A crew will be working the trail again today—please give them room to work. The portage into Bass Lake is passable.

·         Burntside/Crab Lake: The Van Vac access was hard hit but is now passable. Downed power lines were repaired. The Passi Road was impacted but is now passable. The Crab Lake portage was made passable yesterday. Campers report portages to the west and to the north of Crab Lake as rough but passable. Slim and Little Rice Lakes were impacted. The North Arm and Slim Lake Access roads were impacted and are now passable. The portages into Slim, Rice, Hook, and Kenue Lakes are passable.   

·         Fall and west Basswood: Newton and Pipestone portages are passable. Campsites on the southeastern shore of Pipestone were especially hard hit. A few campsites on Jackfish and, Back Bays and Newton Lake were also hard hit. Campers must choose sites and tent pads carefully, looking for hazard trees. Back Bay to Frog Bay portage is passable. The Fourmile Portage is passable to Mud, Ella Hall, and the north end of Muskeg. Beyond Muskeg the Fourmile is impassible.  

·         Moose Lake Road, eastern Basswood: The Moose Lake Road is passable. Power company trucks may be working on the road. Prairie Portage is passable. Portages into Sucker, Birch, and Ensign may be difficult but are passable. Portages farther east seem to have been less affected. Wind Lake portages are passable from Hoist Bay through to Moose Lake. 

·         Wood area: The Wood Lake area including Hula, Indiana, Good, and portages into Hoist Bay are passable.

If returning BWCAW visitors have updated information, please let us know.

 A note of caution:

·         Some branches and even whole trees are bent under pressure and may spring up suddenly if pressure is released so watch for spring poles if you are clearing blowdown.

 

 

Summer BWCA Outfit Special

With plenty of fish to catch and other wildlife to see, the BWCA is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors. Start your wilderness adventure in Ely, MN, canoe capital of the upper Midwest. Easy access to a place where you can listen to the silence and slow down the pace of life.

Spirit of the Wilderness is offering a 3 day 2 night complete outfitted canoe trip in the beautiful Boundary Waters.

• Only $225 plus tax per person! 

This special offer includes but is not limited to:

• Straps, pads and the loading of your canoe
• Kevlar canoe, yoke with pads, life jackets and paddles
• Food, cook kit and utinsils, stove with fuel and dining tarp
• Tent, sleeping bags and pads
• Additional days available at a discounted rate

Limitations:

• There must be a minimum of 2 people
• BWCA permit and usage fees are not included
• Reservation with deposit are required
• Must start trip by September 30, 2016
• Black-out dates July 24 - August 13, 2016

The Boundary Waters is Calling You!

Call today and let Spirit of the Wilderness, Ely MN outfit you for a exciting summer canoe or hiking trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Ph: 218-365-3149 or 800-950-2709

email: info@elycanoetrips.com

Canoecopia 2016 is almost here!

Canoecopia is March 11-13, 2016.  This is a great paddle sports show in Madison, WI.

Come visit the Spirit of the Wilderness canoe outfitter's booth.  We are happy to discuss & help plan your upcoming Boundary Waters canoe trip for this coming summer.

Spirit of the Wilderness will be at booth #N14.  Stop by our booth to sign up for our drawings.

We will also be giving a number of seminars during the weekend show. Here's the titles and times to catch.

A First Time BWCA Adventure You Can Do
       -Friday, March 11 at 6:30-7:15pm
       -Saturday March 12 at 11:30-12:15pm

Top 10+ Unique BWCA Sites to Visit
        - Sunday, March 13 at 10:30-11:15am

We look forward to seeing you there.  Bring your trip dates and canoe trip questions.  You can book your trip in person and have something to look forward to this coming summer.

Can't make it to Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin?  Call us at 800-950-2709 or 218-365-3149.  You can also email us at info@elycanoetrips.com.  For more BWCA canoe trip information visit www.elycanoetrips.comWww.elycanoetrips.com.

Visit us at the Northwest Sport Show this Week

This week March 25-29, 2015 Spirit of the Wilderness will be at the Northwest Sport Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  We look forward to seeing past customers and meeting new ones.  This is a great time to stop and talk about your BWCA canoe trip is summer.

We will have the following three seminars at the Northwest Sport Show. Hope to see you there!

• Friday, March 27, 2015 - 4:30PM - Packing for your BWCA Trip in room 102A
• Saturday, March 28, 2015 - 12:30PM - Traveling the BWCA this Summer in room 102A
• Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 1:30 PM -Top 10 BWCA Sites to Visit in room 102A

Photo by Jim Siirila

There are still permits available for your summer

2015 BWCA canoe trip. 

Sport Shows and Seminar Schedule for 2015

We welcomed in 2015 and look forward to a winter and spring full of Sport Shows and Seminars.  Here is a list of places to come visit Spirit of the Wilderness this Winter and Fall.

Do you have a group interested in taking a BWCA canoe trip this summer?  We can personally meet with you and your group near the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area.  We can give a group presentation or just do a question and answer session with any group size.  Just call us at 218-365-3149 or
800-950-2709 to set up a time a place for a meeting or group presentation (all for no charge). 

2015 Sport Shows and Seminars

 

February 12-15, 2015 - LaCrosse, WI Sport Show. 

• Visit our Booth to talk about planning your upcoming BWCA o Quetico canoe trip.
• Steve's Seminars Fishing the BWCA and Unique Sights in the BWCA

 

March 7, 2015 - Quiet Waters Symposium in Lansing, MI

• Visit our booth and plan your canoe trip for 2015.  We can talk about entry points and routes
• Steve's Seminar -  Unique Sights in the BWCA You Should Visit

March 13-15, 2015 - Canoecopia Paddle Show in Madison, WI

• Visit our booth for personalized planning help and have your BWCA/Quetico canoe trip questions answered.
• Steve's Seminars - Planning your BWCA Adventure and Unique Sights in the BWCA You Should Visit

March 20-22, 2015 - Wisconsin Sport Show in Eau Claire, WI

• Visit our booth for BWCA trip planning help
• Steve's Seminars - Planning your BWCA Adventure and Unique Sights in the BWCA You Should Visit

March 25-29, 2015 - Northwest Sport Show in Minneapolis, MN at the Convention Center.

• Visit the Spirit of the Wilderness booth to pay your trip deposits and plan your canoe trips.
• Steve's Seminars will be confirmed as we get closer to the show.

 

April 24-26, 2015 - Midwest Outdoor Expo, Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis, MN

• Visit our booth once again. Lets hope this is a nice warm event for our booth this year:)

 

May 9, 2015 - The Minnesota Fishing Opener. 

 

May 5-mid-October, 2015 - Come to Ely, MN to visit us and take your trip! 

 

We look forward to seeing you to help plan your 2015 BWCA & Quetico canoe trips.  Visit us at www.elycanoetrips.com for outfitting packages and options.

 

Also visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bwcaoutfitters  

 

Prescribe burn update - October 7, 2014

Observers may see smoke and even flames on the interior of burn areas listed below as fire continues to smolder and consume more pockets of fuel, which is what fire managers want to have happen. Holding lines are secure. Smoldering may continue until significant snowfall.

• Coo Lake North, T63N, R13W, S20, is 19 acres, is on a peninsula on the western edge of Burntside Lake.
•  Bear Island Island Unit, T61N, R13W, S10, 121 acres, is the large island in the center of Bear Island Lake. This unit continues to put up a fair amount of smoke.
•   Pine Ridge Unit, T65N, R16W, S1, 90 acres, is north of the Echo Trail and west of Jeanette Lake. About half of this unit was ignited.

·         In addition, fire crews burned some brush piles along the Mushroom Island Road (Township 62 N, Range 12 W, Section 1) just to the west of the mid-section of White Iron Lake, east of Ely, MN yesterday.

Crews continue to monitor all of the areas listed above. They watch for both weather patterns and fire behavior.

Safety message: 

Please do not walk in “the black” as burned areas are called. Root systems of trees may have been burned so that a green tree might topple over without warning. Holes may be filled with smoldering material.

Fire crews may return to these sites to perform additional prescribed burns within the next several years to continue clean-up and encourage the comeback of desired species.  For more information, contact Becca Manlove, Information Officer, Kawishiwi Ranger District, 218-365-2093. 

Used Gear Sale Weekend - September 5-7 in Ely

Need a tent, sleeping bag, pack, cook kit, kevlar canoe, stand up paddle boards (SUP) or something else for your wilderness trip? Come to Spirit of the Wilderness September 5-7, 8 am - 5 pm, and check out our used gear sale. All items will be at reduced prices and sold as is.  we need to make room for new inventory and storage area.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be posting photos of many items for your pre-sale review.

See you September 5-7 at Spirit of the Wilderness

PS: this is also Harvest Moon Festival in the park, so plan to enjoy a great weekend in ely

Angler Fishing Contest

Each summer the Ely Echo has a summer long fishing contest here in town.  It is free to submit an entry.  Spirit of the Wilderness is one of the Angler Check In Stations for the contest. 

If you are in the area make sure to take a photo of your fish and send it to us with your contact info and how big your fish is.  The contest allows you to enter fish you keep by bringing them in to us to weight and measure or you can take a photo and release the fish for someone else to catch later.  We recommend the Catch and Release method so someone else can have a chance at catching a trophy down the road.

Here are a few of recent entries.

May 10, 2012 Ice Conditions

Superior National Forest Ice Update

    Friday, May 10, 2013
                                                                      
Today’s Safety Message:

·         Predictions for winds today include gusts up to 38 miles per hour.

o   Please wear a PFD if you venture out on the water.

o   Be careful with fire. Spring fuels dry out quickly.

o   Ice packs may shift dramatically.

·         Rivers may be dangerous.

o   High volumes of water are causing some dangerous landings at portages.

o   Currents are swift and unpredictable.

FS Pilot report (limited fire patrol flight this afternoon):

·         Fall Lake is mostly open. Newton is open. Pipestone is open up the middle almost to Caribou Point. The rest may open in a couple of days. Jackfish still has white ice.

·         The Nina Moose (Moose/Portage River North) is open and Nina Moose Lake is about 80% open. Agnes is only 40 % open.

·         Dumbell, Sawbill, and most lakes of any size on the east side are still frozen.

·         Moose Lake is mostly frozen.

Reports from people on the ground:

·         Farm Lake is frozen.

·         Sawbill still at 13 inches of ice.

·         Lake One appears to be open from the landing past Kawishiwi Lodge—how much farther is not known.

May 9, 2013 ice out report

Superior National Forest Ice Update

                                         Thursday, May 9, 2013

                                                                       

Current Ice out report from the US Forest Service

Today’s Safety Message:

·         Please remember large masses of ice may shift. Even if there is a narrow channel open along the edge of a lake the opening may be pinched off suddenly.

·         Winds up to 30 mph are predicted for this weekend.

·         The water is dangerously cold. Wear your life preserver if you go out.

Reports from observers at landings:

•   In general, smaller, shallow lakes and rivers on the western half of the Superior National Forest are opening up. 
•   Rivers on the east side of the forest are opening. Lakes are almost all still frozen. 
•   There are no reports of any lakes associated with river entry points being open. The Little Indian Sioux and Moose/Portage (aka Nina Moose) River water levels are high. 
•  Fall Lake is open from the Fall Lake Campground landing to the falls. Newton is open. Pipestone is iced in well south of Caribou Point. 
•  Tofte, Moose, and Snowbank Lakes are still frozen. 
•  Ojibway Lake has 8 feet of open water out from the public landing. 
• The Kawishiwi River leaving east from the Lake One landing is open. 
•   Burntside is frozen. 
•  Little Long and Fenske Lakes are almost completely full of ice. 
•  Johnson (south of Ely off Hwy 21) is open. 
•  Robinson Lake (west of Ely on 169) is open. 
•  Birch Lake is still solid with white ice. 
• There is open water at the South Kawishiwi River Campground landing. 
• Sawbill Lake’s ice—from 23 inches down to 14 inches today.

May 8, 2013 Ice Out report from US Forest Service

                 Superior National Forest Ice Update

                                                                        May 8, 2013

                                                                       

Current Ice Conditions:

From FS pilots: They flew a west patrol yesterday from Jackfish west and south to Birch and Vermilion Lakes.

•       Everything was still frozen. Many lakes were still frozen right to the shoreline. 
•       Fall Lake had the most open water around the edges but was still 80% ice covered. 
•     Birch, Vermilion, Burntside, western Basswood including Pipestone and Jackfish Bays, S. Farm, and White Iron were frozen. 
•       There was a little open water near the bridge on the northern end of White Iron and a little open water on the southeast end.

Reports from others:

•         Rivers are running hard but the lakes are not open. 
•          Some people are venturing out over the ice (very dangerous!) only to find themselves confronting more ice. 
•          A few smaller lakes are very black and may open with rain or wind. 
•          Sawbill Lake had 23 inches of ice on it yesterday.

Sorry to spread such cold, hard news.

May 5, 2013 Ice Out Report

May 5, 2013  We drove out to Fall Lake boat landing near Ely, MN yesterday morning to see how the ice was doing.  We are all getting anxious to have the ice melt so we can start the 2013 BWCA canoe season.

As you can see from the photos we have a little more melting to do.  The ice has pulled away from parts of the shoreline, but remains pretty thick.  Take a look at the second photo.  There are a couple of people out ice fishing about a 100 yards from shore.  We watched them catch a couple of fish while we watched.  This time of year they would be fishing for Crappies.

Miners Lake and Shagawa Lake in Ely, MN both still have similar ice to Fall Lake.  Some of the rivers and areas with current are starting to break up more.

This coming weekend, May 11, 2013, is the Fishing opener.  We are hoping the 65+ degree weather will help move things along.  Please check back for more updates on the ice conditions.

May 5, 2013 Fall Lake boat landing near Ely, MN

May 5, 2013 Fall Lake, Ice Fishermen

Ely, MN Ice Conditions

This year everyone is worried about when the ice will go out and if it will be out by the May 11, 2013 fishing opener.  Most of the snow has melted...finally.  The lakes are still covered with ice.  In 2012 the ice went out the end of March.  Here we are May 2, 2013 and we still have over a foot of ice on most of the lakes.

Many of the lakes around the Ely, MN area and the BWCA have grey ice which is a good sign that things are slowly melting.  The ice is still holding tight to the edges of the lakes.  It's always better when you start to see a little water on the edges.  Some of the rivers such as the Kawishiwi River will have open water before lakes without current.  The current in the rivers helps break up the ice a little faster.

Time and warmer temperatures will help move things along.  We have had a few canoeing groups move their trips back a week or two.  Last year we sent a few groups out by April 27, 2012.

Here is a picture April 30, 2013 of Miners Lake in Ely, MN.  Still lots of ice yet!

Check back with us to learn more about Ely, MN ice conditions. 

You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwcaoutfitters

Ely MN Press Release Follow up

Press Release

Ely,MN – April 3, 2013

 In the wake of support from around the nation, the small town of Ely, Minnesota is considering extending its ban of social media to include the use of all electronic devices in and around the area.

 Local officials are urging all residents and visitors to this popular town on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to put their phones, tablets and notebook computers down.

 “You don’t need Twitter,” one official said. “You can find a hundred forty characters on any street during a typical summer day in Ely. They’re quite friendly.” He added there are over one million acres of wilderness, and hundreds of lakes surrounding Ely, which are better experienced when you’re not looking down at a small screen.

 City officials are not saying what will happen with the hundreds of devices overzealous residents could confiscate over the next several months.

 To learn more about this strange town in the most beautiful part of Minnesota, visit us at Spirit of the Wilderness www.elycanoetrips.com

ELY, MINN. ANNOUNCES A BAN ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY

      Measure aims to get people outdoors, where the air is clean — and only the birds tweet

ELY, MINN. — April 1, 2013 — Today, the Northern Minnesota town at the end of the road, Ely, Minnesota, has cut off access to social media within its borders. Ely city officials made the decision to ban social media in all its forms — including Friendster, MySpace and Google+ — to encourage visitors to look up from their handheld screens and enjoy the real outdoors.

Unnamed local officials hint the ban may be extended to all electronic devices in and around Ely — the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The area boasts pristine wilderness, crystal clear lakes and small-town charms that one must see to believe, and not just in a YouTube video.

“The only thing online here is a fish. And why would anyone need Pinterest?” says Ross Petersen, Ely’s mayor. “We have a big bulletin board over at the grocery store for that sort of thing. Or the Twitter?  We have at least a hundred forty characters right here, living in Ely. And don’t even get me started on the kids listening to their Zunes.”

Tweeters, posters, pinners, fans and hashtaggers have responded to the news swiftly, posting their reactions to the measure on the internet. However, no one in Ely is countering  — or frankly, even cares. “We’ve got a million acres of exclusive content, and hundreds of sites you can visit — in person,” adds Petersen.

Sales of ink pens and real paper tablets have reportedly spiked in area stores. 

There’s plenty of non-electronic fun in and around the water this summer when you travel to Ely to visit in person. For more information on Ely, named “Coolest Small Town in America” by Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel; and to book a vacation that’s less than four hours from the Twin Cities, please drop by the city, or call Spirit of the Wilderness at 800-950-2709 or 218-365-3149.

Pagami Creek Fire Update Sept 11, 2011

TODAY’S MESSAGE: Yesterday’s dry air and north winds pushed the Pagami Creek Fire farther south yesterday. In consideration of today’s high fire indices, fire managers began a proactive movement of campers from Lakes Two through Hudson, nearby routes, and the Isabella River within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Specific closures are listed below. Most of the BWCAW remains safe and open to visitors eager to enjoy the fall season.

ACTIVITIES TODAY:
Public Safety crews are sweeping the areas to be closed, assisting campers into other lakes.
Airplanes and helicopters are being used to drop water, keeping the fire within the wilderness and south and east of the Kawishiwi River.

CLOSURES: The vast majority of the BWCAW remains safe and open to visitors. To insure public safety the following waterways and portages are temporarily closed: Lakes One through Hudson, Fire, Bridge, Rifle, the Wilders, Horseshoe, Pagami, Clearwater, Turtle, Camdre, Pietro, Gull, Quadga, Rice, Isabella Lake, and the Isabella River. The southern campsites on Bald Eagle are closed. The Pow Wow Trail is closed. Sites, routes and portages will be re-opened as soon as it is safe to do so. The following entry points are closed: #30 Lake One, #84 Snake River, #75 Little Isabella River, #67 Bog Lake, #86 Pow Wow Trail, #35 Isabella Lake, and #34 Island River. Campers already in the BWCAW will be able to travel through these routes to exit the wilderness but visitors will not be allowed to enter at these points until further notice.

SAFETY: Campfire restrictions are in place. Wilderness wide, campfires are allowed only between 6 p.m. and midnight. Be sure that campfires are doused thoroughly until cold to the touch.

DATE OF DETECTION: August 18, 2011

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: approximately 4500 acres burned. Acreage is expected to increase today due to weather conditions.

LOCATION: Township 63 N, Range 9 W, Sections 30, 31, 32: approximately 14 miles east of Ely (within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness) in the Pagami Creek area between the South Kawishiwi River, Clearwater Lake, and Lake One.

AGENCY: Superior National Forest, Kawishiwi Ranger District

SMOKE CONDITIONS: Smoke may be heavy and wide spread depending on wind direction.

RESOURCES: The fire is now under the management of Type 2 Incident Management Team Hinds.

Spirit of the Wilderness in the Winter

Spirit of the Wilderness is open May through October. The summer months look a little different than Ely, Minnesota in the winter. Here's a little peak into what you miss by coming up in the summer. Note the snow is almost deep enough to cover the van wheels and deep enough to cover the bottom canoes on the rack.

Thanksgiving is almost here

With Thanksgiving around the corner don't forget to talk to your friends and family about your next BWCA or Quetico canoe trip in Ely, Minnesota this coming summer.

Many agree that a Boundary Waters canoe trip is a great way to reconnect to nature and recharge your batteries. There's something about getting into the wilderness and leaving behind the busy world of cell phones and computers.

Sometimes, it's good to disconnect from the technology. We spend a lot of time worried about what email we have to return and what text message was just received. A canoe trip really gets you back to basics. You worry about where to fish for the afternoon, what's for lunch or dinner and if you can get a great photo of the sunset.

Taking a canoe trip brings enjoyment to many. Time and time again we hear how someone took a trip in their youth and hasn't been able to make it back since. Make 2011 be your year to rediscover what it means to explore the wilderness. Maybe you have been to the Boundary Waters every year for the past 15 years. Then tell someone about your trip or bring someone new. As our lives get busier it good to remember there are still places where life moves a little slower and we can reconnect to nature.

BWCA in the Fall

What a great time to visit the Boundary Waters! This October has been great so far. Sure, you can get a rainy and cold day in the fall, but the beautiful warm sunny days really help make up for the chance of rain. The weekends are the busy time of the fall. Pick a start date mid-week and you may not see many people.

We have had some great color change in the leaves. It's a little past peak, but still looking pretty good. The next few days the forecast is calling for sunny and 70 to 77 degrees. There is nothing better than walking through the wood and hearing the crunch of leaves on the ground and smelling the pine trees. A warm fall day is something to cherish.